WORLD CUP 102 ꩜ Roleplay Thread

by **Kelssek** » Fri Oct 09, 2026 5:31 pm

KSK 3-3 NKB / Demetriev rues points dropped after defensive shambles

Youngster Loïc Toyotomi enjoyed a dream debut but one that was marred by a series of defensive lapses which saw Kelssek slump to a draw against New Kowloon Bay, a team ranked 339th against whom most fans at Stadium of the Workers will have been expecting a win. Kelssek had a fine match on the front foot and dominated possession, but combined this with a shaky defensive performance that will leave many question marks on their World Cup qualifying hopes going forward.

Kelssek should have put the game to bed after the 19-year old Association Ariddienne striker, coming off a breakout season as the second division’s top scorer to push his club to promotion as playoffs winners, replaced Rémy Niemi on 64 minutes and made it 3-1 just over ten minutes later.
after a series of poor defensive lapses that raised serious questions about the team’s discipline and defensive coordination.

The result was clearly a disappointment for Ruslan Demetriev in his first match in charge of the national team. “As a coach you want to worry about structure and the big picture, but you look at these kinds of moments, set pieces, counter attacks, and yes, you can say there is a lack of concentration, isolated mistakes. But it’s just not something we can keep doing, and the players know this, so what I want from them is to make this a blip and not a negative trend.”

As expected, Kelssek were able to dominate possession of the ball, and there could be few complaints about how they controlled the match and created chances. Agapeto Licea had given Kelssek the lead after a spell of early pressure, slotting the ball in from the edge of the penalty box with a measured finish. Medyson Consðntin’s speed and incisive play was finding holes in the backline, and one of these plays saw them sliced to the ground having steamed into the penalty area with the ball, a foul for which Tsang Chi-fung was cautioned but some fans in the stadium evidently felt merited a harsher sanction. For what it was worth, Rémy Niemi cooly converted the penalty and at 2-0 many would have felt Kelssek could have run away with it.

To their credit New Kowloon Bay did not buckle and were rewarded for a stalwart response in the second half as they seized on a counter-attack opportunity that left them with a two-on-one situation that saw Chidi Okafor and Rodrigo Silva exchange passes to get past Volodymyr Casiraghi allowing the former to lob the onrushing Dominic Tessier. Pablo Ruiz got on the end of a long range free kick to make the score 3-2, a goal which at the moment would have felt like a poor lapse but ultimately only a consolation. Artemios Ostend being sent off for a second yellow card and going down to ten players would surely have played some role in Lee Chun-hei being able to get a free header from a corner with a minute left in normal time, giving New Kowloon Bay a dramatic equalizer that stunned the crowd in Neorvins.

KELSSEK 3 – Licea (16’), Niemi (pen. 42’), Toyotomi (77’)
Tessier, Cantwell, Cleeves, Zivkovic, Casiraghi, Pogbacar, Licea (Métisser 64’), Toir (Hunter 70’) Consðntin (Mao 82’), Ostend, Niemi (Toyotomi 64’)
NEW KOWLOON BAY 3 – Okafor (51’), Ruiz (82’), Lee CH (89’)
Stadium of the Workers, Neorvins (attn. 53,884)

by **Sel Appa** » Fri Oct 09, 2026 7:45 pm

Opening Day at Turtle Stadium a Disappointment?

WC 102 Qualifiers Post-Matchday 1

Comment (14)

Recommend (52)

E-mail

Share

Print

Reprints/Permissions

NEMNENAIT—Coming off quarterfinal showings at the Cup of Harmony and Independent Associations Cup, a lot was expected here in Nemnenait, but not a lot happened. The match was scoreless and shotless for over half of the first half, then Karlo Metassis slid a ball to Antonio Rodriguez, who put it past the Dragoons keeper. However, this was not to last as the flag was up and Rodriguez was offside. Neither side could quite solve the other the rest of the first half, with both squads going into the locker room a frustrated, but not forlorn.

If one expected the halftime pep talks to help, one would be mistaken, as both teams made numerous moves, but still no shots finding their way even on net. If scoring were judged by the far sides of the posts or over the bar, both teams would be doing well. But this is football and those are not the rules. Perhaps the craziest moment was a shot by an Oberour striker that hit the crossbar with a loud bang that washed over the crowd. And with that, it had cracked and began to sag. It was not noticed at first until Sel Appan keeper Sam Sabesić looked up and called out to the referee, who promptly stopped play.

Technicians quickly jumped in, attempting to repair the goal. The players waited and watched, drinking Turtleade near the benches. It looked like the match might have to be abandoned, as the techs appeared unable to make the repairs. However, a practice net was brought out from storage. This was Turtle Stadium, of course, the biggest in the country. The referee measured and checked the net to make sure it was regulation size, and restarted the match once the broken net was off the field. However, now a record breakin fifteen minutes of stoppage time would be needed.

The lack of momentum was disrupted by the break and became even more lacking. Ninety minutes came and went and the fourth official did indeed signal that fifteen minutes would be added. Several substitutions were made on both sides. Daviande toyed with the idea of playing for a draw, but was determined for a win. He did beef up the defense a bit, pulling Arthur Cahse for Chris Nelson and the Pack were replaced with Jimmy Kim and George Kingsford, making it a 3-4-3 formation. And the Dragoons made changes of their own.

Despite this, eight minutes into added time, an Oberour shot did find the back of the net. And with that, the visiting team locked things down and did their best to outplay the Turtles, keeping every player marked. Daviande could be seen rubbing his bald head on the bench, miffed by the turn of events. Nothing further was attempted by either team and the final whistle blew. The Daviandian adage "you need to score to win" proves true, as the Turtles fell 0-1 here at home.

With this, Sel Appa are one and four in opening matches since returning to international football, all of which were at Turtle Stadium. However, one could really see this as an admirable result. The Turtles held a much better side to a goal, despite both playing hard. And while the team obtains no points from this encounter, they are only -1 on goal difference, which is critical in tougher matches like these. Sel Appa faces an easier stretch the next four matches, before sending off to Qusmo to finish out the first leg, a match expected to be much harder than this. The Turtles will head to Novaya Zemlya Archipelago for their next match.

Comments

by **Marnack Confederacy** » Fri Oct 09, 2026 8:25 pm

Marnack Confederacy Football Team or MCFT has training for the World Cup. This is our first time here so most likely a debutant with a bit optimistic. But not likely will winning the world cup because has a really bad RP.

MCFT Training in the Training Stadium called Jakalibo Training Stadium or JTS (really, this kind of stadium is ONLY for training, and have a international-quality training, and can't used to play football, just only for Training Stadium), this stadium is quiet big, but not have a seat for watching.

And, for playing, MCFT has a national stadium. That is:

New Marnack National Stadium (NMNS)

This stadium is the national football stadium, home to our national football team of course. This stadium has a capacity over 125,690+ (or 125,691), and this stadium is only for football and athletics for olympics. And the grass, it was a high-quality, football-certified, natural grass (Imported from swiss). And it has a modern architecture and feature like Automated VAR (or AVAR), Automated Adaptive Condition (or AAC), and many more.

The stadium was build in 1986, the same year of MCFT born (in the past, Marnack Confederacy that is still a republic, not a United Kingdom, not have a national football team, only have a local league and local team).

by **HUElavia** » Fri Oct 09, 2026 11:28 pm

A Chef's Voyage

Crpostran

"Hi, my name's Antoine Brousseau.
For several years, I've been a chef, working in various restaurants throughout HUElavia.
The sights and smells of cuisine have been a part of my life since I was very young.
But now, it's time for a new change in my life.
It's time to travel throughout the multiverse and sample the various dishes people has to offer.
I don't know what's ahead for me, but I got the appetite to find out."

"This is A Chef's Voyage."

If there was a nation that could nearly rival the size of my native HUElavia, it is Crpostran. Located in the center of the region of Karma, Crpostran, the country is aptly nicknamed "The Heart of Karma" and it truly does fit the name. A massive island of well over 2 Million Sq. km, and a population of 800 million Crpostranians that fill an island that has such a wide variety of climates. From lush jungles, much like in HUElavia to cold, snow covered summits, much like in Sudilia to hot, dry deserts, Crpostran truly feels like it could be a continent from all what it can hold.

After a lengthy flight from Curumba to Crpostown, the move through customs was pretty easy. Although, running a popular TV show about exploring other cultures and their cuisines and customs sure does help pull some strings. Going through the capital city, one notices how shockingly clean it is. Curumba and all of HUElavia as a whole is very conscious on having clean streets, but Crpostran takes it to a higher level with constant bins for trash and recycling that you see people of all ages picking up stuff to keep the country clean. There's such a wonderful contrast of the glass skyscrapers to the humble and historic old districts that evokes a nice mix of the past and the future, very reminiscent of Curumba. My first stop was to a popular local restaurant called Abdul's. Here, they lay claim to have the best version of Crpostran's National Dish: Biryani. In particular, I decided to order the Lamb Biryani, although, there's plenty of others like with Chicken, Goat or Beef, as well as Seafood too. This dish in particular was filled with rice, various spices such as black pepper, cardamoms, cinnamon, ginger to name a few, as well as milk, onions, garlic, and yogurt. I ordered some Raita, a type of yogurt on the side to have alongside the Biryani. *Takes bite* "Mmmm... Very wonderful dish. The way they cooked the lamb, looks hard at first, but they slow cooked it for a while and the meat is cooked enough that it isn't super chewy, but it doesn't just tear apart, like if it was in a pressure cooker. There is some spiciness in it, but the spices give it a sort of warmth with each bite, unlike a burning sensation like some peppers." *Takes bite of the Raita* "Ahhh, this Raita is very wonderful, has that cool, creamy taste, especially thanks to the Cucumber chopped up here. Has a savory feel to it as well, almost a bit earthiness. Really compliments well to give some cooling into my mouth with the warmth the Biryani brings." The owners seemed pleased with my pleasure of this dish that they handed my crew and I seconds and plenty of beer to wash down this great meal. All in all, one of my absolute favorites throughout my journeys.

I enjoyed my time in Crpostown, taking in the museums, the history of the capital city being a planned capital before it became the sprawling metropolis that it is today. I decide to take their zoom! High Speed Rail Line, taking it to Port Mohan, which was a very popular destination for HUElavians during the last Indies when they played games there. Before I decided to ride the HSR, I stopped by a local cafeteria by the train station, deciding on getting a pretty quick bite before the long ride. I settle on a nice tray of Bun Kebab with condiments of ketchup and chutney. The Bun Kebab is a type of sandwich that the bun is a bit bigger to the kind used in sliders, with a well-seasoned meat patty, this one being of mutton and beef, topped with tomatoes, cucumbers and onions. The chutney in particular was a green one made of mint and coriander. *Takes Bite* "Mmmmm, very great stuff! The patty has this earthy, deep flavor that sits so well with each bite. The vegetables in it give it that nice coolness to go with the heat of the dish, although the onion does give a sort of sharpness, kinda like in the red onions we'd use back home. The chutney as a dip and sauce inside the sandwich does give a nice, refreshing flavor to each bite. All in all, this is a nice dish to have on the go, and I can see why it's popular among the passengers here."

Riding the train, we pass by Crpostair Arena, where HUElavia won their bronze medal in said recent addition at the Indies, I remember fondly being at a watch party cheering the team on with some good friends having some nice wine to pair with the food. Before long, we're speeding through the countryside, taking in the beautiful scenery throughout our ride to Port Mohan. After about 90 minutes on the train, we finally arrive to Port Mohan. Located to the far east of the country, it is a formerly planned city as well, being named after Crpostranian President Ankit Mohan. There is a sort of reverence towards the Crpostranian leader, given his push for a major city in the far east of the country, very similar to HUElavia's Itio (albeit, that city was the home for the Eskadi diaspora into HUElavia). Port Mohan was quoted to have the most beautiful coastline and beaches of the country according to tourists and locals, and I have to agree with them. it is a very beautiful city and coastline, very reminiscent of the coasts all throughout southern HUElavia, especially towards my hometown Lourdes. I walk around the city, taking in the many storefronts dedicated to the ocean. It was very fascinating to take in the naval history of Crpostran at their National Maritime History Museum, seeing all the historic figures and boats used throughout the nation's history.

Eventually, I stop by a local restaurant simply called "The Coast" and given the proximity to the ocean, there was a pretty big promotion of a popular dish they made, called the Daab Chingri. It is a famous Prawn Curry served in a coconut shell, alongside with some rice. *Takes bite and slurp* "Mmmm, yesss... Very great dish here. The prawns are super juicy and tender, you can almost slurp it right up from how soft it is. The coconut water that it has gives it that sweet coconut sweetness a bit right there. The mustard included here does give it a pretty sharp zing, but the coconut milk does even it out and give it a creamy flavor having it. As always, a very earthy taste that contrasts with the mustard and sits well with the white rice. A very fitting dish for this city."

The next day, I enjoy my time at the beach, taking in the sun and warm water, with plenty of happy folks enjoying the same place. Shopping around the aurell store to get some clothes to bring back was a nice closing touch in an otherwise very beautiful city.

All in all, Crpostran has a wonderful country and cuisine that has been fantastic from start to finish. While this is a small section to look at compared to the vastness of the country, it was certainly worthwhile making the trip and enjoying such a warm and friendly culture and people.

by **Erroropolisish Paradystopia** » Fri Oct 09, 2026 11:58 pm

H.R.H. Error Message I
The Splendiferous Palace
1 Imperial Boulevard
Greater Erroropolis
Erroropolisish Paradystopia

Rutendo Mukarate
CO: The Greater Erroropolis Arena
The Avenue of Dreems
Greater Erroropolis

Dear Mr. Mukarate

Ulla, ulla, ulla! Ulla ulla! Ulla Rutendo!

