World Cup 101 - The Roleplays

by **Hanalia** » Thu Jun 04, 2026 8:31 am

The below is the second entry to the List of stadiums in Hanalia.

The Amphitheatre- Sephicap. 13,250
Who plays here
FC Sephi Spartan (football)
Ultimate Trojans (rugby union)
What's it like
Sephi is Hanalia's second largest but oft forgotten city. It lies on the nation's east coast and is a popular base for anyone seeking to explore the more niche spots Hanalia has to offer being the main focus and transport hub of the wider eastern region. Far from ancient, whatever image 'Amphitheatre' conjures in your mind is probably fairly accurate in how this not so ancient stadium looks. The exterior designed with columned arches while the interior is completely open air with its seating wrapped around the playing surface in an oval.

'The War Game' is an annual highlight event in the Amphitheatre. This is a friendly contest between the Amphitheatre's teams in which a game of four quarters is held across limited versions of different footballing codes: Gaelic football, rugby 7s, flag gridiron and 5-a-side soccer. At the end of the game local children bring in a wooden horse they have helped construct and the community is invited into the stadium for a festival. The whole event concludes with horse being set alight.
How to get there
The stadium is open during the week for tours with onsite parking available. On match days, complimentary shuttle bus service is available from the city centre and the nearby park and ride locations. For a full historical experience, chariot rides are available as a taxi service to the stadium on matchdays.

NB that this stadium does not host the national team's games and info on the National Stadium will be presented at a future date


 Group                  Home   Away 
 West Vdara             W1-0   1-0L
 Abanhfleft             L0-2   2-2D
 Andso Mangis           W2-0   1-2W
 Kimi-Suomi             W2-1   2-0L
 Audioslavia            L0-2   1-0L
 Bharatamandala         W1-0   3-0L
 Russian Empire EHA     W2-0   1-2W
 Doychnya               W3-0   1-2W
 Playoff                Home   Away 
 Aamathyr               W1-0   0-1W
 Opponent                 Result    Location    
 The Kytler Peninsulae    MD1       Farfadillis
 Kanzlia                  MD2       Farfadillis
 Crpostran                MD3       Farfadillis

(O.O) · by **TJUN-ia** » Thu Jun 04, 2026 9:32 am

After losing out on the Top 2 in a blowout defeat, the Jaguars of TJUN-ia had to pick themselves off the floor quickly if they still wanted to make the Dance after missing the Centennial in heartbreaking fashion. Everyone was still scared by that moment, of not getting Seems and Li to the World Cup in their final campaign, and while the assumption is that WC101 is the first of many for Philip van Oosterend, no one wanted this debut campaign to end in a similar fashion. Everyone knew that this wasn't going to be easy at all, especially given the circumstances, and some weren't getting their hopes too high in case we crashed and burned in TJUN-ian style, but dreams are difficult to kill off easily...and we TJUN-ians refused to stop dreaming. TJUN-ia has a mixed history in WCQ Playoff scenarios, so what history will be told this time?

Kelssek, the team seeded below us but ranked higher than us, was the team that stood in our way, a team that didn't expect to be here but had the footballing pedigree that made ours look like nothing. On paper, many of those tuning in were expecting Kelssek to prevail - not because they didn't like us, but because of who we were facing, of the football many expected from Ryan Potter and a team who had made the past World Cups on the trot. The differences were staggering...but on the pitch, we hoped to prove not only that we were Kelssek's equal, but also a team who could push past them.

The atmosphere at the Stadium of the Workers in Neorvins was at fever pitch for the first leg of what could've been a 3-game series, as any ties level after both legs would be forced into a 3rd game on a neutral site. With that at the back of our minds, Blue and Red faced Black and Orange in the first leg, and the game that PvO and Potter produced in opposition was simply that of a tactical affair. Heading into this first leg, many expected us to lose in Neorvins, but the hope was that the deficit could be reduced to the point where we could certainly attack it at home in Game 2. So when Rémy Niemi headed home the opener in the 13th minute for the Voyagers, the alarms weren't exactly going off in our heads. They would be after the 34th, when Rolando Cutter snuck the ball past Gloria Pon to double the deficit before the break even arrived, so we went into the changing rooms knowing we had to take at least one goal back with us, and that was without conceding any more.

The second half was certainly tense as all hell as our defence tensed up and things really got fiesty between the two sides, both completely understanding what was at stake with this whole thing. This wasn't Inner Peace or whatever the fuck Moonbeam Infantino was on about; this was the stress of WCQ on full display, and everyone knew it. We certainly pressed more in this second half, trying to get something to take back home with us, and when Felicia Alba found Tupu Hau Tapine to make it 2-1 in the 68th, that certainly felt like a bolt of adrenaline for those following this team across the Multiverse. The rest of the game was spent in this tense state, with both teams pushing for another goal, but in the end, there would be no such thing...and the 2-1 win for the hosts would remain as such.

And so, coming home, we would be down by a goal, which is exactly what most were hoping for. The buildup in the JagBase before the 2nd game was nothing short of nerve-racking - the upcoming fixture was the talk of all the papers, TM1, the Regional Networks, the podcasts and in pubs and bars all across this place where draft booze was as free as water and flags were all the rage. All everyone could think about was the second leg - the 2-1 deficit, how we could climb it back, did we have it in us to do this, all of that stuff. It all bubbled away until, on game day itself, TJUN-ia just shut down after 4 pm local time. Because no one in this fascinating place was going to miss this.

The National Stadium is the National Stadium of TJUN-ia. While outside of our EEZ, you only see this place when the football is on, TJUN-ia City's cauldron is more than just the hallowed halls of TJUN-ian football. Many of TJUN-ia's domestic competitions either end here or play a one-off game here, on top of the many concerts and events that this place hosts from time to time. To many in the JagBase and across TJUN-ia, this place has an aura - the be-all and end-all of TJUN-ian ambition and glory, TJUN-ia's big matches against the biggest names in the sport usually end up here, for better and for worse, and some of our highest of highs and our lowest of lows have all been here. Many a campaign has died here, but our first WC Qualification also happened here. We had been through hell and back within these walls...and now, another moment to make or break us.

When both teams came out for the 2nd leg, the visitors in White and the hosts in Blue and Orange, the noise within this special place was unlike anything this building had seen before. Everyone was ready for war, it seemed, with the anthem sung with a passion and furosity that rarely happens to us. It was as if, on that night, all of TJUN-ia locked the fuck in and collectively agreed "we will fight for this team or we will die trying" and that just fed everyone across this nation like it was the finest of TJUN-ian cuisine - Fried Chicken, Filipino style.

The crowd was hungry for a statement made when kickoff arrived, and from the off, you could cut the tension with a knife. It was as if an entire country was hoping that 11 people did what they were hoping for, all while praying that those in white didn't score themselves and push this job away from our reality. It was an atmosphere that we rarely experienced in our sporting lives, but on this night, everything just felt different...as if we all knew what was going to go down. It was the 32nd minute when everything exploded as Sylvia Usabyimana was silky with her feet, and when that ball was fired past Dominic Tessier in the net, the roof was shaking with the noise that was produced. 1-0 on the night, 2-2 on aggregate, and things were now back to square one again. It would remain that way at halftime, the players roared off the pitch as everyone had a mental break.

"45 minutes or another 90." That was on everyone's minds. Either this was getting decided tonight, or we're all off to The Shanty for a do-or-die decider. No offence to The Shanty, it seemed like a nice place, but we certainly weren't in the mood to take this to neutral territory, not on this night, and the second half would be a drama in itself. You got the sense quickly that whoever scored next would win this game; that was just the vibe that everything was giving off, so everything was just building up to what felt like a crescendo of everything both sides had been building towards. It was back and forth, it was brutal, and it was beautiful at the same time. With tension reaching fever pitch, the 80th minute granted us a free kick, with Andaya Wongsodimedjo stepping up to take it. In that moment, all eyes were on her...and all eyes were on the ball as it crashed into the top left corner of the net. The roar that produced, holy shit, you could feel it all the way to Xanneria across the sea we call home. Those final few minutes were torture, everyone and everything willing the clock to tick faster...and then the final whistle did come.
TJUN-ia's World Cup exile is over in PvO's first attempt.
We are back.
WE ARE BACK!

SCHEDULE (Group 6)
(Stadium Guide can be found here)
MD1: @Quakmybush (152) L 1-2
MD2: vs Serenitas Novae (395) - Zebra Stadium, Toropo/Almadinat W 3-1 (T-4th)
-------------------------------------------------------
MD3: @The Ko-orenite Constellation (61) - Bandar Cang Prathoren W 2-1 (2nd)
MD4: @Chromatika (16) - Chromatik City Field, Chromia L 1-2 (5th)
-------------------------------------------------------
MD5: vs Vetrahjart (124) - Tiankong Stadium, Tiankong W 3-0 (3rd)
MD6: @The Republic of the United Marble Tribes (307) L 0-4 (6th)
-------------------------------------------------------
MD7: vs Stewartika (88) - Estadio Universidad Carlandas, Carlandas W 4-0 (5th)
MD8: @Cothe Saria (430) - Cedarville Stadium, Cedarville W 1-0 (3rd)
-------------------------------------------------------
MD9: vs Valentine Z (23) - Beregozera Stadium, Szensky D 1-1 (3rd)
MD10: vs Quakmybush (152) - Ke Kahua Pāʻani o Pua Aloalo, Kepu Manu W 5-3 (3rd)
-------------------------------------------------------
MD11: @Serenitas Novae (395) W 2-0 (3rd)
MD12: vs The Ko-orenite Constellation (61) - Stade de la Victoire, Roi Ville W 2-1 (3rd)
-------------------------------------------------------
MD13: vs Chromatika (16) - National Stadium, TJUN-ia D 4-4 (3rd)
MD14: @Vetrahjart (124) W 2-0 (3rd)
-------------------------------------------------------
MD15: vs The Republic of the United Marble Tribes (307) - Estádio do Pacífico, Rio Pacífico W 2-1 (2nd)
MD16: @Stewartika (88) L 0-2 (2nd)
-------------------------------------------------------
MD17: vs Cothe Saria (430) - Tallawah Stadium, Port Town/Portuaria W 3-2 (2nd)
MD18: @Valentine Z (23) - Kyarpan Stadium, Mandalay L 0-4 (2nd/11-2-5/35pts/+8GD)
-------------------------------------------------------
POR3: vs Kelssek (19/7-4) - Stadium of the Workers, Neorvins/National Stadium, TJUN-ia City W 3-2 agg (1-2/2-0)

And so, TJUN-ia marches on. And #19 Kelssek does not. It feels...strange, this feeling of hope and optimism. We face a Top 20 team in a WCQ Playoff, the one scenario no one wanted to find themselves in, and we survived. The old TJUN-ia wouldn't have done that. But maybe we are better than we give ourselves credit for. The fact that we did that is incredible...and then the draw for the Group Stage happened.

Group E, where we ended up as the Pot 3 side, is stacked as all hell, a group that isn't the Group of Death (that's Group F, Jesus), but which will certainly feel like it. Here's who we ended up with:
- We will start with Biyambi, the Pot 4 team who beat StrayaRoos in a tiebreaker just to get here after finishing 3rd in Group 16. Agus Putra Yudana has the Scorchers playing a more attacking version of the 4-2-3-1 PvO likes to play, so they will be hoping to see more of the ball than us in that regard. Considering how the difficulty of these fixtures ramps up, getting a result from this one will be essential.
- After that comes Pot 2 Vdara, who finished 2nd in Group 2 to make it in. Markos Moustakakos' Attacking 5-3-2 speaks to the game that the land of fitba wants to play, one that attacks but isn't stupid enough to be unprepared defensively if they lose possession. Despite how long both of us have been in the game, we have only met before once - Cup of Harmony 78, during Cycle 86, a 2-1 defeat that came just before Jackson Levi-Holt set our sights towards making the dance before WC90. Yes, it was that long ago. Many things have changed since then, but if we can take something from the Vdarans? Then more people than Hadrian will be proud.
- The final test, in more ways than one, is against one of the most dominant names in the game, the five-time champions of the sport that strike fear into the hearts of even the strongest of teams just by saying their name - Valanora. We were very familiar with the Marauders during WC97, losing both Qualifying games and a Group Stage clash back when they were the World #1, but while we have been through a lot since then, the nation led by Elves Security Forces and the great Drawkian elf Ellzidan enter this WC as World #3, coming off an unbeaten 17-1-0 campaign in Group 3. The final +3 ADS in a group where everyone but us is classified that way, the Marauders have been able to demolish everyone in their path systematically through their 4-1-4-1-1 formation, using pure talent and pure aura to make everyone else bow down. Most commentators back home believe that the only way Valanora isn't winning this WC is if someone takes them down - someone like SRS, Saint Eleanor or Flavovespia. Safe to say, getting ANYTHING from this game would be a moment of pride - but we did take down #4 Tumbra once. It might not happen again, but you never know...

That is what lies ahead in Farfadillis as our WC Comeback Party - a true test of where we stand in Cycle 1 of the PvO era. No one would be upset if we missed out on the knockout stage; it would be pretty understandable and a lesson for PvO to take into the next go-around, but you know what we are like.

We are TJUN-ia. A nation that, sometimes, can cause chaos for the sake of chaos.
We enter this dance hungry to prove we deserve to be here instead of Kelssek.
And we shall watch with bated breath, no matter what.

GO JAGS!

SCHEDULE (Group E, Farfadillis)
MD1: vs Biyambi (55)
MD2: vs Vdara (19)
MD3: vs Valanora (3)

by **Alasdair I Frosticus** » Thu Jun 04, 2026 12:24 pm

IT'S... THE WORLD CUP SHOW!

With your World Cup Hall of Fame Hosts Basil and Theo!

"Hi there kids, I'm Basil..."

"And I'm Theo! And tonight on this World Cup 101 preview show we have a very special treat for you."

"That's right, Theo... thanks to the advanced technology of the Holy Empire's favourite evil genius Professor Igor Von Madscientisto ... [the professor waves while standing next to a complex non-Euclidean contraption] we can finally communicate directly with the shoggoths of the Holy Empire World Cup 101 via the steam powered Imperial Shoggoth Translator!"

[The professor flicks a switch. The machine shudders to life sending out great clouds of steam while its gears rotate in a manner that defies ordinary three-dimensional geometry; any mundies watching would almost certainly be driven immediately insane]

"It's amazing Basil - and it's a great honour to welcome to the studio tonight the Holy Empire's World Cup 101 captain, a shoggoth!"

"Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li"

TRANSLATION - Devil bunnies! I snort the nose, Lucifer! Banana! Banana!

"Ah, not to worry, Theo... The professor is signalling that the steam powered Imperial Shoggoth Translator just needs a few adjustments. Yes, we can see him pull a full levers and rotate a couple of dials. Why don't you try that again?"

"Of course... it's a great honour to welcome to the studio tonight the Holy Empire's World Cup 101 captain, a shoggoth!"

"Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li"

TRANSLATION - Hello Basil and Theo. I am pleased to be here tonight. Knickers!

"Ah; much better, Theo - though I sense the translations still aren't entirely perfect. If you don't mind my asking the first question... Captain shoggoth, are you excited to be playing in Paradystopia - to have been drawn into the same group as the co-hosts?"

"Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li"

TRANSLATION - Yes, it is very exciting to have been drawn in the same group as the co-hosts. Ice-cream! My pseudopods are vibrating from the Balls!

"Over to you, Theo..."

"Captain shoggoth, what's exciting you the most about playing in Paradystopia this World Cup?"

"Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li"

TRANSLATION - Super-tasty! It is the penguins

<Professor Von Madscientisto continues to frantically adjust dials as more steam billows into the air>

"If you'll forgive me for intejecting, Theo... It's my impression that our squad feels a special affinity for Paradystopian penguins..."

"Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li"

TRANSLATION - Yes, this is correct. Arse! Me and my teammates want nothing more to serve penguins ... rainbow! ... World Cup

"And do you have any favourite Paradystopian penguins?"

"Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li"

TRANSLATION - The Greater Paradystopi Penguin (Eudyptes Paradystopus) is the best ... googleplex! ... their penguins

"If you'll forgive me, Basil... and what is it about Eudyptes Paradystopus that makes you want to serve these Paradystopian penguins?"

"Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, TEKELI-LI!!!!!!!!!"

TRANSLATION - I pleasure your mother! Serving penguins honours her memory! Great big muscular meaty thighs! Warm hearts! Liver pate! Penguins and foie gras! And I pleasure your sister! And your brother! I bring so much pleasure by serving penguins!

<The professor looks at the hosts while shaking his head, beads of sweat dripping off his forehead as he moves more levers; the translation machine is not designed to cope with this level of shoggoth excitement>

"Ah, so if I understand correctly, Theo, by serving the penguins with the foie gras prepared by my mother, the selfless act brings pleasure to all Imperial citizens regardless of age or gender."

<the shoggoth's many eyes suddenly look off-stage at assistant coach Simeone Di Bradini, who is frantically making 'stop' throat-cutting gestures in the direction of the shoggoth. The captain turns his faces back towards the hosts>

"Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-Li, Tekeli-li, Tekeli-li"

TRANSLATION - Yes

<The translation machine explodes. Much coughing from the human guests as smoke and steam fill the studio>

"Thank you captain shoggoth, thank you professor Von Madscientisto, and thank you there in the wings Holy Empire Assistant Manager Simeone Di Bradini. That's all we have time for this evening. But we're pleased to know that the squad's selfless plans to serve penguins this World Cup will bring so much pleasure to families across the Holy Empire. I'm Basil..."

"And I'm Theo; say... we didn't even ask the shoggoth if he knew the one about the two nuns, the donkey, and the plate of spaghetti..."

"Don't worry, Theo; I'm sure you can ask him next time..."

<fade to black>

by **Dantopia** » Thu Jun 04, 2026 2:53 pm

VOL. 46,177

LION CITY, DANTOPIA

THURSDAY 4TH JUNE, 2026

₵100

Dantopian Dream Realised — World Cup Qualification

Breathtaking Bradini Brunson Bicycle Kick In Extra Time Catapults Dantopian National Team Into World Cup

By SAUL ARNSTEIN

The Shanty
The Ko-orenite Const.2-2Dantopia
After Extra Time: 2-3
Half Time: 0-0
Zhang 58' (Pen)Adeyemi 78'
Park 81'O'Higgins 90+3'
Brunson 96'
Eser 63'

See also... MD1 | MD2 | MD3 | MD4 | MD5 | MD6 | MD7 | MD8 | MD9 | MD10 | MD11 | MD12 | MD13 | MD14 | MD15 | MD16 | MD17 | MD18 | PO3 1st Leg | PO3 2nd Leg

THE SHANTY, TAXHAVN — The Dantopian national team did indeed realise their dream — they have successfully qualified for a World Cup Finals on their third attempt. Rick Bishop's men defeated The Ko-orenite Constellation 3-2, after extra time, at 'The Shanty' in Taxhavn, following an astonishing night of drama which saw goals from Adebayo Adeyemi, Dalton O'Higgins and Bradini Brunson secure victory for the Lions. The Dantopians trailed twice in the match, before twice equalising, and then grabbed an all-important third goal in extra time to ensure they will be on the plane to Farfadillis, Paradystopia ~~and Wight~~.

Now, the national team will be included in the group stage draw for the upcoming tournament, following an, at first, promising, then haphazard, but ultimately successful qualification campaign that saw them record unlikely victories against the likes of Eshialand and Sudilia, and the now The Ko-orenite Constellation. Needing the win in the final showdown of the play-off round, national team manager Rick Bishop instructed his side to play with "an anticipation of success rather than a fear of failure". He was duly rewarded with the honour of being the first head coach to reach the promised land with the Lions.

The game started strongly for the Dantopians, when, within the first three minutes, a cross from Adebayo Adeyemi almost found the head of Ezra Cunningham making a late run into the box. Unfortunately for the team captain, he was bested to the ball by Rodrigo Firulinheiro, who was just able to apply enough with his own head to send the ball away from the Club ESF midfielder. It would then be the turn of the Constellationians to attack, down the left-hand side, through A-yun Park, who had terrorised the Lions so well in the first leg, scoring twice and helping the opposition take a lead into the second leg — one the Lions were able to match in said second leg, to force this third, tie-breaking affair. Park was unable to trouble Alex Bullvale, who's return from his lingering back problems couldn't have come at a better time for Dantopia.

The Ko-orenite Constellation wouldn't stop attacking, with repeated probing from both flanks aiming to best the Dantopian defence and successfully snatch a goal. Efforts from Suhendra Kurniawan, Na Zhang and Nazli Erbakan all brought saves out of Bullvale in net, though nothing the goalkeeper couldn't handle. Meanwhile, at the other end, Jeremiah Taramaia and Johnny Kealoha would link up well on the left-hand side, allowing the former to get a shot away, following a clever one-two. However, the outstretched arms of Bao Zhu were able to deny the Lion City FC's curled attempt. The resulting corner would be swung in well by Kealoha, and the ball met by a towering Makaio Cruz-Richards, who's bullet of a header cannoned off the far post, much to the relief of the Constellationians.

This would be the closest the Lions would come to breaking the deadlock in the first half, with both sides playing in quite a cagey manner, unwilling to concede the first chance. This would mean that, as the half-time interval came, the scoreline remained 0-0 and the sides would have to chew over a first half of missed opportunities. The Constellation's head coach's half time team talk clearly energised and enthused their players, as they came out of the gates in the second half with the bit between their teeth.

A series of prolonged attacks that the Lions could only clear as far as the Constellation midfield, ended with a foul on the line of the penalty area, committed by Ezra Cunningham. Despite the best protests of the team captain that his catching of the opponent was outside the penalty area, the referee was advised to refer to the monitor by the video assistants. They would come back certain of their decision, a penalty to the Ko-orenite Constellation. It was admittedly the correct decision, made clear by the replay shown to the official. Had it been the other way around, the Lions would have wanted it awarded similarly.

