World Cup 99 - RP Thread

[Warkus]

Thomas Blayney catches a break. He's finally been commissioned by his editor to write a short piece about the bloody qualifiers.

The Minnows of the World Cup Qualifiers
by Thomas Blayney

When it comes to the World Cup Qualifiers, pundits usually pay attention to their homeland, the nations vying for qualification and the top-seeded teams. Rarely does anyone pay much attention to the minnows of the international game: the unranked nations. These teams have no rank whatsoever, owing to their lack of participation in any of the last three World Cup Committee-sanctioned events or any of the major regional tournaments. They're an unknown quantity, but a lack of recent international footballing experience does tend to manifest in weak results. All of the unranked nations are already mathematically unable to qualify and they're all sitting in the bottom halves of their respective group tables. At no point did any unranked team look like a serious contender to qualify for the World Cup proper. But that doesn't mean they haven't been able to spring a few surprises.

Sea Peoples League pulled off the biggest upset of the qualifiers so far by beating fourth-ranked Tanirinthia 4-3 away from home after stunning them with a 0-0 draw at home earlier in the qualifiers. Our Doves also proved to be giant killers when we beat ninth-ranked Farfadillis 3-2 away, although La Vherderoja got their revenge when they smashed us 3-0 at our home ground. The unranked sides have pulled off a number of upsets, we notably did the double over eightieth Sangti and the Filindo Isles and grabbed a narrow win over fifty-ninth Captina Island at home, but none have been as astounding as Sea Peoples League's Goliath-slaying game against Tanirinthia.

It's not just a few one-off wins, either. Some of the unranked sides have been able to outperform their spot in the tenth pot, also known as the 'bottom seed'. We currently sit in sixth place in Group 2, while Anewkanas, Paradystopia, and Sea Peoples League are all seventh in their respective groups and Brigantii is eighth. These teams currently make up the top five unranked teams in the qualifiers, as shown in this table illustrating the results of every unranked team so far:

Pos                      Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts
 1 Warkus                 16    6   3   7    30   29   +1    21
 = Paradystopia           16    6   3   7    14   13   +1    21
 3 Brigantii              16    5   3   8    19   26   −7    18
 4 Anewkansas             16    3   7   6    24   28   −4    16
 5 Sea Peoples League     16    4   4   8    14   23   −9    16
 6 Tevuekk                16    1   2  13    11   38  −27     5
 7 Francobalkan Peninsula 16    1   2  13    16   49  −33     5
 8 Notcommunist3          16    0   4  12    12   44  −32     4
 9 Sadame                 16    0   4  12    14   47  −33     4
10 Wentzville             16    0   3  13     9   41  −32     3
11 Melbergia              16    0   2  14    15   52  −37     2
12 Henrik P               16    0   1  15    11   43  −32     1
13 Shep                   16    0   1  15    10   48  −38     1
14 REPUBLICANLAND         16    0   0  16    15   54  −39     0

[Note: The positions in this table are purely hypothetical and are the result of comparing each team's results. Warkus, for example, currently sits sixth in Group 2 and REPUBLICANLAND sits tenth in Group 5.]

Warkus and Paradystopia are level on points and goal difference. Both are among the three nations returning to the World Cup Qualifiers after a long absence, with Brigantii being the third. Perhaps their history, however ancient, with international football has proven the difference between them and the other unranked sides. They might be unranked for the time being, but they still have footballing pedigree. But with that being said, newcomers Anekansas and Sea Peoples League sit close behind the old timers on sixteen points each. All five are worth keeping an eye on over the coming years, as a combination of early success and experience could spur them on to improve further and climb the ranks quickly.

The other unranked sides have not been quite so successful. All of them are at the very bottom of their groups, including REPUBLICANLAND who've yet to score a single point with two games left to play. They also have the worst goal difference of -39 after letting in 54 goals and scoring 15. But this is, of course, to be expected from unranked teams. A change in coaching staff or a refreshed roster might do them some good, but there's no replacing long-term experience playing international football and investment in the country's footballing capacity. Weaker sides and their governing bodies need to avoid being too discouraged by predictably weak performances. The more successful sides, too, should avoid letting a few impressive wins and draws go to their heads. The other teams won't underestimate them next time around, which means they'll have to improve if they want to replicate these results, let alone improve on them.

[The Osnari Federation]

The Daily Surisian

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Victory over Kaumann Keeps Eagles in the Mix

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If you told Nathan Held just six national team matches ago, as his team sat on eleven points following a close 1-0 defeat away to Flavovespia, that with one international window remaining, the Osnari Eagles would remain in the mix for a spot in the World Cup, he likely would have given a standard out-of-the-box response common to managers everywhere, something along the lines of “I believe in my team, and they’re great, and they can do anything if they put it all together, and would you please stop prying so much?” And yet. Victory after victory after victory victory victory (victory). First, it was a six-point window with gimmese over United Hawkland at home and REPUBLICANLAND away. Then came perhaps the best week of football in Osnari history, with a 2-0 victory at home against Zenic, a big upset of the group’s second seed, followed on by a huge 3-2 upset away at Zwangzug. With four wins in a row, the Eagles remained still on the outside looking in for qualifying, seven points back of Zwangzug in third.

Followers of the Eagles will already be familiar with the nervy 1-0 victory away against Xanneria earlier this week, a tense defensive affair broken only by a Gido Mullis goal in the 38th minute. Combined with a Zwangzug loss to Flavovespia, the win put the Eagles now only four points back of third place, where both Zwangzug and Indusse sat on 30 points. Yesterday’s match against Kaumann, then, was anticipated to be a must-win, as if either Indusse or Zwangzug won their matches and the Eagles dropped points it became infeasible for the Osnari squad to advance. That came true in the first match of the day, Zwangzug winning 3-0 at home against Xanneria to put the pressure on the Eagles.

So, the Osnari Eagles walked out into the Osnarstadion with nothing to lose, and proceeded to dominate the visitors from Kaumann in every way but the scoreline. Holding over 60% of the possession and spending nearly three-quarters of the match on the Kaumann side of center, the Eagles looked in every way like a team that’s won three matches in a row. Jost Blum fired in a screamer in the 15th minute to get the scoring going, followed by a curling Werner Werren shot just seven minutes later to double the lead. To any observer, it seemed that we would be getting an explosion of goals from the Eagles. But to the surprise of nearly every onlooker, Kaumann held on. Mulyana Karisma deserves particular praise, as the Kaumann keeper turned away shot after shot to keep Kaumann in the match. The keeper’s save total hit eight by the end of the match, truly an incredible performance from the visiting keeper. The rest of the match continued in similar fashion, the Eagles putting up plenty of shots but being consistently denied by the play of Karisma. Kaumann did manage one goal, a solo effort from Genggong Effendi in added time to cut the lead to one and dampen the victory slightly, but the final result was never in doubt.

Queried about the six-match winning streak, Nathan Held had this to say: “Yeah, it’s nice and all. Obviously, you want to win every match, but what’s already done is done, just like the ten matches that led up to this streak. All we have to focus on now is the World Cup - we know we likely have a spot in the Cup of Harmony, so there’s nothing to lose. All we can control is winning the last two, and pray to Margaret that the remaining matches shake out our way.” Perhaps the Osnari gaffer is opening up a little bit after so many wins in a row? Regardless, let’s take a look at the matches Held is hoping shakes out in Osnari favor.

With both Indusse and Zwangzug winning on Matchday 16, and each sitting four points above the Eagles in the table with more than ten goals advantage in GD apiece, the Osnari national team need both Indusse and Zwangzug to manage no more than a point in their remaining two matches, or otherwise if the Eagles manage to obliterate their remaining opponents, two points might suffice. But that scenario is highly unlikely. With Zwangzug facing Xanneria and Kaumann in their remaining matches, two teams both far back in the group table, such an outcome appears highly unlikely. Passing Indusse to reach fourth, though, may be more manageable. Though they currently sit third in the group, the Indusseans face off against Zenic, who sit second in the group and are ranked 33rd in the world, lest we need to remind you, before their visit to the Osnarstadion to match up against the Eagles. A loss or draw against Zenic for Indusse, and passing them up become a real possibility for the Eagles - but only if they can win away at Unitaria and then at home against Indusse. So, the end conclusion… Alas, possible doesn’t necessarily mean probable, or realistic. When we say there’s an outside chance at the World Cup heading into the final matchday, we mean it; it’s very, very unlikely. But there’s been a special air around this squad so far in this tournament. This is a team that’s now won six in a row; who knows what Margaret has in store. In the meantime, get to sacrificing those rubber chickens before the next window. It’s going to take a lot of help from Maggie to get this qualification.

[Zenic]

"Factually, this window was an improvement on the last one. Emotionally, it somehow feels worse."

Mara was correct on both counts. This window, the Survivors managed to walk away with 4 points instead of 3 and it wasn't like the previous window was a disaster. There was no shame in losing to a fellow Baptism of Fire champion like The Osnari Federation, especially on the road in the middle of the cycle where they were crowned champions. And the squad managed to come back home and outlast another Baptism of Fire champion, Xanneria, 5-4 in an offensive duel. But follow that performance up with a multi-goal draw against a team outside of the top 200 and then barely win against ANOTHER team outside of the top 200 raises some uncomfortable concerns.

"Are we done?"

Mara knew Geraldo well enough to know what he meant. One win from their two remaining matches should be good enough to get them through, more so if the win comes against Indusse on Matchday 17. Which meant Geraldo was referring to the current iteration of the Survivors squad. Was this the beginning of the end for the 'Revival Generation'? They were certainly getting up there in age with the 2 youngest players being 27; The starting lineup ran only two players under 30 years of age. Most of the top squads in the world rankings either ran WAY younger than Zenic or had a healthier mix of ages in their lineup and overall roster. After all, the Empire just won the Di Bradini Cup: was it time to start incorporating some of them into the senior national team instead of allowing them time to build up more experience at the club?

"It's simply too early to call it."

Geraldo nodded. "Exactly what I was thinking. It's not over until it's over. Once the cycle is over, we can start evaluating and seeing what went wrong." Mara pointed finger guns towards Geraldo. "Or what went right." Geraldo replied in kind with his own finger guns. Despite what the news media would have you believe, Zys and his staff had gotten this squad to where they are now and he'll make sure every player gets a fair shot instead of tossing them into in or out too early. When it's time to transition, the news media will learn about it.

Speaking of news, the good news was that Zenic had already faced and beaten Indusse in the Empire earlier in qualification. Bad news was that this upcoming game was happening in Indusse at the Aditya Varma Kulashekara International Stadium, where Indusse has yet to lose so far in the qualifiers. Then coming back home to square off with the current champs for a third time in two cycles when Zenic were currently on a two game losing streak to them was concerning. However, Flavovespia may have already qualified and won the group by that point so they might not send out a full strength squad in order to maximize their chance to win a second straight world title.

"So, you're saying we have a chance?" Zys chuckled at the joke. "As long as we score one more goal than our opponents, anything is possible," Zys replied. But while joking, he wasn't wrong: just one goal can make or break a nation in times like these.

Just how would the ball bounce in these dire times for the Survivors?

[Alasdair I Frosticus]

A Message From the Holy Empire Football Association

HEFA would like to apologise to the cute little mundies of Ordinary Reality for a recent attempt by a group of individuals referring to themselves as "Evil Swole Santa and his Powerlifting Elves" to represent the Holy Empire in World Cup qualification, and the consequent claims that this effort was somehow endorsed by HEFA, Juan Tzimisces, and Simeone Di Bradini.

In fact, for reasons that would take far too long to explain to entities that exist in ordinary space and follow linear time, most of the efforts of HEFA, Juan Tzimisces, and Simeone di Bradini have been spent coaching a team of sentient colours to win the pan-hyperversal alternative World Cup 99, which the Holy Empire has successfully won for the 97th time, and the 96th consecutive time.

We wish to apologise to all of you mundies for any inconvenience that 'Evil Swole Santa' may have caused to you over the last 16 qualification matchdays, and for the success that he had convincing all of you that the holograms of Mr Tzimisces and Mr Di Bradini were the real thing. I mean, really; would either of the latter lost control so completely so as to permit a real HEFA squad from accumulating such a dismal qualification record?

For ease of reference, and so none of you have to worry about the increased paperwork that might be involved from us insisting on the re-running of World Cup 99 qualification with an actual Holy Empire representative, we'll permit qualification in the multiversal World Cup Committee-approved World Cup 99 to proceed with Swole Santa for the last two remaining matches of qualification. Given how unlikely it is that they'll reach the finals of the tournament at this stage, we can all be shot of them soon enough.

HEFA will instead focus on building a co-hosting offer for the WCC-sanctioned WC100, alongside winning the pan-hyperversal alternative tournament for the 97th consecutive time.

Stay groovy,

The Holy Empire Football Association

[Milchama]

Alexandria Times-Tribune-Sun-Moon-Sky-Picayune-Courier-Post-Pre-Forward-Current-Reader

Sports Section

Loss to Kimijiro Puts Milchama on the Brink

Coming into Matchday 16, Milchama had an easy path to qualification; the Warriors were in second place, three points up from 4th place. Moreover, on Mathchday 16, all Milchama had to do was not lose to Kajimiro and qualification was basically assured. A tie kept Milchama 3 points up with two to play while a win would put Milchama 6 points up and really close the door. There was, unfortunately, another tinge to the game as a great tragedy swept over Kamijiro just before Matchday 15 which made all the players extra motivated to win one for the World Restarts.

Well, about that, an incredible hattrick from Kenta Kanazono led the World Restarts to a 3-0 win over the Warriors and now puts Milchama on the brink. An abysmal performance from front to back with no offensive penetration, only 3 total shots, none on target, along with Kamijiro enjoying 62% possession in an abject performance that has had many calling for Itay Makamura's head. Sure, getting outplayed by Kamijiro was always possible, remember this side is only kinda ok, but being outhustled and outperformed to such a level is another thing entirely. It seemed like, almost, the team quit on the manager. This type of thing can look particularly bad at this time in qualifying. MFA head Cole Chintermantomantomantoman, great grandson of the legendary Calvin Chintermantomantomantoman, said, "Based on our overperformance in qualifying so far we're not firing anybody. Also, we haven't not qualified yet, come on."