I hope I am saying that correct but as I have yet to receive a reply to my first letter, I wondered if there was perhaps a language barrier? Taking time from my already busy schedule, I sought to acquire some skills in your native language though there does seem to be some discrepancy as to what constitutes the Martian tongue (I apologise if this is somewhat offensive; I don't know whether Martians actually have tongues). There is also much reference to the use of communication via telepathy, which I have also attempted with sadly limited results. If this is your chosen mode of communication, or the manner that best suited to your hideous, quirky xeno-biology, I do ask that you try to write things down when relay orders to the players as it can be disconcerting for those more akin to vocalic conversation. That, or maybe chose a single individual as a vessel of sorts?

Speaking of football, I cannot say I wasn't disappointed to hear that the team failed to defeat Xanneria, and may have suffered defeat themselves had it not been for an excellent Sven Svensson equaliser in the final minutes. The attacking sensibilities you seem to have encouraged of the team do worry me. That is not to play an attacking form of football to clarify, but more your method of doing so. I really don't see how we can be expected to compete alongside the big nations of the international stage by doing the same thing as them. That is, playing football in the traditional way. Think how devastating our attacks could be if, they think they're defending an equally-matched charge but then, wham!, no-one noticed Xanda Pond hidden upfield disguised as a corner flag. Think of the defensive possibilities if Henry Bird was disguised as a patch of turf (as well as attacking possibilities if you send him forward for free-kicks or corners in such a garb). Everyone would be fooled as to the location of our keeper. Surely you cannot deny how genius this is, or could be?

Anywho, the offer to come over to the palace for tea and biscuits, and an in-depth chat regarding 'proper' Errorian tactics remains open. Please do contact my secretary to make the necessary arrangements.

Your Sincerely

H.R.H Error Message I

OOC NB: "Ulla ulla" is the vocalic Martian-speak from 'War of the Worlds'

by **Snestar** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 1:48 am

(AI generated image in the background)

WC102 Qualifiers Matchday 1: Eraman 1-5 Snestar
Goalscorers (Eraman):
62' [unknown]
Goalscorers (Snestar):
9' Federico Marchesi
16' Giacomo Martinelli (PK)
35' Giacomo Martinelli
38' Lucio Fioravanti
82' Alessia Flammia
Player of the Match: Giacomo Martinelli

Dominating start for Edoardo di Palma's National Team: Snestar scores five against Eraman

The Viola has started it's World Cup campaign with a dominating victory away at Eraman: with the 1-5 result, the Snestaryan players have shown great chemistry, despite the absence of star player Elisa Baldriga and the coach's decision to bench Tero Sjölund. Some of the new additions have also sparked some interest in the football world, after Edoardo di Palma granted them some playtime as substitutes in the second half: most notably, 18-year-old Rosalina Women player Alessia Flammia, who managed to score a goal in her debut for the major national team (she had already gotten a few caps for the U-21 NT in the last edition of the Di Gradini Cup).

Eraman 1-5: Match Summary

Before the teams entered the pitch, there were some doubts with the formation decided by Edoardo di Palma. First of all, Elisa Baldriga was completely unavailable due to an injury she'd sustained while on leave, leaving her with a cast on her arm. Then, notable players like Tero Sjölund, Riccardo Cavaliere and Nicola Acanfora were left benched, sparking some concerns that the coach had decided to let too many reserves play. Still, the Viola were heavily favored by bookmakers. In the first half, it was clear that Snestar would emerge victorious: the squad found an early advantage thanks to a volley by Federico Marchesi in the 9th minute, then continued to pressure until Giacomo Martinelli was tackled harshly in the penalty box, forcing the referee to give a direct red card to an Eraman defender. The Snestaryan #9 then immediately converted the penalty into the second goal of the match. After more minutes of constant pressure, Martinelli threw another ball into the net to complete his brace, followed by a goal by Lucio Fioravanti to make the score 4-0 at halftime.

In the second half, perhaps to allow the main players to rest and the youngsters to shine, Edoardo di Palma instructed the Snestaryans to calm down, and play with less pressure. Initially, no substitutions were made, but when a mistake by Giulio Maritan (who was given a yellow card after taking a striker) caused the Eramans to pull one back in the 62nd minute through a free kick, Edoardo di Palma decided to make some changes. Martin de Roux, who'd gotten a yellow card for stopping a potential action in the first half, was subbed off for Alessia Flammia, who was making her debut for the senior national team, adapted as a center midfielder. Then, Robin Tosio took the place of Lucio Fioravanti, making Marchesi fall back and transitioning into a hybrid 4-5-1. The new formation proved to be quite useful: Snestar was fending off the opponents' attacks well, while also managing to create some opportunities. Lastly, in the 73rd minute, Edoardo di Palma also subbed off the keeper, Calabresi, to allow Lucia Fanton to also make her debut. Finally, the 82nd minute saw debutant Alessia Flammia score an absolute banger from 30 meters, completing the scorelines and sending Snestar home with five goals and three points.

After the match, we interviewed Edoardo di Palma, curious to hear his thoughts on the performance. He seemed greatly pleased in his players, especially with the new additions.

“What I saw today was great. Sure, you could say it was a low stakes match, but the level of football we played was right at the point expected from a nation of our level. Even though we lacked the big stars on our attack, we still managed to be constantly dangerous in their box. I would also like to congratulate Alessia and Lucia on their debut, they played well for their first match. When I picked them up from the U-21, I knew they would live up to their potential.”

Matchday 2 vs Lionsroar
4-3-3 Formation
GK 1 Federico Calvaresi (C)
LB 5 Riccardo Cavaliere
CB 3 Giulio Maritan
CB 23 Riccardo Finamore
RB 2 Marta Camilla Barami
CM 16 Martin de Roux
CM 26 Angelica Malavoglia
CAM 10 Arminia Cremisi
LW 17 Federico Marchesi
ST 9 Giacomo Martinelli
RW 21 Lucio Fioravanti
(Matchday 2 will be played at the Victoria Stadium in Calpyona.)

Matchday 3 vs Atheara
4-3-3 Formation
GK 1 Federico Calvaresi (C)
LB 5 Riccardo Cavaliere
CB 15 Sebastiano Balestri
CB 4 Stefano Shurdaqi
RB 2 Marta Camilla Barami
CM 6 Nicola Ragusa
CM 8 Nicola Acanfora
CAM 10 Arminia Cremisi
LW 11 Mattia Castelletti
ST 7 Tero Sjölund
RW 21 Lucio Fioravanti

by **Paradystopia** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 2:47 am

Merry Salutations to One and All.

The Bizarro Triumvirate nations of Wight (not Wight), Paradystopia (not Paradystopia), and not Farfadingus (Yes, Farfadillis)
present our bid to host the
~~One Hundredth~~ ~~One Hundred and First~~ One Hundred and Secondth World Cup.
.

"Isn't this a bit, well, late?"

"Nonsense! There's always delays with these sorts of things. We've got plenty of time."

"I think you might be misconstruing the utter administrative shambles of World Cup 101 with general practice ... Also, hasn't the vote been and gone ages ago? I mean World Cup 102 has already started."

"Ah! The qualifiers have already started. That's different. Plus, regarding the administrative side of things, why do you think we've got rid of the Farfs? Can't have their ridiculousness jeopardise the bid."

"Their ridiculousness? Pot, kettle, ..."

"Look, are you going to help, or just be a negative Nelly? I think we've got a genuine chance of making this work. Everyone loved World Cup 101."

"Oh totally. Especially the clear, precise, and un-obfuscated manner in which the bid was initially presented. The only thing everyone loved more than that was the multiple scandals and resulting replays."

"The thing you're failing to consider is the first rule, and guiding principle of Bizarro methodology."

"What? 'Not Wight'?"

"Oh, I thought it was 'Embrace the chaos' or words to that effect, but you actually may be right."

QUALIFICATION FORMAT

We will be looking for 136, 153, or 171 sign-ups to pioneer a new format for qualification; Triangular groups. That is, a group of 1, a group of 2, etcetera, all the way up to groups of either 16, 17, or 18 respectively. Group winners will join auto-qualifiers co-host Paradystopia (not Farfadillis), co-host Wight (not Farfadillis), and the Baptism of Fire Champion (Wight insists) in the World Cup finals. Farfadillis (not Wight) will be automatically allocated to the largest group available and given a permanent RP penalty to demonstrate our stand against nepotism.

There will then be a needlessly esoteric and convoluted series of play-offs involving Casaran tables, rock-paper-scissors, fixed double elimination bracket, and unscrupulous dice rolling to reach the necessary number of play-off winners to complete the proposed line-up of 57 World Cup finalists.

FINALS FORMAT

Obviously, this will be run as 3 groups of 19 with the two top group winners contesting the final. The third ranked group winner will contest the winner of a subsequent secondary tournament between the remaining 54 nations to determine the third-place finisher.

"Really hammering home the 'Bizarro' aspect, eh?"

"Exactly. Without the Farfs and their insistence on tempering Bizarro; something about composing a 'viable bid', we are finally free of the shackles of this tyranny to unleash a true Bizarro vision."

"Aren't there, you know, statutes or what-not that disallow Wight from hosting, and Paradystopia for that matter?"

"You mean point 2.3.2i? ...

WC Constitution wrote:2.3.2 Hosting
i) Any nation that has previously participated in a World Cup, and participated in its most recently completed edition, may bid to host the World Cup, except if the user has co-hosted the previous World Cup.

... Pfft. No-one cares about any of that nonsense. Also, rules were made to be broken; it's the Bizarro way."

"I think the committee would likely disagree ..."

"Pah! We'll distract them with another silly quiz, or get that, who was it who did the WC101 theme song? ... Billy? ... Bobby! Bobby Vee! Yes, or we'll get that Bobby Vee fellow to write some sycophantic drivel about the Kytler Peninsulae to persuade the President to relax the regulations. It'll be fine, nothing to worry about."

QUESTIONS?

We are now open for questions pertaining to our bid.
Please don't hesitate to ask any sensible questions here, and for stupid questions, nuisance calls, or wanton abuse, direct your telegrams to the nation of Farfadillis

Thank you. Choose Bizarro.

"No scorination or RP bonus information?"

"Of course not. People seldom care about this sort of thing. As long as you've got a nice logo and silly pictures, it's all fine. As long as you can mollify a few of the hardened maths nerds, you can hand-wave away most of the nitty-gritty. "

"Oh good grief. You're not going to do all those stupid memes again in lieu of actual answers to genuine questions, are you?"

"I thought they were a nice personal touch."

"Presenting absurdist ramblings over anything of any actual weight is the 'personal touch' you're wanting to portray? Though, I suppose it is very 'on-brand' for here."

"Precisely."

"Were you planning on making any mention of our win over Auprussia in the actual one hundred and second World Cup, by the way?"

"I don't really see what relevance that has to the bid whatsoever."

Paradystopia 2-1 Auprussia
Rsheu 22' - (1-0)
Fronae-Saiy 43' - (1-1)
Rhiagr 87' - (2-1)

by **Aphrilia** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 3:32 am

There's many things riding on the coattails of this years World Cup, not just for Aphrilia, but also for the man leading The Anchors. Everyone wants better, they expect it.

And as much as he knows that recent resutls have been disappointing, as much as he knows not everything will go to plan, Leonardo Bianchi understands that very well. A Round of 16 exit in the World Cup and the Independents at the hands of Snestar and Edsmontik respectively, combined with a shaky start to the domestic season with VV Szbedansk in Kanzlia despite the good table finish... He hasn't been performing as well as he had hoped. He knows this, the players under him know this, the fans all know of this. They want more from him, better, greater, they want improvement.

But where does one seek improvement? How does a manager improve, even? At the end of the day, sometimes you've done all you can and you have to trust the players to get the job done on the field. Bianchi believes he's done exactly that, and more. Refined his tactics, followed through strict training schedules to extract the best improvements for his players, believed in the teams that he managed. Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys.

Maybe he's done all he can, the Crpostranian thinks. Maybe it's just that he still has much to learn outside of what he is able to directly implement or what he's able to read from a book. Critical judgement and analysis, shotcalling as a manager, evaluating certain choices and decisions, perhaps there were many things that he still had to improve upon that he can only do so with time. But he doesn't have time, does he? VVS hope for him to show some improvement as he leads Aphrilia in World Cup, but NAFA have given him a demand. Calling it an ultimatum would be too far, as Bianchi knew that despite recent results, he is still highly supported and respected by the board.

They want a result from him, to reach the Round of 16 of the World Cup once more at the minimum. That wouldn't fulfill the hopes that VV Szbedansk have of him, but it would at least fulfill the expectations that NAFA have of him for this year. Of course, Bianchi knows that's the base line, the bare minimum. They hope he can bring The Anchors further, the fans hope he can lead Aphrilia into a deeper run. It's been a few years since Aphrilia's best result at the World Cup, a Quarterfinal loss to rising hosts Kwrpania. Entering the Qualifiers, Aphrilia are the seventh best team in the multiverse and have been given a group they should be able to win, with the accompanying bonus of them having the first bye-day for an extra few days worth of preparation. But no wanting the team to be off rhythm, a friendly against fellow Sonnelians Drawkland had been arranged. The 1-1 draw was a good showing from the new call-ups, but this team had to do better. Bianchi understands what's being demanded of him.

Because he knows that if the results show otherwise, his position as manager for the Aphrilian National Team may have to be re-evaluated, just like back with Crpostran.