Stepping up the plate would be The Ko-orenite Constellation's striker, 23-year-old Na Zhang, who found the back of the net from the spot with a nonchalant strike into the side-netting, one that even with a dive in the correct direction, Alex Bullvale was helpless to prevent. This would mark the first time the Lions would go down in the match, but their response would be positive and welcomed by the travelling Dantopian support who had made their way to the makeshift stands at the Shanty. Adebayo Adeyemi would have the better of his opposition defender for much of the game, gunning past Mahya Mousavi to whip a delightful ball into the box, but Bradini Brunson was again denied by Firulinheiro, who blocked Brunson's shot and saved his goalkeeper having to make a dive for the ball at all.

Kealoha would keep his head up and play several balls over the top to the three forwards, all in stride. A floated pass towards Taramaia resulted in a half-volley from the Lion City FC man, which whistled across the goalmouth, but found the wrong side of the post, out for a goal-kick. Ezra Cunningham would try his best to make up for his conceded penalty, with a shot from range that struck the post again and caused a ruckus in the penalty area for the loose ball, a foul being committed by Taramaia in trying to retrieve possession for his side. The Lions would have lady luck on their side, however, when a lifeline was given to them — Begum Eser was judged to have been overly dangerous with a slide from behind on Kaleb Kahananui. The opposing right-back would be given their marching orders upon receiving their second yellow card of the evening, fating them to an early shower.

Adebayo Adeyemi

With the Constellationians down to ten players, the Dantopian crowd was roused and then off their feet in the Shanty's sheds, when Adeyemi stabbed home an effort in the 78th minute of the match. An in-swinging corner by Johnny Kealoha barely even needed a nick on it as it barrelled towards the far post, the opposition keeper unable to get to the ball at all. It very well could have gone down as an 'Olimpico' had it not been for the deftest of touches by the Grenadiers winger to ensure it hit the back of the net. Kealoha didn't seem to mind in the slightest, when he bear hugged his goalscoring teammate and lifted him off the ground in celebration. The game was firmly back on.

That was until the Constellationians had recaptured the lead within minutes of the Dantopian equaliser. A ball whipped into the area from substitute Toshimichi Miyayoshi was cleared by Robinson-Tate, but only as far as the penalty scorer Zhang. Her square ball to the patiently waiting A-yun Park allowed the Cheonbongri Electronics forward to side-foot the ball into the bottom left corner, narrowly missing a recovery slide by Robinson-Tate, who was desperately trying to make up for his failed clearance. 2-1 to The Ko-orenite Constellation, and the Dantopians seemed destined for a qualifying exit after all, the travelling support hushed following the go-ahead goal.

A chance for Johnny Kealoha at the far post would almost equalise the match again, following a lofty cross over the top from O'Higgins. Kealoha found himself with enough time to try and curl one from the tight angle but unfortunately clipped the very corner of the woodwork instead, with the ball bouncing up high and over for a goal-kick. A leaping Mia Mathieu would have likely prevented it going in had it been on target anyway, with Kealoha having only the smallest of windows to get the ball into the net really.

Dalton O'Higgins

Sustained pressure in the second half's stoppage time meant that the Lions were able to keep their opponents pinned back and defending for their lives. An unusually unchanged eleven played the entire ninety minutes for Dantopia, with Rick Bishop clearly trusting his starters to also finish the match. He would be rewarded for his faith when Dalton O'Higgins would get on the end of a third phase from a corner — the first two being batted away by the Constellationian defenders.

The Dartford Oilers full-back was on the edge of the box, on his weaker left foot, but this didn't seem to bother the 26-year-old in the slightest, as his effort curled sweetly towards the bottom far corner, through a crowded penalty area which meant the keeper was unsighted on the strike. O'Higgin's shot made the net bulge, and the Dantopian supporters erupt inside the Shanty. The sheds would rock and bounce like a series of bombs had gone off in them — instead it was just the enthusiasm and joy of the travelling fans, after seeing their Lions equalise again, with precious time left on the clock.

The referee would blow for full-time not long after, with the sides resigned to a further thirty minutes of action. Both teams looked particularly weathered and leggy after having played two halves on the muddy, uneven, and unforgiving pitch. This would be where Rick Bishop would finally make some changes, bringing off the lagging Taramaia, Adeyemi and Watanabe for Zaïre Thomas, Nico Hollins and Bradley Bing. The triple change would pay off, as shortly into the first period of extra time, the Lions would strike, and take the lead for the first time, in an epic turn of events.

Bradini Brunson

The Dantopians would be attacking the penalty box of their opponents, when Bing would chip a ball up and into the arm of Mahya Mousavi — the referee fairly judging the ball hit her arm in a natural position by her side, and thus not awarding a penalty, but play on instead. The Lions would gain possession back following a failed clearance by the aforementioned full-back, and a lob into the area by Nico Hollins looked at first to be just behind Bradini Brunson by the penalty spot, but the Lion City FC striker had something truly remarkable in store for everyone. He would adjust his feet and then leap spectacularly to meet the flight of the ball in a textbook overhead kick, one that found the back of the net with thunderous power.

The image of Brunson in mid-air will be the stuff of legend in Dantopian footballing circles, a picture etched into the history books and the minds of anyone watching the game unfold. It was met by his teammates with hysteria, and the travelling Dantopian crowd with absolute delirium. Dantopia looked to be in the promised land, but there was still the rest of the first half of extra time, and then another period beyond that to play, despite the Lions being up a man. Football can be magical, but it can also be cruel, so Rick Bishop began barking orders at his players to defend the lead, so incredibly won, with their very lives.

A further substitution would be made by the manager with this goal in mind. He would opt for a flat back five to defend the lead, substituting Ezra Cunningham for Keegan Foster. However, he kept his strongest penalty takers on the pitch — Brunson, Kealoha, O'Higgins, Hollins and Bing — knowing that an equaliser from the ten-man Constellationians would bring about a penalty shoot-out, should the scores remain level at full time after extra time. Fortunately for the manager, the travelling fans and the viewers back home, the Lions would successfully hold onto their lead, wasting every possible second of time they could. Injuries were feigned, balls were kicked away — and yellow cards produced for the offenders. The players were determined to make the scoreline stick, and it ultimately would. Rick Bishop's 'haramball' wouldn't be pretty, but it would be enough to see the match out in the Lions' favour.

Dantopia miraculously find themselves qualified for their first ever World Cup Finals. It is a truly momentous point in the nation's football history, one that the whole country should celebrate with immense pride. Now comes the even harder challenge — can the Dantopians get any further than just a swift group stage exit? The draw for those groups will commence after this final play-off round of fixtures, and the Lions will find out their fates, who they will face in their maiden World Cup group stage.

xg.unit
1d

The Ko-orenite Constellation (1.91) 2-3 (1.57) Dantopia #KOCvsDAN #WorldCup101 #PlayOffs #Round3

OOC DISCLAIMER: The likenesses of players and managers have been created with the help of generative AI. Every other image in this RP was completely hand-made.

by **Pomachetti** » Thu Jun 04, 2026 5:08 pm

Pomachetti

Link to Roster

Pomachetti

Trigram: PCT

Captain:
Sóuminé Dabhí

Home Stadia:
Ebheonn Mophto (Mophto)
Purt de Cuscro (Cuscro)
Núrt Fóníeger Giell (Coecria)

Players to look out for:
Níoll Éirpir
Seorgís Sarcisian
Íerd Papiola
Síemas Tesplannish

Set-Piece Takers:
Freekicks - Eldú Florensí
Penalties - Seorgís Sarcisian
Left Corners - Fíolom Mambhíní (left-footed)
Right Corners - Eldú Florensí (right-footed)

The Squad
The Advancement

"Long ball from Síems Tesplannish, Pomachetti's final hope in the match to secure the World Cup spot or they're heading to the Shanty. It lands in the box. Outside the go-AAAALLLL!!!! It's Perúod. It's Trough Perúod. Pomachetti wins!"

The stadium errupts. The peaceful and tranquil dawn of Mophto is shattered by the noise of 80,000 screaming fans. Some in jubilation and some in disarray. The army of men in green, gold and red jumped as high as the Pomachettian night sky. Those who wore it on the field raced over to their savior Trough Perúod, who ran straight over to the camp of Pomachettian subs and coaches. The group on the sidelines raced over as well and met each other with hugs and screaming voices of elation. Pomachetti are heading to their first ever World Cup, and they did it on their first try. Alongside Masraya, they join a prestigious club of nations who debut their first World Cup at the first time of asking.

Not for the first time, the pubs all across Pomachetti were packed with celebrating fans. From the major cities like Mophto, Cuscro and Coecria, to the minor counties of Shidrán and Admiata, Pomachetti's drinking culture was colossal. But with success in the soccer, the pubs have been rammed again and again since the start of Pomachetti's World Cup campaign. Unfortunately for the players, there would be no way of squeezing into these crowded public houses, considering their status and heroic accomplishment of the night. But fortunately, the organisers had prepared for this. An area of celebration for the winning team in the stadium's club house. Free from the torment of crowded bars whilst keeping all the booze, and as the cherry on top they didn't have to pay for it. The squad drank hard.

Aréosto Tacorbhí sat with his fellow coordinators and physio at a neat table, all four of them with lagers. Among the celebrations and loud-ruckus of the younger players, they reflected on the journey.
"So, it's been a long road." said Aréosto.
"And many more miles to go!" responded Cuor Grendi, lifting up his pint for all of them to cheers.
"I couldn't have asked for a more incredible group of lads," said Loem.
"Oh no need to get all emotional," said Dúnel, "let's just celebrate!"
"Cheers to that!" the other three responded collectively, lifting up their pints to cheers again, then drinking the rest of their pints.
They glanced over to the far left side of the room, where they saw Úle Salbhoé play an intense competition with a 60-year-old staff member of who can drink the most shots before blacking out. Others were surrounding the game with various different alcoholic beverages.
"Can't wait to see what booze the host countries have," said Dúnel, "speaking of which, when is the draw? Is yer man going again?"
As he said it, a man strolled into the room. It was Martegh Gaindulia.
"Sorry I'm late!"
"Martegh!" exclaimed Cuor, who jumped out of his seats and ran to the other side of the room to greet him.
"You would not guess where I've been, the streets are an absolute nightmare."
A waitress comes around to Martegh and asks: "Would you like me to take your bag, Martegh?"
"No!" he sternly shouted, taken aback, "Or- sorry about that, I think I'll just hang onto it for now. Would it be alright if I got a pint of Lienn Ruju?"
"Yes," she responded.
Martegh and Cuor escorted themselves back to the table with the coaches. They greeted him, hugged him, patted him on the back and he sat down.
"So, when is the draw?" enquired Aréosto
"It'll be in two days from now." Responded Martegh. "However, it won't just be me going. It will be you, Aréosto, and a few from the board."
"Really?" said Aréosto, "I have had nothing said about that."
Suddenly, Aréosto got a notification.
"Well, perfect timing!" said Martegh.
The waitress brought Martegh's pint and he began sipping away.
"Paradystopian officials have specifically ordered it to be a bring your own booze event, but we have that covered." Martegh points to the game between Úle and the member of staff, where Úle drops to the floor.
"As for being sharped dressed men, we have our nice suits, and-"
"Will there be any Wight?" asked Aréosto concerningly.
"Well, yes there will be no Wight. Honestly I don't what the deal is with Wight but at this point I'm to afraid to ask."
The discussion is drowned out by the sudden cheering of the players as the WorldVision song contest comes on, in time for Pomachetti's performance. One of the bartenders get a remote for volume up, and all the players and the staff sung along.
"Wonderful time!" Said Martegh, as he took a large gulp of his beer and raced up to join the crowd.

News at Eight
Pomachetti qualify for the World Cup

"Good evening. I'm Íebhe Cielleogh and you're watching the eight o'clock news with TVT Naecht. Breaking news: Pomachetti has successfully qualified for the 101st World Cup. After a late goal by the Fettoan striker Trough Perúod at the Ebheonn Mophto, Pomachetti secured a victory after a draw away to Natkr to join the elite group of first-time entrants into the World Cup. We'll be bringing you live football from either Farfadillis AND Paradystopia with TVT Spúort, bringing you live updates from every kick of the ball across the matches. But why is anyone watching this? So for now, I'm off to the pub, see you then."

Íebhe suddenly grasps the paperwork and bag she has settled down and races out of the newsroom followed by the several staff members to the nearest pub.

More to be added

Pomachettian Goal scorers vs Natkr:

Úle Salbhoé
Níoll Éirpir
Seorgís Sarcisian
Trough Perúod

Top scorers:

Níoll Éirpir – 10 (14 starts) (ST)

Seorgís Sarcisian – 10 (18 starts) (CAM)

Eldú Florensí - 4 (10 starts) (CAM)

Trough Perúod - 2 (2 starts) (ST)

Édhemh Loindenbirgh – 2 (6 starts) (CAM)

Fíolom Mambhíní – 2 (10 starts) (LM)

Úle Salbhoé - 2 (12 starts) (RM)

Déothó L'Airderlé - 1 (2 starts) (CAM)

Ártan Diríbaya - 1 (2 starts) (ST)

Seafraí Séhú - 1 (4 starts) (CM)

Llebhich Marjeta - 1 (6 starts) (ST)

Céot Túobón-Mecoumierí - 1 (6 starts) (CB)

Elester Sottíní – 1 (12 starts) (CB)

Íerd Papiola – 1 (12 starts) (CM)

Starting XI to face Edsmontik

4-5-1 Attacking

GK - Síemas Tesplannish
LB - Sóuminé Dabhí (C)
CB - Céot Túobón-Mecoumierí
CB - Elester Sottíní
RB - Fierdurche Pergonsí
LM - Fíolom Mambhíní
CM - Íerd Papiola
RM - Úle Salbhoé
CAM - Seorgís Sarcisian
CAM - Eldú Florensí
ST - Níoll Éirpir

by **Aleirave** » Thu Jun 04, 2026 8:52 pm

False Flag

Aleirave were already through to their third consecutive World Cup, their fourth in five cycles. While there functionally might not have been much to play for, the idea of winning their qualifying group for the first time in the AFA’s 11th cycle of participation was an enticing one to be sure. With Vdara sitting three points below them, all that stood between them and securing first place was the magic number of 4 points, two teams sharing joint last place in the group, and 180 minutes of football.

Their first match would be at home against New Montreal States, and this match proved to be a relatively easy one for the squad. Tatyana Yusenika kept the goal well-guarded, while Neraveke Ho’uminalu and Oleg Vorstyn, who’d been doing a good job proving his value as someone getting more and more minutes off the bench, notched a goal each to get the Seagulls 3 points for the match.

Meanwhile, Vdara had won their match in Maritaine by a score of 1-0, so entering into the final matchday Aleirave needed at least a draw in Haltoria to secure first place in Group 2. It didn’t seem like the most difficult task, but their opponents made sure to temper Haulafo Paka’ula’s expectations just a little.

Very quickly, Haltoria came out the gate putting on a lot of pressure. They were fighting harder than they had seemingly at any point in these qualifiers. This was not the same team that got pummeled 5-1 by the Seagulls on Matchday 9, as they found themselves being the first ones to get to 5 goals, with the score sitting at 5-3 in the hosts’ favor at the 85th minute.

Then, curiously, a whistle blew.

“Alright, that’s the match!” a match official yelled out, completely out of nowhere for the Islanders. Surely it hadn’t been the full match yet, right? Sure enough, however, the clock in the stadium didn’t lie.

…or did it?

ENN Sports, which had been broadcasting the match for islanders and mainlanders alike, wasn’t fooled. Their clock, ticking since play resumed at the start of the second half, clearly said this was the 85th minute. Haulafo had to dispute the whistle.

“You can’t be telling me this match is already over, the clock has to be wrong!” he shouted out, before the officials handed him a red card for unsportsmanlike conduct. “Can a manager even be carded for unsportsmanlike?” Karsten Rhodes asked on the Eshian broadcast, “after all it’s not like he’s a sportsman himself.”

However, after much convincing from the entire Aleiravan side, a VAR was finally called. Somehow, the hilarity of the past few minutes made VARing a clock seem downright normal. “I wonder what they’re thinking in the review room right now…” Josh Seametzle said on ENN’s cast, “because I’m certainly confused about… everything.”

As it turned out, yes, the clock had seemingly ticked over from 79:59 to 90:00 without anybody noticing. In fact, the clock had also ticked from 59:59 down to 50:00, before later ticking from 59:59 back up to 70:00. One of the LCD’s in the stadium’s clock display was broken. Further evidence of this fact came in the form of the official scoresheet, which showed REDACTED making the score 5-2 in the 53rd… after Fyodor Veshchik made it 4-2 in the 59th. This match had 10 minutes, plus perhaps a minute or two more of extra stoppage time, to go.

Now, this may seem like a lot of fuss to get into over 10 minutes of football in a match that didn’t matter against a team with literally 0 left to play for. And you’re right. But rolling over and accepting things isn’t the Aleiravan way of playing football.

Without Haulafo, the team had to play the last few minutes all on their own. Luckily for them, however, the bizarre stoppage had left Haltoria thrown off, which was quite ironic for a nation with “halt” in their name. This momentum switch gave Aleirave the two critical goals they needed to make this match a draw, getting them the point they needed to secure their historic Group 2 win.

With qualifying done and dusted and a respectable 13-2-3 record to their names, it was time to move onto the next phase of the World Cup cycle, which of course was the final. World Cup 100 had a… disappointing ending, to say the least. Losses to the Ko-orenite Constellation (first-time qualifiers ranked outside the top 80) and first-ranked Flavovespia before a disappointing draw to Oberour Ar Moro marked a historic group stage exit for a team that had made the octofinals in both their previous qualifications. As a Pot 2 team for the first time, they were expected to do much better than that.

This time, Aleirave found themselves at the top of Pot 3, a much less desirable position to be sure, but at least being ranked 27 meant they still had a good shot at making the knockouts as long as they didn’t underperform. All eyes turned to the group draw as their opponents would be revealed to the fans at home one by one.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Their first opponents would be Valentine Z, ranked 21st in the world. Casual viewers would most remember them for being in the Seagulls’ Cup of Harmony 85 group that was much more notable for being the first instance of a WCC-sanctioned Eshian Derby, but more dedicated stats-heads would know that the Valentian Kittens were one of the only two teams to have played 5 WCC matches against the Seagulls: a 1-4 loss and scoreless draw in World Cup 92 Qualifying, a 2-3 loss in the afore-mentioned Cup of Harmony, and a 6-3 win and scoreless draw in World Cup 98 Qualifying, the most recent qualifying to not see the Islanders through to the Big Dance.

For those keeping score at home, that’s a 1-2-2 head-to-head record with a -1 GD, with more recent matches going markedly better for the Seagulls. This could genuinely go either way, and it would be a match Haulafo would make sure his team was fully ready for. This match had the potential to be the deciding factor in whether Aleirave made it back to the knockouts.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Their next opponents would be 58th-ranked Bhumi Matawis Empire. This team was the newest of the three, this being their first World Cup qualification in just their second cycle competing, but not one Aleirave had no experience against, as the Seagulls had been the very first team to play the White Tiger Team after their BoF. That first match in World Cup 100 qualifying was a 1-2 loss, quickly blamed on poor team morale after the Jaglan massacre and a CAFA Cup group stage exit, followed up by a 2-0 win in the return match in Lahaira.

Despite the much lower rank, the Ko-orenite Constellation taught this team that rank difference means nothing in the World Cup. If you’ve gotten to this stage, you’re good enough to win, and this match was an absolute must-win for both teams. No holding back.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Speaking of the Jaglan massacre, Aleirave’s last opponents would be the defending champions, 1st-ranked Squornshelous. Along with Valentine Z, they were the other team who’ve played the Seagulls 5 times in WCC competition, although nobody remembers the other four. Those 5 matches were: a 1-3 loss and 1-1 draw in WCQ 91 — a remarkably cromulent performance for the debutant Seagulls — an 0-1 loss to knock Aleirave out of the WC97 Round of 16, a 3-3 draw at the end of WC99’s group stage, aaaaand Jaglan. Yeah, believe it or not Aleirave’s record is remarkably decent if you ignore the 1-7 elephant in the room. 0-2-2 with a -3 GD against the best team in the world would be great for a team at Aleirave’s level, never mind the fact that the actual numbers were 0-2-3 and -9.

Between this matchup and last cycle’s group draw against Flavovespia, the Seagulls accomplished the remarkably unlucky feat of being drawn against the best team in the world in the group stage two cycles in a row, last seen when Vdara were made to play the Holy Empire in cycles 89 and 90. In fact, since World Cup 89, the only teams that had drawn #1 twice at all were Aleirave, Vdara (who had a third #1 draw against Valanora in WC96), Flavovespia (THE in WC91, Banija in WC95), and Chromatika (Turori in WC92, Valanora in WC98).

While this match wasn’t at all seen as winnable, history seemed to indicate this bunch could maybe, just maybe salvage a draw. Hopefully it wouldn’t matter anyway, however, since the Islanders could well already be on 4 or even 6 points if they locked in on MDs 1 and 2.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

Opinions were certainly mixed on this draw. On the one hand, playing the two teams they had seen the most across WCC competition was an interesting way to rekindle old rivalries, but on the other hand, nobody wanted to see any more Squornshelous than was absolutely necessary. But hey, they just played a solid qualifying campaign, so anything was possible with this crew.

