Futsal World Cup 2028 Qualifying: Portugal Hit Six Past Romania as Spain Open With Win
The road to the 2028 FIFA Futsal World Cup is gathering pace, and the continent’s heavyweights wasted no time making statements this week. Reigning world champions Portugal were ruthless in Romania, European champions Spain ground out a win at home, and France and Kazakhstan both banked opening victories.
Portugal ruthless, Spain made to work
Portugal made it two wins from two in Group 7 with a 6-1 rout of Romania in Targu Mures on Wednesday. Paçó struck twice — including one inside the opening 15 seconds — with further goals from Pany Varela, Góis, Jesus and Neves as the Seleção followed up their 10-3 opening win over Denmark with another goal-fest. Sixteen scored, four conceded: the holders already look ominous.
Spain’s start was far less comfortable. The European champions were made to sweat by a physical Finland in Manzanares on Tuesday, needing second-half goals to seal a 3-1 win in their qualifying opener. Pablo Muñoz gave Jesús Velasco’s side the lead, Finland levelled through a Sylla volley, and then Ricardo Mayor and Antonio Pérez — the latter marking his 50th cap with the clincher against a flying goalkeeper — spared Spanish blushes in front of their home crowd.
France cruise, Kazakhstan survive a classic
France could hardly have asked for a better start in Group 2, sweeping Moldova aside 6-0 in Chisinau for what their federation called a perfect start to the qualifying campaign.
The game of the week came in Group 6, where Kazakhstan edged Belarus 5-4 in a nine-goal thriller in Almaty — a first qualifying win that keeps the world’s eighth-ranked side on track. And in Group 8, the Netherlands struck three times in the final six minutes to snatch a 3-3 draw with Serbia in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Ceyar netting twice in the last five minutes after Serbia had led 3-0. Serbia stay top of the group with four points, while Poland stunned Bosnia and Herzegovina 6-2 earlier in the week to keep Group 5 wide open.
The main round continues with the next window from November 6-11 — Spain host North Macedonia, France meet Montenegro and Portugal face Denmark — and runs until March 2027, with the 12 group winners plus the four best runners-up heading to the elite round.