MATCHDAY 1 (FRIENDLY) v Drawkland
Aphrilia's Starting XI (L to R): Keikain; Strauss, Grace-Holtzer, Anker, Saunders; N. Aston, Algrave-Scalese, M. Aston (C), Maximillian; Forrestal, Swan

FINAL RESULT: 1 - 1 DRAW
Overall, perhaps it was a solid showing against a good side. This is the first time Aphrilia played Drawkland ever since the IAC Finals back in IAC 24, and just like back then, it was Drawkland that had struck first. The team played well overall, but we were rather unlucky with our chances until the 78th minute, with Adelaide Swan tying up the match 1-1 thanks to her beautiful footwork. Despite the team having a good performance overall, they will need to be decisive and score more goals in order to win. But this was a satisfying stat to the campaign, as our Sonnelian rivals are a class team to go up against. We should be able to build up from here on out.

by **Indusse** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 4:03 am

SPORTS

TRAGEDY BEFORE WCQ: HOME GROUND BURNED TO GROUND ZERO

New Hind City: As the World Cup Qualifiers are all set to begin, a huge tragedy has struck the Indussean football ecosystem causing havoc and emergency in the sports world. The Adityavarma Kulashekara International Stadium, known to be the largest stadium and the home ground of the national team fell pray to the worst sports infrastructure disaster, the country has ever seen. Over eighty five percentage of the Stadium was completely incenerated in a fast fire that started due to short circuit. National agencies has reported that thirty two workers and a fire rescue officer were burned to death, twenty eight suffered severe, life-altering injuries, and over sixty personnel sustained minor to moderate injuries during the panicked evacuation. The Stadium was closed to the public due to final minute renovations that reduced the number of casualties. This tragedy struck as Indusse was supposed to face Warkus in the same venue in a few days. The Indussean team was supposed to visit the stadium at four in the evening, six hours after the disaster had struck.

The fire had spread to the meadows nearby and was about to spread to other nearby buildings, but timely intervention by the District Fire Services (DFS) made sure that the fire was turned controllable to an extent. The New Hind City DFO has reported that the Fire alarm in the stadium did not ring and no information from the authorities were passed to the DFS. It was employees at a nearby cafe, who noticed smoke arising and informed the DFS. Fire engines from 12 fire stations under New Hind City DFS reported to the site of the incident and their intervention was required to kill the fast expanding fire. The Special Investigation Team which included engineers, fire safety officers, policemen, and forensic investigators reported that the fire was caused due to a short circuit in a high voltage conduit located in the stadium’s main service tunnel. Maintenance work was also reported to have been happening at the service tunnel and is expected some kind of error in maintenance that could have caused the short circuit.

The Aditya Varma Kulashekara International Stadium after the incident, photographed six hours later. (AI Generated Imagery)

The short circuit caused a small fire which went unnoticed, the fire suddenly spread into an unsealed industrial gas main that was going through the same service tunnel. The Industrial Gas Main was left unsealed since plumbing works were going on at the main tunnel. The fire suddenly spread across the gas main resulting in an explosion that destroyed the primary gas line causing a huge fire in the stadium. PU Seats that was recently purchased for installation and chemicals for last minute painting and waterproofing works that were stored in a room caught fire turning into an accelerant for the disaster. One of the surviving workers told the police that the fire spread within a few minutes across the stadium turning everything into flames. Dark smoke was getting emitted causing issues to see and breathe which also caused problems in the emergency evacuation efforts. After the reinforcements arrived and the fire was ceded, it was confirmed that over eighty percent of the stadium has been destroyed by this tragic short circuit fire. The federation has confirmed atleast 500 Million NSD loss due to this incident.

Other than the loss brought in by stadium infrastructure, billions are expected to lose due to loss in tourism and hospitality revenue. The government has launched a criminal investigation against the contracting firm in-charge of stadium maintenance. Investigators are reporting multiple violations including missing fire safety measures, uncommissioned machines and chemicals, and a failure of infrastructure and workforce safety. The Stadium complex is deemed unusable at the moment and bringing it back to the former glory would take months or maybe years. Engineering experts state that the remaining parts of the stadium must be demolished, cleaned up and then a rebuild needs to be done for the stadium to function properly. This has been a huge loss to the fans and teams that play at AVKI Stadium and they'll have to wait long to witness another match in AVKI.

The federation has informed that all of Indusse's first half home matches shall now happen at the IFA National Academy Stadium, located less than two kilometers from AVKI Stadium. The Academy Stadium was renovated recently for the FFI Confederations Trophy and can serve as the new home ground until further details have been published. The federation has also appointed a team to produce a master plan for the new stadium within the end of the World Cup Qualifying. The Flocking Blues are now back at Indusse after their friendly against Banija at Herzegovina City. Indusse had lost to Banija for a score of 2-1 but the loss is not at all a disappointing start. The team staff, players and the management has expressed shock over the recent incidents involving the stadium. The team is now looking forward for another fruitful season ahead.

by **Krikill** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 4:59 am

Krikill loses to Safiloa 1-0

This is the first ranked international tournament for Krikill and as the underdog against Safiloa, it was of little suprise for them to lose 0-1. The match started with the Krikillian team taking control of the ball, only for the team to commit a turnover on the second minute and for the Safiloans to gain control of the ball and do a counter-attack. By the 7th minute they had entered the penalty box but did a turnover. However, one of their players tackled the ball and scored a goal on the 8th minute. The rest of the match was mostly uneventful, both sides often counter-attacked and took advantage of turnovers by each other. By the end of the match, the score was 0 for Krikill and 1 for Safiloa. Fans criticised the match and the fact that the Krikillian team did many turnovers.

World Cup 81/82/83/84

The Commonwealth of Baker Park National Team opened World Cup 102 qualifying with a victory over Kaumann and will now face the bottom and top seeds in Group 4 for the second international period, as the Bees will travel to newcomers Songclave before hosting Arrosian rivals and 3rd ranked Sqornshelan Remnant States at the BBP National Stadium in Belle Haven.

BP have won four of their five matches this far in the cycle, as three of their four pre-qualifying friendlies ended in victory with only the finale versus Indusse a disappointment, a 3-0 defeat at the BBP.

by **The Sernetian Empire** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 5:22 am

SERNESPORTS TV

contents:
1) A great start to the campaign!
2) Pre-match analysis
3) Guide for away fans

A GREAT START TO THE CAMPAIGN!
Salman Ferisen

Sernet travelled to Kordavia for the opening fixture of their NSWC102 qualifying campaign, knowing that a positive result would be an important first step towards reaching the World Cup proper for the second consecutive time. The match took place on Kordavian soil, at the Adlernest, with the hosts looking to take advantage of home support and Sernet arriving determined to begin their campaign with three points. Both teams emerged ready for a contest, and from the opening whistle it was clear that neither side intended to make things easy for the other. However, owing to security reasons and limited seat allocations, the Sernetian crowd appeared to be smaller than usual. Only around ten thousand pre-approved Sernetian visitors were at the stadium, so the Sernetians couldn't really dominate over the stands. Nevertheless, they certainly were still very audible.

The match began with both sides attempting to establish control. The 3-5-2 formation gave Sernet a strong presence in the middle of the pitch, with Jatrowski and Stork positioned wide enough to stretch the opposition while Komstrowski operated further forward, looking to create openings for the two strikers. Kordavia, however, were well prepared, sporting a 4-2-3-1 formation which also gave them quite a lot of versatility in midfield. The hosts competed for possession, challenged Sernet's attempts to build attacks and looked to create opportunities of their own. Neither side managed to establish a commanding advantage in the opening stages, and the contest quickly developed into a closely fought battle. The first real attempt came from Kordavia at the 8th minute; Tomasz Pasarowski kept out Theodor Geijer's shot, keeping the score level. Richard Hegge attempted to score from the rebound, but Stirius Mantrostem put himself in the way, and Dominik Zoliba was there to clear the ball upfield. From there, Rami Alforez picked up the ball and wired it through to Zbigniew Komstrowski, who alongside Sporius Bolsting, pummelled the goal with four shots. Unfortunately, none of them went in.

Both teams pressed harder, searching for a goal. Stefan Jatrowski made a great run down the wing at the 14th minute before delivering a cross to Wasori Oluwawa, who headered it just past the crossbar. Goalkeeper Caspar Schwortz managed to keep the score level by deflecting Bolsting's missile at the 21st minute; Dariusz Morpowski tried to score from the rebound but his attempt was halted. At the 26th minute, Janusz Tworpowski single-handedly halted a Kordavian counterattack before clearing the ball up to Stork, who weaved through the defence but his attempt came off the post. At the 30th minute, Aaron Hackenholt shot from just outside Sernet's box, but instead of hitting the net it hit Pasarowski's gloves. The match was a tense stalemate, with both sides looking potent. The Sernetian supporters' chants were very much audible despite being outnumbered: "Sernet, Sernet! Get the ball in the net!"

As the first half drew towards its conclusion, the score remained goalless. Sernet had been competitive, but Kordavia had matched them well, and neither side had managed to turn its promising passages of play into that decisive goal. The Steamers tried once more at the 45th minute; Stork picked up the ball in midfield from an intercepted pass and sent it to Komstrowski, who received, but his shot struck Aleksandr Becker's chest. Sernet went into half time break knowing that there was a lot to do. The match was still very much alive, and with only one goal potentially separating the sides, the second half promised to be just as tense as the first.

The teams returned for the second half with the contest finely balanced. Sernet continued to search for openings, trying to move the ball quickly enough to unsettle Kordavia without surrendering their defensive stability. The hosts remained stubborn, matching the Steamers' intensity and ensuring that every promising attack had to be earned. Paweł Wołystowicz had come on for a fatigued Komstrowski, Adam Doryszczykiewicz had come on for Dominik Zoliba, and Wasori Oluwawa also went off, his place taken by Lansor Sayako. At the 49th minute Wołystowicz won the ball and sent it through to Bolsting, who crossed to Sayako instead of shooting. He tried a bicycle kick, which was on target, but Schwortz didn't let it get past. Sayako would get another chance shortly after at the 54th minute, when he stole the ball from Sava Tymoschuk, but sadly his shot was slightly off. Michael Stöcker then got the ball up into the Sernetian box, where Theo Schreiner was waiting. He was poised to shoot, but Tworpowski made a critical tackle, although he injured himself in the process due to Schreiner elbowing his face as he collapsed. He was substituted off for Salod Zerning.

The next 20 minutes would see lots of action, but each attempt was absorbed by the others' defence. At the 57th minute, Salod Zerning pushed up to stop Theodor Geijer; he lost the ball but Doryszczykiewicz was there to pick it up. At the 62nd minute, Sernet were awarded a free kick, taken by Lansor Sayako. Bolsting got on the end of it, but failed to score. Yet another attack came at the 66th minute, with Jatrowski just barely missing the top corner, followed by a long shot by Wołystowicz at the 71st minute and a corner by Alforez at the 72nd minute which found Stork but bounced off the wrong way. As the minutes ticked away, the possibility of a goalless draw began to loom larger, and both sides knew that one successful attack could decide the entire match.
Then, at the 79th minute, the deadlock was finally broken.
Sernet found the moment they had been searching for. Salod Zerning sent the ball ahead to Dariusz Morpowski, who tried passing to Stork but got it through to Stefan Jatrowski instead. Jatrowski darted ahead, crossed it into the box, and Sporius Bolsting was there to fire it straight into the back of the net. What a goal! The Sernetian end was sent into a frenzy of celebration and the Steamers piled up ay the corner flag, savouring that precious advantage with just over ten minutes of normal time remaining. A breakthrough the Steamers desperately needed.

The goal changed the complexion of the closing stages. Kordavia now had to chase the game, knowing that their efforts would count for nothing unless they could find an equaliser. Sernet, on the other hand, had to protect the advantage they had worked so hard to establish. Every defensive intervention became more important, every clearance bought valuable seconds, and every successful spell of possession helped Sernet manage the situation. Kordavia continued to compete, refusing to let the match slip away without a fight. Pasarowski deflected a shot by Steffen Stenmark at the 82nd minute, and for a second it looked like Hackenholt was going to pick up the ball and score, but it was Korolianus Stork who was there to stop him. At the 85th minute, Tom Ruud attempted to feed the ball to the box, but Stirius Mantrostem stopped him in his tracks. A last ditch attempt by Andreas Weiss was cleared into oblivion by Adam Doryszczykiewicz; Stefan Jatrowski raced to received the ball but there was no need. The referee checked the time, 90+6'. He blew the whistle. Full time: Kordavia 0-1 Sernet.

The Steamers had done it. It was not a comfortable victory, nor was it a match in which the Steamers had simply overwhelmed their opponents. Kordavia had played well and pushed them throughout, making the visitors fight for the result until the decisive goal arrived at the 79th minute. But the scoreline was clear, and so was the reward. Bolsting's late strike had secured three juicy points, and Sernet could begin their qualifying campaign with a victory away from home. The bench spilled onto the pitch alongside Stoberus Pond and Done Swordsman. The stands erupted into celebration, all the Sernetians here in Kordavia and back in the Sernetian Empire were naturally delighted, as are we here at Sernefoot. Next up, the Steamers go to Sernetesen to face Nordeyar, before facing off against Chromatika away.

Final Score:
Kordavia 0-1 Sernet
Goals:
Sernet: Bolsting 79'

Pre-match analysis: MD2 vs Nordeyar @ Sernetesen Lighthouse, MD3 vs Chromatika @ Chromatik City Field, Chromia
Czesław Jalińowski

Above: The usual Starting XI.