Just no more losing by six goals, alright?

by **Squornshelan Remnant States** » Thu Jun 04, 2026 9:36 pm

World Cup Qualifying Recap:

MD1: SRS 3-2 BAK
An ugly opener in Yassaca. The narrow win over an unranked side on goals from Thakkar, Tolvanen, and Odugyan was tragically overshadowed by the Sivolvian Earthquake and Tsunami which struck later that afternoon, causing widespread devastation in the far southeast of the SRS.
Bláha; Kamgang, Van (O'Corra 60'), Hobeika; Shakhnovich, Tasinan(Amjol 85'), Thakkar (Detkov 80'), Tolvanen; Ksudach, McGill (Odugyan 71'), Starovoitov

MD2: OAM 2-2 SRS
A match played mere days later, the team was perhaps lacking focus, and also missing several important players granted leaves of absence due to the disaster. The home side got the better of play, as the SRS were uncharacteristically beaten in the possession game and scored their goals one the counter. The hosts opened up a two-goal advantage in the first half thanks to a brace of goals from Vuide-Rue, and it was only through a slightly lucky counter and a bevy of adjustments late on that Madathil and Starovoitov were able to break loose down the right to find goals and eventually equalize.
Bláha; Shiben (Hoang 90')), Tirel, Tutku; Raynott (Yevseichev 80'), Sevet-Ibilx (Priam 75'), Thakkar, Madathil; Ksudach, McGill (Arenz 90+3'), Starovoitov

MD3: SRS 3-1 HSP
A better match, what would turn out to be the side's most comprehensive effort in the first half of qualifying. They controlled possession and the pace of the match in Jaglan, opening up a three goal lead with two goals from Aodhan and one from Starovoitov before Solorzano eventually clawed one back for the visitors to spoil Pharlain's clean sheet effort.
Pharlain; Shiben, Tirel (Peynir 76'), Tutku; Raynott, Tatsinan, Thakkar (Amjol 84'), Madathil (Aspnas 84'); Ksudach, Aodhan (Deriglazov 89'), Starovoitov (Baikonur 89')

MD4: SRS 1-0 DEL
A decent performance, but wastefulness in front of goal nearly led to the team dropping yet more points. Some timely saves from Pharlain made Madathil's early goal stand.
Pharlain; Kamgang, Alvi (Peynir 80'), Magill; Shakhnovich, Detkov, Tatsinan (Amjol 80'), Tolvanen; Ksudach, Deriglazov (Sargsa 89'), Madathil (Hobeika 89')

MD5: SFI 1-1 SRS
A flat and uninspired showing away from home once again. O'Corra converted early from a corner kick, but the team showed little urgency from that point, and was unable to switch back into an attacking mode after Reano's late equalizer.
Bláha; Kamgang, O'Corra, Tutku; Raynott (Shakhnovich 80'), Sevet-Ibilx (Thakkar 88'), Rokara, Madathil; Ksudach, McGill (Aodhan 80'), Starovoitov (Tolvanen 88')

MD6: SRS 2-1 MAA
Middle Alba's defensive tactics and counter-pressing were more effective than most would have expected against a team with the skill and experience of the Black-and-Reds. Still, they were able to generate enough chances to take the win, with Tolvanen giving Squornshelous an early lead, Lennox equalizing shortly after halftime, and Sargsa coming on late and converting with her first touch to claim full points.
Bláha; Hoang, Alvi, Baikonur (Tirel 75'); Shakhnovich, Amjol (Detkov 75), Thakkar, Tolvanen; Ksudach (Yevseichev 67'), McGill (Sargsa 88), Starovoitov

MD7: SKM 2-1 SRS
The definite low point of the campaign, following up two away draws with a loss to low-ranked Soviet Kem. Volodin scored both goals for the hosts after Priam opened things up early on. Madeiros sent on a flurry of late subs after giving up the lead, but in the end was punished for fielding a B team. Rumblings began of a potential management change.
Åstrøm; Drenel, O'Corra, Magill; Raynott, Arenz (Tatsinan), Priam (Sevet-Ibilx), Tolvanen; Skoblikov (Shakhnovich), Odugyan (Aodhan), Yilmaz (Starovoitov)

MD8: SRS 1-0 DMN
Certainly a great improvement in terms of possession, team defense, and discipline. Still, the team still weren't really playing their game, letting the visitors stick around on the edge of finding an equalizer instead of putting the game away. You could certainly see the nerves at play as the team tried and failed to add to Ksudach's early tally.
Pharlain; Kamgang, O'Corra, Tutku (Magill 60'); Shakhnovich, Sevet-Ibilx (Priam 74'), Thakkar (Tatsinan 87'), Madathil; Ksudach (Skoblikov 87'), McGill, Starovoitov (Tolvanen 87')

MD9: SAT 2-3 SRS
Not a pretty match by any means. The Black-and-Reds twice surrendered the lead, squandering goals from Tirel, and later McGill before Yevseichev finally the winner in the dying moments of stoppage time. There was a palpable sense of relief around the post-match pressers as the team got their first away victory just at the halfway point of qualifying.
Bláha; Kamgang, Tirel, Tutku; Shakhnovich, Tatsinan, Thakkar (Sevet-Ibilx 81'), Madathil; Ksudach (Yevseichev 81'), McGill (Sargsa 76'), Starovoitov

MD10: BAK 0-4 SRS
Finally a match with the scoreline people would have predicted. The Black-and-Reds marched into Al-Turuk and took total control, with Sevet-Ibilx threading a through ball in to put Deriglazov alone against the keeper in just the third minute. The team never looked back, building up the lead with goals they'd failed to convert in prior matches, Madathil and Deriglazov again before half time, and Raynott just after the restart to make it clear there was no comeback in the offing.
Råberg; Kamgang, Peynir, Hobeika (Baikonur 46'); Raynott, Sevet-Ibilx, Priam (Rokara 77'), Tolvanen; Barsukov (Shakhnovich 88'), Deriglazov (Arenz 88'), Madathil

MD11: SRS 4-2 OAM
A closer fought match, but still one where the Black-and-Reds took control of play more often than not. The objective of Madeiran football isn't to never concede after all, it's to make sure you score more than the opposition, and with a pair from Starovoitov, bolstered by contributions from Ksudach and Aodhan off the bench, there were finally goals aplenty for the Squornshelans. That de Baieus and Vuide-Rue were both able to exploit the wing and score on similar plays was perhaps a concern, but a small one as long as the team kept winning.
Bláha; Drenel (Shiben 70'), Tirel, Tutku; Shakhnovich (Raynott 76'), Sevet-Ibilx, Thakkar, Madathil; Ksudach, McGill (Aodhan 70'), Starovoitov

MD12: HSP 3-4 SRS
A bit sloppy perhaps, blame it on the travel to the match if you like, but four goals scored in three straight matches was a much more comfortable feeling than scraping through matches with one or two in the first half of qualifying. Madeiros perhaps got away with not fielding the best team possible while the hosts were seriously up for this match, but another strong performance from Aodhan and Starovoitov with two goals each let the team sneak out of Hispinas with full points, spoiling Rebollar's splendid hat trick.
Åstrøm; Drenel (Hoang 69'), O'Corra (Peynir 74'), Tutku; Raynott, Sevet-Ibilx, Priam (Amjol 74'), Aspnas (Tolvanen 80'); Yevseichev (Barsukov 80'), Aodhan, Starovoitov

MD13: DEL 1-3 SRS
A better performance against a better opponent, perhaps the first away result that the team can be properly proud of, as dominating Bakhuchistan a few weeks earlier wasn't exactly the biggest challenge on paper, or the field. Aodhan continued her run of good form, giving her side an early lead, and Raynott and Tatsinan ran the lead out to three before Amundsen eventually found a marker that saved the home side some pride, if not any points.
Bláha; Kamgang, Tirel (Alvi 87'), Hobeika; Raynott, Tatsinan, Thakkar (Arenz 79'), Madathil (Yilmaz 87'); Ksudach (Shakhnovich 79'), Aodhan, Starovoitov (Baikonur 87')

MD14: SRS 3-2 SFI
Very nearly a major setback, with first Delvo and then Boire answering Odugyan's early goal to put the visitors into the lead at the half. The Vna-Chuhul stiker was able to get the rhythm back into the second half though, scoring another goal of her own and assisting on Thakkar's winner with a smart lay-off.
Bláha; Shiben, Peynir (Van 72'), Hobeika (Magill 81'); Yevseichev (Raynott 60'), Sevet-Ibilx (Detkov 81'), Thakkar, Tolvanen; Ksudach, Odugyan, Madathil

MD15: MAA 0-3 SRS
Between the hosts' defensive tactic and the SRS's possession dominance, Pharlain had a very quiet afternoon, despite Madeiros electing to rest most of the presumed first team for the finals, instead giving some player on the roster bubble a chance to play. Kashkeli made her debut appearance of qualifying after missing a few months after the tsunami devastated her hometown. It was Detkov and Sargsa who shone the brightest though, with the latter notching a hat trick before coming off in the 75th, and the former directing the midfield and assisting on the bookend markers.
Pharlain; Hoang (Drenel 82'), Fevronia (Mazayev 88'), Magill; Barsukov, Detkov, Arenz (Amjol 82'), Kashkeli; Skoblikov, Sargsa (Kostyukevich 75'), Yilmaz (Aspnas 82')

MD16: SRS 7-0 SKM
Absolute domination. You certainly get the feeling that the team had marked this match on their calendar after the unexpected result away some months ago. The Black-and-Reds had near complete control of the ball, and a much less organized Soviet defense led to a veritable parade of goals into their net. Raynott, Aodhan, Thakkar, Ksudach, Aodhan again, Kashkeli, and finally Priam from the bench all found the back of the net.
Pharlain; Kamgang, Mazayev (O'Corra 80'), Baikonur; Raynott (Barsukov 87'), Tatsinan, Thakkar (Detkov 76'), Madathil; Ksudach (Shiben 76'), Aodhan (Priam 87'), Kashkeli

MD17: DMN 3-4 SRS
Another scare, with Darkmania taking an early two goal lead in front of their home crowd before Starovoitov and Deriglazov broke through late in the first half. Shakhnovich established the Black-and-Reds' first lead not long after the restart, but saw it promptly erased as the hosts pushed back hard on the ensuing kickoff. In the end, though, the greater depth of the visitors told the tale, with Madeiros making a rare quadruple substitution with ten minutes left, allowing him to make wholesale tactical adjustments that the Darkman side with their tired legs were not able to adjust to, leading to Odugyan's winner, assisted by Ksudach.
Pharlain; Kamgang, Tirel, Hobeika; Shakhnovich, Tatsinan, Thakkar (Sevet-Ibilx 81'), Madathil (Tolvanen 81'); Yevseichev (Ksudach 81'), Deriglazov (Odugyan 81'), Starovoitov (Kashkeli 90')

MD18: SRS 1-0 SAT
A tight match, with Casfo's side pushing hard for the win, trying to keep pace with Oberour ar Moro and give themselves a chance at direct qualification, while the SRS were playing merely for pride and to keep up their momentum, having already clinched top spot in the group in the previous international window. After a cagey first half was nearly spent, Aodhan got what would prove to be the winner in stoppage time, and the sides spent the majority of the second half dueling for possession in midfield, with neither defense allowing any clear cut chances. Bit of a bore for the neutrals and a nail-biter for the supporters involved.
Pharlain; Kamgang, O'Corra (Tirel 74'), Tutku; Raynott (Shiben 89'), Tatsinan, Thakkar (Amjol 83'), Madathil; Ksudach, Aodhan (Sargsa 83'), Starovoitov (Hobeika 89')

Finals Roster Selected
Following the excellent results of qualifying, Madeiros has made his choices for the 26 players who will head to Farfadillis for the group stage, and hopefully beyond. There are some interesting omissions, most notably striker Estina McGill, who had a very quiet run in qualifying, scoring just once, and defenders Hamida Van and Piia Drenel, who were too often not at their usual standard. In terms of players who are going, Radoslav Bláha will be along for the trip, likely his last time in black and red, as Ronan Pharlain appears the top choice to start in net, judging by team choices down the home stretch of qualifying. The full list can be found updated here and the anticipated starting lineup is below.

by **Choppyhausen** » Fri Jun 05, 2026 4:13 am

There's only one week before the voting booths all across Choppyhausen will once again open for the second National Assembly elections. Here's everything you need to know about the five parties that are standing for election.

In one corner we have the Party for a Free Republic (PFR)! The winner of the 1st National Assembly Election includes most of the important voices of the democratic uprising. The party's main goal is "to dismantle the monarchy's shadow" by cleaning up the remaining parts of the monarchist system. Guaranteeing civil liberties and a separation of powers as well as digitalization and innovation as tools of democratization are the big policies of the party. The PFR has openly campaigned for market liberalism and the beginning of privatization of previously crown-owned companies. Current polls predict the PFR at around 36% (-9%).

In the opposite corner we have Stability! Not only known for its cleverly chosen name (who doesn't want stability?), the party can be considered the PFR's more conservative counterpart and is currently Choppyhausen's largest opposition party. While also being pro-democracy, Stability values the preservation of Choppyhausen's national heritage and a supports a more slow-paced constitutional reform, traditional industries and conservative social ideas. After several PFR projects have only shown moderate success or have outright failed, like the designation of Choppyhausen City as the new capital, Stability and its more cautious approach to reform seem to have a good chance of winning this election with current predictions showing around 41% (+10%) support.

Between the two cornes stands the Ecological Party Choppyhausen (EPC). As Choppyhausen's green party, EPC is mainly focusing on environmental issues and preserving Choppyhausen's natural landscape. They campaign for investment in renewable energy sources, green jobs and carbon neutrality as well as a green education reform. Their social policies are welfare-oriented. EPC's party program reinforces the importance of international cooperation as a way to combat the harsh effects of natural catastrophes. Currently, the EPC is the smaller partner of the government coalition and they are expected to remain in that role after the election as neither the PFR nor Stability are expected to gain an absolute majority. Predicted vote: 11% (-1%).

Outside of the ring but still with substantial support, we have The Royalists. They are a reactionary right-wing party founded by a group of several ex-members of the former Royal Interior Office. The Royalists demand a restoration of the monarchy and a reversal of the republican reforms made by the Council of Choppyhausen. They see the monarchy as the symbol of Choppyhausen's identity and glory and oppose the democratic system. Party leader Cian Salazar has repeatedly expressed his party's opposition against "foreign policies such as socialism and green ideology". The sharp rise in his party’s support that he predicted last year does not appear to be materializing, but the Royalists can count on their core voter base, which is mainly based in rural areas. They are expected to get around 11% (+1%) of the vote.

And finally, in the stands, the Choppyhausenian Socialist Party (CSP). The CSP is a left-wing party focusing on social inequality and economic justice. A continuation of the nationalization of important industries and the empowerment of workers (for example through unions) are other important policies. The party is divided into two camps over the question of the form of government they desire as one half is pro-democracy and the other call for an "authority through the workers". As a result, the only two CSP members in the National Assembly regularly find themselves on opposite sides of the voting. As it stands, CSP might lose one of their two seats in the assembly in which case the party infighting can only get worse (Predicted vote: 1% (-1%)).

OOC: Not feeling too well currently, so I had to cut my planned match descriptions, but I still wanted to include this table as I find it rather fascinating

World Cup 101 Qualifying Table - Qualified Teams highlighted
  #                                           Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
  1 Valanora                                   18   17   1   0    49   16  +33    52
  2 Banija                                     18   15   2   1    51   20  +31    47
  3 Squornshelan Remnant States                18   15   2   1    50   22  +28    47
  4 Audioslavia                                16   15   1   0    31    2  +29    46
  5 Qusmo                                      18   15   1   2    39   12  +27    46
  6 Saint Eleanor                              18   15   0   3    45   15  +30    45
  7 Chromatika                                 18   14   3   1    45   18  +27    45
  8 Aphrilia                                   18   15   0   3    34   13  +21    45
  9 Ko-oren                                    18   13   4   1    26    7  +19    43
 10 Bonusia                                    18   14   0   4    37   19  +18    42
 11 Aleirave                                   18   13   2   3    45   23  +22    41
 12 Pasarga                                    18   13   2   3    33   12  +21    41
 13 The Kytler Peninsulae                      18   12   4   2    40   12  +28    40
 14 Vdara                                      18   12   4   2    49   24  +25    40
 15 Busoga Islands                             18   13   1   4    39   21  +18    40
 16 Zwangzug                                   18   13   1   4    30   29   +1    40
 17 Edsmontik                                  18   13   0   5    44   22  +22    39
 18 Reçuecn                                    18   12   3   3    29   13  +16    39
 19 Tanirinthia                                18   12   3   3    41   26  +15    39
 20 Crpostran                                  18   11   5   2    42   25  +17    38
 21 Bhumi Matawis Empire                       18   12   2   4    31   25   +6    38
 22 Zenic                                      18   11   3   4    32   13  +19    36
 23 Indusse                                    18   11   3   4    50   36  +14    36
 24 Eshialand                                  18   12   0   6    39   26  +13    36
 25 Valentine Z                                18   11   3   4    37   25  +12    36
 26 Flavovespia                                18   11   3   4    32   20  +12    36
 27 Yangchenia                                 18   11   3   4    34   24  +10    36
 28 Pomachetti                                 18   11   3   4    40   33   +7    36
 29 Kwrpania                                   18   11   2   5    41   26  +15    35
 30 Dantopia                                   18   10   5   3    40   25  +15    35
 31 Baker Park                                 18   11   2   5    38   25  +13    35
 32 TJUN-ia                                    18   11   2   5    36   28   +8    35
 33 Kanzlia                                    15   11   1   3    38   20  +18    34
 34 Snestar                                    18   10   4   4    30   14  +16    34
 35 The Holy Empire                            15   11   1   3    47   33  +14    34
 36 StrayaRoos                                 18   10   4   4    33   19  +14    34
 37 Oberour Ar Moro                            18   10   4   4    38   28  +10    34
 38 Bostopia                                   18   10   4   4    31   21  +10    34
 39 Dhemixia                                   18   10   4   4    36   29   +7    34
 40 Sarzonia                                   18   11   0   7    37   29   +8    33
 41 Sernet                                     18    9   5   4    36   24  +12    32
 42 Milchama                                   18   10   2   6    31   28   +3    32
 43 Saterun                                    18    9   4   5    35   19  +16    31
 44 Biyambi                                    18    9   4   5    34   21  +13    31
 45 Legalese                                   18    9   4   5    33   29   +4    31
 46 Cobrio                                     18    9   4   5    30   26   +4    31
 47 Captina Island                             18   10   1   7    28   25   +3    31
 48 Kamijiro                                   18    9   4   5    26   23   +3    31
 49 Soviet Kem                                 18    9   4   5    28   29   −1    31
 50 Airannia                                   18    8   6   4    29   18  +11    30
 51 Darmen                                     18    9   3   6    35   26   +9    30
 52 Kimi-Suomi                                 16    9   3   4    23   14   +9    30
 53 Kelssek                                    18    8   6   4    30   23   +7    30
 54 The Ko-orenite Constellation               18    9   3   6    27   20   +7    30
 55 The Republic of the United Marble Tribes   18    9   2   7    31   17  +14    29
 56 HUElavia                                   18    9   2   7    38   31   +7    29
 57 Natkr                                      18    9   2   7    36   29   +7    29
 58 Andossa Se Mitrin Vega                     18    9   2   7    26   20   +6    29
 59 Auprussia                                  18    8   4   6    31   21  +10    28
 60 Katzeburg                                  18    8   4   6    24   18   +6    28
 61 Choppyhausen                               18    7   7   4    27   23   +4    28
 62 Hanalia                                    16    9   1   6    19   17   +2    28
 63 The Golden Harp                            18    8   3   7    33   22  +11    27
 64 Masraya                                    16    8   3   5    35   25  +10    27
 65 Libegeist                                  18    8   3   7    28   28    0    27
 66 the Martian Independent Republic           18    8   3   7    27   28   −1    27
 67 Serenitas Novae                            18    8   3   7    20   22   −2    27
 68 Atheara                                    18    8   3   7    20   23   −3    27
 69 Smoltrendestof                             18    7   5   6    25   21   +4    26
 70 Abanhfleft                                 16    8   2   6    23   19   +4    26
 71 Drawkland                                  18    6   8   4    29   28   +1    26
 72 Srednjaci                                  18    7   5   6    35   35    0    26
 73 Delaclava                                  18    7   5   6    29   30   −1    26
 74 Taeshan                                    18    7   4   7    22   19   +3    25
 75 Siovanija and Teusland                     18    7   4   7    28   29   −1    25
 76 Super Earth                                18    7   4   7    31   35   −4    25
 77 Myrtle Beach                               16    7   3   6    31   26   +5    24
 78 Aamathyr                                   18    7   3   8    20   21   −1    24
 79 Lisander                                   18    7   3   8    34   36   −2    24
 80 Marsonne                                   18    6   5   7    32   33   −1    23
 81 Tomerion                                   18    7   2   9    26   27   −1    23
 82 Solgavden                                  18    6   5   7    22   25   −3    23
 83 Warkus                                     18    7   2   9    26   33   −7    23
 84 Hispinas                                   18    5   7   6    31   32   −1    22
 85 Eriadni                                    18    4  10   4    29   32   −3    22
 86 Sudilia                                    18    7   1  10    30   38   −8    22
 87 Konstantino                                18    6   4   8    24   36  −12    22
 88 Sangti and the Filindo Isles               18    6   3   9    27   27    0    21
 89 Megistos                                   18    6   3   9    39   41   −2    21
 90 Saperetia                                  18    5   6   7    24   26   −2    21
 91 Shin-Zetsubo                               16    6   3   7    31   34   −3    21
 92 Eastfield Lodge                            18    6   3   9    38   42   −4    21
 93 Kaumann                                    18    7   0  11    30   39   −9    21
 94 Carpathia and Ruthenia                     18    6   3   9    26   36  −10    21
 95 Hamborn                                    18    5   5   8    19   21   −2    20
 96 The Kaisers Syndicates                     18    5   5   8    29   33   −4    20
 97 Natanians and Nosts                        18    6   2  10    32   40   −8    20
 98 Sel Appa                                   18    5   4   9    29   31   −2    19
 99 Russian Empire EHA                         16    5   4   7    17   19   −2    19
100 Tristan de Cunha                           18    5   4   9    20   26   −6    19
101 Calgasia                                   18    5   4   9    27   34   −7    19
102 Hintuwan                                   18    5   4   9    30   38   −8    19
103 Andso Mangis                               16    6   1   9    25   34   −9    19
104 Qasden                                     18    5   4   9    24   35  −11    19
    Sharktail                                  18    4   7   7    24   35  −11    19
106 Gwarkos                                    18    4   6   8    14   24  −10    18
107 Serumpun                                   18    5   3  10    14   28  −14    18
108 Sajnur                                     18    4   5   9    25   33   −8    17
109 Brusselstein                               18    4   5   9    22   31   −9    17
110 Kharakia                                   18    4   5   9    33   43  −10    17
111 Gyaromia                                   16    5   2   9    19   29  −10    17
112 Kandorith                                  18    5   2  11    31   42  −11    17
113 Nusandara                                  18    5   2  11    25   38  −13    17
114 Bakhuchistan                               18    4   5   9    24   39  −15    17
115 Wondering Refugees                         18    5   2  11    21   36  −15    17
116 New Eastern Canada                         18    4   5   9    25   42  −17    17
117 Burikinia                                  18    5   2  11    22   39  −17    17
118 United States of Alpha                     18    5   1  12    26   32   −6    16
119 United States of Devonta                   16    4   4   8    24   32   −8    16
120 Juvencus                                   18    4   4  10    19   29  −10    16
121 Quakmybush                                 18    5   1  12    24   35  −11    16
122 Afanc Strait                               18    3   7   8    22   34  −12    16
123 Jeckland                                   16    5   1  10    21   33  −12    16
124 Boring Paradise                            18    5   1  12    22   35  −13    16
125 Maritaine                                  18    4   4  10    19   34  −15    16
126 Xanneria                                   18    4   4  10    21   38  −17    16
127 Al-Momenta                                 18    4   3  11    16   24   −8    15
128 Estorvipa and Estorpiva                    18    4   3  11    25   35  −10    15
129 Anewkansas                                 18    4   3  11    23   35  −12    15
130 Skorpiie                                   18    4   3  11    18   32  −14    15
131 Equestria                                  18    4   3  11    16   30  −14    15
132 Middle Alba                                18    4   3  11    15   29  −14    15
133 Beal an Mhuirthead                         18    4   3  11    25   41  −16    15
134 Libesia                                    18    3   5  10    22   27   −5    14
135 Bongo Johnson                              16    4   2  10    25   39  −14    14
136 Nueva Compostela                           18    4   2  12    17   31  −14    14
137 Kendoria                                   18    3   5  10    16   33  −17    14
138 Vetrahjart                                 18    3   5  10    14   33  −19    14
139 Bharatamandala                             16    3   4   9    16   26  −10    13
140 United Adaikes                             18    2   7   9    19   30  −11    13
141 Nation states logic                        18    3   4  11    20   32  −12    13
142 Allamunnic States                          18    3   4  11    21   35  −14    13
143 Eraman                                     18    3   4  11    18   32  −14    13
144 Kordavia                                   18    3   4  11    17   31  −14    13
145 Epicly Amazing Giraffes                    18    3   4  11    22   37  −15    13
146 Doychnya                                   16    3   3  10    17   27  −10    12
147 West Vdara                                 16    3   3  10    16   29  −13    12
148 Mytanija                                   18    3   3  12    27   43  −16    12
149 Frayston                                   18    3   3  12    20   36  −16    12
150 Stewartika                                 18    3   3  12    23   40  −17    12
151 Cothe Saria                                18    3   3  12    16   35  −19    12
152 Olastor                                    18    3   3  12    14   35  −21    12
153 Haltoria                                   18    2   5  11    26   44  −18    11
154 New Montreal States                        18    2   5  11    18   40  −22    11
155 Raspotochje                                18    2   4  12    26   38  −12    10
156 Woodsmere                                  18    2   4  12    17   37  −20    10
157 Delitai                                    18    2   2  14    17   43  −26     8
158 Darkmania                                  18    2   1  15    16   38  −22     7

