World Cup 98 | RP thread

by **The Kytler Peninsulae** » Fri Dec 27, 2024 9:28 am

Welcome to the longest-running sporting event in the multiverse. This is the 98th NationStates World Cup!

This is the roleplay thread for the tournament (both qualifying and finals), where participants are invited to provide in-character (IC) posts covering the tournament; out-of-character (OOC) posts (e.g. relating to administration) go in the WC Discussion Thread linked above. These IC posts can relate directly to the sporting action, but they really don't have to - check the WC97 roleplay thread (also linked above) for evidence!

The finals draw was determined by a seeded draw using the 98.2 KPB+ Rankings. The three automatically-qualified hosts were placed in Pot 1 and assigned to scheduling slot 1 in Groups A-C; Yuezhou were a Pot 1 side on sporting merit and assigned to scheduling slot 1 in Group D.

Finals groups

GROUP A The Kytler Peninsulae (13) Audioslavia (36) West Barack and East Obama (15) Abanhfleft (65)	GROUP B Tikariot (6) Gnejs (40) Eastfield Lodge (22) StrayaRoos (45)	GROUP C Qusmo (53) Saint Eleanor (19) Eshialand (29) Valentine Z (63)	GROUP D Yuezhou (8) Commonwealth of Baker Park (35) Vdara (24) Busoga Islands (118)
GROUP E Squornshelan Remnant States (5) The 14 Stars (50) Ko-oren (11) Baggieland (26)	GROUP F Elmyia (41) Kamijiro (59) HUElavia (14) Kelssek (3)	GROUP G Auprussia (77) Siovanija and Teusland (18) Valanora (1) Chromatika (29)	GROUP H Tumbra (2) TJUN-ia (22) Pasarga (31) Myrtle Beach (44)
GROUP I Edsmontik (43) Zenic (23) West Vdara (80) Flavovespia (9)	GROUP J Crpostran (32) Huayramarca (21) Farfadillis (4) Katzeburg (66)	GROUP K Mytanija (34) The Holy Empire (16) HOT-DAMN (70) Banija (8)	GROUP L Juvencus (10) Tanirinthia (11) Hapilopper (55) Sarzonia (28)

Finals schedule
All scorination will take place in the early morning UTC on the second date listed, which in the Americas is the evening of the first date listed. Final grading will begin at or shortly after 0130 UTC, with an announcement on Discord when it does, and the cutoff will take place immediately upon its completion.
All dates are subject to change in the event of mechanical and/or human difficulties.

24/25 January Group MD1 (1v4, 3v2)
26/27 January Group MD2 (1v2, 4v3)
28/29 January Group MD3 (3v1, 2v4) (this will be followed by the Qusma seeding process to reveal the knockout bracket)
30/31 January Hexadecifinals (round of 32)
1/2 February Octofinals (round of 16)
3/4 February Quarterfinals
5/6 February Semifinals
7/8 February Final and bronze final (the bronze final may be scorinated 24 hours earlier if both nations involved have either RPed or declared an intention not to)

Good luck, have fun, and may Margaret be with you!

by **Tikariot** » Fri Dec 27, 2024 9:29 am

Tikariot Information

Tikariot is a nation in Rushmore of approximately 49 million people, bordering The Kytler Peninsulae to the west, Græntfjall to the north, Weatherdon to the northeast and Nyowani Kitara to the southeast. Its 15 provinces stretch from Nordic and partially tundra climates in the north eastern province of Viljamark to hot and humid Acrassia in the far west and the tropical Cardannon Archipelago, with both majestic mountain ranges and fertile grasslands providing for a big variety of industries. Despite having a thriving economy, Tikariotian businesses are bound by strict environmental laws to preserve the country for generations to come.

Tikariot's by far biggest and most popular sport is football, with the Tikariotian Premier League as its highest level with the national team also enjoying some successes. They won Copa Rushmori 42 and 47 as well as the 6th and 7th editions of the Brevity Cup. In the World Cup, their best result to date was World Cup, where they finished 3rd, together with seven qualifications to far.