Sernet lands at second place on the Group 7 table, just ahead of Chromatika and Siovanija who drew 1-1, and just behind Nordeyar who beat fellow Urseomites Vrasilistan 3-1. Next up we face current first-placed Nordeyar, who are ranked 349th, in Sernetesen before we fly off to Chromatika, who are ranked 11th. Starting lineup for both matches is as follows: Tomasz Pasarowski in goal, with Stirius Mantrostem, Dominik Zoliba and Janusz Tworposki in defence. The 5-man midfield consists of Samir Dottman, Rami Alforez, Zbigniew Komstrowski, Korolianus Stork and Stefan Jatrowski. Up front we have Sporius Bolsting and Wasori Oluwawa, and as for the bench we will likely be seeing Salod Zerning, Bob Yarisem and some others get gametime. Sernet has already had a great start with the win over Kordavia, so if we can continue the momentum and rack up those points, we might be in for direct qualification... See you guys later, and best of luck to the Steamers!

Guide for away fans: How to reach Sernetesen Lighthouse Stadium

Welcome, Nordeyar fans, to the wonderful country of Sernet! Thank you for visiting Sernet. You may find that our extensive rail network may be challenging to navigate, or that you can't seem to find where Sernetesen Lighthouse stadium is. This guide is designed to help you!

When you arrive at Sernetesen Storimidros International (we're assuming that's where you land), follow signage until you end up at the SMR station for whichever terminal you land at - for you lot it's likely to be Terminal 4. From here you have two options: take the slow SMR service down to Sernetesen, or take the fast Airline service to Sernetesen Arsenal. We'd recommend you take the Airline; it gets you from the airport to Sernetesen in just 15 minutes (a bit longer if catching it from Terminal 4) for a very slightly higher fare. Once at Sernetesen Arsenal, catch a westbound SMR Lime Line service towards Damonesiyum. Be careful, most SMR lines have a ton of branches, and the Lime line is no exception. However, the Lime Line has helpfully been named after the colour it is shown as, so that's nice. Just make sure to catch a Lime Line train which is going westbound, all Lime Line services going west from Sernetesen Arsenal stop at Lighthouse Wharf. You shouldn't have to wait too long as frequency on the SMR is good. Get off at Lighthouse Wharf, and from there it is literally a 2 minute walk to the stadium. There is an SMR station called Sernetesen Lighthouse Stadium, but it is not as easy to access from Sernetesen Arsenal, whereas there is direct service to Lighthouse Wharf. Sernet has an abundance of public toilets should you need the loo. The SMR train doesn't have toilets, but Airline does. Upon arrival at Lighthouse Wharf, you should find all the amenities you need; restaurants, cafes, shops, you name it. Free wifi is available at the airport, on the trains and at the stadium. If you wish to stay at a hotel, there are plenty relatively cheap but high quality hotels at Lighthouse Wharf. Staff will be at all mentioned stations and around the stadium to provide assistance. We hope this guide will allow you to navigate to your destination with ease. Enjoy your visit to Sernet!

#sernetishim #thepowerofsernet

by **Edsmontik** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 5:48 am

Lightning Sports Presents...
NS FOOTBALL CLUB
The BEST all-platform football simulator out there today.

<-- Prev.

Next -->

Episode 2
OVR UPGRADES: THE BEST?

After the WC102 Update, a lot of players were looking forward to OVR upgrades, as usual. These features are exactly what separate NSFC from other games. The cards you can collect of each player actually change a few times a year based on player performance. Ratings have decreased, increased, and stayed the game, even with changes to individual stats. The best thing is, if you own a card that ends up getting an upgrade, you don't have to buy the upgrade or buy a whole new card. You gain the upgrade automatically, and all of the value boosts to the card that come with it.

One card that people talked about a lot in particular was Darion Ystermakt. Already considered a must buy despite the huge 26,300 Shard price tag, many were able to feel the benefits of the OVR upgrade. From 121 to 122 OVR, despite the jump not seeming big at first glance, was really shown in the stats and the smoothness of his player in game. The most unusual thing was that he didn't have anticipate, and he never had it, but his card was still as good as those with the playstyle considered to be so much superior. Below were his original stats, and under those, his new stats.

PAC   SHO   PAS   DRI   DEF   PHY   L/R   WR.   STA    SM 
117   119   132   117   120   120   5/4   M/H   4.5★   3★

PAC   SHO   PAS   DRI   DEF   PHY   L/R   WR.   STA    SM 
120   119   134   115   122   123   5/4   M/H   4.5★   3★

Ystermakt's card originally had silver Bullet Pass and silver Bruiser for playstyles. For his new upgrade, that silver Bullet Pass became gold. Immediately, it showed in game just how radical that one change was. Ystermakt could send very well placed driven passes and have them curve around defenders much better as well. Not only that, but they were also really fast. That would be enough to keep the opponents distracted and looking for the ball.

Alongside this playstyle change was of course, the amazing stat boosts for almost every stat. Ystermakt only lost points on one stat, that being dribbling. However, in a midfielder, especially a more defensive one like Ystermakt, a high dribbling stat is not exactly something to want. His pace, passing, defending, and physical on the other hand, were all boosted. Those who played with him in game were almost immediately able to see speed changes and buffed defending. It's pretty obvious that pace is important even for a defender, as pace abusers will do what their name says they do. The attackers with golden Rapid or even Trickster will fly by, and a slow defender won't be able to catch up. But with the combination of speed and strength from Ystermakt's card here, not only can he catch up, but he can also stop Rapid and Trickster abusers.

Those who already had Ystermakt were the luckiest. His sell value jumped from the default 9,000 Shards for 121 OVR players to the 12,000 Shard sell value for 122 OVR players. This means that in theory, those who are looking to get some of the top players can sell Ystermakt especially if they are very close to the 32,000 Shard minimum cost for a 122 OVR. However, with the new upgrades to Ystermakt, there really is no reason to drop him for shards. It appears so far that he can be a great long-term player for your NSFC team and everyone's NSFC team. This is unfortunate for new buyers though, as his price tag is now 35,450 Shards. Below, you can see his new card.

He's not the only player with an OVR upgrade, however, as we have Averos Jorvik, who also claimed a 1 OVR upgrade. What mainly differs these two however, is that the now 120 OVR Jorvik had his entire playstyle changed. Jorvik was widely regarded as a fodder before the upgrade. His card had a playstyle that was somewhat useful, but not all that useful, as he was plagued with problems.

His whipped cross playstyle was only good for abusing headers with target man strikers and wasn't even that good when used in game. Additionally, for some reason, he couldn't play as a right winger without losing OVR for being out of position, which is weird as it is his secondary position in real life. Additionally, he felt heavy in game and didn't live up to the numbers. The only real upside was his cost: 9,500 Shards. That was just below the average cost for a 119 OVR player, which made him an okay pick for growing squads, but not very recommended.

Once Lightning Sports gave Jorvik the upgrade, he went from zero to hero almost overnight. While still not recommended for more developed squads, he was now a part of the meta path for growing players. His stats received good boosts and he also had a playstyle change. Below, you can see his old and new stats.

PAC   SHO   PAS   DRI   DEF   PHY   L/R   WR.   STA   SM 
131   129   130   124    99   102   5/4   H/L   4★   4★

PAC   SHO   PAS   DRI   DEF   PHY   L/R   WR.   STA   SM 
132   131   129   125    99   104   5/4   H/L   4★   4★

Some will argue that due to Jorvik being left footed, giving him Finesse Expert was a bad idea, however, most agree that as Jorvik is great at taking trivela shots both on the pitch and in game, this works out perfectly for him. According to reviews on the card, several people have said that Jorvik plays almost as if he has no weak foot, and the Finesse Expert playstyle as well as the increased Pace and Shooting are very beneficial to the card. You can't forget about his physical either, as despite only being buffed by two points, he is now able to better fight off fullbacks and defenders with Bruiser, although he is still a bit of a liability in those situations.

At the new cost of 15,600 Shards, he isn't the cheapest or the most expensive 120 OVR you can find on the transfer market, but a lot of people will say that he's the cheap beast growing teams now need more than they did before. Below, you can see his new card.

The kit was handmade and molded onto an image of Rice and Odegaard with ChatGPT. No use of AI otherwise*

Hey there! If YOU wish to have one of your own players show up, shoot me a TG here or on Discord (@realprimeomega).

SAJNUR 1-2 EDSMONTIK
NATIONAL STADIUM, SAJNUR
Edsmon Starting XI
E. der-Stoiuben - M. Saz-Cernisqivar, B. Benner, B. Norseden - R. Aespana, M. Svaardaen, D. Ystermakt, M. Stuero [C], M. Ghreksbvy - S. Utravak, V. Bervaign
Events
                          14' - B. Benner [Yellow Card]
[Yellow Card] A. Bayi - 32'                        
                                    56' - V. Bervaign (M. Svaardaen) [GOAL]
                             57' - B. Benner > / I. Javarqa <
                                      - M. Ghreksbvy > / V. Jervanois <
     > T. Tojre / < N. Mutu - 68' - S. Utravak > / V. Reiovus <
   > S. Erasmus / < A. Amir -                                  
                                  70' - M. Svaardaen (M. Stuero) [GOAL]
   > K. Rafaeli / < S. Ambatu - 71' - V. Bervaign > / M. Recihkt < 
> A. Moravici / < C. Martenko -                                    
                           87' - I. Javarqa [Yellow Card]
        [GOAL] M. Elba (P) - 88' - R. Aespana > / A. Jorvik <
Possession
43% / 57%
Shots
(5)7 / (7)8
Fouls
10 / 13
Corners
6 / 5
Offsides
1 / 2
Man of the Match
M. Svaardaen (EDS) (8.1)
Next Edsmon Starting XI
E. der-Stoiuben - M. Saz-Cernisqivar, I. Javarqa, B. Norseden - K. Wejikaj, M. Svaardaen, D. Ystermakt, M. Stuero [C], V. Jervanois - S. Utravak, V. Reiovus

by **Hanalia** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 6:20 am

Countdown After Qualifying Openers

A 3-2-1 count down usually proceeds the beginning of a contest however, the countdown was replicated in the trio of draws deadlocking the first round of group 22. Kelssek let slip a 3-1 lead they held heading into the last ten minutes against New Kowloon Bay. Newcomers are an unknown quantity at the outset, but Armatonisdaristan played it up against the pot 1 Vdara, supplying the 2-2 result of the countdown. Astute readers will have concluded therefore that Hanalia and Olastor played out a one all match at the National Stadium.

Neither of the sides looked especially confident at the beginning of the match in Lei, with much more focus on retaining possession and feeling each other out than looking to heap pressure onto their opponents. The home side moved up a gear first after the opening 20 minutes. McGee in midfield the fulcrum of a few of presses forward that ultimately only ended up adding to the shots stats rather than opening the account on the score sheet. The period of Hanalian dominance invoked an awaking of the Olastor side that sparked the game into life. However the event remained goalless at the halftime whistle.

The return of play to the pitch was accompanied with the visitors wrestling back the momentum. The first goal of the match would occur in the 54th minute, against the run of play. Hanalia went quickly with their counter attack, Guy charging down his wing, opening up space for the pass through to McGee who set Lin up for the successful shot. Lead secure it was apparently time to get the bus parked up on the pitch. A post-footballing performance that could have come straight out of the Bulls' or Dragonflies' playbooks.

Olastor may have been down but they weren't out with the levelling goal coming with less than a dozen minutes remaining. The scramble from Hanalia looking to regain their upper hand was messy. The clinical approach that had gone into holding the lead was quickly forgotten as desperation set in. The couple of attacks that may have produced the desired outcome for Hanalia were rushed and finished with premature shots that patience may have helped see into the net. Hoffman will need to instill the same composure in this team if they're looking to truly replicate the styles of the World Champs or Ko-oren.

A draw at home is not the result that Hanalia had hoped to accompany the starting gun to this series. A trip to the VdarArena doesn't inspire confidence that this will change in short order either. The announcement of a friendly against Saperetia in this cycle's World Cup host, Drawkland, seems to be putting the cart well before the horse this far out from qualification being secured.

World Cup 102 Qualifying - Schedule
 Group 22              Home   Away 
 Armatonisdaristan     MD13    MD6
 Bongo Johnson         MD11    MD4
 Kelssek                MD5   MD12
 New Kowloon Bay        MD3   MD10
 Olastor                1-1    MD8
 Vdara                  MD9    MD2

Friendlies (bye MDs)
MD7    Saperetia 
MD14   Open

by **Choppyhausen** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 6:47 am

The Baller

Football-related Content since 2036

Fans disappointed - Choppyhausen start WCQ with zero points
The first matchday of the World Cup 102 qualifiers has passed and some Choppyhausenian fans are already calling for the resignation of head coach Harmon Merrit after the Choppyhausenian national team has started into the qualifiers with zero points after MD1. While group opponents Eshialand, StrayaRoos and Saperetia all won their opening matches, Choppyhausen is still waiting for their first victory. And once again, Choppyhausen's weak offense has come under scrutiny as they failed to score on this first matchday. Only their non-negative goal difference saves the Team in Teal from sitting on last place in the group. One fan said to The Baller: "Well, at least now the only possible way is up. Or down, that's actually possible, too. We could probably also stay where we are. Lots of possible ways."

Chess player announces run for presidency in Busoga Islands
The few Choppyhausenians who followed the last World Cup beyond their own team's three-match-long journey might remember the Busoga Islands as one of the surprise teams of the tournament, securing a second place finish. Now, the Busoga Islands have surprised once more after Delbin Kasekende Sr. has announced his run for presidency. Choppyhausenian chess fans might recognize that name: Kasekende Sr. participated in the Grand Casaran of Chess earlier this MCC season. In Round 3 of that tournament, Kasekende Sr. lost to Choppyhausenian competitor Prof. James Huldenberg who would end up on second place while the Busogan had to settle for 21st. The good news is: It appears as if the Busogan election only has two candidates, so an improvement is guaranteed.