by **Recuecn** » Fri Jun 05, 2026 4:56 am

[OOC: All images originally created by Wight—used with permission.]

The Équipe Nationale de Reçueçn de Football took a welcome break before the World Cup, while teams across the multiverse that hadn’t auto-qualified fought their way through the play-offs. Most of Les Licornes were glad of the chance to relax as Le Championnat wrapped up, but one poor man was doomed to fly back out to Taxhavn for some play-offs of his own.

They did not go well.

Laurent Lapix had been the captain of Standard Lily for nine years running. When he had signed with the club, they’d been one of the best in the league. A few years before he joined, they’d won the SteuerLigen five times in a row. Laurent had always hoped that somehow, he would make it big. Standard Lily’s reputation would rise, carrying his with it, letting him prove to all his provincial compatriots back home that they, too, should venture out into the multiverse.

Laurent had won a league title of his own, but that was a long time ago now, and things had gone downhill since then. The most recent season had begun well, but then everything fell apart, and then everything continued to fall apart, faster and faster. Laurent had gotten used to his team being mid, or at least midtable, but he hadn’t believed how much lower they could go. Things were falling apart now that he had never even thought about being their own parts, able to go wrong in their own ways.

At first he wasn’t sure what the growing feeling he had was. Standard Lily lost one game, then another, then another, then three more, and he realized it was despair. His teammates sensed it, and began to play despairingly. As World Cup qualification ended, Laurent was staring down the barrel of SteuerLig’s arcane relegation play-off system.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do, Théo,” Laurent told his ÉNRF midfield teammate Théophile Thériault as they sat in the locker room. Reçueçn had just ended its campaign with a one-nothing victory against Hamborn.

“What is there to do?” said Théophile. “Go out there and win. Then try again next season.”

Laurent looked at Théophile, his face drawn. “It’s not that easy.”

“What do you mean?” Théophile gestured toward the tunnel, toward the pitch. “You just led us to victory. What’s the difference? No way some second-tier club is a tougher match than Eastfield Lodge.”

“Reçueçn has a fighting spirit. Going through a losing streak like that deflates you. It’s not impossible to come back—but it is if you don’t believe in yourselves.”

Théophile patted Laurent on the back. “Well… believe in yourself. I believe in you.” But he could see the emptiness in Laurent’s eyes.

Firaut Dropped from WC Squad; Lapix to Retire After Tournament
The Reçueçn Times
By Georges Quint, Sportswriter

Reçueçn, Reçueçn—Speaking at FNRF headquarters today, ÉNRF manager Hyron LeBouffe announced Les Licornes’ finalized squad for the World Cup this summer. For fans who followed the team’s qualification journey, there are no big surprises here; the lineup is almost identical to the team sheet throughout World Cup qualifying.

The only change—one sure to disappoint any remaining optimists who still hadn’t given up hope—is that Rébecca Firaut is no longer listed on the équipe nationale’s 23-player roster. After an ACL injury in last year’s IAC, the team’s star striker only played a single ÉNRF game during qualifying, spending the rest of the time in recovery. When asked to justify keeping her on the reserve list rather than offering the spot to another player, LeBouffe said she would be ready to play in time for the World Cup and hinted that he expected to start her as soon as she was recovered. However, when Firaut finally took the field in the recent qualifying game against Hamborn, she reinjured her leg, and she is no longer expected to be ready to play in time for the tournament.

LeBouffe claims he was aware that Firaut “wasn’t in condition to give 100%,” but that a directive from the FNRF instructed him to start her anyway, for unclear reasons. “I made it clear that she didn’t have to play if she felt unready, and told her to be cautious… I was ready to sub her out at any time she gave a sign that she needed a break. But more than anything else, Rébecca is determined. No one wanted her to be on the field that day more than she did herself. I accept responsibility for her re-injury; I should have known better than to put her back out there, regardless of her personal feelings or the federation’s instructions. It’s a lesson learned for next time, and I’ve made it clear to the FNRF that this kind of meddling is not acceptable.”

Lauretta Giordano is expected to start in Firaut’s place, as she has for most of qualifying, and Stomford 1904’s Töbe Schlüchter has been given the empty spot on the bench.
A close-up of Lapix’ sticker from Calcio Piccolili’s commemorative album.
There’s one other disappointing headline for ÉNRF fans; team captain Laurent Lapix has announced that this World Cup will be the last time he laces up his cleats. Lapix plays for the Taxhavnite club Standard Lily, which suffered a shocking collapse—both shocking and massive—in the SteuerLig’s most recent season. When Standard Lily, supposedly one of Taxhavn’s “big three” clubs, was relegated, Lapix’ release clause triggered, and rather than try to sign another contract, the defensive midfielder, now in his mid thirties, decided to retire.

“I’ve had some good moments—I’ll always remember those back-to-back Confederations Trophies—but there have been a lot of rough patches too. I don’t want to open old wounds, so I’ll just say that I’ll be happy to retire and be able to relax a bit. But before that I’m still looking forward to playing in the World Cup. Playing for my nation has meant a lot to me. There’s something really special about the feeling it gives you, that you can’t get anywhere else. I think helping guide Reçueçn to that IAC win will be the proudest accomplishment of my life… but who knows! Maybe we’ll win this world cup!”

The “old wounds” Lapix mentioned most likely refer to his disappointment in Standard Lily’s performance in the SteuerLig during his time at the club. Things started off well: Standard Lily broke records when it dropped ₸X26M to buy the midfielder from a Tequiloan side. Lapix’ transfer was seen as bringing legitimacy to a league that was still new to IFCF competition and didn’t yet have the multiversal acclaim it now enjoys. In just his second season with the club, Lapix became team captain, and in his third, he led Standard Lily to their record-setting (or more precisely, record-extending) league title. However, the honeymoon was not to last.

That same summer, Lapix requested a transfer. When the deal was eventually bungled, he remained at Standard Lily, but things would never be the same. Although the club tried to assuage him with gifts and salary increases, some tension would always remain, and the breakdown of the team’s harmony spelled the beginning of the end. After being the league’s most dominant team for decades, Standard Lily hasn’t finished better than fifth since that win in Lapix’ third season, instead steadily dropping through the midtable and now, finally, to once-unthinkable relegation. Lapix has stayed with the team throughout that time, but has grown a reputation for being a frustrating negotiator over contract extensions. Of course, one can imagine he was frustrated himself to trade away his dreams of glory for Taxhavnite cash, but it’s hard to feel pity for someone drawing a salary from one of the multiverse’s richest league’s richest teams.

Équipe nationale supporters have gained the most from Lapix’ situation. As one of a very few Reçuecian footballers playing outside Le Championnat, Lapix has brought back many tactical insights gleaned from playing internationally, to Les Licornes’ benefit. His teammates on the ÉNRF have praised his leadership and strategy advice, with rumors circulating that since rising to the captaincy for the équipe nationale, he has more or less been the one actually managing the team.

It is certain that Reçueçn’s IAC victory is in large part due to this generational talent. Although the final season at his club team may have been disappointing, here’s hoping that in his final games at the World Cup, he can work some midfield magic one last time.

World Cup 81/82/83/84

Football Association of the Commonwealth
World Cup 101 Factsheet

--The Commonwealth of Baker Park National Team advanced to the World Cup 101 Finals, co-hosted by Farfadillis and Paradystopia, after qualifying from Group 3 as the second place finisher behind Valanora in the Arrosia-heavy table.

--This marks the 18th time BP have made the Finals via the qualifying process and along with their pair of hosting stints in World Cups 84 & 90 the Bees have now made it 20 appearances, putting the nation in select company. Over 450 teams have earned a spot in the Finals through the previous 100 editions, but just 38 have been among the select 32 or 48 team field at least 20 times, with Baker Park now the 39th to achieve that number.

--Of course BP are the record holders for most consecutive times qualifying from their debut cycle as they first appeared in World Cup 80 after finishing runners-up in Baptism of Fire 67, a streak that ran through World Cup 94.

--The Bees have now made five straight Finals after missing out on consecutive World Cups in cycles 95 & 96, all of the most recent berth coming in the 48 team era.

--The campaign saw BP lose on six occasions over the 18 match tournament, the most defeats the side have suffered in qualifying since their debut when they also dropped six matches; in spite of that fact, they enter the Finals ranked 20th in the multiverse in the KPB+, their highest position since WC 94.

--Baker Park were drawn into Group F along with the hosts Paradystopia, five time World Cup winners The Holy Empire and first time qualifiers Snestar. They will play in the opening match of the event, as it marks the fifth time in history that they have been drawn into a group with one of the hosts and the third time in the last four cycles. They have won 3 of 4 matches against WC hosts in group play, the only defeat coming against Yuezhou in World Cup 98.

--BP played their first ever World Cup Finals match against The Holy Empire at EqueStar80, losing 2-1, which is the only previous meeting the Bees have against any of their group opponents.

--Speaking of debut qualifiers, there will be another pair joining the field in WC 101 as Pomachetti and Masraya survived the three round playoff battle to make the Finals on their first attempt, the former having participated in the BOF while the latter only entered at the qualifying stage. The FAC sends congratulations to both nations on their substantial achievement.

--BPNT boss Tiedmann Denholm is one of three Crpostranians to lead a side into the last 48, as Aphrilia and Crpostran also have managers of that nationality that are part of the Finals.

--Although they are the second seeds in their Finals group, Baker Park are the highest ranked team among the four nations, which was also the case in World Cup 88 when they finished ahead of Chromatika on the way to the quarterfinals.

--The opening match will take place in Gooston-by-the-Sea at The Nub, which is the home ground of the Paradystopia National Baseball Team, with both other group fixtures taking place at Cheapside in the capital New Newetoun, which is the national stadium for the Paradystopia Rugby Team.

by **Kimi-Suomi** » Fri Jun 05, 2026 7:07 am

After the entire complexion of the group was changed both on and off the pitch, the Huuhkajat entered the final window of WCQ knowing full well what they needed to do to advance to a second-straight Jalkapallon Maailmanmestaruuskilpailut. Of course, our journey to this point has been severely impacted by what happened to Pyazhnaya - that is an undeniable fact that we have to recognise. If they didn't get disqualified, and the game in Lumikukkulat went ahead, who knows where we would be sitting right now? Would we still be in the hunt for 2nd? 3rd, even? The entire group changed because of matters off the field, and there is nothing we can do about that...but what we can do, in this window, is control what we can control...including our participation at this World Cup.

And so, the arrival of Abanhfleft to Kimi Kaupunki would signify the 2nd potential clincher at Pesä in as many cycles. This didn't have as much juice as the Centennial did, for obvious reasons, of course, but this place was still packed, and this place was still nervous as fuck bout what was to come. Unlike last time, Gennady Chernenko's side was certainly respectable, a team that could overhaul our points total if things went their way, so everyone knew that just like last time, we had to throw everything at this game...because if we didn't, Hanalinen might not give us a second chance. The build-up to this one was built on this belief that we had our fate in our hands, we just needed to execute things right to make our dreams a reality...so while not the breakthrough moment of two years ago, everyone was hungry for a win...and the atmosphere matched it.

The game that was played here on our hallowed turf was nothing short of a slog, a true battle between two teams who were in desperate need of these points and who played like it from the off. Pedro Labindalawa and Shawn Maloney-Pohojnen had to block the one or two chances that both sides produced, but apart from that, the first hour of this game was tense as all hell for both sides. Everything was ramping up and up and up, because everyone knew that a draw wouldn't help either side in this scenario, so things were certainly feeling tense across the board. All that everyone in that building needed was just that one goal, just to calm everyone down and to start those dreams up once again...but everyone in valkoinen ja sininen would have to wait until the 72nd for that moment to finally come, when a corner from Gustav Brodin was headed past Labindalawa by Ebba Persson to break the deadlock finally. The roar that goal produced was simply glorious, and from there, you felt that this game was ours. When that final whistle blew, and the game was declared over, there would be no field storm...but the players would still celebrate, and the flag would return to the cauldron, just as it did two years ago. Kimi-Suomi, huh? Kimi-Suomi. A nation once thought of as a joke is now going to back-to-back World Cups. And all of a sudden, the gap between ourselves and our "mestarit" in JYK-inen is barely anything. We are in the middle of the best run of our existence...and damn, it feels good.

Oh, and we lost 2-1 to Hanalinen, but no one was sober enough to care about that.

SCHEDULE/AJOITTAA (Group 1)
MD1: @Andso Mangis (188) W 3-1
MD2: @Doychnya (395) W 1-0 (2nd)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD3: vs Ääniorjainen [Audioslavia] (8) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki L 0-1 (3rd)
MD4: @Bharatamandala (325) D 0-0 (3rd)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD5: vs Venäjän Imperiumi EPL [Russian Empire EHA] (343) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki W 3-1 (2nd)
MD6: ~~@Pyazhnaya (30) - Krasnograd Dome, Krasnograd L 0-3 (3rd)~~
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD7: vs Länsi-Vdara [West Vdara] (70) - Galaktien Colosseum (Colosseum of the Galaxies), Lumikukkulat D 1-1 (4th)
MD8: @Abanhfleft (83) L 1-2 (4th)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD9: vs Hanalinen [Hanalia] (91) - Galaktien Colosseum (Colosseum of the Galaxies), Lumikukkulat W 2-0 (4th)
MD10: vs Andso Mangis (188) - Galaktien Colosseum (Colosseum of the Galaxies), Lumikukkulat W 3-0 (3rd)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD11: vs Doychnya (395) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki W 3-2 (3rd)
MD12: @Ääniorjainen [Audioslavia] (8) - The Beltzarga, Glassbridge, Cathair L 0-2 (4th)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD13: vs Bharatamandala (325) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki W 3-2 (3rd)
MD14: @Venäjän Imperiumi EPL [Russian Empire EHA] (343) D 0-0 (3rd)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD15: ~~vs Pyazhnaya (30) - Galaktien Colosseum (Colosseum of the Galaxies), Lumikukkulat~~ BYE (3rd)
MD16: @Länsi-Vdara [West Vdara] (70) - Grand Amphitheater of the Proletariat, Agios Stavros W 1-0 (2nd)
----------------------------------------------------------------
MD17: vs Abanhfleft (83) - The Nest [Pesä], Kimi Kaupunki W 1-0 (2nd)
MD18: @Hanalinen [Hanalia] (91) - National Stadium, Hanalia(?) L 1-2 (2nd/9-3-4/30pts/+9GD)

So now, we have made it to Farfadillis for our second-straight World Cup, an honour no one really expected Kimi-Suomi, of all nations, to achieve, but maybe the Centennial has brought about a new vibe to the Huuhkajat that has made everything go our way. No matter why or how, Esko Laaksonen has pulled this one off and now, three more games await us at the highest level. But who will we play in Group C?
- Starting off on MD1, we have to start with a rematch against the #5 team in the world, who beat us last time en route to the Final itself - The Jackalopes of Tanirinthinen. We did push all the way to penalties back then, a sign of how far both of us had come at that point, but Samuel Greer's side has pushed on from even that, winning Group 4 with relative ease to make it back to the dance. Their high-attacking 3-4-3 had become a problem for even the best of sides...but we have pushed them before. Voisimmeko tehdä sen uudestaan? Kuka tietää?
- After that comes the second-lowest-ranked side to make the tournament in the form of #87 Pomachetti, who have been on an eventful journey to make it here. Na Leoidí i Virdi entered qualifying as Baptism of Fire Champions, beating Maritaine on penalties to claim the tradition cycle-opener, but since then, Aréosto Tacorbhí has taken the sport by storm, finishing 3rd in a competitive Group 2 before beating Natkr in the Playoff to make their WC Debut at the first attempt, a feat rarely seen in the modern era. What is their secret? An attacking 4-5-1 that has stumped most opponents they have faced. Watch out for these guys; they will not be pushovers at all.
- Finally, we have another team we have never played before - The Edsmon Eagles of Edsmontik. Another nation who made made the WC as BoF Champions, the World #11 was a Top 4 team not that long ago for good reason, but even they were denied a Top 2 spot in Group 11 by Busoga, then surviving a Playoff Deciding scare against Myrtle Beach just to make it here. But even with their resolve tested far more than expected, Dav der-Ghavyr still has a brilliant side at their disposal, one that can shift between 4-3-2-1 and 4-2-4 with ease.

This will not be easy. But Kimi-Suomi had made a knack of flipping off the odds, so maybe we can do it again.
For the first time ever, both Kimi-Suomi and JYK-inen will enter the Dance together.
For the Huuhkajat, it's simple - we aren't gonna let those Jags go further than us.
NOSTA KUIN HUUHKAJAT!

SCHEDULE/AJOITTAA (Group C, Farfadillis)
MD1: vs Tanirinthinen [Tanirinthia] (5)
MD2: vs Pomachetti (87)
MD3: vs Edsmontik (11)

by **Busoga Islands** » Fri Jun 05, 2026 7:32 am

The Lakiska Daily

Never stop climbing- Busogans find themselves in Pot 2 for the World Cup Finals

TROGLOGRAD, PARADYSTOPIA- It's World Cup time! What strange times these are- the Busoga Islands are in the Finals, and it's actually... Expected? Truly, truly a shock. Turns out, we were really in one of the toughest World Cup groups- labeled a group of death going in, we got out of it with a top 2, automatic qualification slot. We had to battle with many different struggles- in particular, with winning a game where our manager was suspended for earning a red card. The firing of the head of BISA, by the President of the entire country. And a whole host of difficulties. So while there is division- there is unity. It's the World freaking Cup, after all.

"My excitement levels, personally, are through the roof." Said a fan from the Busoga Islands at Lakiska International Airport. "We are a team built for success- we not only made it here, but we've proven that we can do some serious damage once we're here. And look, we're just 3 spots in the rankings behind Banija. Imagine... We surpass those orange & green [redacted] in the KPB+ rankings?? That would be legendary. But we've got legitimate talent, and probably the best coach in all of football- taking our tiny nation into the top 20, into Pot 2, for the World Cup Finals. Let's get out of this group, and then make some magic happen."