Of course, the rest of the world was rooting for Kamijiro based on the horrific tragedy that enveloped the nation right before Matchday 15. This horrible tragedy, which have upended communications between Kamijiro and the outside world, has made them sentimental favorites to advance. We do support Kamijiro in the face of this awful tragedy and wish the best to the entire nation except the football team who we kinda want to lose, sorry.

The loss dropped Milchama into 4th place, one place from qualifying. For the first time since near the beginning of the qualification the Warriors would not make it, luckily, Milchama is only 1 point back of both Captina Island and Kamijiro so if any team slips up and the Warriors take care of business we should be able to qualify. Maybe Captina Island and slip up and then Kamijiro can still qualify, Milchama can qualify and everybody else can be happy (except Captina Island but whatever we have to root for the team with the immense tragedy).

Here is the run in for Milchama:
MD 17 - Sangti and the Filindo Isles
MD 18 - The August Islands

Neither team has posted a roster. August Islands are in last place and Sangti not much above them. Pretty easy all things considered.

The run in for Captina Island:
MD 17 - Warkus
MD 18 - Sangti and the Filindo Isles

Despite being unranked, Warkus has been a pretty good side this World Cup. We expect big things from them in the future and Santi still sucks. Not great for the Warriors.

The run in for Kamijiro:
MD 17 - Equestria
MD 18 - Hispinas

Two teams with historical success who have not made much of an effort this World Cup. If they had made an effort we would expect a tight/close game but we really can't.

Things are not looking good for the Warriors but that's why you play the games, maybe somebody will get an unlucky draw. Who knows? What we know is that we're still in a position to qualify going into the final international window of World Cup qualifying which we'll take and now we can only hope for the best. Let's hope it goes our way!

[HUElavia]

HUElavia 3–0 Archalit
(Kim 22', Pi 70' (P), Sol 85')
Hangul Stadium, Gyeongan, HUElavia

Oscioru 1–2 HUElavia
(Mancini 67' | Angeli 43', Milano 90+4')

Faces of HUElavia

Episode 8:
The Ibo

While HUElavia is a nation that has so many ethnicities and cultures making the country the melting pot, there is one group that is relatively small compared to the other ethnic groups: The Ibo. Coming from the continent of Arica, only 6 million HUElavians have full or partial ancestry to the Arican ethnic group. The original couple thousands of Ibos came during the 1700s as part of the Slave Trade brought by the Portuzians, but when the Catholic Church stepped in to abolish the slavery that affected them and the Hueti, the couple thousands that were present in northwest HUElavia were freed.

Many were originally tribes people who were known to be hunter-warriors, thus they learned from their fellow Hueti-HUElavians how to hunt within the jungles and rivers of the continent. While segregation was also present for the Ibo-HUElavians, they did establish their region in said Northwest HUElavia, founding the town of Gikoji, not far off from where they would enter HUElavia as slaves. Thus, many of the Ibo-HUElavians would work in manual labors such as construction, fishing, butcheries and such. Over time, some of the Ibo from Arica would immigrate to HUElavia, further establishing the Northwest as a bastion for Ibo culture. Nowadays, they are involved in serving as a popular destination for businesses to negotiate deals in the region as it serves as a popular region for companies to make offices, due to the lower taxes in the region.

Ibo-HUElavians have brought the distinct Arican culture into HUElavia and despite their smaller numbers, they have left their impression to the country. The Igbo language is spoken in the region and is seen as a regional language to Northwest HUElavia. Some buildings are built according to the Ibo tradition of architecture, of which there are quite a few Ekpe (meeting house), where it is the preferred location for meetings and business deals are to be made. The clothing in the region is contemporary for the most part, but it is common to see the Isiagu being worn by men to show their heritage and in power within the region. The most popular dish brought by the Ibo is Chicken Yassa, a spicy chicken dish prepared with onions, lemon or mustard, hot chili pepper, olives, and rice, which is commonly sold in almost every restaurant in the region. Truly, this region makes one feel as if they are in Arica, but with the modernity found throughout HUElavia.

The Ibo-HUElavians have gone on to work in many fields from Politics to Business to Sports to Entertainment. The most famous Ibo-HUElavian is footballer Nwoye Uchee, who played for FC Santiago, International Curumba and the HUElavian National Football team. He is fondly remembered for his performance at Cup of Harmony 89, where he scored 8 goals, including the title winner against historic rivals Drawkland in the Final, giving HUElavia their 1st CoH title, as well as the team's 3rd ever title. He is also known for his investments to youth football, and for vocal support of voting and civil rights for the minorities throughout the country, and back in the continent of Arica.

[Chromatika]

World Cup 99 Qualifiers Matchday 15: Moladea 3-5 Chromatika
Goals: Xuen-Zhukov 8', Jean-Baptiste 16', Fillar, B. 36', 62', Hauptmeijer 82'
Starting XI: (3-4-1-2) - Swanson; Paterson - Han Cunningham - Saburo; Fillar, G. - Van Der Borght - Lee - Fillar, E.; Fillar, B.; Xuen-Zhukov (C) - Jean-Baptiste.
Substitutes: Ataciara -> Saburo (60'), Lethbridge-Antonio, J. -> Van Der Borght (60'), Hauptmeijer -> Fillar, G. (76'), Panaś -> Fillar, E. (76'), Lehmann -> Paterson (82')
Summary: After a tense first half hour where the home team scored three times past a struggling Jill Swanson, the Anomalies managed to come back from the one-goal deficit with solid play, Baillaire Fillar scoring a brace while assisting on two others on the victory that all but secured qualification for Chromatika. Swanson's shakiness in not being able to handle routine balls coming her way were a cause of some concern for the Chromatik brass as they continue to evaluate who should be named the backup keeper when Chromatika reaches the World Cup Proper.

World Cup 99 Qualifiers Matchday 16: Chromatika 5-1 Giranatha Empire
Goals: Xuen-Zhukov 2', 19', 41', Bittencourt 66' (pen.), Fillar, E. 89'
Starting XI: (3-4-1-2) - Courtois; Paterson - Han Cunningham - Saburo; Fillar, G. - Van Der Borght - Lee - Fillar, E.; Fillar, B.; Xuen-Zhukov (C) - Jean-Baptiste.
Substitutes: Bittencourt -> Jean-Baptiste (59'), Prenn -> Lee (59'), Howard-Dawes -> Xuen-Zhukov (77'), Lethbridge-Antonio, C. -> Han Cunningham (77'), Mesic-Mizayaki -> Van Der Borght (83')
Summary: RCK Field in Alnio became the sight of celebration as Chromatika made short work of the visitors to qualify for the World Cup in style, Lavrentiy Xuen-Zhukov's first half hat trick being all the scoring that they needed. LXZ was brilliant in his three goals, assisted twice by Edith Fillar, who added another near injury time. Hera Courtois did well in her first start, only allowing one goal, but she didn't need to do much.

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Projected Lineups for World Cup 99 Qualifying Matchdays 17 and 18
@ (40) Abanhfleft & vs. (88) Britonisea @ Hwaks' Nest, Lanar, Rainbow District (Cap. 112,000; 38,000 Seats)
Starting XI: Aniston; Paterson - Han Cunningham - Ataciara; Oriol - Gundsdorf - Lee - Janissen op Colmans; Þyrill (C); Bittencourt - Heimdell.
Substitutes: GK Jill Swanson, GK Hera Courtois, DCR Jaxon Lehmann, DC Claudia Lethbridge-Antonio, DCL Uemura Saburo, DC Eileen Jackson-Jones, WBR Jacoliene Hauptmeijer, WBL Nemes Mátyás, WBL Róża Panaś, DLP Alija Mesic-Mizayaki, CDM Jayla Lethbridge-Antonio, AM Maddie Prenn, AM Evin Françine-Miklavivec, CF Harriet Baïe-Verte, AF Kaytlyn Jean-Baptiste, AF Elaine Howard-Dawes.
Preview: With the team having qualified, these last two games are all about who should make the roster. Han Cunningham and Ataciara are effectively auditioning for one spot, as is Oriol and Janissen op Colmans; the Anoamlies will also need to make decisions at midfield, as well as who will be the fifth striker. Abanhfleft away is also a perfect scenario to throw Jessika Aniston in to see if she can perform better than Jill Swanson did as the Anomalies continue to try to figure out which one should be the backup keeper. It'd be nice to win the group - Chromatika is three points ahead and have the Goal Differential by a wide margin, while the head-to-head series was tied at exactly four goals scored and four allowed apiece - but more important is figuring out the outlook of the team going into the World Cup.

[Kwrpania]

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Kwrpania 4-5 Busoga Islands
Thundering Falls Stadium, Tygnad, River Province, Kwrpania
Lineup: Fakswr-rof; Synydwb-pyt, Petobsw-nam, Fandwrsw-vyz, Mamzwb-bab; Pykpytyr-myf, Vabwpetob-zok, Magnws-rab, Venzemzwb-pyt; Vabwpro-pyt, Magnws-fen
Goals: Uzun 8', Magnws-fen 14', Aydin 17', Magnws-rab 29', al-Hassan 45', Uzun 63', Magnws-fen 67', Sesay 72', Synydwb-pyt 84'

Sudilia 3-2 Kwrpania
Unknown Stadium, Sudilia
Lineup: Fakswr-rof; Synydwb-pyt, Petobsw-nam, Fandwrsw-vyz, Mamzwb-bab; Pykpytyr-myf, Vabwpetob-zok, Magnws-rab, Taftyr-mwń; Magnws-rym, Vabwpro-pyt
Goals: Laviolette 6', Magnws-rym 20', Bourne 78', Magnws-rab 84', Bourne 87'

Tevuekk vs. Kwrpania
Unknown Stadium, Tevuekk
Projected Lineup: Fakswr-rof; Synydwb-pyt, Petobsw-nam, Fandwrsw-vyz, Mamzwb-bab; Pykpytyr-myf, Vabwpetob-zok, Magnws-rab, Taftyr-mwń; Magnws-rym, Vabwpro-pyt

Kwrpania vs. Valentine Z
National Stadium, Tydebwg, North Province, Kwrpania
Projected Lineup: Fakswr-rof; Synydwb-pyt, Petobsw-nam, Fandwrsw-vyz, Mamzwb-bab; Pykpytyr-myf, Vabwpetob-zok, Magnws-rab, Taftyr-mwń; Magnws-rym, Vabwpro-pyt

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POLITICS

Meet the Parties - the Right and the Regionalists


One Kwrpania, no foreigners

Kwrpan Union have no qualms about what they are and who they are for. There is not a large immigrant population in Kwrpania - what few there are largely come from neighbors in Pavola - and as far as Kwrpan Union are concerned, it should be kept that way. Nebulously described as right, far-right, far-left, or simply "extreme", the party professes an ideology that is borderline-incoherent to many outside Kwrpania. Approaching it briefly, the party combines a hardline xenophobia with a radical collectivist approach to the economy only equalled by United Workers. Kwrpan Union believe that the government should run all sectors of the economy, but with their own twist - that profits of state industry should be redistributed among citizens on a per-capita basis, with an extra minor multiplier given to families with three or more children. (It is worth noting that Kwrpania does not currently have, nor is projected to have in any near future, issues with population). Kwrpan society is certaintly collectivist in tendency, as demonstrated by the broad support for that economic approach in the Popular Council, but this inward-looking approach has not resonated with the increasingly outward-looking beliefs of many of those in urban areas, especially given the recent sucesses of the Kwrpan national football team on the international stage. Finally, Kwrpan Union are also the only current irredentist party regarding the territory known as "Haiguadian", part of Yuezhou - an area originally settled by Kwrpan but abandoned following the Calamity. Polling indicates little support for this position in Kwrpan society, but a niche exists, and Kwrpan Union are certainly intent on filling it.


Flying the regional, and what some would call separatist, two-tone green banner of the South, the Southern Movement are unashamedly regional in a way unique in modern Kwrpan politics - perhaps fitting for the region with the strongest local identity. Themselves up-and-comers with two members in the last Popular Council, the Southern Movement have not staked out strong stances on purely national issues, such as foreign policy, but have been strong and consistent advocates for Southern issues, especially regarding land policy and, in the wake of unprecedentedly heavy rains across the region, disaster relief. While Homeland are accused by some of being the biggest benefactors of the "urban/rural constituency" system which grants disproportionate voice to rural areas, the Southern Movement are truly its strongest benefactors (and thus strongest advocates) - all ten seats in the South are rural constituencies, meaning that a Southern vote counts almost four times as much as the vote of someone in Bezbenpam or Tydebwg. While there are certainly national and political causes contributing to Homeland's collapse in support in the South, the growth of the Movement - the first province-wide organization of explicitly Southern identity since the times of the Calamity, four hundred years ago - is by far the most direct, and the most likely to lead to a radical change in the makeup of the Southern contribution to the Popular Council.

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SPORT

Qualification is almost complete - here's who's booked their World Cup ticket, and who else still has a chance to do so

For simplicity, this article will (largely) not address the potential for three-way ties, given that there are two matchdays remaining and thus the potential complexity massively outweighs the actual likelihood of any three-way ties occurring.

Group 1 
MD17
	Melbergia - Gyaromia
	Thaeloria - The Holy Empire
	Dhemixia - Doubeia
MD18
	Gyaromia - Dhemixia
	Doubeia - Ko-oren
	The Holy Empire - Melbergia

 3 Doubeia                           16   10   1   5    39   26  +13    31
 4 Dhemixia                          16    7   5   4    37   27  +10    26
 5 Gyaromia                          16    8   2   6    29   22   +7    26
 6 The Holy Empire                   16    7   4   5    43   29  +14    25

Oberour ar Moro and Ko-oren have already qualified.