Never-ending construction site in Choppingen is not ending
A recent announcement by the Choppyhausenian Football Association (CFA) revealed that the end of the construction site that was formerly Hazel Choppingen's football stadium will be delayed for another two years. The stadium, nicknamed the Hole by Choppingen locals, has been under complete renovation for fourteen years now. Originally intended to last only two to three years, the duration of the construction work has been extended up to five, eight, ten, fourteen and now sixteen years, owing its latest extension to the fire safety measures installed at the start of the construction period being no longer considered up to date. In the mean time, Hazel Choppingen will continue to play their home matches at the Stadium of Unity which is also home to the city's largest club, Victoria Choppingen.

No Choppyhausen matches during byes
To prevent their own national team from falling out of shape and international football fans from the eternal boredom of only being able to watch 69 matches per matchday, WC102 co-hosts Drawkland have offered additional friendly matches against their national team on days where other teams have byes. Eager to not miss out on this opportunity for more television revenue, the Choppyhausenian Football Association (CFA) applied for a match on one of their two byes only to later find these spots occupied by Aphrilia and Indusse instead. Research from the Choppingen Post now suggests that the CFA's letter may have been sent to anti-agriculture lobby group Kick Crops instead of to the similarly named Drawkian national football team.

by **Warkus** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 7:27 am

Everyone knew that the last qualifiers changed Jack Blethyn. Some would even say that they broke him as a manager. Inconsistent results and a failure to mount any kind of serious attempt to make the playoffs led to his resignation.

And then, in a bizarre turn of events, he was back in charge for the Cup of Harmony. Everyone has some idea about what happened. The Warkus Football Association (WFA) has considered a few candidates to replace Jack, but they were either unwilling or unable to decide on a hire. Under the Freedom of Information Act, some documents from that time were made available to the public and those documents suggest that the WFA really didn’t have any great options. The only available managers wanted to complete change the way the team plays – they were all defensive specialists. That would’ve been acceptable if they were proven winners, but they weren’t. We know that someone on the board phoned Jack while he was on vacation with his fiancée Queen Eirian Protheroe and her family, including her grandfather – the retired King. Only the WFA board members and Jack know what transpired during that phone call, but we do know that it set off a chaotic series of events over the subsequent few hours. Three board members resigned and Jack was given back the job that he himself gave up only months before.

Jack secured a six year deal with a pay rise. Typically, the only people who resign after the nation’s lost faith in them only to come back with improved job security and pay are dictators. It’s no surprise that some more conspiracy theory-minded Warkusians suspect foul play was involved. They claim that he was somehow able to use his connection to the royal family to pull some strings and engineer his reinstatement. The more popular theory is that the WFA genuinely did want him back and he knew that. So, perhaps he played hardball. There was nothing stopping him from saying that he resigned of his own volition and that it’d take the right deal to bring him back. More job security, no more fretting during the qualifiers over whether he’d be offered a contract extension or not. And more pay would sweeten the deal too.

The team’s performances at the Cup of Harmony and the CAFA Cup were so-so. They were playing at about the level you’d expect them to. No deep runs, but no early exits either. Before the team started preparing for the qualifiers everyone thought they were going for a laid-back campaign with low expectations. World Cup 101 showed that raised expectations made the team anxious and unstable, both on and off the pitch. But it gradually became clear that Jack was holding back. The calmer Cup of Harmony and CAFA Cup campaigns weren’t practice runs for the qualifiers – they were calmer because Jack was planning to go all guns blazing for this World Cup.

Stories coming out of the camp suggest a drastic change in his approach. The walls of the changing rooms – both at the training grounds and in the Dome of Virtue – have been painted black. Jack had portraits, medals and a trophy from the ancient ‘Warkus International Football Cup III’ torn down. Both sending a message to the players: we have no history. We have no identity. Go make one by winning. The old Jack never bothered with such pageantry. He’d probably have said it doesn’t really do anything, “Go look at the empirical literature – don’t you know that there’s only one study indicating that changing the scenery like this has any positive impact on athletic performances and that study failed three independent attempts at replication?” And to extent he did think it might matter, he probably would’ve gone in the opposition direction. He is, after all, the one responsible for putting up all those old photographs up in the first place. Match preparation has also become more psychological. The all-black plain changing rooms, which Jack is apparently planning on replicating with black curtains on away days, can be decorated with the national flags of teams they defeat. One flag for every win, although that flag can also be removed if the team loses their next game against the same opposition.

The training sessions have changed as well. They were intense before, but the old Jack wasn’t a fan of running for its own sake. The new Jack wants the players to earn their place in the starting eleven by training harder than the rest of the squad. Smart fatigue management had kept the team relatively healthy in the past, but you don’t get to qualify for the World Cup or win any trophies for being the team with the lowest training and match load-adjusted risk of player injury.
This is not a team led by Jack Blethyn – promising young manager with a tendency to second guess himself and an anxious streak. This is a team led by Jack Blethyn – the Prince Regent. And the Prince Regent is not a failure.

by **Yangchenia** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 8:28 am

To Trust is to Take a Gamble
Chapter 20
The limousine arrives at Yanfen Hill. Yuko tries to hide the fact that he is actually homeless.
While in Kaya’s limousine, he worries about his father’s safety, and doubts whether trusting Kaya is the right choice.

The ride to Yanfen Hill was remarkably smooth, even coupled with the fact that Yuko was already extremely tipsy on alcohol. He had barely drunk half a glass worth of wine, yet for someone that had never tasted the joys of alcohol before, it was enough to have him seeing and hearing double. In stark contrast, Kaya was still somewhat sober, and steadied Yuko to prevent him from falling onto the floor as the car made a sharp turn onto the Alina Tukareva Highway. The nighttime radio Raijugang Nights was playing through the car’s speakers, the host announcing the time check which read 08:00PM. It was still in the middle of rush hour, though the traffic had subsided a bit after they left downtown and headed north via the highway.

Yanfen Hill was that part of town no one really went to. As its name suggested, it was a neighborhood located closeby to the hill regions of the outskirts of the city, nearby to the foothills of Mount Ykha. It was home to roughly a thousand people, most of them elderly folks born in the 1940s or 1950s who favored the peace and quiet the highlands could provide for them that the hustle and bustle of the city could not. Kaya had logically assumed Yuko had a home to stay in Yanfen Hill, after all, one wouldnt go all the way to this part of town just on a whim or for leisure. Perhaps he was staying with his grandparents given the town’s demographics strongly supported that assumption, instead of travelling all the way back to Kanazawa. Alas, her assumption was incorrect, as Yuko’s only home was the home his father had lived in in Kanazawa, the home he was now unsure if he would ever return to.

Riku had stopped replying to his messages several days ago now, a few days after he had arrived in Raijugang. To journey back to Kanazawa was difficult, especially as the city was a day’s commute away from where he was by bus, probably worse during snowstorms, and who knows, maybe the Yazawa would be there waiting for him, especially after they learned that his father had given what remained of the family’s meager savings to Yuko to study in Raijugang. Perhaps an ambush had already been prepared in Kanazawa awaiting his return.

Perhaps he was playing right into their hands. Perhaps Kaya was—wait.

Yuko’s eyes widened, seemingly shook off intoxication and jolted awake after realizing the possibility. What if this was all just a ploy? To think about it, where he was right now — in the vehicle of the daughter of one of, scratch that, the most powerful of Raijugang’s mafia bosses, heading towards a remote part of the city where the authorities struggle to reach, in an area famous for dumping dead bodies to be forgotten about. The area nearby to Yanfen Hill had an ominous nickname amongst the locals — “The Oubliette”, after the type of dungeon where you simply dumped someone you didn't want to deal with anymore.

And come to think of it, Kaya already had red stains on her hands from when she came to pick him up earlier that day. It could just be wine, perchance. Or perhaps that could be more of a coincidence—but the smoking gun of a murder she had recently committed. She certainly wasnt shy in showing him that she could literally bring a loaded firearm into class without any of the faculty knowing, so he couldn't put murder past her.

The unease began to set in, his stomach began to churn, his eyes repeatedly darting around from Kaya, who was resting right beside him, the maidservants, and the drivers. They all seemed normal, for now at least. As he looked out of the window, he could see they had already arrived at the entrance of Yanfen Hill. He could have stayed for longer, but he was feeling nauseous now, and wanted out.

“Uh, it seems that we’re here now.”, Yuko called for the driver’s attention. “I should probably get off here.”

Kaya looked at Yuko. “Wait. We’ll take you inside ourselves. You dont need to—”
“I’m alright with getting off here. I live close to the entrance anyway.”
The car soon pulled to a stop on the sidewalk, and Yuko disembarked, leaving Kaya behind in the vehicle after saying their goodbyes.

Yuko waited for the Bentley to pull off into the distance before walking to the deepest part of the neighborhood, Hejinxia Park, a place few people outside of Yanfen Hill even knew existed. This was where he laid down on a bench and drifted off into a slumber. As he laid down on the wooden boards, he instinctively looked around one more time, to see if Kaya’s vehicle was still in the vicinity. There was a big chance that Kaya truly meant no harm, after all, their interactions during class were extremely friendly, to the point where Yuko even struggled to believe she was the daughter of the boss Nara herself. In fact, to his knowledge he had already told her about his family background that day, the fact that he had to leave Kanazawa due to the lenders going after his father. But he learned from a young age that to trust the Yazawa is a dangerous gamble, one that he believed he wasn't ready to play yet.

In reality, Kaya’s limousine had in fact not left Yanfen Hill just yet. There was a hint of suspicion forming in Kaya’s mind, especially how Yuko’s demeanor suddenly shifted to enjoying his time with her to suddenly wanting to leave immediately as soon as they neared the neighborhood.
“Wait.”, she suddenly said to her driver. “I have a feeling that something’s wrong about Yuko. And I want to figure out what.”

And so, she ordered her driver to silently enter the neighborhood through another entrance, wanting to secretly spy on Yuko to get to the bottom of her suspicion.

Indeed, they drove up to the next interchange, which led into a long road into the woods that served as another entrypoint to Yanfen Hill. There, Kaya momentarily laid eyes on Yuko as they were driving by Hejinxia Park. His silhouette was hard to see in the darkness, but the streetlights provided just enough illumination to make him visible. Kaya was shocked to see him asleep on a bench, with nothing but a newspaper to shield his eyes from the bright streetlight above.
“Wait”, she paused. “Is that Yuko on that bench right there? What the fuck is he doing out there?”

The car pulled over at the next street, out of Yuko’s immediate field of view. When Yuko awoke sometime near midnight, he immediately flinched as he saw a figure sitting next to him.
“You’re hiding something from me.”, Kaya said.

Yuko’s eyes widened in surprise. “K-Kaya. What the hell are you doing out here. Look at the clocktower, its damn near midnight. H-have you been spying on me?”

“We just happened to drive by. You have terrible luck”, she joked. “I was going to ask you the same thing. What in the actual fuck are you doing out here asleep on this bench. I thought you lived here after moving from Kanazawa?.”
“Well, uh, yeah I do live here”, Yuko replied. “But my home is a bit farther from here so I figured might as well rest here for the time being, and then I suddenly fell asleep on—”
“Liar.”, Kaya cut him off. “I have a hunch that this isnt really your true home.”
“I, uh.”
“What are you hiding from me!”, Kaya unintentionally raised her voice in annoyance. “I thought we were friends, aren't we?”
“But.”
“But what? Yuko, you look like you’re deathly afraid of me now. Why the sudden change? Weren’t you just fine with the knowledge of who I am? I won’t hurt you, you can't tell me anything that’s troubling you.”
“Ugh, fine. But, you promise not to treat me any differently after telling you, alright? I still think this might be a ploy.”
“Fine, go ahead.”

The Son of the Indebted
Chapter 21
Kaya Yazawa becomes suspicious about Yuko Tanaka’s family background.
Yuko reveals the deeper reality behind Father Riku’s debt to Kaya’s family.

The silence between them was deafening, interrupted only by the sounds of birds from the trees nearby.

Yuko had hoped he wouldn't have to face this moment—alone with Kaya, now curious to know where he truly came from. Perchance she saw through the obvious lie as soon as he disembarked, after all, he was terrible at hiding his discomfort once Kaya offered to take him to his doorstep. Whatever the case however, he was here now.
“You’re going to speak or what?”, Kaya said, though her words were rather needlessly intimidating.
“Alright, alright, I get it. I came from Kanazawa, a town a few hours from here. You’d probably know it given that your family’s goons operate there. Trust me, all of us know about them there. Your district supervisor, Mr. Ling is very famous around there, partly for good and partly for bad. To come and study here was my dad’s final wish.”
“You’ve already told me that, remember?”, Kaya said. “I doubt that’s all you’re hiding from me. Sure, it was certainly a surprise back at school to hear that you’ve had unfortunate encounters with my family before, but surely you would still be this agitated after I start talking to you about your past?”
“I am telling the truth.”, he said. “ After my dad lost his job at Viridian Bank, we were so poor we couldn't even afford firewood to heat up the house during winter. We had to turn to the Yazawa for what we thought was financial rescue, instead they proceeded to bury us in a mountain of debt we could never hope to pay back in full. They were soon going to go after him after he failed to pay last month’s debt, so he sent me here to Raijugang to save me. That is all.”
“Perchance, but again, I still get that feeling that there is something more to it. I can see it in your eyes Yuko. You’re a pretty shit liar.”
“Fuck.”, he said to himself. “She didn’t buy that shit.”
Yuko wanted to draw her attention away from the events that happened only a week ago, prior to his departure from Kanazawa. He had her believe that his decision to leave Kanazawa was entirely due to Riku’s wishes, and the scholarship he had received from UniRai’s admissions department. But, there was indeed more to that beneath the surface.
“Yuko?”, she called, her suspicion only increasing as a result of his prolonged silence. “I knew that wasn’t the end of it.”
Screw it, she’s already on to me. Might as well take a gamble. Raijugang is known for that after all.
“Fine, I’ll tell you. You see, before I left Kanazawa, my father had failed to pay back his debt after he told them that he didnt have any money left. But in fact, he was lying all along. My dad saw our situation as hopeless as it was, and instead of continuing to pay back his neverending debt, he instead saved up every single Ngultrum we had, all 15,000 Ngultrums which would be enough to at least keep the creditors at bay, he gave that all to me for my studies. He accepted his fate, Kaya. He accepted that he would die. And he willingly died for me just to give me a good life.