What this team is surely looking for, is magic indeed. The group, is not easy- and everybody's amped for Matchday 1. First game of the tournament, it's Pot 2 v. pot 1, as the Islanders are drawn with the #9 team in the world, Kwrpania. "They are a legitimate dark horse to win this tournament, and for good reason." Emeline Millet, Busoga's manager, told reporters. "Top players, from top leagues, all over the multiverse. It's the type, and depth, of high end talent that you need to go deep into a major international tournament, such as this one. We will have our hands full in that matchup- so we must be prepared."

Stylistically, this offers seasoned fans a chance at watching some extremely fascinating soccer. Kwrpania is always going to get forward- they are always looking to fly forward, attack the goal, and make things a track meet. It fits their players, and it is the national ethos when it comes to football. As for us, we're going to sit back and defend- although when the opportunities come, we won't hesitate to get forward on the counters. "Expect a lot of strong attacks, and then opportunities to score on the counter- and counters to counters." Said one Busogan TV analyst. "If this is a game that's going to end 4-2 or 4-2, Kwrpania has the firepower- but if this game ends 1-0, or 2-1, it's the type of low scoring game that favors the Islanders. Fans on both sides will want to have a fast start in what will surely be a challenging group."

The Busogans will reach the tournament healthy- having qualified with one matchday remaining in the campaign. They made some waves at the last tournament, getting all the way to the Round of 16- before losing to the eventual finalists on penalties. The question is, do the Busogans have the depth to make a deep run at an expanded tournament? There's an extra game, and that's a lot at a major tournament. Another chance at injuries, a poorly timed card, or tackle, etc.. You're going to have to get at least 4 points if you want to be assured of a spot in the next stage, and this group has no easy wins.

But as they say - if it's worth doing, it's probably difficult.

Delbin Kasekende Sr., tailgating with Busogan fans ahead of their World Cup match against Kwrpania

It had been an up and down qualifying campaign for Delbin Kasekende Sr. Well, of course, a down one- he had gotten unjustly fired by the President. The public had largely gotten behind him, and with the team on the world's biggest stage- he was in a good position to reap the emotional rewards of the team's performance. If they make a run? Well, he was certainly the guy who took them from not much more than a numbers ~~strike~~, to a team that could make a large, legitimate impact here at the World Cup Finals. While he had wished that they had been in the Arrosian group in World Cup Qualifying, what mattered the most was that they were in the Finals.

For now, though, he was forced to be just a fan, instead of his rightful job as head of BISA- and he was going to make the most of his time as an everyman's politician. First, not only would he be here, hanging around in the normal seats of the stadium- he figured, why not join one of the official supporter's groups for a tailgate? The images were brilliant for a guy trying to connect with the people- he was working the grill, with an apron on and everything, making some halal burgers for the fans, and having a great time smoking hookah with the people.

He even helped the team lead their cheers.

"B-U-S! O-G-A!
BUSOGA IS THE TEAM FOR ME
WITH A KNICK KNACK PADDY WHACK
GIVE A DOG A BONE
WHY DON"T THE KWRPS
F*#! OFF HOME!"

It was the World Cup. He was going to be a fan section leader. How could one not be excited for what could be such a legendary moment in the history of Busogan football?

by **Dantopia** » Fri Jun 05, 2026 9:19 am

VOL. 46,178

LION CITY, DANTOPIA

FRIDAY 5TH JUNE, 2026

₵100

World Cup Group Stage Awaits For Dantopians

Rick Bishop Announces His Official 26-Man Squad For World Cup Group Stages In Farfadillis

By SAUL ARNSTEIN

See also... PO3 1st Leg | PO3 2nd Leg | PO3 3rd Leg

PACIFISTA, FARFADILLIS — The Dantopian national team have arrived for the World Cup in the Arrosian island nation of Farfadillis. Their base camp near the eastern city of Pacifista has provided the Lions side with a touch of home comfort, a bright and sunny seaside resort to train from, just a ways east of the city, though the differences between the two nations is still extremely evident. Commenting on the political and cultural makeup of the Farf state is a very tricky minefield, but the state of Farolera — which Pacifista is in the northern reaches of — is economically powerful, perhaps owing to their ability to sustain themselves during the years of anarchy in the nation, and it comprises of fertile farmland and lush forests. Drawn into Group P, Rick Bishop's side will face the World Cup hosts, Farfadillis, alongside fellow Arrosians Banija, and Anaian side Bostopia. To put it bluntly, the Lions don't have much hope at all to advance from this group, with all three teams placed well above Dantopia in the world rankings, particularly Farfadillis and Banija, who are 21st and 14th respectively. Having said that, a plucky 3-3 draw with 5th ranked Tanirinthia was achieved in the qualifying group stages, and the 5-1 demolition of 32nd placed Eshialand was the surprise result for many in qualifying Group 4.

Rick Bishop

With that being said, the manager has been cautiously optimistic, not just throughout the qualifying run, but even now at the World Cup Finals. "We are here on our own merit, and we need to stop looking at it pessimistically, that we are just lucky to be here." remarked Bishop. "We deserve our place in the final forty-eight, and I have total confidence in the lads to go out and perform on the global stage. We certainly aren't favourites, sure, but we aren't here simply to make up the numbers. We're here to compete." Whether its confidence or bluster coming out of Bishop's mouth — the Dantopian media generally seem to think it's the latter — the fact of the matter is that he has guided this talented squad to this stage, Dantopia's first ever World Cup proper, and he needs to be given his flowers for doing such a remarkable job after inheriting the job from Harold Northgate. Dantopia's only claim to fame as a national side has been the South Pacific Cup many cycles ago, but this World Cup stage is another kettle of fish entirely.

With qualification to the latter stages, the manager was tasked with trimming down his initial thirty-five-man roster to just twenty-six players. A few names just missed the cut, with Sam Hughes, Nehemiah Cunningham, Alexander Apeti and Maverick Johnson being notable examples. However, the squad selected is certainly Dantopia's strongest ever, and key to any potential success the Lions have will be the performances of Ezra Cunningham, Bradini Brunson and Johnny Kealoha. All three played huge roles during the qualifying run, and will be relied upon more than ever now the Lions are on the biggest stage of all. Defensive players Alex Bullvale, Sam Robinson-Tate, Keegan Foster and Kaleb Kahananui will all be busy at the back, as the national team attempt to quash the attacks of the Farvians, the Banijans and the Bostopians in successive matches. Dantopia face the hosts first in match-day one, followed by Banija, and finally Bostopia. It's unlikely the Lions get any more games beyond that.

NUMPOSPLAYER NAMEAGETEAMNATIONAPPGLSASSCLS
1   GK   Alex Bullvale               34   Kyethas Rivermen FC      TKT   31    0     0    10
2   CB/RB   Sam Robinson-Tate           24   Hondo FC                 VAL   21    1     0     4
3   LB/CB   Dwight Krol                 28   Portland Pirates         DAN   17    0     1     3
4   CB   Keegan Foster               27   Miruan City FC           TKT   32    2     1     9
5   CB   Makaio Cruz-Richards        25   Dartford Oilers          DAN   18    0     0     5
6   DM/CM   Kai Watanabe                26   Portland Pirates         DAN   24    0     0    --
7   AM/LW   Jeremiah Taramaia           28   Lion City FC             DAN   15    2     5    --
8   CM   Ezra Cunningham             30   Club ESF                 VAL   74   17    9    --
9   CF   Bradini Brunson             28   Lion City FC             DAN   35   22    2    --
10   AM/CM   Johnny Kealoha              30   Kyethas Rivermen FC      TKT   36    7    21   --
11   RW   Adebayo Adeyemi             32   Grenadiers               DAN   67   18   13   --
12   RB/LB   Raphael Lacroix             29   Dartford Oilers          DAN   18    0     1     5
13   GK   Winston Akana               28   Vna-Chuhul Ravens FC     TKT    9     0     0     4
14   LW/CF   Jeremiah Jackson Jr.        30   Rockport Ravens          DAN   13    0     1    --
15   CB   Emerson Cromwell            28   Bul Khungur Miners FC    TKT   22    0     0     7
16   LB/RB   Dalton O'Higgins            26   Dartford Oilers          DAN   17    1     2     3
17   RW   Nico Hollins                28   Portland Pirates         DAN   28    4     5    --
18   CM/AM   Elleby Young                22   Stein-los Turkish        PAS   12    0     1    --
19   CF   Zeke Edwards                21   Waiakea Warriors         DAN   25    7     0    --
20   CM/AM   Bradley Bing                19   Portland Pirates         DAN   13    2     1    --
21   LB/CM   Kaleb Kahananui             20   Vna-Chuhul Ravens FC     TKT   33    2     2    10
22   RB   DeAnthony Moorhouse         26   Waiakea Warriors         DAN    4     0     0     2
23   CM/DM   Omari Opetaia               28   Waiakea Warriors         DAN    9     1     3    --
24   CB   Tyson Taylor                20   Apollo FC                DAN    8     0     0     4
25   LW   Zaïre Thomas                20   Dartford Oilers          DAN   12    2     0    --
26   GK   Rigobert Moses              25   Dartford City            DAN    2     0     0     1

Farfadillis
Trigramme:FFD
Region:Arrosia
World Ranking:21st
Nickname:La Vherderoja
Head Coach:Yuan Zilai
Formation:4-3-3
Last Appeared:World Cup 100 Group Stages

Names to potentially watch out for in the Farfadillis game include; Ügüs Hâx — Robinson-Tate's centre-back partner at Hondo FC in Valanora; Míkêl Lôçô — a central piece to the Farf midfield, and a real all-rounder; Lêyêló Jáánsêlà — a generational, but ageing Farf talent who has always had a knack for covering, and smothering, the entirety of the pitch, such is their talent and tirelessness; and any host of the attacking options, Donato Trigueros, Qehu Daj Zhdihi, Dénes Robineau, Heliodoro Bochas or Edmün Léloj. The overall quality of the Farf side is simply leagues ahead of the Dantopian one, and it's very much expected that Bishop will opt for a defensive structure to try and keep the World Cup hosts at bay as long as they can.

It's been rumoured that the manager will try a back five against Farfadillis and Banija specifically, though the media covering the Dantopian national team have been rushed far away from the training camp before any tactical instructions have been given on the pitch, so it can't be confirmed with any certainty whether the back five plan will go ahead or not. It's not a formation the Lions have a lot of experience with, seldom utilising it, perhaps in end-game situations only. It could potentially bring out the best in players like Dalton O'Higgins and Kaleb Kahananui, however, since they are very potent wing-back options, with the role possibly suiting them even better than that of traditional full-back. Nico Hollins could be a potential shout too, playing out of position, as his ability to track back and defend from the wing is a well-known quality in his game, and one Geoff Hendrickson at the recent league champions — the Portland Pirates — relies upon season after season.

The only thing left now for the Lions is to face the music, and put their best feet forward at this World Cup. The fans back home will be watching with bated breath as the Dantopian national anthem is played in front of a packed out stadium for match-day one against the tournament hosts. If Rick Bishop's side can put on a show against one of the presumptive favourites to get out of the group, it would send a remarkable message to the rest of the pack that the Dantopians mean business, though even just a minor defeat would be seen as acceptable in all likelihood. What the Dantopian fans really don't want is utter embarrassment on the world stage, with all eyes on them, but this could sadly be a very real possibility. Taking one's lumps in a maiden world cup campaign might well be part of a well-rehearsed script, possibly fuelling the ambitions of young Dantopian talents across the nation, to avenge in the future. The smart money is on a comfortable Farf victory, but a tiny sliver of hope remains in many Lions fans that they could pull off an upset — only time will tell.

dantopia.football
1d

Rick Bishop has announced the 26-man selection that is on the plane to Farfadillis for the World Cup Group Stages. Here are their squad numbers. #Dantopia #Lions #WorldCup101 #GroupStage

Expected Line-up — MD1 vs. Farfadillis:

Starting Eleven:
GKP: 1. Alex Bullvale
DEF: 16. Dalton O'Higgins 2. — Sam Robinson-Tate — 5. Makaio Cruz-Richards — 4. Keegan Foster — 21. Kaleb Kahananui
MID: 10. Johnny Kealoha — 8. Ezra Cunningham (C) — 6. Kai Watanabe — 7. Jeremiah Taramaia
FWD: 9. Bradini Brunson
Available Substitutes:
13. Winston Akana — 12. Raphael Lacroix — 15. Emerson Cromwell — 18. Elleby Young — 20. Bradley Bing — 23. Omari Opetaia — 11. Adebayo Adeyemi — 17. Nico Hollins — 19. Zeke Edwards

by **The Kytler Peninsulae** » Fri Jun 05, 2026 9:33 am

OOC note:
This RP starts by immediately following the last one,
ultimately tying up the election arc - but then takes
a time skip towards the Proper, incorporating the
Tikariotian scandal into Kytlerian IC lore.

Previously on WC101, KP wrote:There was a tiny bit of deliberation around technicalities of the release after that, but this became the plan. Get the Moffatt quote on the record, but as preparation for an attack rather than launching straight into a committal lunge. You could probably make some chess analogies out of that - and they would be very fitting considering the nation's first sporting representatives post-Reopening were in the Elephant Chess Cup and that Kytlerian chess team has gone on to build a historic dynasty - but what mattered here was that this was the move, and it was now the PKP's.

Early that evening, the Workers' Party issued a press release describing Moffatt's pro-Isolation NUP past, and ended with a call to action not to voters - not directly at least, or at least not yet - but to the PKP:

"The PKP's origin story is rooted in a bid to explicitly sever ties with the NUP's Andersonian legacy that voters have rejected at every opportunity since the Reopening. Someone who was so vocally isolationist in his NUP past and has not, to our knowledge, openly rejected that past is an obvious liability for the party; his very presence within the PKP, especially in a substantial role with a meaningful portfolio, undermines their very reason for existence, and they should recognise this vulnerability and act accordingly."

A very long-winded, backhanded way of saying "sack him." The following morning, they duly did - even thanking the Workers' Party for "bringing the matter to our attention" and promising enhanced vetting of future NUP defectors. The moment had passed, and the decision to take this approach to the discovery helped ensure that, when the election inevitably failed to give anyone a clear path to a majority, the resulting government was a Workers'-PKP coalition, one that PM Mulholland-Pearce described as "a continuation of our (Workers') party's priorities in government, with a pragmatic element of restraint against the excesses that can sometimes quite inadvertently occur when one party spends an extended period in office." The PKP mirrored this by saying their role in government was "to ensure that this government's priorities are not pursued at all costs, both politically and financially."

A few weeks later, this government would face its biggest test. The neighbouring nation of Tikariot - along with the Anaian nation of Pyazhnaya, with whom they have close ties - were sensationally disqualified from World Cup 101 qualification after anti-doping investigators found evidence of a "systemic pattern of synthetic RPD use" in both countries that was considered "likely to reflect a state-sponsored doping protocol." Retesting of samples taken during the Copa Rushmori and World Baseball Classic also found evidence of synthetic RPDs, administrators of the former retroactively rescinding Tikariot's three recent titles in response. It is understood that some older testing methods used at the time failed to produce clear evidence and were known for producing false positive outcomes on occasion due to difficulty in detecting modern synthetic RPDs that are based on approved substances such as Verbosita, but that the new "26L"¹ test - which has gained trust for its far lower rate of false positives - produced "a remarkably clear signal of consistent synthetic RPD use specific to these two nations."

And this was a lightning rod and a half that struck directly at the thread that runs through Kytlerian narratives like a stick of rock - drugs and fear of their misuse. It was in the nation's origin story when Kytler Bay was a drug-smuggling haven long before the nation's modern foundation. It has triggered localised moral panics on a regular basis ever since, like the Verbosita spike in Edencliff decades ago or the flying fur around a short-lived craze for taking purified meow mix around the same time. Above all, it was the pretext that - along with violence at the Zube-Bay City Olympics - was used as the basis for Thomas Anderson's NUP to romp to political power and prommptly introduce a block on all Kytlerian involvement in international sport that lasted a generation, along with power-grabbing centralisation measures that mostly remain to this day.

And now you're saying that the nation's trusted southeastern neighbour - with whom almost nobody outside of military nationalist scumbags in the garrison town of Bravin 15km from the border had any beef with outside of a friendly sporting rivalry that most Kytlerians simply enjoyed being able to have - was now a multiversal pariah over a new, sophisticated, and (this was the bit that stunned quite a few Kytlerian observers given Tikariotian pride in environmental protection) apparently highly energy-intensive form of doping?!? It's like every far-right conspiracy theory you could cook up, and a few even they couldn't, were actually true. And the obvious consequence of this would be for millions of Kytlerians to suddenly start to believe that this lot - the Just Say No lot, the True Varnian lot who'd literally endorsed the terror at the Clituleng Giisost Stadium last winter that precipitated the recent election to begin with?

¹ An IC name inspired by how a pangram contains all 26 letters of the alphabet.

by **Paradystopia** » Fri Jun 05, 2026 9:34 am

Right on cue, the trapdoor clicked open.

Leaving an ethereal ripple in the amalgamating clouds of dry ice, a young man disappeared silently down through this hidden aperture to the chamber below leaving behind the echoing cries and shouts of an audience who had just witnessed a spectacle. The ungainly landing upon the conveniently placed crash mat, exactly as had happened in rehearsal had done little to dampen the man's spirits. Adrenalin was still coursing wildly about his entire bloodstream bringing with it a bout of nervous giggling as he contemplated the fact that he, Bobby Vee had just potentially jeopardised his golden ticket to the big time.

From one silly little song on the internet to a performance at the opening ceremony for World Cup 101 in the space of barely two months. He could've just gone out there and done his silly little song, just like in rehearsal. Unfortunately for Bobby Vee, he was a maverick and sticking to the script wasn't in his playbook.

Catching his breath, supine within the soft embrace of the protective matting, he could hear the performance above continuing on regardless of his unapproved stunt. He also thought he could hear a rumble of murmurs from the crowd but with the noise of those onstage, combined with the thumping beat of his heart reverberating in his ears, maybe this was just wishful thinking. Regardless of what was yet to transpire, he felt sure he had left a mark upon World Cup history.

A steely grip dug into his shoulder, and ushered him brusquely off the cushion and to his feet. From there, before he could proffer a word of protestation, he found himself being briskly marched away from the bustling backstage area via labyrinthine passageways. The grip on his shoulder never faltered, maintaining the perfect amount of power to be on the cusp of causing pain. It directed him silently down to the depths of the venue, down to where the thrum of those gathered here faded away to nought but an atmospheric rumble.

Finally, in some dimly-lit corridor, the hand that had been so fixed upon him relented it's hold, releasing him with a subtle shove for good measure that caused him to have to catch his footing.

Turning to face the owner of the hand, Bobby saw a gaunt and wiry figure who at first glance would seem incapable of the strength he had just bore witness to. The weary, unimpressed face of the figure was illuminated at one side by a mouldering poorly-rolled cigarette; it's gentle red glow giving extra emphasis to the sallow cheekbones on the left hand side.

"Robert ..."

"I usually go by Bo..."

"You've had your fakkin' moment, kid so don't fakkin' push me, Robert."

The eyes twinkled with a cold anger as the gentleman took a long drag of his cigarette.

"So then, Robert ... What the fakk was that?"

"Was what?"

"The fakkin' song, kid. You were meant to sing that fakkin' 'ten ninety-three' or whatever. You know, your stupid little viral hit that them Farvian pricks decided should be the official fakkin' World Cup song?"

"Oh ... I ... well ... creative licence?"

"Creative fakkin' licence?! You fakkin' serious? It's a fakkin' split-second choreographed show for the World Cup; the first fakkin' World Cup on Paradystopi soil, not some little backstreet gig to three guys and a dog. Who the fakk told you you had creative fakkin' licence? Absolute bloody shitshow this is. First we have the fakkin' Farvians with their last minute procedural changes, we've got protestors outside with 'Justice for the Tikariotians' banners like they don't read or watch the fakkin' news, bloody Duke Aim sending recommendations for Wightling acts for the ceremony, the fakkin' penguin mascots assigned to T'holy Empire in the parade have buggered off somewhere without a fakkin' trace, the replacement mascot have gone and done the bloody same, and now I've got some jumped-up internet prick going 'rather than sing that song I'm contracted to sing, I'm instead gonna rile up a who's-who of international football'. This damn event is gonna give me a fakkin' aneurysm."

"But ... well ... It'll be memorable though, right?"

"I remember vividly when I fell out of a fakkin' tree over thirty years ago. Fell ten or so feet and hit the last branch, legs fakkin' akimbo, bollocks first. Memorable don't necessarily mean good, kid."

Ten or so minutes earlier

"... and now we have Robert Voyse, better known as Bobby Vee, with his internet sensation hit, 'Ten ninety-thr... Sorry, no, this is not 'Ten ninety-three', there appears to have been a change to the schedule? Please enjoy ... ermm ... an original composition by local sensation; Bobby Vee ..."

THE SONG FROM THE CEREMONY

World Cup 101, Let's go.

