International football’s lowest ranked side San Marino still possess a possible path to the FIFA World Cup under qualification rules – and their cause could be aided by a heavy defeat next month.
San Marino, who are ranked bottom of FIFA’s world rankings at 210, currently lie bottom of their qualification group.
The minnows have lost all seven of their matches, conceding 32 goals and scoring just once.
Since becoming a FIFA member in 1988, the microstate has failed to win a World Cup or European qualifying match.
A route to the World Cup still exists after San Marino had finished top of their Nations League group.
San Marino finished top of the Nations League D – the bottom tier – ahead of Gibraltar and Liechtenstein.
San Marino still have a slim chance to secure qualification to next summer’s World Cup
The nation, who were thrashed 10-0 by Austria last week, can still receive a play-off spot
They earned consecutive victories over Liechtenstein, the nation they have earned their three competitive wins against – along with earning a draw against Gibraltar after a stoppage time equaliser.
Their success in the Nations League, a competition designed by UEFA to offer meaningful matches against similarly ranked teams – has offered a secondary path to the World Cup.
Four spots in the World Cup play-offs are available to Nations League group winners.
The spots will be awarded to the best group winners who have failed to earn an automatic place in the World Cup or a play-off berth via their qualification group.
As it stands, Nations League group winners Spain, Germany, Portugal, France, England, Norway, the Czech Republic and North Macedonia are ranked in the top two in their respective qualifying groups – which would seal a World Cup spot or a place in the play-offs.
Wales, Romania, Sweden and Northern Ireland would be in line to receive the four Nations League play-off spots, with the quartet currently outside the top two spots in their respective groups.
In the event the four teams were to move into the top two in their groups, a Nations League play-off spot would open up to the two winners of League D – Moldova and San Marino.
Moldova would be next in line to receive a spot due to having a higher world ranking than San Marino.
In a further twist, Romania are currently third in San Marino’s qualifying group and would boost the microstate’s chances of landing a play-off berth by finishing second.
Romania finishing second in their qualifying group would aid San Marino’s chances, with the teams meeting in their final matchday next month
Romania leapfrogging Bosnia and Herzegovina would boost San Marino’s play-off prospects
Romania are three points behind second-placed Bosnia and Herzegovina, who they faced next month in a crunch qualifier.
Bosnia then face group leaders Austria in the final matchday, while Romania host San Marino in Bucharest.
It opens the prospect that Romania could require a big win over San Marino to secure second spot and a play-off place on goal difference – with the nation currently three goals shy of Bosnia.
With San Marino’s hopes of a play-off spot resting on Romania finishing second, it could prove beneficial for the nation to lose the match heavily in order to boost their own World Cup hopes.
San Marino’s unlikely path would likely also depend on Northern Ireland regaining second spot in their qualification group, after a defeat by Germany allowed Slovakia to leapfrog them with a 2-0 win over Luxembourg on Monday.
Even in the event San Marino receive a spot, their prospects would be slim with the four Nations League group winners being the lowest seeds for the play-offs.