Unfortunately, that isnt the end of things. You see, just yesterday was I contacted by an unknown number. He turned out to be Mr. Ling, the creditor, alongside some voices I did not recognize. They seem to have figured out the fact that my dad had given all his money to me and sent me here to Raijugang. They threatened to kill my father if I did not return in one week. They’re going to come for me one day if I dont return.”
For once, Yuko was shocked to see a change in Kaya’s demeanor. Her normal cold and confident personality seemed to falter for just a moment, a rare moment of empathy for someone like her who was used to naturally dominating others.
“I’m so sorry my family had to put you through that Yuko. I know my family does some sketchy shit, but I never would have expected that one of my future friends would be one of our victims. If only I had known, you wouldn't be suffering right now.”
Yuko moved to comfort her. “It’s not entirely your fault Kaya. Far too many people are stuck defined by who their ancestors were. I never chose to be born like this, and you never chose to be born the way you are as well. “
“But still, you—”
“There’s no changing the past now.”, replied Yuko. “But we can still change our future for the better. So, I guess in fact we can be friends after all.”
As soon as he finished talking, a chime echoed out. His cellphone suddenly rang. As he looked at the number, he immediately recognized who it was. It was Mr Ling again. This guy was persistent, he thought to himself, as he had only just called him a day ago. He hesitated for a moment, especially given how their previous conversation went. But with Kaya with him, he was persuaded to eventually pick up the phone.

“Hello?”, Yuko politely began. “Is this you, Mr. Ling?”

“You know who this is already, kid. Now, listen here. We know you have what we are owed. It only took a few hours of torturing your dad to figure that out. So, again, let me reiterate our conditions. If you want your father to avoid being buried alive in a random ditch with the neighbors dog, then listen here. You will come back to Kanazawa with everything your family owes us, and maybe we will consider sparing your lives. Is that understood, little prick? I expect you by the end of this week, or else we—”

“That’s enough.”, a voice from behind Yuko spoke.
Ling’s voice instantly changed as he heard the familiar voice of his boss’ daughter.
“Is that…you, Miss Kaya? What the fuck are you doing with this boy?”
“That is none of your business as our subordinate, Ling Yi. Yuko right here is my friend, and I will not let any of my subordinates lay a finger on him. If you dare to fucking touch him, I will tell Nara to rip your guts apart and scatter them on the streets. Am I making myself clear?”
Ling’s bravado faltered. “Y-yes, Miss Kaya. We will retreat right away.”
“Make it quick. I am not the patient type.”
As Kaya effortlessly convinced Mr Ling to back down from his threats, Yuko couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and shock. Awe at the way Kaya handled the situation with dominance, but also a sense of shock as she revealed her darker side for the first time. The side people think about when they hear the name Yazawa.

As she hung up the call, her gaze turned back to Yuko, who was still seated on the bench. She handed him back his phone, its surface now cold due to her touch. “There, they shouldn't be bothering you again after that. They wouldn't dare disobey my order.”

Yuko remained stunned, unable to process what had just happened. “T-thanks, thank you for doing that. I owe you my deepest gratitude for saving me right there.”

Kaya took his hands into hers, the warmth from Yuko’s hands transferring onto hers."It's no problem for me, Yuko. That’s just my duty as your friend. But next time, try not to carry all your problems alone, mkay? God, only a fool like you cannot realize just how lucky you are to have a friend like me.”

Despite the gravity of the situation, they both laughed.

“Come, Yuko. My driver is waiting just across the street. I’ll take you to my home instead.”
Yuko suddenly stopped. “Wait, your home? The Yazawa estate?”
“Where else would I take you?”, she joked.
“But that’s where the Yazawa mafia is based. And you’ll bring someone like me there, someone who just a second ago was being hunted by your goons?”
“Just trust me on this one, Yuko. I promise I’ll keep you safe.”
Yuko relented, knowing it was damn near impossible to convince Kaya once she had already made up her mind. “Fine, Ill go. But I wont deny that I am having really bad feelings about this.”
“Dont worry.”, she reassures, her smile warm. “”Everyone who finds themselves in this situation does.”

And as Yuko and Kaya step into her limousine once again, Yuko cant help but think about how far into Kaya’s world he had already entered. From a boy running from her loan sharks, to now sitting beside the daughter of the most feared woman in the mafia world, he cant help but wonder:
“Am I flying too close to the sun?”

Only the future holds the answer to that, and all he can do right now, is sit back and enjoy the trip back. Outside, the city of Raijugang is still lively, casino towers glittering, markets still crowded with people. The clocktower reads 09:00PM.

But in this city, the night has only just begun.

OOC: The novella is likely taking a break to explore new themes. The IC Date is now 02 April 2026.

Love is Blind
a WC story by Yangchenia

← Previous Chapter
Next Chapter →

by **Ko-oren** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 8:30 am

Almanac Razahnensis

Every year, a body of researchers, philosophers, moral teachers, and so on, gathered in the region of Razahne, to compile and publish a vast array of works. These included anything from weather and climate forecasts to fortune telling, decisions of leaders and the opinions of the compilers thereon to the newest codified rules of games and sports. In their honour, the organisation behind the Almanac Razahnensis aims to compile and publish a massive body of work of their own, to be used as reference material for elementary and high school curriculums, for collectors, for the broadly interested, and so on. The topics of the modern Almanac Razahnensis vary.

Philosophy

The intro to the Almanac has said this for years: "a body of researchers, philosophers, moral teachers, and so on". That implies that those are the groups that Ko-oren needed to listen to most. Philosophers are numerous in Razahne's history, and the line between philosophy and science, or between philosophy and 'moral teaching' was blurry. And yet, most Ko-orenites can name a handful of important philosophers in the past.

Before we dive into the philosophical history of Ko-oren, let's talk about why that is. Why can most of us name a few names? Moreover, why did we learn so many groups of things in school?

Well...

Almanac Razahnensis

Every year, a body of researchers, philosophers, moral teachers, and so on, gathered in the region of Razahne, to compile and publish a vast array of works. These included anything from weather and climate forecasts to fortune telling, decisions of leaders and the opinions of the compilers thereon to the newest codified rules of games and sports. In their honour, the organisation behind the Almanac Razahnensis aims to compile and publish a massive body of work of their own, to be used as reference material for elementary and high school curriculums, for collectors, for the broadly interested, and so on. The topics of the modern Almanac Razahnensis vary.

Canonisation

The Almanac itself is a huge source of these lists. The Twelve Eras, the Eight Virtues, the Nine Subjects, the Forty-Eight Landscapes. When the Almanac started out, there was a large demand for these lists, because they could be tested easily. In a society that prided (and to this day still prides) itself on its meritocracy, there must be a body of knowledge to test people on to judge them worthy of an important position. Now, whether memorising lists of things is an apt way to judge merit is a different question (and one that was asked time and time again, as we will see). But in times where it was difficult to move people around the country for extensive interviews or to have them write essays - inevitably in local dialects - that couldn't easily be read and examined by people from far away, having a single body of knowledge was as good as it got. And because that was the format, people that were good at memorisation moved up the ranks, and they would join the ranks of the Razahne writers, and then create more canons, because that's what they were good at and that was all they knew. The Almanac was a voice of authority across Ko-oren, and it still is, for many things.

A second reason is that it creates a nice shorthand to refer to in writing. When corresponding throughout the country, it's easier to refer back to a shared background rather than build up common ground across months and years. Letters from centuries ago will mention things like 'he doesn't possess all eight [virtues]', and that was clear enough for all involved.

Reason three is nationbuilding: if there's concensus on a list of 'important things', you can tell people things about their country without a full year of school trips. If there is a list of forty-eight landscapes, and you read a letter from someone near one of them, you can imagine some of their surroundings. Again, it builds a common ground quickly. This third reason was more important when Ko-oren was a proper nation, and has been a factor only in the last five centuries or so, but you can see how it's easy to build the idea of a nation when everyone talks about the same values and virtues, foods, and items.

Reason four is one for the modern curricula: you can create lists after the fact to make history easier to digest when teaching. It might not be comprehensive, but it doesn't always have to be when you're just learning about a subject for the first time.

Canonisation has a downside to it, whether the Razahne writers knew about this at the time or not. By mentioning what is important to know, everything that's excluded is automatically 'not important', and plenty of people have been swept under the rug by simply not mentioning them in the centuries of lists. It's something that the Almanac has gotten aware of in recent decades, and it's a topic of some of the lists that are published these days.

Creating these lists and recording what they should be used for is a direct response to (and source of) the educational and political reality throughout our history. So someone, at some point, would have found them useful and important. And that, in turn, takes us back to where we started: the philosophical basis for how Ko-oren operates the way it does.

by **Kamijiro** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 9:04 am

Kamijiroan Football Team Off To Hot Start

The Lightning got off to a fast start in their group this past matchday, winning 4-0 over Andso Mangis. Goals from Nicácio Xavier, Haruka Kagawa and two from Katsu Fujiwara had the Kamijiroans soaring. Nicácio scored his goal within the first five minutes of the match, the Arsenal de Releinthi man pinging one into the top corner off of a free kick from the left side of the box. A couple of close calls in the defensive box had manager Bunta Nagano a little worried for a moment, but the counter-attacking afterwards was clinical, with Keigo Nakaji teeing up Kagawa at the back post for an easy tap-in just before half. The second half was more of the same, with Fujiwara adding two more to his career tally with a couple of curling shots that swept into the side netting.

The Lightning will take on Eastfield Lodge next, a side that the Kamijiroans have not faced previously.

Elsewhere, Saint Eleanor won their match over Cothe Saria by a whopping 6-0 scoreline, and Central Esportiva took down the aforementioned Srednjaci with a 2-1 scoreline.

by **Lionsroar** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 9:08 am

This is the MD1 Post

Welcome to the Sports World of Großlöwenburg!
a proud germanic nation on the RP Map of Valsora in The East Pacific
See the roster here: viewtopic.php?p=43966523#p43966523
See the introduction here: viewtopic.php?p=43974698#p43974698
MD1: this post (LINK)

>Großlöwenburg<

Matchday 1: "Das unglaubliche Debut (The incredible debut)"
Lionsroar 2 - 4 Audioslavia

In Löwenburg (City), Großlöwenburg - PreMatch
The city is packed. That’s par for the course for Löwenburg City, of course, but the sheer volume of people is overwhelming. This marks the nation’s multiversal debut in the World Cup, football’s most prestigious spectacle. Dulle elbows his way through the tightly packed crowd in front of the nearest beer stand. It’s hardly surprising, really; the stadium holds nearly 120,000 people. 120,000 fans fired up for this debut. It is likely the most unifying event in decades, with the possible exception of young Lisa’s coronation as High Queen. Löwenburg is a fractured land, socially and politically, and, above all, geographically. The country is made up of thousands of tiny states, so football here is defined by intense regionalism. That is precisely why Löwenburg boasts the best fans in all of Valsora; it’s not just club against club, but region against region. And today, Dulle is particularly pissed off, because the match is taking place in the country’s largest stadium, a venue belonging, of all teams, to their regional rivals, King’s Team. It was less than two years ago that his side, Legio Löwenburg, played the Cup final, the "Eternal Derby", in this very stadium, and lost. The sight of the massive "Royal Collective" graffiti always stirs up bitter memories and, above all, pure hatred, but fortunately, Dulle is soon in a good spot on the vast grandstand opposite the main stand. That is, if he can ever actually make his way through the throng and into the queue.

Quite a bit has changed in the short time Löwenburg has been competing in the Multiversal League. A collective of active fan groups decided to support the club during the winter break. Known as the "Internationales Inferno," this group is a diverse mix of fans standing together, much like the massive fan demonstration held in Löwenburg a few years back. Naturally, the focus is currently on waving Löwenburg flags, though individual club flags and banners are permitted as well. It is almost a neutral zone; "Legio Löwenburg" ultras are even standing alongside "King's Team" ultras. For Dulle, however, the plan today is simply to head to the opposite stand, even though some members of the regional youth sections, which feed into the Ultras Löwenburg and the larger Legio groups, are standing in the King's Team home block today. It is an unusual sight: a young flag-waver from Legio Löwenburg, sporting their distinctive red-and-black colors, standing amidst the gold-and-blue home block. As I said, it is incredibly unifying.

Ten minutes or so later, Dulle is standing comfortably in his home section, gazing at the spectacle of waving flags to his left. A number of Audioslavia fans have also settled into the designated away section. While the "Ultras International", the "II" or "Internationales Inferno", are already chanting and jumping energetically (with Itzel, his fellow section-mate, mockingly noting that the atmosphere is more intense than at any of King's Team's home games), the players are warming up. There is time to sip some pleasant Löwenburg beer. The anthem plays, a stirring song about the unification of Löwenburg following the bloody civil war, and the Queen is briefly shown on screen. As the first yellow flares ignite in the home section, Itzel thinks he spots some youths in red and black jumping with flares in hand, too, since pyrotechnics are legal in Löwenburg,the team lineup is announced. Dulle, too, feels the first shivers of excitement. It promises to be a true spectacle for football fans, regardless of how the match ultimately ends. Glory, glory, with the best fans in the multiverse!