VERSE 1
You know it's over before we've begun
There's only one team in the mix who can't be outdone
So get on the phone, notify a loved one
Before you're struck by a one hundred and one, megaton homerun
'Who's the nation?' you cry
And though I don't want to boast
But it's none other than your most humble host
Who said the Farfs?
Serious answers only please
Their best at a squeeze
is a choke in the semis
So not the Vanorians?
The Saint Eleanorians?
The Tanirinthians?
Aphrilians?
Or even the Valentinians?
Yes, I'm unzealous
About the squad of Squornshellous
Scoring goals is too foreign
To the team of Ko-oren
But us?
Well, you may call me egotistic
With rhymes antagonistic
Though claim my dreams unrealistic?
Now hey, I ain't no mystic but

CHORUS
Paradystopia (Paradystopia. Soon to be football champions of the Multiverse)
(Pa-pa-pa-paradystopia) Uh yeah, Paradystopia. Soon to be football champions of the Multiverse.
(Paradystopia. Pa-pa-pa-paradystopia)

VERSE 2
Debutantes Snestar, the fresh-faced Viola
How did you qualify? Did you win a tombola?
You'd be better remaining strapped up in your baby stroller
Or we'll have you sweaty like a rancid piece of mouldy gorgonzola
You can't think we're scared of the Empire that's Holy?
We'll minced up their Shoggoths to make guacamole
You see ancient force, I see past-it has-been
Can you dream up a reality in which you actually win?
So add to your history
Our upcoming victory
Or cloud it with sophistry
To cover your misery
And who the heck are Baker Park?
If I had to rank their skill I'd put a question mark.
You're the gold and black
Is this really true?
More like black and blue
Once we're done with you.
Now, on prestige you're banking
Unless I'm misunderstanding
Though who cares about your ranking
When you're getting a spanking from

CHORUS

BRIDGE
There's notes you can take down
From this lyrical shakedown
Whilst we take a quick pause for a canonical breakdown
interlude
Welcome back from intermission
With it's limited edition
Fresh fugal exposition
In the classical tradition
Don't get composition?
Do you have a condition?
Then I give you my permission
To improve your erudition
So don't be a transgressor
Let's all come together
To accept the new successor
Set to conquer whoever
And if you'll truly clever
You'll grab an umbrella
To shield from the blows
Raining down in sick a cappella from

CHORUS x2

AI declaration: AI text-to-speech was used for vocal tracks. All composition/cutting/mixing/etc. my own work. Zero offence intended whatsoever with any of the jibes contained within the song.

by **Chromatika** » Fri Jun 05, 2026 9:46 am

This World Cup Proper Group Stage sees Chromatika in a state of transition once again. The country has literally just translated back into the Prime Material Plane, into the subregion of Pavola, in the region of Rushmore, in the middle of the Komodo Channel off the western coast of The Kytler Peninsulae. Chromatik officials and Yesopalithan clerics are in the middle of making sure that the impact on the natural fauna and flora will be lessened as much as possible, though environmental groups still remain vocal on their concerns regarding what’s happened. The return of nearly 700,000 souls that had been displaced with The Great Resonance Shift has been a huge boon to the Chromatik people, though challenges remain with the fact that those souls hadn’t aged a single day since they’ve gone missing – leading to an interesting situation regarding the psyche of the Chromatik people.

Finishing 13-3-2 with 42 points, Chromatika won the group by six points, scoring 44 goals and conceding 19 in those eighteen matches. It is one of the strongest qualification campaigns in Chromatik history, with the 10-0-0 start to the campaign carrying most of the weight; it can indeed be argued that the Anomalies limped to a 3-3-2 conclusion near the end.

Three things have become very apparent to the Anomalies heading into their three matches against Aphrilia, Oberour Ar Moro, and Choppyhausen in Paradystopia. The first was that this team definitely had the quality to fulfill their goals. Modestly, the Anomalies would like to reach at least the Round of Sixteen; the fanbase were hoping for more than that, but winning at least one match would have them finish around their rank, at least. Secondly, Both Nina and Hrönn Sæsdóttir had definitely earned their spots on the roster. It did mean taking a total of four players that played primarily in the center-back position of the 3-4-1-2, but the way that the twins provided the team with the flexibility needed to shift to a 4-3-2-1 or even a 4-2-2 was remarkable. Though it remained to be seen how the formation would hold up against world class opposition in the World Cup, having another tool in the toolbox was never a bad thing. Finally, two things remained true for the Anomalies – the veterans could still play (Xuen-Zhukov, the last remaining Fillar, Sourtois) but youth was the movement (the Lethbridge-Antonio twins being the posterchild of this). Though none had performed well enough to dethrone the established starters already, the dichotomy between established talent and new blood coming up was being maintained.

Oberour Ar Moro will be the very first team that the Chromatiks face in this Group Stage. This will be their first meeting ever. Oberour Ar Moro is a recent Rushmori riser that’s done rather well in previous Copa Rushmoris, Oberour Ar Moro scored 34 points in Group 12, going 10-4-4 with 38 goals scored and 28 conceded to place second in a group that had Squornshelan Remnant States, Saterun, and Delaclava. The +10 Goal Differential may give some Chromatik fans hope, but it does mean that the squad knows how to play in narrow matches that require attention to finer detail. This match will set the tone for the rest of the World Cup Proper Group Stage, knowing that 4 points will likely be enough to advance.

Then, Chromatika takes on Aphrilia, a team on the rise that is actually the top seeds in the group. Aphrilia won Group 14 in Qualifying, going 15-0-3 for 45 Points, with 34 Goals scored and 13 Goals Allowed for a Goal Differential of +21. Chromatika has gone 0-1-1 against Aphrilia in the past, losing 1-0 in World Cup 97 but defeating them in Penalty Kicks in the Round of Sixteen of the 25th Independent Association Championships. If the Anomalies were to defeat them, it would prove to themselves and the rest of the field that they were a team to be considered as a true threat going forward.

Their final opponent would be Choppyhausen, the Pot 4 squad who placed fourth in Group 9, going 7-7-4 with 27 Goals Scored and 23 Goals Allowed in a group that had the likes of Indusse, Flavovespia, and Drawkland. Group 9 notably sent five teams to the World Cup, including this Choppyhausen squad that required a tiebreaking third game to beat Katzeburg and then upset Zwangzug to qualify.

It turns out that this Group is a group of defense – no team conceded more than 28 goals, and Chromatika’s 44 goals scored was the most. It’s not the hardest group on paper, but everyone in is a team that knows how to handle close, hard-fought matchups. Chromatika is not the one that is being chased, but a team that is absolutely being clocked as one of the threats looming in the horizon; it remains to be seen if they can actually live up to the hype.

This is the final year of Alina Khabibullina’s five-cycle contract, she who earned a two-cycle extension by the Round of Sixteen result not too long ago. Will she lead Chromatika back to the promised land and allow the team to reach heights that they haven’t in a long time? Or will this team fade into obscurity, being left to find a new Manager and figure out how to move forward?

It can be said that any and all chances at the World Cup are precious. Some say that the expansion to 48 teams have cheapened the experience, but when it comes to establishing legacy and writing history, it all starts from here.

Chromatika has gone through enough. This team has gone through enough. Unfortunately, competition doesn’t care what your story has been nor what your potential may be going forward. You have to earn every single thing that you gain, and especially in the world of sports, there are no such things as skipping steps.

It’s what makes the grind so worthwhile – and what keeps everyone spellbound as the team continues on their journey forward.

by **Valanora** » Fri Jun 05, 2026 10:41 am

The mood is quite buoyant inside the Marauders camp as they head into the first of the three games in the group stage of the hundred and first World Cup, though only one goal was on the mind of nearly all the players and staff that were there to compete. It is no secret that the Marauders and her fans have been desiring the record breaking sixth World Cup for some time now, much has been made in the recent past about it now having taken longer to win the sixth World Cup than it took to win the first five of those titles in the first place. It is hard to say that the team or the fans are suffering as they have had unrivaled success in their past but when that success in so many generations in the past that only the elves who remains were alive to remember that, you can understand why some feel like the team has suffered. With an undefeated qualifying campaign, the only dropped points coming in an away draw to what is turning into a bit of a bogey team in Milchama, the squad seems to have been laser focused on getting through and heading to the knockout rounds to attempt the road to that ultimate goal.

Ellzidan has done exceptionally well with her time in charge of the Marauders, having taken over from Millet from Ko-oren after the World Cup 97 Final, yet like all those who have come before her the goal of winning that title has eluded her. This campaign has seen a perfect blend of what the Drawkian has been trying to provide the team with the right balance between the attack and defense. The latter is perhaps the more impressive of the feats for the elf, as the Marauders have never truly been known for their ability on the defensive side of the equation, so getting the team to average less than a goal conceded a game is something of an accomplishment. Getting the defense to continue to play at such a high caliber will be perhaps the biggest challenge now that the team is here in the Finals, where everything gets a little bit more difficult as every team who has qualified has shown their form and talent over the last year. Making sure the offense, which finish just two goals shy of the most scored in all of the qualifiers, does not hit a bad patch will also be important and ensuring that those two work in harmony will go a long way in giving the Marauders their best chance of moving forward.

The first test here in Farfadillis will be another instance of the so called "Vderby" between the Empire and nineteenth ranked Vdara, the latter coming off quite the impressive qualification campaign of their own. Only two losses and forty-nine goals scored en route to a forty point campaign and second place in Group 2 behind Aleirave is quite the impressive campaign. An unorthodox attacking outlook for a team that plays with five defenders at the back does pose an unique challenge to try and deal with, suggesting that the fullbacks more likely act as attacking fullbacks and will try to force the wingers from the Marauders into a more defensive posture to try and combat that. However in doing so they sacrifice the width higher up the pitch and if the Empire's own fullback and wingers can overwhelm them in the wide positions, it opens up an area of the pitch in which they can look to exploit. Aya Haukås is a phenomenal wide player and should that opportunity present itself, expect her to do a lot of work over on the right side of the pitch and sending in those searching crosses for Haaland or Hawk to get on the end of, which has been quite the winning formula in the past.

Biyambi will be the second team that the Marauders will tangle with here in southwestern Arrosia, coming in ranked at fifty-fifth in the most recent update to the rankings, and they are not expected to be competing for a chance to head out of the group. Despite their low rank and the expectations that have been made about them, they can not be underestimated as they did manage to qualify and that is a feat in of itself. Having finished third in Group 16, being the fortunate team of a three way tie at thirty-one points, they were able to win in the last round of the playoff against Strayaroos to make it to the Finals. Playing in a more traditional four at the back system, they are quite a bit alike in tactics like the Marauders themselves with wanting to be on the front foot and attack more than they want to absorb pressure on the defensive side of the game. It will be interesting to have a bit of a mirror match when it comes to tactics, meaning that the individual talent and the will to win will be the biggest difference between the side and with that being the case you would likely come to favor the Marauders with #UntitledElfGame being a common sporting tag for a reason.

Closing out group play in Farfadillis, the side will play against TJUN-ia, a nation that the Empire will know quite well across several different sports though there have been more than a few tilts between the nations here in football. Another team who finished third in their group, the Jags shocked many people when they were able to overcome Kelssek in the playoff to make it here to the Finals, with Kelssek having been quite heavily favored in that tilt. They round out a group who are all quite keen to be on the attack and that could mean those who are paying attention to Group E might be entertained with quite a many goals throughout the three matchdays. The Marauders will be looking to take advantage of the very close proximity of the Finals with a large presence at the games and hopefully a bit of support from the host nation with the most friendly relations between the two nations. On paper it is a group that seems rather straightforward but there have been many cases of high ranking teams thinking that their passage to the knockouts were already punched at the group draw before being shocked and grouped. With the focus that the Marauders showed in the qualifying campaign and the hunger to finally shake the hex of six, you would like to believe that would not be the case and that the Vanorians will be locked in and ready to pave the way through.

by **Tanirinthia** » Fri Jun 05, 2026 11:07 am

OF FATES AND FORTUNES
Chapter Forty-Two - Origins (continued)

”Up on the horse creature I did consider making a run for it, but quickly came to the conclusion to stay put. Where would I even run to, even if the portal was still somehow open, how would I find my way back there? Even if my goal were simply to escape my current predicament, surely it would be out of the pot and into the fire. In this strange land I had no basis for anything, what food was and what dangers awaited me out there. But most importantly I couldn’t abandon my friends, they were still out there somewhere, perhaps as some kind of hostages. If I were to escape perhaps it would seal their fates. No, my best hope, in fact my only hope of finding them lay going along for the ride.”

”We journeyed through an empty arid land, I couldn’t see any other signs of civilization, no dwellings, no road. The caravan stopped in the heat of the day in the shade of some trees, I was once again made to be separate from the group but this time I was not tied up, either due to the fact I hadn’t been aggressive to them, or more likely to to the question of where exactly I would run to. The answer to which reason was answered that evening when the caravan stopped to set up camp for the night, when the rope came out once more. This cycle continued for three more days. I had tried to pick up words but with the exception of my guardian the rest of the group tended to remain tight-lipped around me.”

”On the fourth day I saw it, the shining city on the hill. My first sign of civilization and what I presumed was our destination. At first I thought perhaps the heat and monotony of travel had gotten to me and caused me to see some kind of mirage, but it did not fade but grew stronger as we approached. I was not the only one seemingly buoyed by its appearance, although I couldn’t understand what the group was saying I could feel a shift of excitement.”

”As we drew closer it only became more wonderous. The shining material of the walls and buildings of this place was like nothing I had ever seen before. On a different world you would expect this, however as we got closer I noticed signs of masonry, it appeared to be all one solid mass as if carved out rather than constructed. What on earth would it have been carved out of vexed me, also as to why anyone would go to the trouble of carving out an entire city. I thought perhaps they had simply covered whatever the masonry with some kind of plaster perhaps, but just as there were no signs of masonry there were no signs of cracks or weathering you would expect to see, nothing but perfectly smooth unadulterated material.”

”I was so focused on the walls I hadn't noticed the caravan had come to a stop and I nearly went straight over the top of my horse. After getting myself back up straight, I saw that we had stopped right outside the wall, however there was no gate or door. I looked upwards in case there was a basket or something dropping down, but there was nothing in sight. I thought perhaps we were simply taking shelter in the shade, that was until who I had presumed was the leader of this group got off their horse and put their hand up against the wall. Odd I thought to myself, perhaps some sort of ritual when going to a new place. That was until suddenly, where there had been a wall mere moments ago, a doorway into the city opened up in front of us.”

Chapter One | Chapter Two | ~~Chapter Three~~ | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight | Chapter Nine | Chapter Ten | Chapter Eleven | Chapter Twelve | Chapter Thirteen | Chapter Fourteen | Chapter Fifteen | Chapter Sixteen | Chapter Seventeen | Chapter Eighteen | Chapter Nineteen | Chapter Twenty | Chapter Twenty-One | Chapter Twenty-Two | Chapter Twenty-Three | Chapter Twenty-Four | Chapter Twenty-Five | Chapter Twenty-Six | Chapter Twenty-Seven | Chapter Twenty-Eight | Chapter Twenty-Nine | Chapter Thirty | Chapter Thirty-One | Chapter Thirty-Two | Chapter Thirty-Three | Chapter Thirty-Four | Chapter Thirty-Five | Chapter Thirty-Six | Chapter Thirty-Seven | Chapter Thirty-Eight | Chapter Thirty-Nine | Chapter Forty | Chapter Forty-One | Chapter Forty-Two (Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven, Part Twelve, Part Thirteen, Part Fourteen, Part Fifteen)

Matchday Seventeen

Matchday Eighteen

by **Snestar** » Fri Jun 05, 2026 11:46 am

(AI Generated image in the background)

Amidst a match-fixing scandal, the Viola secures qualification for its first World Cup in history

After the results of Matchdays 17 and 18, the Viola had already started to prepare for the play-offs, as well as trying his best to eventually prepare for the Cup of Harmony, an insanely convoluted match-fixing scandal had been uncovered by hosts Paradystopia, Farfadillis (and Wight, I guess). The World Cup Committee found out about corruption within the various World Cup qualification groups, with two matches played by the Viola being affected, more specifically, the ones played against Brusselstein and Captina Island in Matchdays 16 and 17. The FSC is now scrambling to get the preparations ready for the World Cup, all while the nation is unanimously celebrating. One of our adepts for the WC101 broadcasting Andrea Mazzetta, specialized in these types of situations, has willingly offered to cover the scandal for all Snestaryans to understand while they uncork beautiful bottles of Bellamora wine.
(Fun Fact! “Mazzetta” is an Italian colloquial terms which refers to bribes. It indicates the pack of banknotes stereotypically handed as a method of bribing people)

What happened?

“The FSC has not released further declarations regarding the match-fixing scandal. Perhaps it is because Snestaryan media had not been well informed, mostly because they were busy talking about the situation of the National Team, as well as discussing all the potential play-off candidates. Reliable sources state that Tikariot and Phyazhanya had made an attempt to fix the results in their favor, which at first doesn’t make any sense: after all, how would Snestar not qualifying to the World Cup favor them in any way? They weren’t even in the same group as the Viola! Still, since apparently these people had interests in making Captina Island win, as well as favoring Brusselstein, the World Cup Committee has gladly brought much needed changes, that actually ended up in our favor, for once… Oh, and for the record, us Snestaryans have never given us a single Aspeni to referees, or VAR machines and technicians… Mostly because all of our money is spent making sure the people of Snestar don’t just fall asleep out of pure boredom. So, it’s time for the Viola to travel to its first ever World Cup! Will we do well? Perhaps! Are we prepared? No. Do we enjoy being unpredictable? Most definitely.”

Why is Snestar so boring?

“Ever since the Great War of the 1920s, which saw 20% of the Snestaryan population perish to defend our country, the nation has suffered thirty years of political turmoil. Then, after the economic crisis of 1950, which saw Snestar almost plunge into a Great Depression, the Socialpacifist movement started to rise, eventually taking complete control of the nation. While this might sound like a dictatorship, regular elections have always been held in Snestar, on a four-year frequency, yet the Socialpacifists have almost always steamrolled the results, hoarding votes in both the North and the South. And even though the tax rate has risen up to 96/97%, over the years the government has managed to invest such money in infrastructure, welfare programs, healthcare, public transport and education, while gradually dismantling the military until only a tiny shell remains (the entirety of the Snestaryan army only consists of 10 thousand people!).

Seeing how Snestar has entered a perpetual state of peace, pacifism and tranquility, the people have started to grow increasingly bored and uninspired by the Snestaryan flag. There’s simply nothing to fight for, nothing to improve: even the President herself, Nora Moroni, has stated on multiple occasions that she regrets running for office, finding herself “lacking a purpose”. One might think that a nation of tens of millions of bored people would be barely functioning, but one thing is keeping them all sane: every week, the entirety of Snestar unites in front of the screen to watch one of the regular Division Alpha matches. Through banter, quirky tifos, homages and flash-mobs, all of Snestar actually unites to follow one common interest… But what happens during the summer, when Division Alpha enters its off-season phase? Luckily for the government, that’s when the population normally goes on vacation, ensuring that nobody (apart from the President. Poor Nora, we hope you leave office soon!) feels purposeless ever again.”

Matchday 1 vs The Holy Empire
4-3-3 Formation
GK 1 Federico Calvaresi (C)
LB 5 Riccardo Cavaliere
CB 2 Giulio Maritan
CB 4 Vittorio Gallerani
RB 15 Daniele Maratea
CM 10 Martin de Roux
CM 14 Nicola Ragusa
CAM 16 Arminia Cremisi
LW 17 Federico Marchesi
ST 7 Tero Sjölund
RW 27 Elisa Baldriga

by **Pasarga** » Fri Jun 05, 2026 11:51 am

Igor Topić had spent the last few months in a weird state of feeling a sense of relief after the way that the qualification campaign had ended and the sudden weight of expectations that were now upon him with the Wanderers having actually qualified for the Finals. Having watched Zwanguzg crash out of the competition in the playoffs despite having been quite the heavy favorite, there was quite a bit of happiness that the team managed to overcome the dropped loss to Zwangzug with a pair of wins in the final window to secure qualification. The emphatic four to nothing drubbing of Saint Eleanor in the Stade de Torgos showed Igor the heart and determination that the squad had and that there was no quit in the team regardless of how much the odds seemed to be stacked against them to get the job done. It was quite the encouraging thing to witness in seeing the team play some of the best football that they had in years when it was all on the line, it showed the staff that they were going to fight when there backs were against the wall here in the Finals, which would be a huge turnaround from how the team competed last edition that forced Thor to resign.

There was a part of Igor that had to sit and wonder if this was actually a product of his own management or if he was simply getting the fruits of Thor's labor of love that simply had waited too long to appear for the Pasargan legend to have benefited from. This group stage trip was going to go a long ways towards peoples opinions on whether he was actually a good manager or if he was simply riding the coattails of those who had come before him, the system basically already set up for success and he simply was the one who happened to fall into the position at the right time. Thor had been a friend, they had played together some on the national team, and to come in behind him when Thor had such a vision not just for the national team but for Pasarga football as a whole still felt a little weird. Perhaps that was simply his loyalty to his friends speaking and not his ego, his ego knew that he had deserved this position and that he (as well as the rest of the staff) had worked their butts off to ensure that the Wanderers had been set up in the best way to have made it to the Finals.

Sitting with the staff on the plane to Paradystopia, Igor turned to look at Lazar Meier and started to talk with his assistant manager to try and take his mind off the intrusive thoughts that seemed to be wanting to undermine his focus and belief in his own abilities. "Alright Lazar, what do you think our actual chances of making it out of the group are without having to try and rely on that third placed nonsense?"

Lazar sat up from reading the current edition of the Torgos Tribune that was running a full World Cup feature that broke down the groups and some of the teams, with half a page dedicated the Wanderers and their own group. "Well if you are asking my honest opinion sir, I think we have a fairly good chance to finish second in the group, we were in the second pot for the draw after all. However we both know that coming in as favorites to this competition is not always the blessing you think it would be, the team was highly favored to advance in 97 and did not, as well as of course the complete shambles that was last edition where they were the highest ranked team and still failed to even get third."

Both men frowned a little at the thought of what had happened to the team last edition, it had been painful to watch as fans and even more as friends of Thor, knowing the passion that the former national team hero had had for the team. "I suppose you are right, have to guard against complacency. The draw seems a mix of kind and unkind, though did you know that we have never lost to Audioslavia? Finding that out was a bit of a shock to be sure, though I am still worried about that matchup on the second matchday. That result is going to loom quite large and make that third game against Eshialand either be very intense or something of a free hit depending on the matchup with the Bulls. Given how good their defense was in the qualifying, feel like we are going to have a lot of work cut out for our inconsistent strikers to get a goal or two past them, think the best outlook is probably a draw."