Doubeia sits in pole position for the final spot in Group 1. A win over Dhemixia is certainly enough - a draw, and a Gyaromia draw with bottom-placed Melbergia, would wrap things up on Matchday 17 as well. Even if the Indigo Army lose both games, a draw in the crucial Gyaromia-Dhemixia match on Matchday 18 would book their ticket as well. Dhemixia and Gyaromia are in similar positions - they need to win both of their games, and they need Doubeia to do no better than one point from their two games. That would bring the tiebreaker to goal difference, given the split series between any of the potential ties, with the obvious repercussions from there. The Holy Empire also has an outside chance at qualification, but it would require *ahem* Gyaromia loss/draw @ Melbergia or vs. Dhemixia, Dhemixia win over Doubeia and loss/draw to Gyaromia, Doubeia loss vs. Ko-oren, and naturally, wins over Thaeloria and Melbergia, who currently sit 9th and 10th in the group. However, as we've learned from the history of this tournament, never count THEm out.

Group 2
MD17	
	Warkus - Milchama
	Kamijiro - Captina Island
MD18
	Equestria - Kamijiro
	Captina Island - Warkus
	Milchama - Sangti and the Filindo Isles

 2 Captina Island                    16    9   3   4    39   24  +15    30
 3 Kamijiro                          16    8   5   3    31   24   +7    29
 4 Milchama                          16    9   2   5    46   33  +13    29

Farfadillis has already qualified.

Group 2 sees a relatively straightforward sprint to the finish line, as Kamijiro hosts Captina Island before all three sides take on already-eliminated teams on the final matchday. With two spots available out of the three remaining teams, all three still have their fate in their own hands - with one team guaranteed to drop points on Matchday 17, Milchama are guaranteed qualification with a pair of wins against 6th and 7th-ranked Warkus and Sangti and the Filindo Isles.

Group 3
MD17
	Yuezhou - West Vdara
	Baggieland - Aleirave
	Gopnikea - Visayas Islands
	Pyazhnaya - Calgasia
MD18
	West Vdara - Pyazhnaya
	Visayas Islands - Baggieland
	Aleirave - Yuezhou

 1 Baggieland                        16   11   1   4    35   26   +9    34
 2 Pyazhnaya                         16   10   3   3    37   17  +20    33
 3 Yuezhou                           16    8   7   1    37   22  +15    31
 4 Aleirave                          16    9   3   4    52   37  +15    30
 5 Visayas Islands                   16    8   3   5    33   31   +2    27

Baggieland lead the group, and naturally have the simplest path to qualification. Draw in either game, and they book their ticket to the finals. Similarly, for Pyazhnaya, the equation is simple: win, or draw twice. With Aleirave-Yuezhou on the final matchday, there more than exists the possibility of a de facto qualification playoff occurring in that game - the winner goes to the tournament, though depending on results on Matchday 17 a draw is guaranteed to advantage one team or the other. Meanwhile, the Visayas Islands sit needing a minor miracle - Yuezhou and Aleirave to both lose, and then draw each other, and then beat group-leaders Baggieland themselves. (If Aleirave finishes with 33 points after defeating Yuezhou, there is the potential for a tie with the Visayas Islands - with the head-to-head split, the tiebreaker would be goal differential, and it seems extremely unlikely that the Visayas Islands would overcome a 13-goal margin.)

Group 4
MD17
	Quakmybush - Sudilia
	Juvencus - Jeruselem
	Valentine Z - Busoga Islands
	Tevuekk - Kwrpania
MD18
	Sudilia - Tevuekk
	Kwrpania - Valentine Z
	Busoga Islands - Pakhomiya
	Jeruselem - Quakmybush

 3 Kwrpania                          16    8   4   4    32   24   +8    28
 4 Valentine Z                       16    7   4   5    39   29  +10    25
 5 Sudilia                           16    7   2   7    39   35   +4    23
 6 Jeruselem                         16    7   2   7    26   25   +1    23
 7 Busoga Islands                    16    7   2   7    25   28   −3    23

Eshialand and Juvencus have already qualified.

Five teams remain alive for the final spot in Group 4, but it seems almost certain that it will be one of two. Kwrpania sit in pole position, but still require either a result against Valentine Z on MD18 or for the Kittens to drop points against the Busoga Islands the game before. It is much more direct for Valentine Z - win both games, and you're in, fail to win, and you're out. If Kwrpania fail to win in either game, however, the door remains open for Sudilia, Jeruselem, and the Busoga Islands, who all have an extreme outsider shot if they run the table in their respective games.

Group 5
MD17
	United Hawkland - Zwangzug
	Indusse - Zenic
	Unitarnia - Osnari Federation
MD18
	Zwangzug - Kaumann
	Osnari Federation - Indusse
	Zenic - Flavovespia

 2 Zenic                             16   11   2   3    43   25  +18    35
 3 Zwangzug                          16   10   3   3    32   14  +18    33
 4 Indusse                           16   10   3   3    47   28  +19    33
 5 Osnari Federation                 16    9   2   5    26   20   +6    29

Flavovespia has already qualified.

Two spots remain, with three runners and a dark-horse contending for them. Zenic sit in the best position, with a two-point lead over third and fourth, but have by far the most difficult schedule, playing 4th and 1st in their remaining games. Indusse don't have it much easier, pairing that Zenic match with a trip to the Osnari Federation, while the Osnari have what should be a significantly easier trip to 9th-placed Unitarnia. Zwangzug, meanwhile, have two already-eliminated sides on their schedule, and could secure qualification with as few as two points from those matches, depending on results elsewhere. The Osnari Federation are the only side that don't control their own destiny, with their split-head-to-head with Zwangzug (and the guarantee that either Zenic or Indusse reach 36 points after their game, one point above the Osnari maximum of 35) requiring Zwangzug to get no more than one point from their two matches, or for the Osnari themselves to make up a 12-goal swing in goal differential.

Group 6
MD17
	Qasden - Vaishnavaria
	Zirahuen - HOT-DAMN
	United States of Devonta - Commonwealth of Baker Park
	Loyo - Saint Eleanor
MD18
	Natanians and Nosts - Loyo
	Commonwealth of Baker Park - Zirahuen
	HOT-DAMN - Qasden
	Vaishnavaria - Nexxus Drako

 2 Commonwealth of Baker Park        16    9   5   2    36   23  +13    32
 3 HOT-DAMN                          16    8   5   3    43   32  +11    29
 4 Loyo                              16    9   2   5    40   33   +7    29
 5 Vaishnavaria                      16    8   4   4    43   27  +16    28

Saint Eleanor has already qualified.

Four must go into two in Group 6, and rather disappointingly, none of the contenders play each other, with only Loyo facing a team not already eliminated from qualification. This makes the scenarios rather dull, and yet rather straightfoward - get more points than your rivals. Baker Park are almost certainly qualified with just a single win from their remaining games, while HOT-DAMN and Loyo need to win, not only to keep up with each other, but to keep ahead of lurking Vaishnavaria. Loyo have an extra burden, however, as HOT-DAMN hold the head-to-head tiebreaker, meaning they will likely need to finish a clear point ahead.

Group 7
MD17
	Auprussia - Paradystopia
	Vixette - Yuugria
	Abanhfleft - Chromatika
MD18
	Moladea - Abanhfleft
	Edsmontik - Vixette
	Yuugria - Auprussia

 3 Vixette                           16    9   3   4    19    8  +11    30
 4 Abanhfleft                        16    9   1   6    46   28  +18    28
 5 Auprussia                         16    7   3   6    28   27   +1    24

Chromatika and Edsmontik have already qualified.

Another scenario with no contender-on-contender matchups, but there is slightly more stratification here. Auprussia remain alive only in the most tenuous of senses, requiring two Vixette losses, a loss and a draw for Abanhfleft, and to overcome a ten-goal swing in goal differential. Both teams above them face difficult tests, however, with Abanhfleft hosting group leaders Chromatika before Vixette visit second-placed Edsmontik, but Vixette are likely to be much the happier with this arrangement. Holding the head-to-head advantage over Abanhfleft, four points - a win and a draw - are enough to secure qualification.

Group 8
MD17
	Kanzlia - Martian Independent Republic
	Audioslavia - Sel Appa
	Crpostran - Henrik P
	Kandorith - Mertagne
MD18
	Martian Independent Republic - Kandorith
	Mertagne - Crpostran
	Carpathia and Ruthenia - Audioslavia
	Sel Appa - Kanzlia

 1 Audioslavia                       16   11   2   3    26    9  +17    35
 2 Kanzlia                           16   10   4   2    42   23  +19    34
 3 Martian Independent Republic      16   10   3   3    39   26  +13    33
 4 Crpostran                         16    8   7   1    33   14  +19    31
 5 Kandorith                         16    9   0   7    37   28   +9    27

This is a proper group, now. Five teams remain alive for three spots, and the third-placed Martian Independent Republic play two other contenders in the final two matchdays. Audioslavia are sitting the most comfortably, with a win in either game securing them qualification. Kanzlia aren't quite as secure, but still face a straightforward equation - beat the MIR, and book your tickets. It is almost as straightforward for Crpostran - they have very little choice but to win both remaining games, and by enough goals that they overcome any goal-differential tiebreakers (as they split ties with both Kanzlia and the MIR) - though with their excellent total of +19, it's unlikely that they'll need to win by large margins. Kandorith are seemingly adrift, but face a surprisingly straightforward path to qualification. A loss for the MIR away in Kanzlia, and Crpostran failing to win in both games, sees the fifth-placed side in a win-and-in scenario for qualification. (With Crpostran facing the 7th and 10th placed sides in Mertagne and Henrik P, however, this is easier said than done.)

Group 9
MD17
	Katzeburg - Enqab Archipelago Laboratories
	Reçueçn - New Fernia
	West Barack and East Obama - Ralsalin
	Kelssek - Wentzville
MD18
	Enqab Archipelago Laboratories - Kelssek
	Wentzville - West Barack and East Obama
	Burikinia - Reçueçn
	New Fernia - Katzeburg

 1 Reçueçn                           16   12   1   3    26    7  +19    37
 2 Kelssek                           16   11   4   1    37   19  +18    37
 3 West Barack and East Obama        16   11   2   3    24   13  +11    35
 4 Katzeburg                         16   10   2   4    36   25  +11    32

An extremely top-heavy group sees the second-least climactic (we'll get to the least) of the fifteen qualification races - four teams competing for three spots in the World Cup - and none of them even play each other. Kelssek hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Katzeburg, meaning that a draw against bottom side Wentzville (three points from 16 matches) is enough, while Reçueçn need two points if they don't want to depend on their goal differential having split their head-to-head series. West Barack and East Obama are also encouraged by seeing Wentzville on their schedule, meaning they would only need a draw against 5th-placed Ralsalin barring a truly monumental slip-up - a slip-up that Katezburg will be doing everything in their power to hope and pray for.

Group 10
MD17
	Brusseldorf - Qusmo
	United States of Nova Calania - Ochre Islands
MD18
	Qusmo - United States of Nova Calania
	Ochre Islands - HUElavia

 3 Ochre Islands                     16    8   5   3    43   31  +12    29
 4 United States of Nova Calania     16    7   5   4    32   24   +8    26
 5 Qusmo                             16    6   5   5    26   22   +4    23

HUElavia and Valanora have already qualified.

Three go into one, with two contender-on-contender matchups - this is the good stuff. Even better - the drama is laddered. The Ochre Islands can put everything to bed on Matchday 17 with a win, though their previous draw with Nova Calania would leave the series tied in the event of a draw, and with the swing in goal differential at only four, it could set up an extremely interesting final matchday, as the Ochre Islands face a difficult test with the visit of already-qualified HUElavia. However (in the one and only exception to the "no three-way-ties" policy), the most interesting scenario involves a Nova Calanian win on Matchday 17. With a Qusma win away at 9th-placed Brusseldorf, the stage is set for a three-way tie on 29 points - which would see the Nova Calanians lead a three-way head-to-head table and thus secure qualification despite a final-day loss.

Group 11
MD17
	City of Myrtle Beach - Osterhalten
	Darmen - Huayramarca
	Tanirinthia - Damukuni
MD18
	Epicly Amazing Giraffes - Tanirinthia
	Damukuni - Darmen
	Osterhalten - Wedich

 2 Osterhalten               16   11   1   4    28   12  +16    34
 3 Tanirinthia               16   10   3   3    33   15  +18    33
 4 Darmen                    16    8   4   4    40   30  +10    28

Huayramarca has already qualified.

The most sauceless of the qualification races. Three goes into two, with fourth-placed Darmen needing a win over first-placed Huayramarca to even have a chance. Osterhalten's loss to Darmen on Matchday 15 does mean that the latter has the head-to-head tiebreaker - meaning that they need a draw against either 9th-placed Myrtle Beach or 6th-placed Wedich to qualify. Tanirinthia won both matches against Darmen, meaning that they only need a draw against either Epicly Amazing Giraffes (four points from 16 games) or 8th-placed Damukuni to qualify. Darmen, naturally, need to win both games, and for either one or both of these things not to happen.

Group 12
MD17
	Legalese - TJUN-ia
	Pasarga - Sharktail
	American Generations - Cobrio
MD18
	TJUN-ia - American Generations
	Cobrio - New Cryx
	Saterun - Pasarga

 2 TJUN-ia                16   10   5   1    47   21  +26    35
 3 Pasarga                16   10   4   2    35   18  +17    34
 4 Cobrio                 16   10   2   4    42   30  +12    32

Saterun has already qualified.

Another three-into-two, but with tighter margins - and 9th-placed American Generations with two chances to play spoiler. TJUN-ia's pair of draws with Cobrio mean that they would have to rely on goal differential with only three points from six - and with a comfortable +26, they can sit relatively safe in believing that one win is enough to mark themselves Safe from the Cup of Harmony. Pasarga have a smaller lead, but do have the head-to-head tiebreaker over Cobrio, meaning they can assure themselves qualification with four points, even with a trip to already-qualified Saterun.

