Futsal players contesting the ball during a FIFA Futsal World Cup 2028 qualifying match

FIFA Futsal World Cup 2028 Qualifying November Window: Fixtures, Dates & Key Ties to Watch

The road to the 2028 FIFA Futsal World Cup picks up speed again this week. After an October window full of goals — including Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 17-1 rout of Northern Ireland and Portugal’s 10-3 win over Denmark — the European main round returns on Thursday, November 5, with 20 ties spread across November 5–11. The November window is the second of four in the main round, and with only two games played per team so far, plenty of groups are still wide open.

The format keeps the pressure on. Thirty-six teams are split into 12 groups of three, playing each other home and away. The 12 group winners and the four best runners-up go straight through to the elite round, while the remaining eight runners-up drop into play-offs for the last four elite-round places. In the end, seven European teams will book a place at the 2028 finals, which run from October 7 to 29, 2028, at a host venue still to be confirmed.

Opening night: Azerbaijan vs Czechia headlines Thursday

The window opens on Thursday, November 5, with Azerbaijan hosting Czechia at 14:00 CET (18:00 PKT) in Lankaran. It is a quick rematch with real bite: Czechia won the reverse fixture 2-1 in October and now sit top of Group 12 on four points, while Azerbaijan are still chasing their first point after that defeat. A home win would blow the group wide open, with Latvia — who drew 3-3 with Czechia in October — waiting for Azerbaijan on November 8.

Friday, November 6, is the busiest night of the window, with six ties. European champions Spain’s group rivals are not in action that night, but France host Montenegro in Le Mans at 20:00 CET (midnight PKT), a meeting of the two teams tied on three points at the top of Group 2 after both won their openers — France 6-0 in Moldova, Montenegro 6-1 at home to Moldova. In Rijeka, Croatia face Germany at 20:30 CET in a Group 3 clash where Germany’s 4-2 opening win over Lithuania already gives them the early edge. Elsewhere on Friday, Kosovo host Italy, Slovenia meet Norway, Belarus face Albania and Andorra take on the Netherlands.

What else to watch across the window

Saturday, November 7, brings Sweden vs Armenia in Gävle at 15:00 CET (19:00 PKT) — a must-win for both after opening defeats to Hungary — plus Poland vs Northern Ireland in Tarnów, where Poland will look to build on their 6-2 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. On Sunday, November 8, Romania host Denmark and Azerbaijan face Latvia in Baku.

The window closes on Tuesday, November 10, and Wednesday, November 11, with the return fixtures that could reshape several groups. Montenegro host France, Lithuania welcome Croatia, Finland face North Macedonia in Vantaa, and Slovakia meet Ukraine in Bratislava, while Italy host Kosovo and Slovenia host Belgium. Northern Ireland then host Poland in Belfast on November 11, and the Netherlands welcome Andorra to Rotterdam the same night.

For fans of the five-a-side game, this is the week the qualifying picture starts to take real shape. Teams that win both of their November ties will head into December with one foot in the elite round; teams that slip up will be left needing favours in February and March. Keep an eye on the FIFA futsal rankings race too — every point here shapes the seedings for what comes next.

Full November fixtures (all times CET; PKT = CET + 4 hours):

  • Thursday, November 5: Azerbaijan vs Czechia, 14:00 CET (18:00 PKT)
  • Friday, November 6: Belarus vs Albania, 15:30 CET (19:30 PKT); Slovenia vs Norway, 18:00 CET (22:00 PKT); France vs Montenegro, 20:00 CET (00:00 PKT Nov 7); Andorra vs Netherlands, 20:00 CET (00:00 PKT Nov 7); Kosovo vs Italy, 20:00 CET (00:00 PKT Nov 7); Croatia vs Germany, 20:30 CET (00:30 PKT Nov 7)
  • Saturday, November 7: Sweden vs Armenia, 15:00 CET (19:00 PKT); Poland vs Northern Ireland, 19:00 CET (23:00 PKT)
  • Sunday, November 8: Romania vs Denmark, 17:30 CET (21:30 PKT); Azerbaijan vs Latvia, 20:00 CET (00:00 PKT Nov 9)
  • Tuesday, November 10: Finland vs North Macedonia, 17:30 CET (21:30 PKT); Slovenia vs Belgium, 17:30 CET (21:30 PKT); Montenegro vs France, 18:00 CET (22:00 PKT); Lithuania vs Croatia, 18:00 CET (22:00 PKT); Slovakia vs Ukraine, 18:00 CET (22:00 PKT); Belarus vs Kazakhstan, 20:00 CET (00:00 PKT Nov 11); Italy vs Kosovo, 20:00 CET (00:00 PKT Nov 11)
  • Wednesday, November 11: Northern Ireland vs Poland, 19:00 CET (23:00 PKT); Netherlands vs Andorra, 19:30 CET (23:30 PKT)

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