"Draw would be a good result against a team that is in that fine of form like they are, think a lot of teams would take a draw with the Bulls given what we all witnessed from them during the qualifiers. First step to getting there is this match against Masraya, they are ranked a hundred forty-fourth, quite the outlier to be here in the Finals. though they did finish third in their group. Was a bit of an odd group truth be told, The Holy Empire looked for some time to be on the outside looking in before taking the second spot in that group. Their defense seems a bit leaky and honestly feels like the kind of match we want to open the groups, let our attack stretch their leagues and try to get into form before that game against Audioslavia. Honestly, it has to be a match that we get three points from if the side is serious about taking the next steps in getting back to being competitive."

"I agree, part of why I had sent the scouts out to get us all the information about the teams that we could once the draw had been made. Half of the battle is knowing what you need to prepare for and with all of this," Igor pulled out a binder from the pocket on the back of the seat in front of him, "we should be as well prepared as we could hope to be. I really want this Laz, I want this team to do good not just for me but the nation. The entire nation feels like they are waiting for a reason to get excited again with the World Cup, a reason to believe that the team is working back to being a real competitor. We've done plenty of work in the Copa Rushmori but as prestigious as the regional competition it, the World Cup is where all the eyes are focused and it is there where success is most judged by. Getting back to the knockouts has to be the goal, we have to live up to the billing and be a team worthy of our ranking, be worthy of that crest they wear. None of us were alive when that star was won for the crest, we all only heard the stories of a Wanderers team that was among the best ever. Let us be the ones who manifest getting back to that upper echelon so that it will not just be stories told of a time no one in the program even as staff was alive for."

by **Banija** » Fri Jun 05, 2026 12:06 pm

Part 1
Part 2

Adrien Manaudou, the morning of his wedding, two days after Banija's final World Cup Qualifier

It had been a trying time for Adrien Manaudou. It had been a slight risk to schedule his wedding right after the end of the campaign- imagine if he had to delay his honeymoon because Banija had went to the World Cup Qualification Playoffs? Yet, the Kadongo Kamu really pulled away in the second half of Qualifying, winning the tightest group in the campaign with plenty of breathing room behind them. But Manaudou- who had refused to be subbed into a game, and then had been, quietly, away from the NT for all this time, knew that he had to take care of his personal life first- time to get married.

One of his best friends on the team, was Satong Bonda- a 23 year old Banijan, who was a starting central midfielder with Hoima. The two had been friends for a long time, despite being 6 years apart. Bonda's older brother had signed for Hoima at the same time as Manaoudou, and while Bonda's older brother did not really pan out (he, at 29 years old, had gone pro in something other than sports), Manaudou had lived with the Bondas for a few years. Satong Bonda was in the Hoima youth academy at the time, and so the two became close. When this Bonda turned 18, he moved into Manaudou's high-rise penthouse apartment.

They played club together. They played for the NT together. They spent years living together. They had been great friends. Adrien Manaudou had asked Satong Bonda to be his best man, and he had said yes. A few days before the beginning of the Qualifying campaign, Satong Bonda had organized a hell of a bachelor party- organizing Manaudou and his friends to take a trip to a vacation resort in the Eternal Empire (Valanora). Satong Bonda was even one of those native Banijans who spoke Szorisian fluently- an impressive feat, since Banijan schools generally did not teach Farf languages as a second language to Banijan students.

But Manaudou's wrestling with his decision had broken the bond. Bonda had spent all this time, begging him to play for the Banijan NT. Manaudou had said no. Bonda felt the hurt, personally- thought that he was going to play for club and country, with his best friend. But now they were divided- and the last time they spoke, they had said words to each other that they could never take back.

And so, the day before Adrien's wedding, he had gotten a phone call.

"Adrien." Satong said, pausing, and then continuing to speak. "Our friendship is strong. We've known each other for what- 10 years now? But never would I have thought, you abandoned the team like that... We're athletes, we have a bond to be working towards the same goal- but to quit on the team, mid-campaign? To leave everybody in the lurch? Well, I am incredibly disappointed. I cannot be the best man at your wedding tomorrow. You can make one of your brothers take my role."

"Best of luck."

Manaoudou almost shed a tear, and then decided to get it together. His resolve was increased. If that was how it was going to be...

...

Adrien Manaudou, sitting in an airport in Farfadillis, with a member of the FFFF, one week before World Cup 101

Adrien Manaudou had just landed on his flight to Farfadillis. He had taken all that time off from the Banijan NT- basically ditched them completely during their World Cup 101 Qualifying campaign. Very controversially left, and then, oddly, and somehow, had managed to stay out of the news. While he was not aware, the RBSA had deliberately not made a stink of it- the Banijans had a number of dual-nationals, so having to re-recruit some wasn't exactly the craziest thing in the world. Qualifying was never guaranteed, but the biggest thing was the World Cup Finals- they needed him then, as the NT had just one appearance in the last 8 since World Cup 94. A poor record for a NT with three stars- and Manoudou was an integral part of those plans.

Of course, the NT players for Banija had not gotten this memo- they were basically all stonewalling him.

"Adrien." Said his counterpart in a thick, Rulandese accent. "Welcome home. To your true home." The two shook hands. The unnamed FFFF official also shook hands with his brand new wife. "You ready to do this? There's going to be media availability in an hour." Manaoudou nodded. He was home. He looked around- near tears in his eyes. It had been a trying time, but he was here now. With his wife. Who was two days late- hopefully she was pregnant with their first child. Their child would hopefully get a chance to be born in Farfadillis.

"You ready to play in the World Cup?" Manaudou nodded. It was rare to get your first callup at 29- and with no international caps, now at 29, he had gotten two callups from top 15 nations in the multiverse. He was here, ready to declare the fact that Farfadillis, now and forever, would be his national team. And in just 1 hour's time, the world would know his decision..

World Cup Brief- short flight to Farfadillis as Banijans will take on the hosts, Dantopia, and Bostopia in Group P

FARFADILLIS- Qualifying is done- and the Banijans, once again, flew ahead to finish top of their World Cup Qualification group. And now, the Finals are here- and the Banijans have a very short flight, to Farfadillis. "Farfadillis, as everyone knows, is a chaotic place. But Banijan football fans, thanks to the S-FPL, are uniquely attuned to the challenges of traveling as a foreign fan in Farfadillis, as they do it for 11 away games every single club season. So expect Banijan fans to be coming to this island in extremely large numbers, and except for our match against the host- that geographic difference, plus the S-FPL, means that this has the potential to be a special tournament indeed, from a fan perspective."

The group, of course, is a tough one for Mikhail Trischuk's charges. First, Pot 3 Bostopia. Then, Pot 4 Dantopia. And by then, hopefully the Banijans have done enough to clinch a spot in the knockout stages- because if they desperately need points on Matchday 3, they'll be playing Farfadillis, in Farfadillis, at a World Cup- and that's about as tough of a draw as one could ask for. "We're excited for this draw- it is challenging, but there is a path for us here." Mikhail Trischuk told reporters. "We've got a fairly talented 23, and we are highly ambitious. We are aiming high here, and look- we are the reigning Arrosian champions for a reason. Let's do it."

Trischuk confirmed to reporters that Adrien Manaudou, the Farf-Banijan dual-national who was called up for Qualifying, and then left the team 1/3rd of the way through the campaign, would not play for the NT at World Cup 101. He refused to elaborate, but simply told reporters that he 'wants guys who want to be here'. It is a big World Cup for a number of players, as a number of star players only have a few World Cups left. Biran Jarju, the NT goalkeeper, is 34. Potentially his last tournament. Ensa Janneh, center back, also 34- probably his last tournament. They all at least won a trophy together, a regional trophy- but can they buttress their legacies with one last elite World Cup run? Or does this team simply have a firm ceiling?

It's hard to say, and we will necessarily find out in the group stages. But- this opener against Bostopia will go a long way towards seeing if we are even good enough to get to the knockout stages- where legends are born and legacies are made.

by **Biyambi** » Fri Jun 05, 2026 12:26 pm

Last Section: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=582463&p=43633105#p43633105

The Interregnum

With the death of Wene Nduni I, the empire enters a prolonged interregnum lasting from 786 to 874 CE. During this period, imperial power steadily weakens as authority slips away from the throne.

The Wene is increasingly said to “reign but not rule”. The Wene becomes a symbol without power often under the thumb of the Pimwehereri (Steward of the Realm).

A central cause of this decline was a dynastic crisis within the imperial house. For generations, the royal family produced only female heirs. While these women could inherit the title of Wene, Oramisirian custom barred them from performing the ancestral rites that legitimised imperial authority and maintained the covenant between the throne, the ancestors, and the land. In the past a senior male member of the royal house would carry out the ancestral rites on behalf of the monarch, however, having had no male in the family in the royal house in generations, this task fell to the Pimwehereri. What began as a temporary accommodation gradually became permanent practice. The steward not only conducted ancestral rites on behalf of the throne but also increasingly intervened in matters of governance, finance, and military administration, ostensibly to “assist” the reigning Wene.

By 829 CE, the Wene had lost control of the Vatato Nivaka (Council of the Nivaka), and the military. The Wene’s loyal Ikotorutu the Wazimba were disbanded. Command of the army was transferred to a newly created office, the Puria Oholela (Chief Commander), leaving the Wene as a figure head.

At the same time, Imanic States begun to rise on the western and southern coasts of the Ziwani Isles, reshaping regional trade and politics. Due to the empire refusing to reconvert to Iman, it was gradually excluded from key commercial routes, causing the imperial economy to contract.

Tribes fleeing Imanic slave raids poured into the empire. Their arrival, though often in desperation and peaceful, placed immense pressure on food supplies, settlement space, and local governance, generating new internal tensions. Some of these refuge seekers begun to entrench and usurp from within the empire, often taking control of the resources and illegally trading with the Imanic states. In 864 CE, slaves escaping the Imanic slave traders crossed into the empire, conquering and forming various chiefdoms in the provinces of Imbyalaninkonde, Inkamanga, Ilundazi, Vakhobhela, and Batuokuvia. Influx of refugees fleeing the Imanic slave traders and the invasion of the northern and western Oramisirian territories caused the empire to weaken.

Things would further worsen with the loss of the southern coastal provinces of Vashomaka, Izote, Imlako Ipiro, Itamaria, Vattolia, and Vakottella to Imanic invaders.

Across the empire, the signs of decline were unmistakable. Artistic quality diminished, buildings crumbled due to lack of repair. Streets fell into filth and disorder, and crime spread into major cities, towns, and villages.
The life line of the Mahalla Ziwana, the royal house, and Oramisiri, would come in 849 CE with the birth of the first male child who lived more than 48 hours or a month since 780 CE. This child was named Ttikhina, meaning miracle.

In 867 CE, Kelanupa Ttikhina, famed for his fierce temperament, was deliberately sent to die on the frontier when Pimwehereri Ohakalhalha II assigned him to deal with Zangan raids in the provinces of Ikotokwa and Inacua. Instead of dying, Ttikhina distinguishes himself through brilliant political manoeuvre and battlefield skill. His soldiers angered by the treachery of their superiors, assassinate the Oholela’s (commanders) and disloyal officers. The mikotorutu of Ikotokwa and Inacua turn to the prince, while the Zangans impressed by his bravery, diplomacy and clemency grants him their allegiance.

Believed dead in the capital, Ttikhina effectively becomes a shadow ruler in the provinces. The mwehereri of Ikotokwa, Tsopa Munllo, and the mwehereri of Inacua, Sipa swear loyalty to the prince.

The Restoration

In 874 CE when Wene Otiera VI died, Ttikhina slipped into Oramisiri, the imperial capital in secret, gaining the quiet support of the priestly order, some disgruntled Oholela (commanders), and Vatato members.
During the coronation festivities of his sister Nlluwa, with the Pimwehereri and some members of the Vatato Nivaka present, Ttikhina set fire to the ceremonial hall. As panicked dignitaries fled, Ttikhina and his loyal soldiers cut them down. His sister was successfully freed. That same night, soldiers, court officials, nobles, and Oholela loyal to the Pimwehereri were hunted down and eliminated. Pimwehereri Ohakalhalha II himself was captured alive and thrown before the crowds at dawn, who beat him to death.
Prince Ttikhina then stood before the people and addressed them. He lamented the decadence and corruption that had weakened the empire for so long. As he spoke, thunder could be heard and rain fell after a long drought. This was interpreted as Mlluku’s sign that Ttikhina had the supreme creator’s blessings. The people demanded his coronation. Wene Nlluwa knelt before her brother and handed him the Nivaka yo Orami, the symbol of power in the empire. Ttikhina was then properly enstooled the next day as Rame II, later remembered in history as Rame wi Urokolosha (the Restorer).

Wene Rame II wi Urokolosha (874 – 903 CE)

In the 39th year of the reign of Pwiyanluku as Almmam of Ziwanawani, Ttikhina son of Otiera VI became Wene Rame II of the Oramisrian Empire, at the age of 25. He ruled as Wene of the Oramisirian Empire for 18 years.

In the year 874 CE, the Oramisirian Empire or the Ttipiyan Empire was a shadow of its former self. Two centuries earlier the wisdom, bravery, leadership, and grand ambitions of great maWene like Umajiwara, Rame wiZeru, Ikararittakawara, Nairuwa III, and Otierawara, had created a Mandalanusan cultural, spiritual, and military juggernaut. Now little of the great Oramisirian Wene’s remained. The empire had been reduced from 1,686,859 km2 to 335,413 km2, a loss more than three-quarters of its territory. Constant migrations of tribes fleeing slavery had put an immense strain on the empire. Furthermore, the rise of Imanic states on the southern east coast of Ziwana had deprived the Atuttipiya of Vashomaka, Itamaria, Izote, Imlako Ipiro, Vattolia, Vakotella, and Vaikokwata. Provinces that were essential to the empire’s economy. The greatest threat to the Wene’s in Oramisiri were the Imanic slave traders whose activities were greatly destabilizing the empire. In summary Oramisiri in the late 9th century looked to be a state in terminal decline but yet all was not lost with the enstoolment of Rame II.

During Rame II’s reign, he built fortified towns with walls, towers, and gates, and he also repaired waystations for storage. He appointed an Ikoto Puria (War Chief) for each of them, and in each one he placed supplies of food and also spears, axes, swords, bows & arrows, and shields. In each fortified town and city, he placed troops. He also commissioned siege weapons that could shoot arrows and hurl large stones be built.
The Oramisirian navy was rebuilt with 400 war canoe that could carry 70 troops each, and 240 ships that could carry 120 troops each.

He then raised 12 mikotorutu, about 30,000 men, and armed them.

In 886 CE, a millennium since Oramisiri had been founded would see Rame II establish suzerainty over the Zangan principality of Vakhobela. Oramisiri was open to eastern trade with the construction of port in Vahakallalla and Vaotepa.

With the empire’s borders secure, Wene Rame II would turn his sights on reconquering the lost coastal provinces in the south and would begin to prepare.

In early 890 CE, the invasion force begun to assemble in the province of Imollella. It was truly a gigantic mass of soldiery, estimates at 42,500 men (17 mikotorutu). In April of 890, in the middle of the night, Rame II and his friend Oholela Ithali Pela launched an invasion of Izote and Vashomaka. Rame II quickly secured the towns of Vuumaji and Vawinchi before moving into north Imlako Ipiro to secure the Winchi Bay. Ithali Pela with the help of Vashomakan Santana Dharmists was able to easily push out the Imanic Shamalite invaders, who attempted to escaped to Itamaria but their ships were sunk by a storm. Oramisirian ships were then sneaked past Imanic ships in the Tamarian strait and landed on the coasts of Mtiangamusi, Vawinchi, Vuumaji, and Eshan. From these places, the Oramisirian navy launched a blockade on the cities of Mlako Ipiro, Zote, and Tamaria. Oramisirians leaving in the cities of Mlako Ipiro and Zote rebelled against the Imanic Shamalites and opened the gates allowing Rame II and Ithali Pela’s forces to capture the cities. By September, the Mashiwara sea was under Oramisirian control.

In October, Rame II launched an invasion of Itamaria. Rame II quickly defeated the Imanic Shamalite troops led by Almmam Hisham. Hisham quickly retreated to the fortified city of Tamaria. Rame II in turn set up a siege of the city. After a one-year siege, on September 23rd, 891 CE a section of the Tamarian city wall collapsed allowing the imperial Oramisirian army to pour in through the breach. The Imanic Shamalites formed a line and made a brave final stand but they were cut down nearly to a man. The city of Tamaria was now in Atuttipiyan hands and with that the whole island. With the conquests Imanic slave raids into the empire were now limited. Rame II then undertook a policy of aligning all non-Atarioramism religions to Atarioramism, like his ancestor Ikararittaka I, those who followed him were blessed and given gifts but those who disobeyed were harshly dealt with spiritually or by human hand.

The triumphant Rame II and Ithali Pela then returned to the city of Oramisiri and enjoyed a great welcome by people of the city. He was compared to past great Mkalangas (Warrior Mawene) like Umaji and Ikararittaka I. But there was little time to bask in glory as the Taymnid Almmate launched an invasion in 891.

Rame II and Ithali Pela quickly beat back the invaders. In 892 CE, Rame II would launch his own invasion. After a few months of fighting, the Taymnid leaders would flee, bringing their territories which included the former provinces of Vattolia, Vakotella, and Vaikokwata back under Oramisirian control. However, Rame II had been injured during the campaign and would succumb to his injuries.

For the first time in Ttipiyan history on September 11, 892, Oholela (Commander) Ithali Pela was acclaimed as co-Wene of the Atuttipiya and protector of the young Ramekana I. Ramekana I would remain Junior Wene under Ithali’s guidance.

by **The Sernetian Empire** » Fri Jun 05, 2026 12:30 pm

SERNESPORTS TV

contents:
1) SERNET QUALIFIES FOR THE WORLD CUP PROPER
2) 1st Leg: Kamijiro 2-3 Sernet
3) 2nd Leg: Sernet 1-0 Kamijiro
4) Victory parade on the streets of Sernetesen
5) Pre-match Analysis

SERNET QUALIFIES FOR THE WORLD CUP PROPER
Tadeusz Uwalski

Turns out that Sernet won't be competing in the Cup of Harmony this time round. Why?

Because we did it. We survived the Qualifiers and the Playoffs. Alongside 4 other nations from Group 9 by some miracle, Sernet have secured a spot in the real deal. After a spectacular performance during the qualifiers, finishing 3rd in Group 9, the Steamers went on to beat Kamijiro in Round 3 of the Playoffs, landing us in Group N, hosted in Farfadillis. More on that later, but first here is the coverage of the two-legged Playoff match.

1st Leg: Kamijiro 2-3 Sernet
Damian Weslom

The entire country was nervous. Last time we were in the playoffs in World Cup 100, Sernet was knocked out by Paradystopia, who funnily enough are a host in this edition of the world cup. We were a stone's throw away from qualification, with Kamijiro being the only obstacle left. The stadium in Kamijiro was packed as soon as the stadium opened its doors. Sernetians and Kamijiroans, both nations hoping to qualify, both knowing that there could only be one winner.

The Steamers pressed on Kamijiro immediately, determined to score ASAP, while the away stands were erupting with cheering and chanting. An early attempt by Poltus Esingfort at the 4th minute nearly bumped up the score to 1-0, but it skimmed off the crossbar. Sporius Bolsting tried at the 6th minute, with assistance from Bob Yarisem, but to no avail, as goalkeeper Ichi Asumi blocked his shot. The first goal came about eventually at the 19th minute in the form of a missile from Stefan Jatrowski, which soared over the heads of the defenders and slammed into the back of the net. COME ON SERNET! A deafening roar rolled across the stadium. Everyone was on their feet and the flares covered the stands in a blue cloud. The Steamers were in the lead.
After the first goal however, the defence was put to the test, with Stirius Mantrostem making a crucial tackle on Katsu Fujiwara as he tried to plough forward. Another close shave at the 27th minute in the form of a shot by Sōji Kokubun, which was saved masterfully by Tomasz Pasarowski. However, we weren't so lucky at the 31st minute, when a deflected shot by Bolsting led to the ball being swiftly cleared upfield, with Kokubun tapping it in, scoring the equaliser. Sernet tried to regain the lead during the first half, with a good header by Janusz Tworpowski almost making it across the line at the 38th minute, but by the time the first half came to a close, the score was still 1-1. During the break, Stoberus Pond made an unusual substitution, putting Banis Kolbense on in midfield for the fatigued Korolianus Stork instead of one of the midfielders, as well as putting on Sturban Benholt for the first time, on for Janusz Tworpowski.

Soon after the match resumed, the Steamers exploited a large gap in the Kamijiroan defence, with Banis Kolbense making a great cross to Zbigniew Komstrowski, who fired into the goal and scored! The Sernetians were over the moon, frantically waving the almighty flag with the names of their hometowns, chanting with unwavering enthusiasm as usual. As of the 48th minute, the score was 2-1- to Sernet. Yet another equaliser was coming up however, with Haruka Kagawa scoring a lucky goal against Pasarowski at the 62nd minute. The tension hung over the stadium; the Kamijiroans were celebrating, but little did they know this would be their last goal of the World Cup. At this point though, it was still anyone's game. Later on, Bolsting almost reinstated the lead with a chip shot, but unfortunately it bounced off the post. However, not long after, Sernet was awarded a corner, taken by Komstrowski at the 79th minute, which landed perfectly on Stirius Mantrostem's head, sending the ball flying straight into the net! The Kamijiroans tried to come back, with a late shot by Nicácio Xavier nearly becoming the third equaliser had it not been saved by Pasarowski. The referee blew his whistle right on cue. The first leg was over, with Sernet one goal clear of their opponents, but there was still the second leg left...

Final score:
Kamijiro 2-3 Sernet

Goals:
Sernet: Jatrowski 19', Komstrowski 48', Mantrostem 79'
Kamijiro: Kokubun 31', Kagawa 62'

2nd Leg: Sernet 1-0 Kamijiro
Salman Ferisen

The rain was relentless in Sernetesen, but nevertheless Sernetesen Lighthouse stadium was full to the brim as usual. This was it. The big one. The rain was as persistent as the Steamers and the diehard fans desperate for qualification. To mark the special occasion, the dark-blue and white lighthouse standing on the Stognof River, the lighthouse which had given its name to the stadium, stood there illuminated, standing out against the rest of Sernetesen's skyline despite being dwarfed by many of the skyscrapers. By the time the Steamers emerged from the tunnel, the atmosphere was divine.