Group 13
MD17
	Natkr - Aphrilia
	Hapilopper - StrayaRoos
	Kimi-Suomi - Kytler Peninsulae
MD18
	Anewkansas - Kimi-Suomi
	North Polish Union - Hapilopper
	StrayaRoos - Natkr
	Aphrilia - Germanic Cat

 2 Aphrilia                 16   10   3   3    27   15  +12    33
 3 StrayaRoos               16    9   3   4    36   25  +11    30
 4 Natkr                    16    9   2   5    36   33   +3    29
 5 Kimi-Suomi               16    8   2   6    33   26   +7    26
 6 Hapilopper               16    8   2   6    38   35   +3    26

The Kytler Peninsulae have already qualified.

Five into two in Group 13, and with three contender-on-contender matchups to look forward to.

Aphrilia sit in the most comfortable position - with StrayaRoos and Natkr facing off on Matchday 18, a draw against Germanic Cat (five points from 16 games) would be enough to secure qualification. Natkr defeated StrayaRoos on Matchday 9, meaning that they require only a point from Aphrilia to ensure that the final game is a win-and-in for them (or even a draw-and-in with a Hapilopper victory on Matchday 17). Kimi-Suomi and Hapilopper remain in the hunt with a pair of wins (with the potential for numerous combinations of three-way or even four-way ties, and down that way lies madness).

Group 14
MD17
	Gnejs - Drawkland
	Olastor - Bostopia
	Grand Exultia - Vdara
	Sarzonia - Vielfaltig
MD18
	Drawkland - Sarzonia
	Vielfaltig - Francobalkan Peninsula
	Solgavden - Grand Exultia
	Vdara - Olastor
	Bostopia - Gnejs

 2 Vdara                    16    9   5   2    44   27  +17    32
 3 Drawkland                16    8   5   3    45   28  +17    29
 4 Sarzonia                 16    8   2   6    31   25   +6    26
 5 Bostopia                 16    7   3   6    31   37   −6    24
 6 Grand Exultia            16    7   2   7    37   33   +4    23
 7 Vielfaltig               16    5   8   3    27   25   +2    23

Gnejs has already qualified.

Group 14 sees the largest qualification race, with six teams competing for the final two spots. However, that is slightly deceiving, as Vielfaltig and Grand Exultia all require convoluted tiebreakers in order to advance, while Bostopia's situation isn't much better facing Gnejs on the final matchday. Thus, we will focus on what is truly a three-into-two, and really a two-into-one. Vdara sit the most comfortably, and can secure themselves a World Cup berth with a draw in either game. Drawkland and Sarzonia, however, face each other on the final day. Sarzonia won the first matchup between the sides, meaning that they only need to match Drawkland's result against first-placed Gnejs in their own match against Vielfalting in order to set up a win-and-in qualification playoff and, with a Drawkian loss and a win for themselves, set up a draw-and-in playoff.

Group 15
MD17
	Vetrahjart - Eastfield Lodge
	Patriotlandia - Estorvipa and Estorpiva
	Woodsmere - Cardenao
	Ile de Richelieu - Brigantii
	Darkmania - Tikariot
MD18
	Tikariot - Ile de Richelieu
	Cardenao - Patriotlandia
	Estorvipa and Estorpiva - Vetrahjart

 2 Tikariot                  16    8   7   1    39   26  +13    31
 3 Île de Richelieu          16    9   2   5    40   28  +12    29
 4 Cardenao                  16    9   1   6    25   18   +7    28
 5 Vetrahjart                16    8   2   6    31   23   +8    26
 6 Estorvipa and Estorpiva   16    7   4   5    29   23   +6    25

Eastfield Lodge has already qualified.

Five teams are competing for the final two spots in the last-but-not-least Group 15, with an extremely tight point spread, and multiple-contender-on-contender matchups on the final day, making for some serious drama potential. Tikariot hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Cardenao, meaning that they only need a win against Darkmania (one point from 16 games) to secure qualification. Île de Richelieu are the other side to hold their destiny in their hands, with wins over 8th-placed Brigantii and Tikariot securing their own qualification. Cardenao are right on their heels, however, and with the easiest schedule of the lot to boot - visiting 9th-placed Woodsmere before hosting 7th-placed Patriotlandia, a pair of wins secures them qualification if the islanders fail to win in either game. Vetrahjart enter with an outside chance, as does Estorvipa and Estorpiva, though they both require six points from six in addition to slip ups from (most likely) Île de Richelieu and Cardenao.

The top five games to put on your viewing schedule

5. Indusse-Zenic (Group 5)
Second-placed Zenic travel to Indusse knowing that a win sends them to the World Cup. The hosts await them knowing that a win is likely their only chance of going to the World Cup. There is no simpler setup than that.

4. Kwrpania-Valentine Z (Group 4)
The visitors, established World Cup participants, travel to the hosts, looking for an unlikely qualification in their first cycle of international football. Valentine Z do face a difficult match in the Busoga Islands that could make this a dead rubber, however, which drops it down the list.

3. United States of Nova Calania-Ochre Islands (Group 10)
The same setup as the fifth game on this list, but with the stakes even more closely balanced given the removal of any margin for error. A win for the Ochre Islands sends them to the World Cup - a win for the Nova Calanians puts them level on points, and ahead on the head-to-head tiebreaker, as both sides go into final-day matchups against other teams at the top of their group.

2. StrayaRoos-Natkr (Group 13)
Predicting final day matchups with another match beforehand always has an air of guesswork about it, but this looks to be a lock for a World Cup play-in. With the elimination of the official playoffs in this format, an unofficial playoff will have to do for providing the ultimate drama - two teams walking off the field, one having qualified for the greatest tournament in multiversal football, and the other ruing the chance that they let slip away.

1. Drawkland-Sarzonia (Group 14)
Two stalwarts of multiversal football, with what is almost certainly a berth in the World Cup on the line. You couldn't ask for a better setup.

---

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[Aphrilia]

No Longer Hesitating, But What To Expect?
There can no longer be any hesitation amongst the team.

Two more matches have come and passed, with two more remaining. Some teams have already sealed their spot in the World Cup proper, whilst others are still fighting to be in the tournament, with most having already been eliminated. Aphrilia are one of the many teams still fighting for a spot at the World Cup... But they didn't have to had one result gone their way. And it was a result that they probably should have been on the fortunate side on.

The Anchors had faced off The 93 Nodes and Diodes of Alanis Star for Matchday 15, and it was a nil-nil draw. Whilst a draw away from home would generally be a good result, had the team won, pundits say that Aphrilia would have secured qualification. Knowing this, the team find themselves in a situation where, if things play out in certain directions, they could go from topping the group to being knocked out completely. A single mess-up from anyone in Group 13 that still remained in contention and fortunes will swing wild.

No one had as much pressure piling up at them as Leonardo Bianchi... And this team.

Remember that Aphrilia absolutely squandered themselves during the qualifying of last edition? This team was on the cusp of re-appearing at the World Cup. There existed significant hope that The Anchors could once again reach the biggest footballing stage in the multiverse. Leonardo Bianchi was a man on a path to prove that he was still the legend that Crpostranians saw him as, a legend that Aphrilians could see and believe in. This team was on the path of proving to all that their original success wasn't a one-off miracle.

And as that sentiment rang within everyone that was apart of the national team, changes were made to make sure that they were in control of their own destiny. Training was more rigorous, with Bianchi himself overseeing things. Slight changes, optimizations, and refineries were made to the team tactics. There were so many changes made that you'd think there was an entire team overhaul. But no, this was the management and players wanting to make sure that they were giving it their all to be able to play on the greatest stage.

Yet despite the overall mood within the team, there were still some issues amongst players individually that still needed to be resolved sooner or later.

For one, Nathaniel Rosberg is as of these qualifiers, forty nine years old. The Aphrilian forward has been a strong and leading presence since Aphrilia's first ever match of international football. The next one or two tournaments may very well be his last within the national team, and there has yet to be someone who can fill in his shoes as an outside-the-box goalscoring specialist. Or perhaps Aphrilia doesn't need one? Rosberg has been a vital part of the team since it's formation, but only time will tell if an heir to his role will be crowned.

Theresa Villa still has yet to confront what plagues her mind. Within the public, it's open secrets and rumors as to what exactly she is, and yet despite that, Villa herself has yet to make a statement on the situation. If she still runs from the ordeal regarding her existence, someone else, or perhaps two, may have to step in and make sure she faces things head on.

Phillip Karnwell and Kyra Von Kachel still need to solve one question: Who should be the team's starting goalkeeper? Karnwell is, supposedly, the better shot-stopper (In general) and leader on defense but Kyra has better ball control and is surprisingly a penalty specialist. Both of them provide different benefits to the team whenever either of them are on the field, and despite both of them being hush-hush about the original keeper-switching idea created by Christopher Vermont, people know that both of them feel like they deserve to be the number one. Whether that is settled now or then... It just leaves many people's heads scratching, safe to say.

Jessica Rhine-Faust has grown to be a reliable captain, despite the hiccups that she has had along the way. Garnering respect from her teammates and the fans, the midfielder has proven that she is worthy of taking the mantle that Rosberg once held when he was captain. But with the forward likely retiring from the national team in a few tournaments time, how will she fare without the word of recommendation and the support of the absolute most respected figure in the team besides the manager?

Well, what do we know. There is no use in worrying about the future, especially considering that the current situation maintains a high level of urgency. Long issues and problems can be resolved as long as things continue moving forward, but the situation that The Anchors found themselves in require an immediate reaction to be resolved.

No hesitation now, it's the home run of qualifying.

[Visayas Islands]

---

LURREV AND RFVF HAVE LAUNCHED A THIRD JERSEY AGAINST BAGGIELAND
Iloilo City, Metropolitan District

The official 3rd kit to be worn in the game vs Baggieland

As the Cebu Reggae Festival is about to begin after the qualifying game against Baggieland, the Solgavish kitmakers Lurrev released the third jersey that will be worn against Baggieland, their last match on the qualifiers in honor of the Visayan reggae history, where it all started in the island of Cebu. It was in the 1960s-70s where new genres emerged in other parts of the country, and Cebu is one of them with the introduction of reggae in the islands by the Jamaicans themselves. Sheldon and Michael Patterson were the brothers who introduced to this genre in the late 1960s to Cebuanos who wanted to live their lives well, and it's also the introduction of Rastafarianism in the Visayas Islands by their fellow Rastafaris, Michael Wilkinson, Diether Thompkins, and other Caribbean Rastas who are converting island habitants into Rastas, even though it's a little bit nowadays to see them rarely. But the music influenced Cebuanos to create some scenes after Santiago del Pedro, by his stage name of Buffalo Soldier, popularized the genre in the late 70s and it was in its peak in the 1980s and to the 2000s. They also held a reggae festival in Cebu City, simply called the Cebu Reggae Festival, always held in some barangays in Cebu City, but most notably, in the Estadio Sergio Osmeña. "We have been honored to release this kit in honor of the Visayan reggae community.", says Lurrev Visayas CEO Sigrid Kristensan. "We have understood the reggae community's pleas to include their culture to their kits as an honor for the Cebu Reggae Festival. Football in Visayas is also influential with reggae too." "We hope that the Visayan reggae community would love this jersey for the national team.", says the RFVF president Eusebio Pangilinan. "This kit is a tribute to the reggae roots of the national team and its supporters who are also fans of reggae." Reggae and football fans have been excited to buy the jersey. "This combines fashion, culture, and passion", says a reggae and a football fan from Toledo. "I'm also satisfied with the companies who wanted to give the community what they wanted." Reggae and football in Visayas has been the talk of the town since its introduction to the football fields in the late 80s when the Cebu provincial team needed to face the unstoppable Capiz team in 1982, but the fans won't give up with some Bob Marley songs and take them to the Estadio Nacional to sing them before the ceremonies and the kick off. Because of this, the Cebuanos have won over the undefeated Capizeños in the cup final, 2-1. And won the cup for the first time since 1964. And nowadays, any reggae song will be heard on the pitches after the Cebuano influence in the stands. The Eagles will wear the third kit against Baggieland away at the Estadio Nacional de las Visayas in Iloilo, weeks before the reggae festival in Cebu started.

[Cobrio]

Part I | II | III | IV |

---

Another night, another storm. 'Another round of this nonsense,' Demé thought. While the storm had not spoken to him again, he had not been able to sleep through one since that time, months earlier. He hated it. Had begun to hate storms, in fact. Worse still, every time a storm passed, he could not help but think about that encounter with the strange, mystical uncle. He still didn't know who he was. When Demé had asked his name, he replied "the bearer of The Gift". As if that would mean something to Demé.

The uncle seemed to have some mystical power, though. Of that much, Demé was certain. Wind did not blow in the dressing room at Tukari Kaita National Stadium. Not even when several teammates were angry all at once. Everything else, Demé could rationalise away. The noise that sounded and felt like thunder? The crowd, of course. Everyone knows Cobre crowds are loud, and beat drums at matches. The feeling of a short spatter of rain? His imagination, he was preparing to take a shower after all. Hearing the uncle speak when he didn't move his mouth? 'I must have been mistaken,' Demé told himself. Or the uncle is one of those performers with the creepy dummies. It all had a logical explanation. But not the part when the uncle halted the storm. Or what happened after that.

* * * * *

Six months prior
Tukari Kaita National Stadium

"I am here to show you the way." The uncle said.

Demé frowned. "What way? To where? What are you talking about?" He shouted over the wind. He still sounded muffled even to himself, his ears partially blocked by that faint pressure that sometimes accompanied storms. It still felt like the storm was inside the dressing room, somehow.

The uncle spread his arms wide and tilted his head back, muttering something unintelligible to Demé's ears, and the pressure subsided. "The way home," he said. And then he clapped his hands.

