October Internationals...

The article you have been waiting for... It is international week!!!

CONMEBOL WORLD CUP QUALIFYING
We reach the halfway point with game weeks 9 and 10 this week.
Argentina still lead the way with 18 points, but lost last time out in Colombia. They have an away game in Venezuela before hosting Bolivia.
Colombia are 2 points behind in 2nd, and have the altitude issue to face in Bolivia before hosting Chile.
With a number of suspensions hitting them hard, Uruguay had two goalless draws in September, but remain 3rd on 15 points. They are away to Peru and host Ecuador.
Despite a 3 point deduction, Ecuador sit in 4th and have 11 points. As well as that trip to Uruguay they host Paraguay.
Such is the number of teams that qualify (6), Brazils poor start to the campaign is unlikely to be costly but defeat to Paraguay last time out means they have already lost 4 out of 8. They are on 10 points, just 1 clear of 7th. They host Peru then go to Venezuela.
Venezuela are also on 10 points as they chase their debut World Cup, with Paraguay and Bolivia chasing on 9 points each. As said, 6th place is automatic qualification to WC26, but 7th gets an inter-confederation place. That means even Chile and Peru still have hopes despite just 5 and 3 points respectively.
Week 9 is Thursday night/Friday morning, while week 10 is Tuesday into Wednesday.


AFC ASIAN WORLD CUP QUALIFYING
They are in the 3rd round, which sees three groups of six teams. Top two qualify for the World Cup, while 3rd and 4th go into the 4th round.
We are only 2 games in but it is already proving to be quite unpredictable in what looks a competitive system.
Group A is led by Uzbekistan on 6 points and they play Iran who also have 6 points. Their second game is against 3rd placed United Arab Emirates who have 3 points. Qatar, bidding to qualify for the first time after hosting 2022, only got 1 point from their opening 2 games, as did North Korea, with Kyrgyzstan on 0.

Group B headliners South Korea were held to a shock 0-0 with Palestine before they beat Oman. This week they face current group leaders Jordan and other fancied side from this group Iraq.

Perhaps the big story of September was Australia only getting one point from a home game with Bahrain (0-1) and a trip to Indonesia (0-0). They host China before a big game with Japan. The Japanese 100% start to the stage will be severely tested, with a trip to Jeddah to face Saudi Arabia first.

Games are on Thursday and Tuesday.

OFC WORLD CUP QUALIFYING
The second round begins this week, with 2 groups of 4 teams. Top 2 at the end face off in a knockout stage with the winner qualifying for the World Cup and the runner-up going into the inter-confederation play-offs.

UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE
Scotland aim to get their campaign going with a trip to Croatia before hosting Portugal. Poland make up the group and play Portugal and Croatia with games on Saturday and Tuesday.

In A2Belgium have an interesting week, facing Italy and France in Group A. The Italians lead the group with 6 points with Belgium and France on 3 and Israel on 0. Thursday and Monday for this groups games.

Germany and Netherlands meet in Munich in A3s big tie. They drew 2-2 last month and the old enemies face off again on Monday, the same night as Bosnia-Herzegovina host Hungary. Germany go to Bosnia on Friday and the same night the Dutch are in Hungary.

A4 leaders Denmark travel to Spain on Saturday with Serbia and Switzerland in the other game. Spain host Serbia on Tuesday with the Swiss welcoming Denmark.

On Thursday League B2 sees England host Greece with both teams on a maximum 6 points. On the same night Finland play Ireland. Finland then host England and its Greece vs Ireland on Sunday.

Wales are in Iceland on Friday and host Montenegro on Monday in B4
Northern Ireland , in C3, go to Belarus and host Bulgaria on Saturday and Tuesday respectively.

One of the stories of September was San Marino recording a historic win. They look to make it back to back wins when they go to Gibraltar on Thursday night.


AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS QUALIFIERS
12 groups of 4 teams, with the top 2 qualifying, we are in game weeks 3 and 4 so halfway there.
While most of the top teams are doing well, the story could be Ghana, who got just 1 point from a home game with Angola and a trip to Niger. This week they play Sudan in a double-header.
Algeria vs Togo could be an interesting couple of games, as could Kenya and Cameroon

CONCACAF NATIONS LEAGUE
2 groups of 6 teams, but you play just 4 games. And there is no USA, Mexico, Canada or Panama until the next stage. This week sees the teams final 2 games. Top 2 go into the quarter finals.
Costa Rica have work to do and face 2nd and 3rd this week; Suriname first and then Guatemala. CR have 4 points, level with Guatemala while Suriname have 3 points. Guadeloupe also have 3 points and play bottom 2 Guyana and Marinique.

Steve McLarens Jamaica headline group B and sit on 4 points along with Nicaragua. Honduras have 3, Cuba 2 while French Guiana and Trinidad and Tobago each have 1 point. With a number of PL stars, and the newest Mason Holgate, Jamaica face Nicaragua and Honduras. Mason Greenwood still not involved for Jamaica though.

UEFA u21 QUALIFIERS
There is a lot of youth internationals, and the qualifiers for the 2025 u21 European Championship reaches the end of the group stage this week.
There are 9 groups, with top going straight through to the tournament and the 3 best 2nd placed teams joining them. The 6 other 2nd placed teams go into the play-offs for the final 3 places.
Republic of Ireland sit second behind Italy in Group A. They meet in the final game, but before then Ireland host 3rd placed Norway. If Ireland can win that then they go to Italy a point behind.
Scotland know they cannot finish top of Group B, Spain have won that already. However, they sit in second on 16 points - the same as Fridays opponents Belgium. As it is H2H and Scotland already registered a 2-0 win in Belgium, they know a win will see them into the play-offs. Scotland play Kazakhstan and Belgium host Hungary in the final games.
England are guaranteed at least a play-off place, and look good for being the best of the 2nd placed teams. They could still overtake Ukraine, who are top and 5 points clear. England host Ukraine on Friday, and seemingly have the easier last game (Azerbaijan compared to Serbia for Ukraine). Having won all 8 so far, Ukraine will be confident of completing the job though. Northern Ireland are 5th in this group and cannot advance.
Wales sit level on points with Denmark in Group I, but have a worse H2H. Wales host Czechia with Denmark hosting Iceland - both the opponents can still qualify having an extra game compared to the top 2.


Should be a great week of international football, and I am sure everybody is delighted to have a break from club football.