Straight away, the Steamers showed they had everything under control. The back three of Tworpowski, Zoliba, and Mantrostem kept things compact, refusing to allow Kamijiro any easy route through the middle. Further upfield, Stork looked exactly like a man who had played in these situations before; calm and patient. The fans in the home stand carried the atmosphere, celebrating every tackle and cheering at each interception, as well as singing rounds of "SERNET IS HIM" on loop. Kamijiro's first chance came at the 24th minute. Sōji Kokubun crossed to Azuma Kogushi, who attempted a powerful header into the goal. Everyone holds their breath. And Pasarowski saves! The stadium erupted as if Sernet scored. After that close shave, the tension built up even more, with a goal being possible at any moment now. But nothing came in the first half, and when the referee blew his whistle, the score was still 0-0, although of course 2-3 to Sernet on aggregate.

The rain intensified during the second half. Players began sliding across the grass and the ball was glistening wet. Every challenge felt more dangerous and every clearance felt more urgent. Kamijiro almost tried to exploit the weather, forgetting that they were on Sernetian soil. Rain doesn't stop the Steamers. Sernet pressed on and absorbed the Kamijiroan attacks.
Then came the moment. 84th minute. Stork won possession in midfield with a simple tackle. He immediately found Komstrowski. Komstrowski turned, looked up, saw the run. He slipped the ball to Oluwawa, who whipped a low cross into the box. The ball skipped off the wet turf, past one defender and past another, and arriving at the perfect moment. Sporius Bolsting. One perfect touch.
Goal. The fans went absolutely insane. Under the stadium's roof, shielded from the rain, everyone was celebrating passionately and tirelessly like it was full-time already. But mentally it was; Kamijiro was crushed. There was no comeback from this one.
The match resumed for the final stretch. The Sernetian fans pressed on and on up in the home stands, each chant louder than the last, while the Kamijiroan fans watched on disheartened, the rain mirroring their feelings. 90+4'. One last-ditch attempt by Kamijiro, with Ryō Murai clearing the ball into our box, received by Keigo Nakaji. He launches, but Salod Zerning deflects it away, and Stork steps in to clear it away. The referee glances at his watch, soaked. Raises his whistle and blows.
Everyone turns to the big scoreboard.
FULL TIME
SERNET 1-0 KAMIJIRO
SERNET WIN 4-2 ON AGGREGATE
The flares detonate and the players sprint wildly, everyone indulged in the sweet taste of glory. Absolutely wicked atmosphere. Flags waving everywhere, the fans merging into a wall of blue shirts and singing and chanting, the players celebrating alongside them, joined by Stoberus Pond, Don Swordsman and the rest of the staff. The rain kept falling, but nobody cared. Bolsting sprinted towards the lighthouse end, and stood up on an advertising board, arms raised, bathing in the rain. The response was deafening. Tomasz Pasarowski sat under the goal, staring up at the net bewildered, before heading over to the stands. Players were embracing on the pitch, as well as the staff. Across the Sernetian Empire, everyone celebrated. Above it all stood the lighthouse, blue and white against the rainy night. A historic landmark from days gone by, watching over a stadium that had just witnessed one of the most important victories in modern Sernetian football history. The Qualifiers are over, the Playoffs are behind us.
SERNET HAVE QUALIFIED!

Final score:
Sernet 1-0 Kamijiro
Sernet win 4-2 on aggregate
Goals:
Sernet: Bolsting 84'

Victory parade in Sernetesen
Bobby Boltings Senior

Less than 24 hours after defeating Kamijiro 1-0 at Sernetesen Lighthouse to secure a 4-2 aggregate victory, the Steamers were treated to a grand parade in the capital. Open-top buses carrying the squad made their way from Seven Bridges Stadium, down south towards the city centre. The buses the trundled through the central Sernetesen before eventually reaching Sernetesen Lighthouse Stadium in Damonesiyum, in the south-west of central Sernetesen, passing streets lined with Sernetian flags and enormous crowds. Captain Sporius Bolsting received one of the loudest receptions, as well as players such as Wasori Oluwawa and Zbigniew Komstrowski, while goalkeeper Tomasz Pasarowski proudly carried a giant Sernetian flag draped across his shoulders.

The parade culminated at Lighthouse Wharf, just outside Sernetesen Lighthouse Stadium, which had recently been greatly redeveloped in order for it to become Sernet's primary stadium; today it is a grand and modern structure representing Sernet on the international stage. At Lighthouse Wharf, the players and coaching staff addressed a sea of supporters gathered on the square. Head coach Stoberus Pond thanked fans for standing by the team throughout the long qualification campaign, while chants of "SERNET IS HIM" rolled around the square. Every replay of the playoff-winning goal against Kamijiro was met with deafening cheers.
As darkness fell, celebrations continued long into the night across the city and the nation as a whole. The Sernetesen Lighthouse, standing tall and proud looking across the river Stognof, now with its new role as an icon of Sernetian football, was illuminated in blue and orange. Fireworks lit up the sky above the city, and supporters remained in the streets well into the next morning. After eighteen qualifier matches, and a tense playoff, we finally had the chance to celebrate our first-time qualification.

OOC: Enjoy this cool AI-generated poster. Disclaimer: Chatgpt jumbled up all the players' numbers and made them all look identical. Also I swear the stadium bends way too much in the background but we shall let it slide. Please do not take these as accurate representations of the players' looks, for example Oluwawa has a darker complexion and hair colour amongst the players varies. At least it got some of the numbers correct, like Bolsting being number 10.

Pre-match Analysis: MD1 vs Drawkland
Czesław Jalińowski

P.s. We're keeping the lineup the same. Stoberus Pond and Don Swordsman will make sure all players do something for Sernet this world cup.

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the World Cup Proper! We find ourselves in Group N, that being one of the groups hosted in Farfadillis. First up, we face Drawkland, who, funnily enough, were in our group in the qualifiers. Not to mention that 5 out of 10 teams from Group 9 made it to the World Cup proper, those being Sernet of course, Drawkland and Choppyhausen, as well as Indusse and Flavovespia through direct qualification. This is the first time since World Cup FIVE that half of a group qualified. That was 96 whole editions ago, which translates as many many years. Also worth noting is that Drawkland managed to qualify with only 1.44 points per game, making that the weakest qualifying performance to then go on to the world cup in modern history. Not to mention that Drawkland also shattered the record for most games before their first win by a qualifier. However, despite their genuinely miraculous qualification, they are not exactly an easy opponent. Next up, we face off against Ko-oren, champions of World Cup 89. They seem to be a very defensive team who engage in an oddity known as "post-football." They bring with them a grand total of 14 defenders but only 4 attackers. They go by the nickname of "the Dragonflies" and I almost forgot to mention, they are ranked 10th in the world... or multiverse... whatever. Finally, we face Qusmo. Most of the Qusma players go by they/them, which is certainly interesting. Their kit also employs a familiar font and a very eye-catching design on the back. Last World Cup, while we were scraping through the Cup of Harmony, they made it to the hexadecifinals. One last thing to note is that they are ranked at 28th according to the KPB rankings. Anyways, those are all of our opponents who we will be facing in Group N, our first ever World Cup Group Stage. The Steamers are on their way to Farfadillis as we speak, so it's time to talk a little bit about them. Firstly, Farfadillis claims not to be an actual country, rather a group of ethnostates coexisting together on the island of Farfadillis, making it a "plurinational entity." Secondly, Farfadillis has allowed all nations to schedule at which stadium they will play at, with a little bit of small print underneath that statement. This will certainly make for interesting circumstances, although I am unsure as to whether or not there will be organisational chaos. However, it is quite likely that the Sernetians, as well as many other nations, will be travelling across the island to play their matches. Finally, it is said that travelling within the country is notoriously hazardous... but I'm sure all of the security aspects have been sorted out by the guys at Sernefoot, so don't worry. Apparently, getting there in the first place isn't easy too, although reaching Farfadillis has become slightly less challenging with the introduction of operational airports. There you have it. Farfadillis. Home to radiation-eating snakes, dangerous frogs, a mess of ethnostates and no government holding it all together. How Farfadillis compares to Paradystopia is a fascinating topic, because both nations are certainly very fascinating places. You never know, if we make it out of Group N we may be playing knockout matches over in Paradystopia. That's all for now, welcome to the World Cup Proper everyone, now it's time to show the world what were made of. See you guys in a bit.

The Team at Sernesports TV wishes Sernet luck.
From Left to right: Czesław, Damian, Salman, Peter, Bobby. Tadeusz and Grzegorz are not in this photo.

ooc note: we did it! come on Sernet!

#thepowerofsernet

by **Edsmontik** » Fri Jun 05, 2026 1:33 pm

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A VERY CLOSE ENTRY INTO THE WORLD CUP

Wednesday, 10/12/2033, 9:48pm
Written by Vyktor Kalsefja

It was not over just yet. Edsmontik had just come out from a 3-2 win in Myrtle Beach and a 1-0 loss at home to Myrtle Beach for the playoffs. It was confusing in a way, as most would expect wins at home and losses away, but Monday and Tuesday were the exact opposite. Now, just a day after their previous game, with little resting time, the Eagles were back on the road with a refreshed team of people who had mostly not played in the first two playoff legs. This morning, the Eagles faced the tiebreaker round held in The Shanty.

It was a cloudy, chilly morning at The Shanty. The Eagles, who had just arrived by plane, were "still adjusting from jet lag" according to der-Ghavyr. The team was still ready though, and would make their way to the stadium within a couple of hours before the game. Despite the traffic from fans taking taxis, the Edsmon bus was still able to arrive on time.

der-Ghavyr recalled his speech in the locker room.

***

D. der-Ghavyr: "I said something along the lines of, you know, we've fought day and night to make it to where we are. Whether or not you continue on your journey is not decided by critics or supporters and haters. Whether you make it through depends on you and your contribution to the team. Everything today will be made for the team, not for your own glory. Once we qualify, we will be able to bask in that glory individually and as a team."

Reporter: "Is there anything else?"

D. der-Ghavr: "I believed everyone was very confident, and while it was good, confidence could also easily kill the wielder. The Eagles had just come out of a loss, and in a way they had seemed to be 'way too energetic' if that's a thing. I do not necessarily know how to explain it. But I mainly just told them, lay back, stalk their prey like the Suor Eagle, which we represent. It's the king of Edsmontik for a reason, it's just so successful."

***

On the pitch and in the stands, there was clearly a lot of energy. There were fans from both sides cheering on their players as they warmed up. Never before had the Eagles' fans fought harder to keep their players confident. Not even in the Baptism of Fire 84, which Edsmontik had won, saw as much cheering. The Edsmon chants were dominating the stadium. It was practically the only thing one could hear. And Edsmon Air offering reduced fares to the Shanty only made more fans come to watch.

at 10:15am, the game kicked off. Edsmontik instantly set the pace, switching from their 4-3-2-1 into their 4-1-1-4 to gain some attacking advantage. Instantly, they slammed through the defense walls of the Myrtle Beach team. Stuero and his fellow striker, Rehcikt, powered through with fancy spins and flicks to escape defenders. While it worked for some time, it didn't work all the time. Eventually, the Seagulls managed to get a hold and began to retaliate with their keeper AND their defense.

Their short passing may have kept the Eagles away long enough to slow down the game's pace, but whenever they attemped to send long ones from their midfield to the forwards, the Eagles would swoop in and rip the ball out of the Seagulls' "beaks." It was a bird vs. bird mascot war. The Eagles were controlling the game well. One crushing blow, and the Seagulls would be sent tumbling down into the ocean.

That's exactly what the Eagles began to do. Edsmontik's star midfielder, Ghreksbvy, coordinated wing attacks to lure the Seagulls away from the center, while keeping a close eye on an opening for Stuero. It didn't take long before that opening almost magically appeared. Ghreksbvy was able to make a very angled and quick pass to Stuero in the center, who followed up with dribbles around Peck before scoring the opener with a powerful kick. All of this in just the first fifteen minutes.

Unfortunately, the Edsmon lead did not last long. The Seagulls were angry, and came swarming in. Multiple punches at the Edsmon defense wall managed to knock it down, especially with the absence of Edsmontik's up-and-coming right back, who has been on the Edsmon national team since his third year playing. He may not have been as important in the past, but with his strong set pieces ability, he has proven to be a threat to opposing teams.

In the 27th minute, Chukchov received a pass from the wing by Fisher, and with some luck, managed to pass Javarqa's tackles and pulls, scoring a powerful shot past der-Stoiuben. The shot was placed so low that der-Stoiuben's low dive was too high to reach it. He had practically dived over the ball.

While it was a bummer that the Eagles' lead hadn't lasted, they knew something like this would happen. Myrtle Beach wanted into the World Cup, and there was not much the Eagles could do other than protect their spot with all of their might. The Eagles switched back to their balanced 4-3-2-1, and kicked off with more caution. They needed to prevent another goal to keep their chances alive.

With the second half almost arriving, the Eagles pushed to get another goal in. Luckily for them, the opportunity opening up right in front of their eyes. As fans cheered them on, Stuero received a through ball past the entire defensive line. An anonymous photographer took a photo regarded as "one of the most iconic pictures of the World Cup thus far" by some Edsmon fans. The shot, which was facing Stuero and the three defenders chasing him down, looked like something right out of an action movie with the filters and edits to make the photo look bright and more appealing.

Stuero ended up running the ball right into the net with a tap of the foot to get around the Seagulls' keeper, Dumanovsky. It was very close, as if he had tapped the ball over just a few milliseconds later, Dumanovsky would have stopped it right then and there.

The second half began with more good things for the Eagles. Almost instantly, the now more desperate Seagulls were thrashing around and tackling harder to prevent another Edsmon goal. They were doing everything in their power to prevent that goal. Every push and retreat had a purpose now as the game was beginning to close down. Half of it had already passed.

The Seagulls would not have Margaret on their side. Until the 80th minute, the Eagles completely dominated the pitch. They fired 95% of all of the shots in the 25 minutes after the second half started, punching through wall after wall that the Seagulls had set up. Once the chance was good enough, the Eagles made one more shove to score.

Aespana, who had just come on by substitution, cut inside after Mann left an opening, diving into the box to connect with a lob by Svaardaen. The left midfielder was barely onside, and used his head to fire the ball directly into the net, past the arms of Dumanovsky. The stands erupted in cheers as Reus Aespana got up to notice his goal. The midfielder claimed that "it may not have been much, but it was one of my best goals in my opinion."

The current score, sitting at 3-1, would mean Edsmontik would go through. Previously in their main legs, the team had ended on a 3-3 aggregate. This game at the Shanty was meant to change that. With this 3-1 scoreline thus far, the Eagles were now up 7-5. The Seagulls would have to score twice to draw, and three times to win. The Eagles' chances of making it into the World Cup proper continued increasing minute by minute.

The 90th minute began to roll around. There was almost no time left, and the Seagulls of Myrtle Beach had been left exhausted from the fighting. The Eagles were also exhausted, but they had the upper hand. It seemed as if nothing would happen, and the Eagles would end up winning 3-1, until the Seagulls broke the wall again.

With no time to react, Travdt, who had come in for Norseden just three minutes earlier, pushed all of his energy into one tackle. Everyone else was too tired to catch up to Savage, who had also recently come on. Within seconds, their feet connected, and the ball was loose. Savage came tumbling down in the box, rolling to a stop, and the ball barely managed to stop in der-Stoiuben's hands. The Eagles couldn't breathe a sigh of relief just yet, unfortunately.

It was the first minute of three minutes of stoppage time. The Seagulls had no hope, but they could lessen the impact with this penalty they just received. The same man tackled, Terrence Savage, stepped up to the box. In front of him, was a menacing Elterhad der-Stoiuben. The keeper had seen years of playing despite his age. With a quick charge, Savage shot the ball with all of his might to the left of der-Stoiuben. The Eagles' keeper chose the right direction, reaching out, barely tapping the ball.

Yet it wasn't enough to stop it. No one celebrated the goal very much. There was no time left to score another one. The Eagles fortified their defense for the remaining minutes of stoppage time, blocking the one chance that could have brought Myrtle Beach to a draw just a minute after the penalty.

The whistle blew, and just like that, the Eagles celebrated their advancement into the World Cup Proper.

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Lemener283
There's not much more to say than congrats to the Eagles for their win! It was a crazy game to watch, especially with the huge number of supporters and all of the chances taken during the game. 10/10 for me!
26,182 Likes - 2,394 Dislikes

v4nsdergoBen
Must say, I thought it was over at first. Many strong teams in the playoffs failed, and I thought Edsmontik's bad luck chain would continue here, but I guess not! May Margaret be with the Eagles as they enter the 101st World Cup in Paradystopia and Farfadillis!
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Edsmon Lineup, MD1 v. Pomachetti
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by **Vdara** » Fri Jun 05, 2026 1:37 pm

The World Cup has always been about dealing with the hand you’re dealt, even if the deck is stacked against you. Historically speaking, the deck has been so heavily stacked in the house’s favour that young, budding upstarts such as ourselves may not have saw fit to compete. However, with the expansion of the deck (as well as the joker pool), more and more people are getting the chance to play their cards right and, as the ante is upped, defy the odds. Vdara have only ever really defied the odds once, in World Cup 95, qualifying upon our comeback via the playoffs, having already defied the odds by shitting the bed in that cycle’s Baptism of Fire to eventual winners Basel-Triesen. So, I suppose they’ve really defied the odds twice. But, I digress. The World Cup is almost never a one-and-done. It sucks you in. Sure, maybe a 6-0 pumping off of Westwest Kalactin is enough to make you swear off participating ever again, but for many the experience makes you go again. And again. And again. Suddenly, you’re considered a veteran, and yet you haven’t even won anything. Go figure. A great philosopher once said ~~”naughty, naughty, very naughty”~~ that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. But no great philosopher has ever participated in the World Cup. And if they have, they were probably a shite philosopher. Besides, you can’t really be a philosopher unless you’re dead. Them’s the rules. If they had become a World Cupper, they’d know that doing the same thing over and over again brings you experience, ranking points, and wicked street cred. You hone your skills, you learn what works, you lose, you go again. A relentless roguelike with a radical repertoire. The fun never stops. The fun never ends. The cards remain, as ever, stacked against you. The deck just gets bigger. So, what better way to depict our groupmates and ourselves than this?

This is Biyambi’s first World Cup appearance. Hence, their joker could only really be a common. Despite this, looks are definitely deceiving, as The Biyambian can prove to be somewhat of a run-saver. Of course, for countries with only two colours in their flags (like ourselves), this joker is less useful. For Biyambi themselves, a cushty $4 per round is netted, with potential for greater value if a flag is particularly colourful. The Biyambian benefits riskier, more garish flags than the safe, boring ones. Thus, if you’re looking to get some value out of this joker, and perhaps save your pennies towards some better cards, perhaps going more bold will get you further…

The TJUN-ian serves only to produce a smaller, more unpredictable, high-risk, high-reward joker. Its status as an uncommon provides synergy with the Baseball Card joker - but the real usage case comes through whatever joker is produced.

For this edition, The TJUN-ian’s most likely result is ‘bwoah’, an Incomprehensible joker which provides a random amount additional +Mult, which varies depending on ‘bwoah’s mood. Traditional Balatro enthusiasts may note this joker’s similarity to Misprint, but where that joker serves an additional purpose (revealing the next card in your deck through the jumbled text), ‘bwoah’ gives off a totally random effect in addition to its +Mult abilities. ‘bwoah’ may well provide extra mult and save a run, or could divide your entire score by 37.2 midway through Ante 8. You really never know what it will do to you.

The Vdaran, perhaps naturally, is the joker that we are most familiar with. A joker which rewards participation, runs with The Vdaran tend to end before Ante 6, allowing for a very entrenched “we go again” attitude. Now in its fourteenth appearance, you rather get the feeling that this joker has accumulated enough chips to make it past Antes 6, 7, and even 8, but chips can only realistically carry you so far. In addition, The Vdaran may well sporadically ‘bean’ itself for a few rounds, effectively debuffing the joker and forcing you to sell. For the most part, The Vdaran’s purpose is to get you far enough before being sold for something significantly more effective, like a Bull’s Testicle or a Thespian (Flavo)Vespian. Further still, the synergy with the following joker does leave a lot to be desired…

Holy shit. What a joker. If the last joker was one which rewarded mediocrity, this one rewards pure success. Now, sure, maybe it doesn’t scale brilliantly. After all, 1.5x mult per World Cup is pretty harsh, right? Well, for a joker like The Vanorian, you’re just fortunate it isn’t higher (or unfortunate, if you end up with The Vanorian on your run). As the first line indicates, there is a solid chance that they will pump you. Won’t even be close. Vdara has an 0-1-2 record against Valanora, with a best-left-forgotten 6-2 pumping as the pick of the bunch - hence the card's symbolism of a cute wee Vdaran bird being mercilessly skewered by a Vanorian blade. Of course, if you haven’t won a World Cup, there is much to be desired. Maybe you’re better off with a Vdaran, or this joker's wee sibling, The Pasargan. But can you really pass up the opportunity of more xMult? Can you? Of course, you can't. You're sure that, eventually, you'll have a gold sticker to make this joker work for you.

Putting it into perspective, The Vanorian streaks well further ahead of the rest in the group, with six-seven [gestures accordingly] appearances. The fact they’re the only ones with a gold sticker in this group speaks volumes - as does the sheer magnitude of appearances they have. Granted, it looks significantly less impressive when you create a bar chart so statistically offensive that even a Liberal Democrat would swoon, but the numbers do not lie. In this roguelike, one joker reigns above them all, but one would have to be foolish to diminish the impact of +chips on a run, particularly when your source of +Mult is about as reliable as a 2002 McLaren…

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