Everything went dark for a second, and Demé felt a powerful rushing of wind coming directly towards him, getting more powerful. It was going to slam into him. He shielded his face with his arms and closed his eyes. 'Oh sh-'

... and nothing.

"Lost cub," the uncle said softly from behind him. "Do you know where you are?"

Demé opened his eyes, to find he was in a wide, open field. Directly ahead of him stood a huge baobab tree, a vast dark sky containing countless tiny pinpricks of light stretched out behind and above it, with a green tint, and a streak of red stretching across it like some kind of scar.

"...yes." Demé said. "I've been here before."

"Good." The uncle said. "Today, I have led you back to this place. If you want answers, you must find your own way here once again. I will be waiting."

Demé spun angrily to confront the man, but found himself face to face with a black panther instead. He froze.

"Where did the uncle go?" He said, to nobody in particular.

He saw a flash, and heard a crack of thunder behind him, causing him to instantly duck for cover. Turning around, he saw a scorch mark on the ground in front of the baobab. Lightning flashed again, and this time, Demé saw the form of a bird appear where it had struck the ground. Exactly the same spot as before.

Lᴏsᴛ ᴄᴜʙ. Wʜʏ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ғᴇᴀʀ ᴍᴇ ɴᴏᴡ? The bird said. Demé could not explain how he knew it was the bird speaking. But he knew. The same voice he had heard before.

"It's you, isn't it?" He said. "You spoke to me before. That time. When you ruined the storm. My safe space. And then... you left me. With no shelter from..." Demé trailed off.

Sɪɴᴄᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ғɪʀsᴛ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜ, I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ. I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʟᴇғᴛ ʏᴏᴜ. Aʟᴡᴀʏs, I ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ɴᴇᴀʀ. Said the bird.

"Then why wouldn't you answer me?!" Demé demanded. Some part of him, deep within his mind, understood that he was likely speaking to a sliver of divinity right now. But that didn't matter. He would not allow this bird, or whoever it was, to toy with him.

Yᴏᴜ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅʏ

"Not ready?! But I was ready for you to mess up my head?

Tʜᴇ ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀғʟʏ ᴡʜᴏsᴇ ᴡɪɴɢ ɪs ʙʀᴜsʜᴇᴅ ᴍᴀʏ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ғʟʏ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ. Aɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ, ʟᴏsᴛ ᴏɴᴇ, ᴍᴜsᴛ ғʟʏ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ.

"Enough of the riddles! Just tell me what you want from me, then leave me alone!"

Yᴏᴜ sᴇᴇᴋ ᴀɴsᴡᴇʀs. Bᴜᴛ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ ɪs ᴀ ʟᴀɴᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɴᴏ ᴘᴀᴛʜs. Yᴏᴜ ᴍᴜsᴛ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ.

"Land with no paths? What does that even mean? And what is this place, anyway?!"

Tʜᴇ ᴘᴀɴᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡɪʟʟ ɢᴜɪᴅᴇ ʏᴏᴜ. Yᴏᴜ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ʙᴜᴛ ᴀsᴋ ʜɪᴍ.

Another flash of lightning. The bird was gone. Demé looked at the sky, trying to find it, but only saw two different birds. One silver and azure shrike, and a large eagle. Both were gliding in circles around the baobab tree, high above it. He got the distinct feeling they were watching him.

"We must leave," said the uncle, appearing in front of him again. Demé did not protest as the uncle grasped his shoulder and shook him. He blinked once, twice, and the dressing room reappeared around him.

"Ifuoké has blessed you, nephew." The uncle smiled wryly.

"What?"

"No matter. You dey sabi eventually." He said, turning to leave.

"Wait. Who are you?" Demé asked.

"Ebunebu. The Bearer of The Gift," the uncle said.

"Why did you take me to that place and leave me there?"

"I didn't take you anywhere." He said quietly. "Nor did I ever leave you, nephew."

The uncle slipped out of the dressing room before Demé could respond.

* * * * *

Present Day
Ekezie Family Home
Odikolo, Cobrio

Dami watched the screen as Dieumerci Pourrien dribbled past a defender with ease. He could not be certain, but it seemed to him that the young man had improved noticeably since his visit to the Djalia. Almost as if he was instinctively grasping the okun of talented ancestors -- the threads of memory that make up the tapestry of lived experience known as the Djalia -- but that wasn't possible. Perhaps the boy was simply that talented. He had continued to win plaudits for his play in recent weeks, and it would not be a stretch to suggest that he was fast becoming a key player for the Panthers, as well.

But something about the progression concerned Dami. "Is this how you felt when I..." He trailed off, unable to finish the question. Not that Uncle Amari could hear him anyway. The Djalia called to Dami. He yearned to return and speak with his ancestors more, but he had been warned not to forget the living. It was his duty, after all, as a djeli, to nourish the living as well as to preserve the memories and experiences of the ancestors.

Strewn about him were ancestry documents, his attempts to find the lineage of the Pourrien family. For a while, he had considered the possibility that Dieumerci was actually related to him somehow, but he hadn't been able to find a concrete link to support the theory. It did strike him as strange, however, that Dieumerci had uwalarin ("world walker") traits. When he had cut the okun in the dressing room that day, Dami had not expected the two of them to be projected to the Djalia. Nor had he expected Dieumerci to be able to see his soulform, the panther. Ezinne and Amari would almost certainly have answers for both of these strange occurrences, but Dami knew he had to figure these ones out himself. At the very least, he was certain they somehow related to Ifuoké. But he could not see how, or why.

In the distance, thunder rumbled. Almost as if on cue. "Ah," Dami said aloud. "Perhaps you can help, Stormrider. The boy bears your mark, after all."

He stood and made his way to the porch of the house, then sat cross-legged on the top step, waiting.

[Doubeia]

winter falls — stray kids | what kind of future — woozi

Ambrose wondered if it was all his fault. Wait, no, it was all his fault.

The winter snow fell gently onto the pearly white ground. Ambrose looked out the balcony towards the carpark. It offered a less romantic view than the park view, but the snow was a great equaliser when it came to aesthetics. He took a deep breath, and the sharp coldness of the winter air pierced his lungs. It was painful, but he thought he deserved it.

Ambrose limped back to his room and laid on his bed. He still needed crutches, which he laid strewn on the ground. He was thankful enough that his leg had healed enough so that walking wasn’t a problem. What hadn’t healed enough, however, was his heart. He didn’t know why he hadn’t gotten over Skye. He used to cringe when he listened to his friends cry over their ex of three months, but he and Skye had separated more than three months and here he was, moping around like a sob. He just didn’t know how to go on. He felt like he had to do something to lift the milestone in his heart, but it was finding out what that something was that was tricky.

Ambrose pondered about everything that had happened since the split. From an outsider’s perspective, Skye seemed to be thriving. She was having fun with her friends, drinking, eating, living her best life. Him on the other hand was left injured, and now he had to brave the cold alone. How warm of people. The contrast couldn’t be more stark, but while it sucked that he got the shorter end of the stick, perhaps this was karma for not really giving a shit about how Skye felt, ever.

The once unbearable cold of the winter had become Ambrose’s closest friend, but he still snuggled up under his blankets as he sought to find the warmth that had left him. He didn’t know why he felt particularly colder. It wasn’t as if this winter was specifically worse; maybe it was his coldheartedness. Even his hot-headed personality did nothing to warm it up.

“What am I doing with my life, man?” Ambrose asked underneath the sheets to no one in particular. It was a question for himself: was this what 20-something years’ worth of decisions led to? To be lonely and cold in the harsh winters of Winterfalls? He used to be a skeptic of karmic justice, but as he looked back on his relationship he could see how everything was coming back to bite at him.

Every time he talked back to Skye when she was trying to make a point. Every time he “joked around” with her when they were in reality insults towards her. Every time he would yell and shout at her when things didn’t go his way. The list went on and on, and with every accident Ambrose remembered came an unending mountain of guilt piling up on him. He’d done this very dance of remembering and regretting many times, but this time his regret really stabbed at his heart. Why did he do this, why did he do that, why didn’t he do whatever… he probably wasn’t thinking much when he did whatever he did, but with the benefit of hindsight it was clear how mindless he was with Skye.

“I need to change, but I don’t know how to,” Ambrose said to himself. He didn’t know how to, but for him, at least he even realised he was doing something wrong.

[Paradystopia]

"I heard it was all about the money personally, and to be fair, it's as good a reason as any."

Kiaran's words proffered zero answers to the question 'So what are we going to do now?' for which it was initially uttered in response of.

Error's new era of Paradystopi football had begun innocuously with a 1-0 defeat away to Vixette. This was mostly blamed upon sticking to systems that Rhoderick had put in place. Error was supposedly getting a feel for the squad, and evaluating the best course of action. The squad however, were deflated. They had watched their, albeit very outside chance of qualification ebb away and now stood looking at a future with Error at the reins. A future that few could either picture and very few actually wanted to.

Whilst some could've accused Error of passivity against Vixette, this was not the case against Moladea. Unshackled from the qualification battle, Error chose a squad entirely of penguins with himself as a lone striker. Some did accuse him of giving himself an unfair advantage in the goalscoring department so as to re-overtake Iona Schlippe in the all-time scorers list, and they would've been correct but what did Error care?

The first half was a dull affair. The penguin's nullified any attacks that came their way, but had the same forward drive as a car built with only reverse gears so the game looked set to finish 0-0. It was however, the second half where Error's devious plan came to fruition. From the second half's first breath, the penguins seemingly found themselves on the wrong end of some strong tackles. More and more free kicks were coming Paradystopia's way and it was in the sixty-second minute that Karen went down in the Moladean box, incurring a penalty which Error coolly dispatched.

Of the three further penalties that Paradystopia received that day, Error converted a further two to place himself atop the national goal-scoring leaderboard once again as well as secure Paradystopia a record home victory.

To anyone with a knowledge of football playing penguins, it would've been obvious how flagrantly the members of the Paradystopi squad were acting so as to have decisions go their way. However, thankfully the vast majority of the multiverse's football officials don't, and were thus unable to differentiate between a genuinely reckless tackle on a penguin and a penguin merely acting as though it had been the subject of a genuinely reckless tackle. This had been Error's play all along, and it had, in fairness, worked a charm.

WCQ99 MD16
                       Paradystopia 3–0 Moladea
E.Message (p) 62', (p) 68', (p) 87'

[Flavovespia]

A Goal And A Win Away

Against another of the contenders to qualify, Flavovespia secured 3 points again, to take a big step towards qualifying for World Cup 99. It could be as soon as one more Matchday, if Flavovespia can better the result of either Zwangzug or Indusse.


It was Zwangzug who visited Flavovespia, a matchup of two nations with history in the tournament. This of course was no tournament match yet, just a qualifier, and nothing was at all certain for either side. Hence it’s probably little surprise that it was a tentative, cautious start. Zwangzug were probing for any gaps Flavovespia left whilst attacking, Flavovespia meanwhile content to sit back a little, and not get baited in.

The games intensity at least in the first half did grow, and by the break it was a surprise to see it goalless. Jonathan Bagshaw twice went close, the Flavovespian legend unlucky not to break a scoring lean spell. Charles Shepherd also had a header just wide from a contested corner. Zwangzug had fewer chances, but were by no means clinging on as 45 minutes ended.

It was then somewhat underwhelming that the second half began like the first half. Flavovespia had lost a bit of their spark it seemed, and if there was a moment for Zwangzug, it’d be then. However Flavovespia were form in defence and growing back into the game. The one and only goal came in the 77th minute. Christopher Hill picked out Anthony Lane with pinpoint precision, he cut inside, and scored. 1-0 to Flavovespia with 13 minutes to go. They held on with confidence, to secure another win.

The early stutters seem a long way away now, and Flavovespia are close to qualifying. It may not be the unbeaten qualifying campaigns once seen, but it’s a long way off the days it was over before it began.
Patricia Evans

A Flashpoint And Qualifying Secured

Flavovespia have confirmed qualification with 2 games to spare. A 6 point lead over 3rd and 4th placed Indusse and Zwangzug, combined with a 4 point lead over 2nd placed Zenic means Flavovespia can’t fall out of the top 3. Again, another game where a single goal decided it, but Flavovespia will take that any day if they’re on the right side of it.

Again it was a fairly slow start to proceedings. A win, maybe even a draw could be enough to qualify, but Flavovespia were keen to not give the hosts some early cheer. It was an effective strategy, albeit at the cost of stifling Flavovespia’s attacks too. Jonathan Bagshaw looked lively, and again he was unlucky not to break his goalless streak. Charles Shepherd also came close, pulling a shot wide on the cusp of half time.

The decisive moment was about 10 minutes after the break. Jonathan Bagshaw was through on goal, and was pulled back by the shirt, and sent tumbling. Flavovespia were furious, and after some pushing and shoving, a red card was brandished to the United Hawkland defender, along with several yellows. Seconds later, Christopher Hill hooked in the free kick and Charles Shepherd headed it home. Flavovespia had taken the lead.