The Opponent and Game
It is perhaps the most incredible matchup Löwenburg could possibly have: playing against the reigning champion and world number one, and doing so in a home game. What an incredible debut Löwenburg is set to make before the eyes of the multiverse. Löwenburg is by far the uncertain underdog in the situation, but in football everything is always possible.

Großlöwenburg
(4-2-3-1)
Slightly changed from the match against The Golden Harp, Arklanda and Edsmontik. Same as from Reçueçn. Ludwig von den Linden does not start first. He sits out after exhaustion from the latest matches, though is probably going to get subbed in later on. 
==================================================
                      [9]
            Ludwig von den Linden
           (Johannes Anton von Labrador)

                      [10]
                 Vincze v. Tibor
                 (Martin Balderu)

  [15]                                  [11]
Johannes Franzisk.                Georg Christopher
  (Jan Alcove)                  (Ludwig Western-Ho.)

              [6]             [18]
        Willi Zanzokavic  Stefan Ziegler
     (Samuel v. Lerida-B.) (Norbert Wilhelm-Mar.)


  [2]          [3]            [21]          [17]
Moritz Heiß  Victor v. Meine  Harold v. W.  Niklas Weise
(E. Ballester) (R. Dominik)   (F. v. Singen) (L. v. Lautern)


                      [1]
              Ingen-Liechtenstein
             (Philipp von Glauben.)
==================================================

by **Libesia** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 9:18 am

Libesia 2 – 1 Al Sahel
21’ Cudjoe Nsor
24’ Muhammad Al Blooshi
58’ Nabou Diouf
Yellow cards: Diamonde Baba, Cudjoe Nsor, Samir Ben Salman

Libesia’s World Cup qualifying campaign kicked off with Hasimou Biri Stadium clearly still feeling the aftereffects of Cyclone Amani. The powerful tropical cyclone which had swept through Mawini and Sakuwa in the week prior had finally passed by, mercifully without significant loss of life, but the enormous quantity of rain deposited during the torrential downpours it had brought appeared to be concentrated on the pitch of Libesia’s national football stadium. The absolutely sodden ground was visibly collecting puddles even as the teams lined up for the national anthem of Al Sahel, their visitors from the Gulf region. The wet underfoot conditions made attacking football a difficult prospect for both teams. Smooth passing around the midfield was virtually impossible given the boggy marsh that formed in the centre of the pitch; the waterlogged turf negated attempts at dribbling, too. That such conditions produced three goals was a minor miracle; that two of those involved major defensive errors, and the third took a wonder strike, was less surprising.

After a dismal campaign four years ago, finishing bottom of their group, and a desperately disappointing IAC, the Cheetahs arrived with much to prove. Qaqambile Jezile, Cornelius Adade and Assane Tecagne are among the former team leaders who failed to make Busar Hamidi’s squad. The starting XI featured what must be one of the oldest defensive backlines in the entire World Cup qualifying field, with an average over of over 33, yet there was also a debut, in front of them, for teenage sensation Kéba Haidara, preferred to veteran Tecagne’s veteran partner Ogak Adika. Bhekumuzi Bhekinkosi also began on the bench in a clear sign of Hamidi trying to move with the times.

And it was Bhekinkosi’s replacement, Cudjoe Nsor, who opened the scoring, albeit in shambolic fashion. Berko Fundisa Akaminko intercepted a poor throw-in from Omar Hussein and launched a long speculative cross that he drastically overhit. But there was confusion between Qasim Al Blooshi and Ali Al Maliki, who collided both leaping for the same ball: they ended up on the ground, missing the ball entirely, which sailed through for Nsor to direct toward goal with some combination of head, chest, and, according to at least some replays, arm. Regardless, the goal award stood, and, via the least elegant means possible, the Cheetahs had taken the lead.

It lasted three minutes. Pressing the attack, Makanga Mayingi clumsily turned the ball over to Hamed Al Remeithi, who swiftly unleashed Majed Al Hammadi, who in turn let loose a long ball from within the Al Sahel half, over the top of the Libesian defence. Anyone reflecting on their advanced age may have noticed with interest the difficulty with which 37 year old Jaramagi Ogot creaked around to chase back: articulated trucks have more grace. And so did Muhammad Al Blooshi, who skirted in behind and finished superbly from a tight angle past the stranded Thusego Mothanka, inspiring raucous cheers from the small but vocal group of visiting fans. It wasn’t the last moment of drama involving Mothanka, who appeared to twist his knee in the 37th minute. Playing the ball out from the back is a relatively new development in Libesian footballing philosophy, and the lanky Mothanka not a natural footballer with the ball at his feet. He very nearly coughed up a second to Al Blooshi, managed to clear the ball from danger, but fell in clear agony. He could not get up, and had to be replaced by Mathias Kitambala, his longtime understudy.

Kitambala proved a safe enough pair of hands, catching a corner confidently, and parrying but then smothering a speculative long range shot. At the half, 1-1 was a fair reflection, but Hamidi was clearly unhappy and made a bold change, yanking talismanic striker Mikhail Tsekani, all-time leading NT goalscorer, for Prince Kassab, in a change of formation. The pitch was showing signs of drying and play proved a little more progressive in the second half. Yet no one would have predicted the goal arriving when it did, Nabou Diouf smashing in a 30 yard screamer from absolutely nowhere.¹ He received a short pass, dropped his shoulder, and scored his first ever international goal in the most unlikely of circumstances. If Qasim Al Blooshi was partly to blame for the first goal, there was nothing he could have done to stop this one. IRGC rockets have been launched with less strikepower.

Within a few minutes of retaking the lead, Hamidi was content to make a set of defensive substitutions and shut things down, leading to a fairly unattractive final half hour of football. Al Sahel couldn’t really develop an attack well enough to trouble Kitambala, and Libesia showed little interest in trying anything overly bold when in position. It was a game in many ways that suited the recent of Cyclone Amani: an awful lot of noise initially, but then something of a damp squib in the finality. After the game, Hamidi confirmed Mothanka was being assessed for a possible cruciate tear that will probably end his involvement in the first half of qualifying, with Kitambala taking over the #1 jersey and Hamdan El Moudden of AC Song called up to the squad as third keeper.

¹ Technically, from 30 yards away.

by **Pasarga** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 9:31 am

The Eternal Flame is the basis of faith in the Dual Islands, it is the beginning and the end, it is the one of the aspects by which one is made pure, it is also the name of the faith that those within Pasarga profess to follow. The flame itself is a representation of the duality of the cosmos, how one can be both the giver of life and the destroyer of worlds. Fire provides heat, comfort, a way to cook our food, and protection against the elements and animals that may wish to do us harm. Yet it is also a deadly force that can destroy all in its path and leave nothing but ash in its wake, its destructive power when not handled properly is awe inspiring. It is the odd that it is the flame that is revered the most by Pasargans when its counter element in water carries so much of the same properties as fire does and is broadly speaking one of the same pillars of the faith practiced in the nation. These two elements that man has attempted to control that both gives life but also has the capability of taking it away when left unattended or abused is a reflection upon ourselves and nature itself, our place within it as a whole.

To attempt to control either of them requires a good deal of patience, it required dutiful observation to uncover the secrets of how it acts and reacts to the world around it, how it might best be contained should the worst come to pass. An reckless attempt to control a burning brush or flowing river can so easily become an out of control blazing field or result in the flooding of the banks of the river. It is a teaching method to not rush into action, to not let your impulses control your body but you control your actions lest you be consumed by them and eventually unmade in the process. Careful consideration of ones actions and planning on how to attack any given situation will more often lead to success than simply diving in and hoping to be able to wing it. A single flame can light up a room or heat a stove if contained properly or it could catch fire if precautions are not made and heeded. Those are the sort of lessons that the clergy at the fire temples around the nation oft try to drill into the youthful and those who have gone astray alike should they visit those sacred grounds and be open to suggestion and advice.

One of the traditions of cleansing yourself and making yourself pure again involves the use of the sacred flame from the Eternal Flame, though the fear of having to clean yourself by fire is wildly unfounded and a misrepresentation of what actually occurs. If an individual has come to a temple to repent and perform a purification ritual, they are taken to a secluded room and given a piece of parchment, a quill, and some ink and left alone in that room until they have performed the rest of the ritual themselves. They are to write out the transgressions that they feel they have committed on the paper as well as anything that they feel has been a disservice to themselves, their friends or family, or their community. Any aspects of themselves that they dislike or wish to try and change for the better are to be written down and they are given as much time as they desire to write out their impurities. When they are finished they are to fold the paper in half twice and then present themselves to one of the fire keepers who will then allow them to cast their impurities into the flame and with its burning they are cleansed of them.

It is by no means a perfect system but it suits the people of Pasarga well enough, particularly in the more rural parts of the nation where the majority of population practice the following of the Eternal Flame. While a majority of those in urban areas still say they are practitioners of the faith, the number of those who have actively gone to a fire temple more than once a more is less than thirty percent. There is concern that the faith's lack of a strong dogma like other major religions or active service is a detriment to the faith's ability to keep its followers in daily practice. However many practicioners and even the clergy believe its lack of stringent guidelines and its ability to blend into the secular world without causing a crisis of belief is a strong point to why it continues to still be practiced by nearly eighty percent of the population today even if they do not worship frequently. The values of the faith are found even among the unfaithful and there is no judgement passed upon those who choose to lead a more secular life nor those who are curious about other faiths. It is a fine edge that the faith walks in the modern era but it has thus far paved the way for the nation to have prosperity and a mostly harmonious society.

by **Oberour Ar Moro** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 9:32 am

“Would you be surprised to know I have some issues with Orceera?” asked Mihael as they walked through the university halls.

“With the young adult novel series Orceera? I'd be surprised if you didn't,” responded Collas. He walked with his cell phone in his hand.

“It's this whole Draceana thing.”

“What about her?”

“She's a fan character! Somebody draws her, she gets popular online, and suddenly everyone thinks putting her in the books would fix the whole series.”

“People like her.”

“People like drawings of her. That's not the same thing as writing a character.”

The two entered the event room, which was lined with chairs and filling with people. It was an oddly designed space, with doors on nearly every wall and a short hallway branching off to one side. Collas wondered why anyone would need so many ways in and out of a single room. The building must have been renovated a dozen times.

Mihael and Collas walked to a sign-in table, checking in and getting a complimentary notebook.

Collas examined the cover. Roussel University's logo was printed above the title of the course. He was fairly certain he had two more of these sitting in a drawer in his office.

“Another one for the collection,” he said.

“You could try writing something in this one.”

“I wrote plenty in the last two.”

“Your name doesn't count.”

As they moved away from the table, Collas spotted Beladore from their department collecting her notebook.

“Hey! You're still coming tonight, right?” he asked.

“I would like to, but...”

“Come on, didn’t you say your husband’s got the kids tonight?.”

Beladore looked conflicted before saying. "He does-"

“Then come for one drink. I’ll buy it." Collas said.

Beladore hesitated, then said, “Maybe one.”

“Maybe one!” Collas responded. “I’ll see you there.”

“And now people want to make Draceana the love interest!” Mihael continued on, undeterred

“Would that be so bad?”

“There's already a love interest!”

“Who you don't like.”

“That's not the point. If you don't like how she's written, write her better. You don't fix bad writing by inventing another character.”

“So you agree that the books weren't well written?” Collas asked as his phone started buzzing.

Mihael opened his mouth to respond, but Collas held up a finger and looked at the screen. A text.

He started walking to an empty seat in the back row as he read.

“Looking forward to seeing everyone tonight!” it said, a message from their coworker Johanna.

As Collas took a seat, a new message came in, populating beneath the first.

“What do you think I should wear?”

And below that came a photo of a bed with two sets of lingerie on top.

“Seriously, Collas?” came an unhappy, low voice from his right.

Collas turned off the screen. “It's rude to read people's messages, Mihael, you know.”

“Is that Johanna? From administration?”

“Maybe.”

“Collas.”

“What?”

“You're getting married.”

“Next March, on schedule.”

Mihael shook his head.

“It's nothing,” Collas said. “I organized drinks for the whole department after this. Johanna's coming, and maybe Beladore. You know that.”

“I know. You sent everyone three reminders.”

“And you're welcome.”

“Does Isabelle know?”

“That I'm taking everyone out for drinks? Yes, my fiance knows.”

“That's not what I asked.”

“Come on, you're going too. You can spend the whole night telling Johanna why the Orceera series is terrible.”

“I don't think she'd appreciate that.”

“Neither do I, but I've been listening for twenty minutes.”

Collas, Mihael, and the rest of their department, along with whoever else on this side of Pourricel needed a certification, were at Roussel University on a Saturday. A four-hour course on emergency management.

Every so often, someone in administration decided that the department needed another certification, and Collas found himself sitting through essentially the same material under a different name. This would be his third. The last two had been impossibly boring.

The room filled, the lights dimmed, and the first presenter began making boring points backed by a boring slide show.

Collas opened his complimentary notebook. On the first page, he wrote Drinks — 6:30, then began listing the people who had said they were coming. Asceline, Ioena, Mylio, Gwio, Henri-Théliau... After he finished, he counted eleven, including himself, and added a question mark beside two more names.

He then turned the page and made a sincere attempt at taking notes.

Forty minutes later, that attempt had come to very little.

He checked his phone. Three hours and twenty minutes to go.

There was also a message from Isabelle.

"Don't forget we need to clean the attic tomorrow. You're not getting out of it this time. Love you.'

Collas smiled and typed back:

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. Love you too."

The presenter had been discussing emergency communications for ages. Collas looked at the screen, then down at his notebook. He had written “Emergency Communications”. That's it.

He added “Maintain a chain of command,” having picked up the phrase from the presenter. What the presenter was trying to say about it, he couldn't have told you.