The rest of the game was in the favour of Flavovespia. Down to 10 men, United Hawkland could muster little in the way of attacking intent. Flavovespia were playing it fairly safe, although they had a few chances to score again. Nevertheless it finished 0-1. Wins for Indusse and Zwangzug keep the qualifying race open a little longer for them, but for Flavovespia, a chance to defend their title is confirmed.
Judd Stafford

[Vielfaltig]

SPORT: Hahn faces the axe following embarrassing defeat to Solgavden as qualifying aspirations vanish

MONTEBELLO: The Knights were not in the best of form heading into this crucial international break where we were to face Solgavden at home and Drawkland away. This poor run of form had come at the dismay of the Federation and fans alike as we were slipping in form and the standings. The Knights had failed to secure a win in their last three games and this trend continued with another poor international break. The shocking news was the announcement by the Federation following the Drawkland game regarding Hahn's dismissal as Head Coach. The Federation in their statement thanked Hahn for his dedication in coaching the Knights and his role in the development of the team. They expressed that in their view the team needed new direction to maintain this trajectory of growth and to match the Federation's ambitions for the team. The reason however seems to be the underperformance of the Knights in the last few games, most notably the defeat to Solgavden. Hahn's replacement is yet to be decided upon as reports suggest that the Federation may look beyond our borders to bring an experienced mind to the side. This decision may have come as a surprise to Hahn who even in his post match conference following the loss to Solgavden was speaking about his prospective approach to the Cup of Harmony. This decision seemed to unravel what Hahn had built so far and with the departure of Hahn and captain Ramos following this cycle, the team may be left with no senior figures from this era. The Federation may have also made a great decision with the timing of this change in coaching staff. Pundits and fans alike were convinced that the team needed new direction to achieve our lofty and ambitious goals. The period following the WCQ presents time and opportunities to the new manager to get settled ahead of the real challenge being the next qualifying campaign for WC100. The new appointee will have the Cup of Harmony and the Campionato to experiment with the team and decide on a group of players who can take this team to its goals.

Hahn was not to remain the head coach of the side for long however he was going to go out swinging. The home defeat to Solgavden was a massive disappointment and cemented his fate. The upcoming trip to Drawkland however was to be an unpredictable affair. Drawkland were still firmly in the battle for qualification and needed a win against us to keep distance from Sarzonia who were on their toes. The game was going to be entertaining and the Knights really wanted a win. Hahn's typical conservative approach seemed to have gone out of the window as we kicked off with great intensity and aggressiveness. This approach was paying off for us as with just twenty minutes or so on the clock, we were already up two goals. It seemed that Hahn would be going out with a bang by racking up a very important win against Drawkland. The tide however shifted rather quickly as within fifteen minutes Drawkland were back in the game and not just that, they led 3-2. The first thirty-five minutes had been a shocking affair with both defences being completely torn apart. With half time quickly approaching, the Knights were eager to equalise. This equaliser came from striker Profeta who grabbed a first half hat-trick for the Knights. Both teams went into half time tied 3-3 with the expectations being that most of the goals had already come. We were grossly mistaken however as the second half kicked off with the same propensity as the first. The goals continued to flow as both teams traded goals and there seemed to be no end in sight. The game ended in a bizarre 6-6 scoreline to the disappointment of the home fans who desperately hoped for the three points to seal their place in the World Cup. The Knights on the other hand failed to win for the fifth game in a row which is the longest streak for the Knights without a win in history. With Hahn departing following the last two games of the campaign, let's hope for a fresh start and renewed vigour from the team at the Cup of Harmony.

---

POLITICS: Etienne withdraws from Battle Royale amidst political spat

WALBOURG: Noemi Etienne, the National Chess Champion, is a figure of great importance when it comes to anything Marigny. Her authority in the community is incomparable and she has built this connection to her community through working together and helping them when required. Her roots are firmly grounded in Walbourg and her Marignien identity. Her campaign to host the Battle Royale in downtown Walbourg's Hotel Le Rivage Blue further cemented her role as an ambassador of Marignien culture. She was appointed as the Official Ambassador of the tournament by ChessVFT for marketing purposes overseas identifying her dominance of the game at the present having won the SN3C recently. She was also ranked 1st in the world rankings and the present National Chess Champion, all of which pointed towards her unmistakable authority in the game. The tournament was coming together well and it seemed all set to be a massively successful affair. That is until the political chaos ensued in the state of Marigny which was compounded by the impending elections. The detainments, protests and wide civil disobedience created an environment fertile for political chaos. The Battle Royale endured though and the Government gave its assurance in their commitment to going forward with the original plan. Security would be increased to ensure the safety of all players and the event would be hosted in Walbourg to demonstrate that political violence or oppression in Marigny is a myth. Eitenne was not one to remain quiet amidst the oppression of her people and community. She appeared at Alliance rallies and became a staunch advocate of the Alliance as the only viable political option for the people for Marigny. She has refused an offer to run in the upcoming election as an Alliance representative but continues to support the movement as an activist.

Her political involvement has not reflected positively upon the government and by extension ChessVFT's authorities. She has played a huge role in the surge in Alliance polls which is coming at the expense of the ULA. Her involvement has also given the courage to identify the atrocities occurring around them and work against the ULA government. ChessVFT in their first steps against Etienne updated their player circular which said that any player officially representing the organisation internationally should not be involved in domestic politics. The reasoning behind this was supposedly to ensure that sport remains apolitical. The real reason however appeared clear as day which was to ensure obedience of players to the Government's actions and prevent any opposition. Etienne was steadfast in her convictions though and refused to back down. She continued campaigning for the Alliance in rallies as well as on social media. Her refusal to abide by the updated circular was grounds for her removal as the Official Ambassador of the Battle Royale. ChessVFT identifying this opportunity followed through and removed Etienne as the Ambassador in an official press release. This did not deter Etienne from her political activism, it merely strengthened her belief in her fight for Marigny. She put out a public statement citing the enforcement of unnecessary restrictions on the freedom of players and her unfair removal as Ambassador of the event for political reasons. She said she would not advocate or participate in an event being used by an incumbent government for the purposes of sportswashing while her people face persecution and oppression. She officially withdrew from the Battle Royale, apologising to all her fans and requesting them to understand her situation and the circumstances due to which she has been forced to take such measures. The impact of her withdrawal will be massive on the Battle Royale especially due to its location in Walbourg. Political agitation will be at an all-time high particularly with the Marignien people's frustrations growing. The international community will not be satisfied with the first ranked player in the multiverse being forced to withdraw from a sporting event due to a political dispute.

[Aleirave]

Saying Goodbye
Safiloa 1-3 Aleirave
Aleirave 4-2 Gopnikea

knock knock
"Come right on in, my door is always open."

Since Haulafo accepted his position on the Island Council, he had this nice little space in the island's Administrative Building from which to conduct AFA business. Even though it wasn't really meant to be used by the AFA, Governor Olayeva was willing to look the other way, considering how much the AFA meant to both her and the island. It was definitely an upgrade from his old arrangement, which was just interested parties (however few there may be) barging into his house to discuss whatever footballing issues may crop up on the island. The office certainly wasn't much, but it was more than enough to house at least a couple visitors, and since there usually weren't that many pressing matters concerning the AFA, it was everything he ever needed.

Today's visit was a bit of a special one: the face which appeared on the other side of the door as it opened was that of Falena Rukipiato, the now-retiring goalkeeper who carried the Aleiravan team over the past nine years. "Hey Haulafo, I'm here to talk about the offer to become a goalkeeping coach?"
"Absolutely Falena, have you decided on--"
"Yes. I want to keep being a part of this team, I want to help train the next generation... this team is my family, and I'm so happy there's still something I can do to support them."
"Thank you so much, I think that Tatyana especially will appreciate everything you can offer us... there's one more thing though."
"Hm?" Falena wasn't sure what her manager could be asking her.
"I want you to get the start against Yuezhou. Our last match, your last home match..."

This was a big offer from Haulafo. Even leaving aside the fact that it was her last home match with the team, it was a match that could well have some major playoff implications, depending on how the match against Baggieland went on the matchday before. "Are you so sure about that?" Falena asked. "You know how my performances were earlier on, do you really want to risk that?"

"Damn the risk, this is your last match at the Old Grounds. It's absolutely the least I could do for you, with all you've done for us. One last start, no matter what it means for qualification. How does that sound?"

"I..." she was taken aback, not really knowing how to respond to such a generous offer. "Of course. One last ride... I won't let you down. I won't let the team down."

---

Qualification looked like it would be a longshot for the Seagulls this cycle. On paper, being a single point back from third-placed Yuezhou was a good thing. One point back, with a game remaining against the team you're chasing, means things are mostly in your own hands. However, looking at just who their opponents are paints a much grimmer picture of this qualifying: away in Baggieland, at home against Yuezhou. The teams they were chasing, however, had much easier schedules: Yuezhou was hosting West Vdara, Baggieland was visiting the Visayas Islands, and Pyazhnaya had the combo of home against Calgasia, away in West Vdara. These were good schedules, but Aleirave's? Absolutely not, and they needed points.

Plain and simple, Yuezhou was a must-win match. As for Baggieland, again, they really couldn't qualify if they didn't win. This was going to need to be an undefeated international window with at least a win in Lahaira, and the odds of that with this schedule? It was looking more and more like a pipe dream... but there was a glimmer of hope in the sense that, if they did get those, they were in. Six points? You're safe, easily. Four points with a draw in Baggieland? You'd have 1-1-0 head to head against Yuezhou, that's enough too. The future was, in fact, in their hands.

They just needed to grasp it.

[Pasarga]

The ninety thousand in the Stade de Torgos were left stunned, it was objectively the worst performance that the team had put out during the entire campaign and it came at home and in a crucial qualification six pointer against the team they were tied on points with. Thor and his entirely coaching staff looked red in the face as they were ready to give the entire team the hairdryer treatment after laying an egg in the most important match of the campaign thus far. The side needed to win the game to really solidify their position in the group and not allow Cobrio to stay within touching distance, where at least a draw would keep things in the Wanderers' favor heading into the last qualification window. However despite how atrocious the team had looked in this pivotal match, the team needed to quickly dust themselves off and go again, they could not allow this embarrassment of a game to cascade into complete failure, as they had a road trip to Legalese to prepare for. The Anaian side had the ability to play spoiler for the Wanderers and provide their Anaian brothern in Cobrio the best possible situation to qualify at the expense of the Wanderers.

The Wanderers looked a bit pale as they took the field in Legalese at the National Stadium in Central Junction, the team looked a bit ill and like they had just seen the ghosts of all the failures of yesteryear were haunting them in this now important match. Over eighty thousand fans were hear, singing and screaming to lead on their team as they took on the Wanderers, while Zétény Szatmári was doing his best to hype up the team to stand strong and come away with the three points they needed desperately. Lily Tonawanda would send the fans soaring nine minutes in when she pushed past Slava Jakšić and beat Maja Topić on her near post. It was a goal that the keeper would have wanted back, as the ball squeaked right under her outstretched leg and into the back of the net. The rest of the first half was the home side pressing hard against the defense of the Wanderers, with Zétény Szatmári and Kornél Borsos marshaling the defense to keep them from getting another good goal scoring opportunity. In the forty-fourth minute the Wanderers manage to get out on the break and Bogdan Laszlo was out in space, barreling in on goal and took a hard low shot toward the far post, Johnny Ulyatt got a hand to the shot though and sent it around the post, before the catching the inswinging corner to end the threat and the first half.

Looking at being behind the eight ball heading into the final international break, Thor made a few changes with bringing Mór Buday on the left and Áron Gombos in the middle to try and change things up in the middle of the park and be a bit more balanced in the approach. However it would be the Wanderers who would have to withstand an initial onslaught by the home team through the first ten minutes of the first half, as Legalese tried to kill off the game with a second goal. Maja Topić would catch a shot by Tonawanda and quickly distributed it out to Mór Buday, the winger taking it from just off the right side of his box and went streaking down the sideline and moved into the Legalese box before squaring it to Járngrímur, the Graintfjall born striker thundering into the back of the net to level the game in the sixty-first. With the goal there was a look of belief in the squad and they began to compete just a little bit harder while the legs seemed to fade away from the hosts, who might have been living off the fans' excitement. In the seventy-seventh, Laszlo would chest down a lofted ball before putting it in Gombos' path and the midfielder took it in stride before chipping Ulyatt and sending the Wanderers ahead. It was a lead they would defend fiercely for the last thirteen minutes and added time, securing the victory and continued hope to qualify.

The victory leaves the Wanderers in third, two points ahead of Cobrio after they were held in TJUN-ia in a one all draw, that leaves the Jags only a single point ahead of the Wanderers despite having beaten them in both matches. The Wanderers are likely cursing the draws against Notcommunist3 in the first match of the campaign and at home, a draw to a team that has no wins and only three other draws during their entire campaign, as well as a four all draw with Saterun at the halfway point, once again at home. The team did not know it then but that draw allowed their visitors to leapfrog into the pole position of the group and have soared far and away past the rest of the group, something that few enough would have predicted when the group was drawn, not that many would have been believing that the top seed of the Wanderers were in danger of not qualifying heading into the final two games of the campaign. Just because the odds of something seem highly unlikely to come true does not mean that there is not a possible way that it will not come to pass, much to the Wanderers' chagrin and now needing four points from their last two games to ensure progression.

Fortunately for the team, they had the closest thing to a guaranteed three points in the first of those two matches, a home match against eighth place Sharktail, who are coming off a pair of four to nil losses against teams that are far worse than the Wanderers. While the Stade de Torgos has been far from the usual fortress nature for the Wanderers over this campaign, it is true that the team performs far better at home than they do away from the nation's capital and needing three points there is not a better place to be playing. Assuming that the team does the job against Sharktail, they then have the unenviable task of heading to already qualified Saterun and needing at least a point against the group leaders. When the two met in the Stade de Torgos, the visitors would use a second half surge and neither team's defense playing up to their usual capabilities to steal away the point from the Wanderers, having failed to lose since and only once in their campaign. Fifty goals scored shows that their offense is extremely lethal and will undoubtedly put a lot of pressure on the Wanderers, but the team will have their backs against the wall. In such a scenario, it would be hard to see the Wanderers giving anything less than their best and that has to be good enough to grab at least a draw to keep it all in their own hands and not relying on favors from others to upset Cobrio or TJUN-ia.

[Valanora]

Elizidan was a bit disappointed with her charges, they had failed to deliver a win against the struggling Qusmo at home in their penultimate home qualifier. While the team had been fully rotated for the encounter, she had expected the quality that was put on the field to be able to deal with the Qusmo attack, instead they gave up an opportunistic goal to the visitors and failed to make the most of their own opportunities, scoring just once despite twelve shots on target and twenty-four in total, the team being far too wasteful in the final third. That sort of inability to find the target and to convert the chances that they did have would be punished in the Finals, it was unacceptable to have dominated a game so thoroughly and yet only walk away with a solitary point. If nothing else though, she knew that her starting eleven was going to be needed for most if not all the games that the side was set to have during the Finals competition, which was disappointing to learn but better to learn that lesson now during games that had little riding on them compared to in the Finals when progression would be on the line. She would continue to give the team opportunities over the last three games though.

It was a bit of a mixed squad that took to the field for the Drawkian elf when the team visited to Archalit, the home side needing a victory over the Marauders if they were going to keep their slim qualifications chances alive. For the Marauders, this was another mere trial of who could be relied upon for the Finals and who was likely going to be cut from the pool for when the final group of twenty-six was announced for the Finals. Julia Hahn would get a pair of first half goals to put the Marauders on the front foot and looking good and keeping her spot on the roster secure, especially as it was she who got the sole goal against Qusmo a few days before. The hosts would strike back with a fury in the second half, grabbing goals in the fifty-first and sixty-sixth minute, yet in the seventieth Haaland would score after coming on for Hahn after the second goal by the hosts had been scored. The quickfire goal cooled all the momentum that the hosts had created with quite the performance in the second half, a performance that showed why they were up in the qualification mix for portions of the campaign and the side would leave with all three points in hand.

For their penultimate game and the last game at home against unranked Sadame, Elizidan was preparing to put out a mixture not of the first and second teams but of the second and third or tertiary teams, the players who were just out on the edge of the squad and needing a good performance to show why they should be kept on in the final twenty-six. It was definitely a bit of the gamble but the performance that the team had during the first two thirds of the campaign had allowed her to do a bit of experimentation here in the final few games. Also the quality of the opponent meant that there was going to be no excuse for not being completely dominant over them and scoring in bunches. Not only did she expect to score at least three goals against the unranked side but she was also was expecting the team to keep a clean sheet, as the defense had been a lot better than she had expected and their visitors had by far the worst attack in all of the group. This was the easiest match she could think of to give these players a good opportunity to showcase their talents and if they failed to do so, then they had only themselves to blame for not making the Finals team.

The last game would take the team to Ochre Islands in Anaia, where she was expecting quite the hostile atmosphere and for that she was going to employ the first team, one last test to see how they handled tens of thousands of fans rooting against them. It was a test of mental toughness, something that was going to be sorely needed in the Finals, especially after the bittersweet endings of the last two campaigns, being eliminated early in the last tournament and then setting an unwelcomed record in 97 in being the first team to win seven games in the Finals and not win the title. These players had been through the ringer and while there was no reason not to be a little mentally shaken with the way their last four tournaments in total had ended, if the team was going to be successful in their quest for a sixth title, they needed to be as mentally strong as they were physically gifted. Disappointment and heartache were deep wounds that took time to heal but healed they needed to be and her team ready to have the steely demeanor to endure taunts, players and fans trying to get under their skin and coming out the victor all the same. Anaia was the perfect battleground for that test.

[Captina Island]

Captina in fight to final day
The Captina Company Press Association

With only two matches remaining, just three sides still have hopes of making the field of 48 at World Cup 99.

Unfortunately there are only two berths available.

One of those could be decided outright as Captina will travel to Kamijiro on matchday 15, the nations separated by just one point.

Milchama are the third part of the equation and face a dangerous Warkus side playing spoiler from the 10th seed whom Captina will host on the final day. Should the Rosso e Oro have a four point edge over either competitor going into the finale the pressure will be off getting a result.
But it would make the effort much easier if Captina were to continue their recent form against the lower seeds in Group 2 as they've only dropped points to number 6 seed Equestria over the second half of the campaign.

It would be a significant letdown for the National Team to fall at the final hurdle after losing in the playoff to Busoga in the previous qualifying effort especially after running near the top of the standings for nearly the entire tournament; the stakes over these final two fixtures loom as large as the one off trip to Qusmo that ended in defeat and a subsequent collapse of confidence in the Cup of Harmony.

[Anewkansas]

Archibald wondered why on earth she had asked him to come over here. The bar, which was a generous name for a terrace with a worn wooden table upon which someone had installed a tap, made him feel a bit uneasy. This was the most rundown part of Blackchester, the expanding center of the wood industry. On the weekends, the time would swell in size as the timber workers returned from the forests to their families. But even on this dreary Thursday evening, there was a sizable crowd. Price could not help but feel a little uneasy. It was hard enough to get a drink in proper English and the ‘perkele’s were flying around. Would they brawl? No wonder he was relieved when Anni Ina found him in the calmest corner of the floor. She smiled.

“By the fact that you are here, I suppose the plan still goes on?”

**

“Alright, Conor, we will do a little extra warm-up exercises.”

No one noticed the nod given by Smith to the manager as he led O’Reilly out of the dressing room. As Price knew, a good goalie coach is worth his weight in gold. In the case of Smithy, who was the same size in every direction, that would be a pricy one but still. So far, it seemed as if O’Reilly was still clueless. He might have been a little surprised to receive the number one jersey again, as Powell did what he had to do against Natkr. But as right-back Cain had run into a second yellow in the dying second, his presence as Agency member had been reinstated as starter. Or so it seemed.

With O’Reilly walking out on the pitch of Fallstaff Stadium, Price called together the rest of his troops. He tried to gather all his courage for this one. It took him a fair few seconds.

“Guys, I… I have made an important decision that could impact all of us. However, the decision itself is solely mine. I will respect it if someone wants to walk out after this. I do.”

The players had gotten only more puzzled after this one.

“We will not be playing with O’Reilly in goal today.”

Quickly, the heads turned to Powell but the reserve keeper smiled confidently while shaking his head. After some hesitation, he had been the only one to be warned in advance. Price knew his character as kind and humble and was not disappointed. ‘It’s for the greater good of the team’. At that moment, Price had vowed to himself to select Powell for every future game, no matter what. The only question was whether there would be a next one.

In his head, the words came out more easily but now they escaped Price. As such, he simply opened a side door and let in a man. Two meters, long arms and an Anewkansan goalkeeper jersey. All the players on the team ply their trade in the Premier League so they did not need to read the ‘Pesonen’ on the back to recognize him. What they did read attentively was the number on the back.

1.

There was a silence, one that was hard to read to Price. In the end, it was McIntyre, a natural dressing room leader and a valuable midfielder, who broke the ice.

“Are we playing a ‘permitted’ on goal?”
“Yes.”

It sounded more confident in Price’s head.

“Is that even allowed? You know, with the passport thing and all that?”
“It seems as if the World Cup organisation is quite lenient on that. I mean, it is not as if those penguins have a passport.”
“They might have papers.”
“Where?”
“Under their… flippers?”

The discussion was going nowhere. Well, there was no discussion and that bothered Price more than anything else. And then, Pesonen took the word. That in itself was a surprise. One of his few weaknesses as a keeper was how little he commanded the defenders. His voice, so rarely used, was surprisingly deep.

“I am aware that it is a strange circumstance to have me here. But… I want to contribute to this team. And to contribute to this nation. I want to play for Anewkansas, together with you. But I can only do so if you feel the same.”

A short speech, but to the point. Price angstily tried to catch the players’ eyes. Were they agreeing? Or did they want Pesonen out of there as fast as possible? Maybe some feared for their spot, if ‘permitted’s could play. Or maybe they just did not like strangers.

**

The logistic details were, in the end, easy. They required a handful of people to be ‘in’ on the plan: more than Price wanted to but fewer than he feared. Someone to fix the referee sheet, someone to bring Pesonen into the stadium, Powell of course, and Smithy to divert O’Reilly till the point of no return. If he knew too soon, the Prosecor Agent would stop him in his tracks but Smithy would keep him busy on the pitch till the starting elevens walked out. Once the cameras were rolling and the eyes of the fans were on them, it was much harder to drag Pesonen back out of the selection. So far, so good.

“It’s all doable, I think.”
“The execution is nothing but…”

Anni Ina looked Price in the eye.

“If we go through with this, we need to be willing to accept the consequences.”
“I might have coached my last match.”

Archibald had made his peace with that.

“I think that is the least of our worries.”
“What do you mean?”
“You will have not just tricked but defied the Agency. There is a chance your famous face will not suffice to save you.”
“You mean…”
“The odds of a ‘permitted’ to leave and never return are larger, of course. But even an ‘original’ [person of a heritage born in Anewkansas before the independence, ed.] who kicks the shins of the authority can have backlash. And there will be a backlash.”
“If we win…”
“Oh, trust me. The result will only determine if it is out in the open or not.”

Price stared into a void and felt the weight of generations of highly respected Anewkansan on his shoulders.

**

”And another save by Jouko Pesonen! He cannot be stopped today! Will the Turtles nick a point of the Kytler Peninsulae? The squad from Hooker has been superior tonight but that McIntyre goal early in the game threw a spanner in the works. Ever since, they have been storming the walls and the Anewkansan defenders have been scrambling to keep them at bay. And still, the goal has been under a barrage. When Vicente scored the equalizer just after the break, the efforts seemed to be in vain but Pesonen has just doubled down. Nothing else seems to go past that man anymore, we are out of time!

But the ball is alive… and another shot from the second line, it is Dino Azar who hammers it towards the corner. No! Again Pesonen who gets his fingertips on it. The Kytlerians are desperate now, Hooker by the sideline is begging for another corner to the fourth referee and they will allow it. There have been a few moments where the Turtles tried to slow things down a little but I genuinely believe the cramps Merrick is suffering from… Vicente behind the ball. He searches for Yrko Arreola, he finds him and… Pesonen! The ball is loose, Packard? No. Yes! YES! Another save from Pesonen! And now it is over! It is over!

The scoreboard claims this is a draw. But from the celebrations in the stands, I would say that more was won than one point.”

**

Anni Ina felt his hesitation. No, that was unfair on Price. She felt his fear. She saw things running through his mind. Price getting carried off to Pine Street. Beaten. Tortured. Worse. His family getting disgraced, at best. He stared into a void and Anni Ina tried to snap him back into the present.

“Do you know why I wanted to see you here, in this particular bar?”
“To be honest, I had wondered why. It’s really a shitty piece of-”
“It is my parents’ place.”

Normally, Price was civilised enough to try and save himself from such a foot down his throat but now he struggled.

“But it is so…”
“Downtrodden?”
“And the people here are so…”
“Permitted?”
“And you are so…”
“Well adjusted?”

She saw how he was processing it all, slowly.

“I am a lucky one, Archibald. With two parents who worked their ass off to give me opportunities. With a talent for numbers that happens to be valued in our education system. With people who believed in me along the way.”

Price, who had been looking at his empty glass for the last minute, now looked up, straight at her.

“It… It was never about the goalkeeper spot for you, was it.”

She did not doubt: honesty always was the best policy.

“It came in handy. But it was never about me. Have you noticed something at the door when you came in?”
“Well, it’s not really a door, more of those ropes like-”
“Something else, that isn’t there.”
“A… lock?”
“Something that is on the door of most bars you frequent.”

When he knew it, he stopped guessing. There was no sign. No Permitteds Not Permitted sign. She knew he realized.

“There are hundreds of thousands of people in this country that are neither here nor there. Kicked out of their country of origin. Not welcome to return. Not welcome to be here. Second rate everywhere. It’s a policy that will come back to haunt this nation. And you, well, you cannot overturn history. But you are given a unique opportunity to change the nation. To manage it.”

Price looked back to his glass and stayed silent for awfully long. Then his voice was soft yet crystal clear.

“I am, after all, the national manager.”

[Gyaromia]

In a café beside the scenic Feketerev river, with the Partisan Stadium in full view, was sitting manager of the Gyaromian national team. Tamás Hegedüs, and right across the table was his assistant coach, Bálint Varga.

Hegedüs was on his laptop, viewing Kwrpan news on their group, as it was, let's be honest, the best report they could find. Domestic ones were iffy, and barely had any actual analysis. Bálint was taking notes right beside him.
Bálint spoke up.
- So, what do you think, Tamás?
- Our odds to qualify are a gamble, but I like those odds.
- Well, we need two wins in our next two games against Dhemixia and last place Melbergia.
- Melbergia should be easy enough, we beat them three to one last time. Dhemixia on the other hand - not so much.
Tamás was looking at the Dhemixian squad report, while Bálint was scribbling something in his notebook.
- The Dhemixians play attacking, almost a direct contrast to us. So, Bálint, what would you suggest?
- Well, seeing they play as 3-1-4-2, I would stay with our current setup of a 4-2-3-1, as it overloads both their midfield, and we can easily play into the wings, with both Mármarosi and Fekető on the flanks.
- I like it, although we do need an anchor man, maybe we should push Henter back as a sort of anchor man, that way the defence can link up with the attack better.
- Well, Mr. Hegedüs, what I would add is that we can do total wing play - our full backs can go straight to our wingers.
- That's too reckless. What we need is proper midfield domination, and a solid defence. Speaking of a solid defence, we should put in Patrick Bodoni and David Selek in the defence - instead of Juhász and Vlada. I think bringing on fresh legs could benefit us - it sure as hell helped us in the Baptism of Fire. Sure we lost, but those teams were way out of our level.

Tamás sipped some coffee, and continued speaking.

- Which reminds me, did you hear about foreign clubs signing our players?
- Yes, I did. I like the Mármarosi and Fekető move especially, they're both greath players but they can improve a lot in Tikariot.
- I agree, it's a good deal in my opinion. Although you cannot properly replace players like that.
- And, what do you think of our last few games? Should we improve anything?
- They haven't been the best, but at least we don't concede as much against the big teams. Although, we should work on strengthening the defence.
- I agree, Tamás. Well, we do have training with the players in about half an hour, we should focus on defensive drills.
- Yeah, anyway, should we split the check?
Both of them left the café and entered Bálints car, and began driving to the training ground. Parking right next to the stadium, Hegedüs was looking forward to see how his players react to the changes made not long ago. Although, no amount of tactics is worth it if the players can't show themselves on the pitch. And Hegedüs will make sure they do.