Someone coughed. A chair scraped. The presenter tapped a button on his laptop to advance to the next slide.

Collas stifled a yawn.

He wondered whether Johanna had decided what to wear. He considered checking his phone again, but Mihael was sitting right beside him. He didn't feel like another lecture.

Another yawn. He looked around the room at the doors. So many avenues for escape. He could just leave, couldn't he? There was no reason to sit through this for a third time.

Except someone would probably notice. And he'd have to explain why he hadn't completed the course.

Another click, another slide.

Collas shifted in his chair, trying to concentrate. His eyes moved across the projected text without taking anything in.

None of this was new.

He could rest his eyes for a moment.

When he opened them again, the room was empty. Just him in a chair.

Collas leapt up, cursing. Mihael had left him behind? What a jerk!

He grabbed his notebook and hurried toward the doors. He'd organized the evening, and now he'd be late.

He had to squeeze between two rows of chairs to get there, knocking one sideways with his knee.

He didn't remember the chairs being this close together.

No matter. He pushed open the door.

And walked into a dark, silent hallway he did not remember.

by **Aleirave** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 9:33 am

The Eterena Effect

“Sergei, could I have a bit of a word with you?”

Sergei Alinov was doing what he normally did during his day working at the Lahaira Reporter... absolutely nothing. The otherwise dark writing room was illuminated only by a flickering lightbulb his boss didn’t have the budget to replace and a TV on which Alinov was playing the new World Cup 102 on his GameStation. He was seemingly catatonic, his eyes staring off into space as he clicked away at the controller.

“SERGEI!” his boss yelled out. Editor-in-chief Lakalo Paha’ina had had enough with Alinov, who seemed to spend every day slacking off exactly like this. It was a pattern stretching back years at this point. “There’s something VERY important I need to talk to you about!”

“Sorry Lakalo, I was just— evaluating the new World Cup game for an article about it, yeah.” he said, scrambling for an excuse that his boss had never actually asked for.

“Frankly, Sergei, I don’t care. This is more important than anything you could be doing. You remember the game against Bhumi Matawis Empire, right?”
“The one tomorrow?”
“No, the one last year. You do recall the scoreline in that one, right?”
“Of course, Efineha 43’, Tampanea 52’, what about it?”
“Check the archive again. Not the Reporter’s one that you’ve been maintaining, not the mainlanders’ one because that nitwit Seametzle trusts you blindly, the official one maintained by the World Cup Committee.”

Alinov didn’t even want to turn on his computer to check it.. Every Aleiravan knew the score, it was 1-1! Everybody watched! They knew it! But yet, he did anyway, and sure enough, no goals were scored at all in that game.

The Eterena Effect is a strange thing. Nobody knows how it happens, but it’s been documented before in Aleiravan history so clearly it must be a thing. It’s so-named because, for years after Malako Eterena shot Alexandr Tereyev, many people on the island falsely remembered that Tereyev’s goons had gotten to Eterena and killed him out of sight of the crowd. From time to time, Eterena would show up again, but people would come up with excuses. “It’s a hallucination!” or “He’s an imposter!” would be common ones.

All rumors of his demise would prove to be greatly exaggerated when he stood for Governor in the 2031 election, ultimately winning four years as Vice-Governor, since obviously a dead man can’t stand for office… but how did so many people think he was dead for so long?

The most oft-cited explanation was that this was some sort of effect from the Retakono Me’a, the so-called Sea of Mysteries that was responsible for centuries of disappearances, mass amnesia events, and entire islands getting snapped out of existence… but that didn’t make sense, did it? The people who falsely remembered Eterena’s death didn’t travel over the sea, nor did Eterena himself. The Seagulls had traveled over the sea before, but not recently enough for this, and the fans watching at home didn’t either.

Science has struggled to explain the exact mechanism of the Eterena Effect, but one thing is for sure: it definitely happens, and this was a sure case of it. No goals were scored in that match, despite an entire island believing there had been two.

With the score being “corrected” to 0-0 (at least in the eyes of the Reporter and the Aleiravan public) this opened up an interesting stat at the start of this MD1 match: Since Komang Sudarma’s 80th minute game-winner on the opening day of WC100 Qualifying, Aleirave has refused to allow any goals from Bhumin players in their last two meetings. For her part, Tatyana Yusenika was determined to continue that streak.

Falena Rukipiato wasn’t feeling the best about this match at all, mostly because she had just been dropped straight into the deep end of a World Cup campaign without so much as an explanation from Haulafo. He was pretty dejected about the continued CAFA struggles, and she fully understood that since, let’s face it, it affected her too… but she didn’t feel like she had nearly enough experience to manage a team like this in World Cup Qualifying. The bright side was that the first two matchdays were set to be a very familiar opponent followed by a bye day. Nothing much unexpected that she should have to prepare the team — and herself — for.

The match momentum started out firmly in Aleirave’s favor, with a mark from Fyodor Veshchik in the 17th giving Aleirave the head-start they desperately needed. The away match in Kartasura, between the 2nd and 3rd seeds in the group, was one of the most important in the entire campaign. In this qualifying campaign, only the 1st-placed team would immediately punch their ticket to the Holy Empire or Drawkland, with the 2nd-placers facing off against the 3rd-placers in the playoffs. Every position you could rise up in the group was going to be a massive help when it came to getting into the final 48, and separating themselves from the third seeds was a necessity. The Seagulls’ manager breathed somewhat of a sigh of relief when the goal went in, but they were certainly not out of the woods yet.

Now that the White Tiger Team were falling behind, they started pushing towards the Aleiravan goal a bit more, with Tatyana pulling off a couple of marvelous saves to keep that 0 on the scoreboard. The Bhumin squad were making sure this wasn’t going to be an easy win, but Tatyana’s goalkeeping was more than up to the task.

Just as the half was coming to an end, in the second of three minutes of stoppage, Ka’ale Pekole silenced the home crowd. He managed to shoot a ball through traffic to the corner of the goal, curving it enough that Cornelius Brasso wasn’t ready for it. The score opened up to 2-0, and the Seagulls were able to slow the pace down a little in the second half. While it may not have been their usual philosophy, it couldn’t be denied that if the White Tiger Team couldn’t score, they couldn’t win.

There would in fact be one more goal in this game, but not from the side that found themselves trailing, as Oleg Vorstyn, coming on as a substitute in the 68th, made the score 3-0 in the 79th. His job in these qualifiers was to position himself for the starting position once Ivefela Noselela retired, and he was doing a good job at it. The score remained at 3-0 for the remaining time, and Aleirave had their third consecutive clean sheet against Bhumi Matawis Empire.

Falena’s first match as the team’s official manager and the Seagulls had just blanked a World Cup-caliber team by a three-goal margin. Their upcoming bye day was well-deserved, but Falena still did have some plans for what the team would be doing during that time.

“In order to keep us all prepared for what’s coming up next, we’ve signed up to be a part of Drawkland’s friendly tour… for the bye day, we’re gonna be getting some practice in against the hosts. It’s hard to get a lot of high-quality practice when you’re in a country the size of Aleirave, so this is the best way for us to stay warm for what’s to come.”

After the team’s trip to Drawkland, regular WCQ competition will resume in Lahaira as the Seagulls play their home opener against newcomers Al Sahel, who lost their first-ever WCC match by a score of 2-1 in Libesia.

by **Chromatika** » Sat Oct 10, 2026 9:39 am

World Cup 102 Qualifying Matchday 1 Result: Chromatika 1-1 Siovanija and Teusland
Goals: Xuen-Zhukov 81'
Starting XI: (3-4-1-2) - Sourtois; van der Plas Bouwmeester - Lethbridge-Antonio, C. - Saburo; Hauptmeijer - Lethbridge-Antonio, C. - Prenn; Fillar; Lee; Xuen-Zhukov (C) - Howard-Dawes.
Reserves: Han Cunningham -> Lethbridge-Antonio, C. (55'), Oriol -> Hauptmeijer (55'), Karjalainen -> Lee (68'), Lehmann -> van der Plas Bouwmeester (68'), Sullivan -> Fillar (77')
Review: In front of a sold out crowd at the Capitalizt Dome, the Anomalies conceded a goal early to Einar Hackl on a breakaway to quiet the crowd. Siovanija and Teusland were free to play their game throughout most of the first half, and it wasn't until Amelia started to use her substitutitions that things changed for the betterment of the Anomalies. Lilly Sullivan's cross found the space between Lavrentiy Xuen-Zhukov and his mark in the eighty-first, and the soon-to-be all-time goalscoring leader of the Anomalies buried the resulting shot to give the Anomalies a well-fought, hard-earned point at home. Not the best result against the second seeded team in the Group at home, but better than losing, for sure. "We have so much to fix that it's hard to talk about it all," lamented Lavrentiy afterwards, "The hard work of realizing our potential begins now."
World Cup Qualifying Matchdays 2 and 3 Preview: @ (UR) Vrasilistan, vs. (65) Sernet
Starting XI: (3-4-1-2) - Sourtois; van der Plas Bouwmeester - Lethbridge-Antonio, C. - Saburo; Hauptmeijer - Lethbridge-Antonio, C. - Prenn; Fillar; Lee; Xuen-Zhukov (C) - Howard-Dawes.
Reserves: GK Jill Swanson, GK Jessika Aniston, DCR Jaxon Lehmann, DC Samantha Han Cunningham, DCL Hélène Ataciara, DCR Caro Thiers, MR Kandice Oriol, WBL Nemes Mátyás, WBR Lilly Sullivan, CDM Eden Gundsdorf, BWM Erica Holgersson, AP Linnea Karjalainen, AM Þyrill Bjarnhéðinsson, AF Kaytlyn Jean-Baptiste, CF Harriet Baïe-Verte, AF Adélaide Bittencourt.
Preview: A trip away to unranked Vrasilistan await before a fateful clash against Sernet back in the friendly confines of Chromia, with the Anomalies already having dropped points at home. They can ill afford to drop points against both the second and third seeds of the group during the first leg of this campaign, as Manager Amelia will be looking for the biggest win of her tenure. The lack of pace from Edith has been slightly worrisome, but the duo of Prenn and Lee continue to play well; can the Anomalies steady the ship with six points out of six, or will there need to be changes made to the lineup this early already?

The Forty
Stories of Chromatika's Forty-Person Roster

2. ST Neva Hyden

At first glance, Neva Hyden is hardly the first person that you'd consider to be a world-class footballer. Standing at six feet tall, a bit lanky, with jet-black hair that is always a bit messy up top, she has the countenance of someone who can absolutely blend into the crowd and would frankly love doing so. Born Neva Elaina Martina Hyden to Jack Hyden and his wife Elodie in Knetyohai, Neva grew up in wealth, never lacking for anything due to the fact that her Father was one of the higher-ups at Death Templars Law Firm despite never being a lawyer. Mr. Hyden is the Vice President of Accounting for DTLF, and that position allowed Neva and her younger sister Primrose (Primmie) to be given the freedom to do whatever they wanted, try whatever they wanted, as children.

Primmie gravitated towards the arts - she is one of the best violinists that Chromatika has to offer. Neva, on the other hand, took to the football pitch like a fish to water. Possessing a stutter-step that fakes out opposing defenders from her childhood, what sets Neva's game apart from any other Chromatik forward, past or present, is that she almost looks like she's sleepwalking on the pitch until a decisive moment arrives where she calculates that she can make the biggest difference. The speed in which she makes the usually right decision to go from 0 to 100 and fully commit to the play is uncanny, and opponents have often times been completely caught off guard by her antics.

Neva's life changed dramatically when the Abyssal Invasion and subsequent occupation of the eastern half of Myana Island happened almost a decade ago. Mr. Hyden was tasked along with members of the DTLF higher board to go to Freedom's Altar in Yesopoalitha to head the negotiations with Yesopalithan businessmen and philanthropists to coordinate relief efforts, and the Hyden family followed. This meant that most of Neva's high school career was spent in Freedom's Altar, playing against the various kinds of the Unbidden and other races that Yespoalitha considers its citizens. This gave her a very different perspective to facing the different athletes of the multiverse - when you've played football against wraiths, skeletons, mummies, and the like, it truly broadens your horizons of the kinds of strategies you'd consider when trying to go against a human.

With the translation of Chromatika to the pocket plane and then to Rushmore, Mr. Hyden's assignment in Yesopalitha ended - and Neva's grades were so good that she was accepted at Chromia Centra College University to major in Statistics. She naturally joined the Comets, and it was during the early years of her collegiate career that Chromatika and the Chromatik Football Federation realized that they had discovered the nation's true False Nine. A False Nine is a striker who, despite having the skills to be the focal point of the attack, can also drop back and play as almost another Attacking Midfielder. Neva's vision in knowing when to pull the defender out of position before passing the ball off to the wingback or the other striker being used has become her biggest weapon, and though she isn't bad at shooting from range, she prefers to be the assist, or at least the one who slotted the key pass to lead to the assist.

It was almost a case of fascination and wonderment that led to Hyden being placed on the Di Bradini Cup Roster. Then, Ferris Winn injured himself, and Hyden became the wildcard that catapulted the team from barely making it out of Groups to reaching the Semifinals, ultimately finishing in third place. She's remained humble, soft-spoken, yet consistently confident through it all, and now on the Anomalies' roster, provides a wrinkle that has never been there before for Chromatika.

Is she the future for the position? Does Chromatika even have the personnel to have more than one, or will this lead to a boom of trying to look for other False Nines?

It's never a bad idea to have more strategic options, and Hyden is the living embodiment of that.

WORLD CUP 102 ꩜ Roleplay Thread

Training Stadium

Tax Evasion and Penguins, without the Fire (WC102 Bid)

Who is online