First up was marking, a defence isn't complete if the players can't mark their man. It was certainly an issue in the BoF, as a lot of goals were conceded that way. Not to mention composure on the ball, making sure no one makes any sloppy passes or gives the ball away cheaply, especially in the defence and midfield, as controlling the ball in those areas is key.
About a few hours of drills later, the players could finally go home, but not before huddling around their head coach, as he had something to say.
- Boys, this is it, these last two games decide if we play amongst the most elite footballers in the world. I want you to give your absolute 101%, especially against Dhemixia. If we get a win against Melbergia, and a win against Dhemixia, we go to the World Cup. Think of what you're playing for- to wear that crest on the worlds most elite pitches, a crest that represents not just you, but an entire nation. I have faith in you all, that you will make me and your nation proud. Am I clear? COME ON GYAROMIA!

The entire squad cheered and roared into applause, as morale was high after that, hopes were up aswell that they had a solid chance of qualifying. But that wasn't gonna win them games just yet, as they had to prove themselves on the pitch.

[Eshialand]

Back to the World
Tevuekk 1-2 Eshialand
Eshialand 4-1 Valentine Z

With one win, the Owls secured their fifth straight World Cup qualification. With the second, they finished atop their third straight qualifying group. It was a great relief to not be dealing with the stress of having to secure qualification during the upcoming home match against Juvencus, which was now a dead rubber with both teams definitely qualifying, la Squadra having secured their qualification with an away win in Quakmybush. All worries were off for the end of qualifying, with the focus now shifting to having a good finals run to back up their qualifying.

"It was a challenging campaign, I think that 2-1-2 start had all of us worried," Kenny Morgan said in the presser after the Valentine Z match, "but we played well and secured our spot after all. I was expecting a tough fight to the end, but this team absolutely exceeded all our expectations, I couldn't be more proud. Now, it's a matter of keeping our momentum into the finals, which I know hasn't been easy for us in the past... but I believe in this squad. Mel assembled a good group here..." he said, looking over at the assistant manager. "...they're going far."

All of this did a good job overshadowing the other sports news going on in Eshialand, which of course involved the recent Marigny situation and how it was affecting the Chess Battle Royale. Noemi Etienne's recent withdrawal, spurred on by ChessVFT cracking down on its chess players taking political stances, which Etienne, understandably, was not willing to agree with. Calls were increasing for the Eshian players to withdraw from the tournament, and these calls were not lost on Eshian Chess Federation President Lazlo Herefur.

"The Eshian flag is a powerful one. To us, it represents what we fight for, both here and abroad. All people deserve to be free and have their civil rights respected. This is why our nation stood against Tumbran oppression of the Northlands, and it's why we stand against the current situation in Marigny." Prime Minister Labbett said in a joint presser with Herefur.

"That being said..." Herefur continued from Labbett's statement, "we talked about this for a little while, and we've agreed that, as it stands, our players will still go to Marigny, and they will participate under the Eshian flag. We want this flag to be a sign of hope, showing people, both in Walbourg and around the world, that we are not willing to shy away from difficult situations to support those who most need support. Not sending players, or forcing them to play under a neutral flag, would not have the same impact as the blue white and yellow does. We want them to do us and the world proud."

Of course, such a stance would inevitably draw some questions from journalists who expected them to cave to the demands to not officially send Eshians to the tournament. "What do you say about the popular thought that the ECF sending players to the tournament indirectly shows support for ChessVFT and the ULA's actions?"

"I think it's total owl crap, frankly." Lazlo replied. "We're not showing support for ChessVFT, we're showing support for the game that we want our players to play. I've talked to them and they agree. They're just as against what's happening in Marigny as we are, and they want to play this game. We want to support them, and this is how we support them. They will probably have more to say, both here and in Marigny... I want them and their game to speak."

[Tanirinthia]

---

THE LAST DIPLOMAT
Chapter Nine - Systems of Control

---

Bureaucracy. Sebastian had found with each new digitary he met how much that word had a loaded meaning completely foreign to the Tanirinth ears. For ours it was simply the word that explained how things worked, for seemingly the rest of the multiverse it was a shorthand for unnecessary complications, waste or even corruption. This had lead to more than a few misunderstandings in the beginning, from the (now understood as) knowing winks and echoed solidarity when asking the question of how the government of Tanirinth functioned, to the outright diplomatic kerfuffles from those who have made the word bureaucracy in their own nations rightly or wrongly.

After he had learnt from his early fumblings, he found most people he spoke to about this were firstly curious about how it all worked, asking more questions the more he spoke. He realised that the questions all centred around not how it worked in terms of practicality, the day to day affairs, but how it actually all worked, how with no centralised authority and no reaffirmed mandate from the people, how it carried on functioning, how it didn't become what the word had ended up meaning across the multiverse. He used to explain the historical reasons, the checks and balances, the lack of real power that people could actually wield, and the cultural nature of Tanirinth. But the more he talked about it the more he realised that wasn't the truth, or at least not the whole truth.

The truth was that our system, like all systems across the multiverse, was like gossamer. Whatever system is in place, whatever centralisation, whatever methods of control, every system is fragile as a dream. The moment the people in that system no longer accept that system, it is done. All systems have to rely on its citizens acting within that system. Now when he expounded his new theory, he was often met with the notion of checks and balances, structures in place that enforce the societal norms so people can't just ignore them. But all systems can be taken down by a bad actor no matter the checks and balances, they are simply a finite amount of turtles all the way down, and again they are made up of people who are always capable of behaving outside of the norms. There may be a law that says you can't do something, but if the police officer as an actor in the system can decide for themselves how to act, and if they refuse to arrest you, it goes up the chain and the chain has to stop somewhere.

The real answer he thought as to why the system of governance works on Tanirinth, is that it works until it doesn't, it may change and evolve or it may die and be replaced. There were monarchies before, there were republics before, perhaps there will be again or something entirely new. However there seems to be one multiversal truth, they'll always be football.

Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine

[Oberour Ar Moro]

"What can I say?" said Peire d'Allaigre, lifting his wine glass. "To Oberour Ar Moro in the World Cup!"

"To victory," I replied, raising mine. We clinked.

Dinner at l'Oiseau Rouge in Regium. A celebration.

Peire had invited me. He was a Football Management Committee member. The kind of Oberour always hovering and shaking hands tight and pulling you close. He had wanted to me for the national team for years. Then he got me. Now my genius reflected off him.

He could become Committee Chairman some day. If I win the World Cup, maybe he'll become Chancellor. It would all be thanks to me.

Peire couldn't help but brag. "It is near impossible to get a reservation here," he said. "But of course the Committee has its ways." Of course they could get a reservation for me. It is completely deserved.

Peire paid. Money wasn't an object. It never was. Not for Peire. Not for me.

Quail, stuffed with wild mushrooms and garlic, seared in fat, served in a tarragon cream sauce. Caramelized apple slices. A white burgundy wine, aged just long enough.

A good choice for a prisoner's last meal.

Oberour Ar Moro had defeated The Holy Empire 4-5. The victory guaranteed qualification for the World Cup. Finally. It had only taken twenty attempts.

It had only taken hiring Noël Ginguené.

Peire's eyes lit up as he looked past me. "What a surprise!" He got up, arm outstretched, already walking past me. I turned in my seat as he greeted someone.

"It's good to see you Elerian!"

Elerian Bonshoms. Former manager of the Oberour Ar Moro National Football Team. My predecessor.

"It's good to see you, Peire," Bonshoms said with a wide, easy smile. I rose to my feet.

"Of course, Elerian, you know Noël Ginguené," Peire said. I extended my hand. Elerian took it earnestly. Pumped it twice.

"I'm not sure we've ever had the chance to meet. But it is a pleasure," Elerian exclaimed. Warmly. Not a flicker of irony. I smiled, trying to feign a similar feeling.

"What brings you here?" Peire asked. "Shouldn't you be coaching in Calchedon coaching de la Charite?"

"I'm here early for a birthday celebration," Bonshoms said with a wide grin. "My daughter, she studies music at Peristephanon now. We're having dinner. I wanted to splurge."

No pomp. No Committee. No whispers or hauntings. Just a father having a dinner with his daughter. A football manager spending time with their child.

I hadn't even heard from my son in a month.

I smiled anyway.

Then he turned to me. "Noël, I'm sure you've heard it from everyone, but what you've done with the national team is astounding. The growth in Aloire, in Daniel, all the men. It's astounding."

I wanted to yell. Yell at Elerian. I'm only here because you failed. Because you couldn't do what I just did. Let me brag and let me gloat and let me rub it in his face. Right here in this fancy, expensive restaurant. I am the success. You are the failure.

Let me be cruel.

Instead I looked down. The bones of my quail were picked clean.

"You took this team to great heights Noel," Bonshoms continued. "You should be proud."

He reached out, gripped my arms and smiled again. Then he made his excuses and left.

Peire raised his glass as he walked out. I just sat down at my silent, triumphal table.

Failure.

[Dhemixia]

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The Columbus Dominion(Est.1873)
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What is this group smoking and can I get some?

____███ - - - - - - ███

_____'Sajnur__2 - 5_'_Dhemixia

'Atkins (OG) 71', 90+3'| Obisana 7', 23', 56
___'______'__"_''____''| Sanford 35', 88'


MotM: DHE ST Jonathan Obisana

____███ - - - - - - ███

___Al-Tamazgha__0 - 1_'_Dhemixia

'________________'_'| Hutchinson 71'
___________'___''__'''|

MotM: DHE RM Mario Hutchinson

Schedule

MD1: vs. Ko-oren L 1-3 (T-9)
MD2: @ Oberour Ar Moro L 2-4 (T-7)
MD3: vs. Thaeloria W 3-1 (7th)
MD4: @ Melbergia W 6-3 (6th)
MD5: vs. The Holy Empire D 2-2 (7th)
MD6: @ Sajnur D 1-1 (8th)
MD7: vs. Al-Tamazgha W 5-1 (T-4)
MD8: @ Doubeia L 1-2 (7th)
MD9: vs. Gyaromia W 1-0 (5th)
MD10: @ Ko-oren D 0-0 (6th)
MD11: vs. Oberour Ar Moro D 2-2 (7th)
MD12: @ Thaeloria D 2-2 (7th)
MD13: vs. Melbergia W 3-1 (6th)
MD14: @ The Holy Empire L 2-4 (7th)
MD15: vs. Sajnur W 5-2 (6th)
MD16: @ Al-Tamazgha W 1-0 (4th)
MD17: vs. Doubeia
MD18: @ Gyaromia

It has been 16 matches and the truth is only becoming clearer, this group has to be under the influence of some substance to produce the results that it has. Group 1, [violet] save us all, has two teams under 10 points, two teams already qualified before the last two matches, and four teams vying for the final qualification spot to WC100. Even more absurd? Oberour Ar Moro has broken their 20-cycle main event drought... by most likely winning the group. Over the pot 1 and pot 2 teams. In commanding fashion. That alone makes no sense, but then you have FOUR teams, some of which playing eachother, all gunning for one spot? This is somehow simultaneously absolute cinema and absolute inebriation for the last two MDs, especially when you take into account that The Holy Empire, entering the qualification stage as a pot 2, is on the ropes of qualification as the last side that could possibly qualify all the way from 6th place. That's not even to mention that Dhemixia is still somehow alive and in one of the best spots to qualify, having bounced from 9th place after MD1 to 4th place leaving MD16, with the only two sides standing in their way being two of the four teams still in contention. It's safe to say that this is going to be an insane final matchday, and that I need to know who this group's dealer is.

Not fully recovered from the injury he inflamed on his knee against Melbergia, Doug McMahon would be forced to employ Colin Atkins in the net for his second appearance of these World Cup Qualifiers. Once again, he would fold under pressure and allow two late own goals. Fortunately for Williamson, Atkins, and Doug McMahon, the Dhemixians would hang 5 on Sajnur, a huge step forward in keeping themselves alive and entirely nullifying the effect of Atkins's late blunders. Against Al-Tamazgha, it was much different. For what feels like the millionth time this tournament, Williamson would be forced to start between the posts while recovering from an injury, and for what feels like the millionth time, Williamson would will his way into a clean sheet of a first half, before Mario Hutchinson would become his hero in the 71st minute. On a free kick at the half line, the Dhemixian right mid would catch Al-Tamazgha's counter-attack defense absolutely napping, as he would tuck the ball firmly over the keeper and barely sneaking it under the bar to take the lead. A goal was all Williamson needed to lock in, and he ran on fumes like he usually did for the rest of the game, resulting in just the third Dhemixian clean sheet all tournament, this one finally a win unlike the 0-0 draw at Ko-oren.

If the Dhemixians want to qualify, it's pretty simple. They absolutely HAVE to win the next two games, against Doubeia and Gyaromia respectively, and pray to whatever God they worship that Ko-oren in all their managerless beauty can force a draw or loss in MD18 against Doubeia. That's about the easiest they're gonna get it outside of, well, Doubeia, having to just win one of their last two games or draw both of them, a surprisingly difficult task to achieve on paper. The Serpents do have the benefit of playing Doubeia at The Brig, and the national team is taking full advantage of it. All they have to do is make it 1 Denarius beer night, and both the stadium and the parking lot will be crowded. If they can get the crowd intoxicated enough, similarly to this group, and get them engaged in the game, the Serpents might be able to pull off an upset and stay alive. Then, if they can just manage to not choke and win against Gyaromia away, their original 1-0 scare this qualifying stage, their qualification hopes would be riding on the wings of Ko-oren's "sandbags and machine guns" surrounding their net to force a 0-0 draw. It doesn't sound all that easy now that I'm writing what actually needs to happen out on paper, but let's just say if Doug McMahon manages to not completely fumble the bag, the Dhemixians have a nonzero chance at pulling the grandest smash and grab of all.