Before you arrive

While being a quite liberal country, there are some restrictions on what is allowed to be brought into the country. Hard drugs are forbidden as are any kind of weapons or endangered animals (dead or alive). Alcohol and tobacco can be brought into the country in limited quantities. It is also advised you familiarize yourself with the climate of the region(s) you travel to as the weather and temperatures can be very different.

Main port of entry is Port Rhovanyon International Airport, also the hub for Tikariot Owlways, with Alcassar and Tikariot City the two other major airports.

Getting around

Tikariot is a fairly large country with a very well-developed transportation network. Tikariot Owlways operates several daily flights between all provincial capitals with some provincial subsidiaries taking care of flights to smaller destinations. There also is a high-speed train network connecting the larger cities, mostly powered by solar energy, making them a viable alternative to aviation. Most big cities have very well-developed public transit with both underground and light rail trains, buses, bike rentals and more, encouraging Tikariotians to leave their cars at home. In the more rural areas trains and buses will connect with smaller communities as well.

Wildlife

Large parts of Tikariot are wilderness, be it the large forests of Viljamark, the plains of Taeria or the subtropical forests of the Emerald Coast. There are clearly marked roads and paths in these areas, straying from them could result in encounters with wildlife, friendly or hostile, the worst of which is the dangaroo. Breaking environmental laws is met with strict fines, especially in designated natural park areas.

Cuisine

The Tikariotian cuisine is as diverse as its climate, ranging from hearty Nordic stews and roasts in Viljamark and Xark to the exotic dishes of Acrassia. Street foods are an important staple of Tikariot, with vendors selling all kinds of delicacies off carts or take-out windows. The diversity also has seen an influx of vegetarian and vegan options, so almost any tourist should be able to find something to their liking.

Cities and stadiums
Port Tacassam
Dragonscrest Stadium (79,000)
Port Tacassam is a port city in the east of the Acrassia province, which is located in the very west of Tikariot, bordering The Kytler Peninsulae. It is the main point of export for Balkash's (neighbouring province) grains and other goods as one of Tikariot's largest bulk cargo ports.

Dragonscrest Stadium is an iconic landmark in Port Tacassam, located next to a large rocky ridge called the Dragonscrest that dissects the city. It is situated right at an inlet from the Gulf of Yavash, giving it a unique ambiance of a mountain on one side and the gulf on the other. It is a modern stadium of IFCF category 1. It is known for its dense and energetic atmosphere with great acoustics.

Matches staged:
Day 1, 2100 IsT: Tikariot v StrayaRoos
Day 7, 1830 IsT: Tikariot v Gnejs
Day 12, 1600 IsT: Banija v HOT-DAMN
Day 16, 1400 IsT: The Holy Empire v Banija
Day 19, 2000 IsT: Hexadecifinal
Day 23, 1700 IsT: Hexadecifinal

Baraldhur
Creighton Park (61,000)
The Balkash province is often called the "liquor store" of Tikariot and it has the by far highest concentration of distilleries, vineyards and breweries, which supplement the also strong agricultural sector of the province. Baraldhur is the capital of the province and central hub for the distribution of all of these products and with that is one of the strongest Tikariotian cities financially.

Creighton Park is the home of Baraldhur AFC and is a bit of a visual statement with a striking pattern of geometric panels with a mix of silver and coloured panels, which during match days light up with a glow that can be adjusted to the team playing, which can give the stadium a tranquil or even angry appearance. This continues on inside the stadium with the glow features bringing this very unique atmosphere. The stadium also has a big multimedia museum of Baraldhur AFC inside.

Matches staged:
Day 7, 1600 IsT: StrayaRoos v Eastfield Lodge
Day 13, 2000 IsT: Eastfield Lodge v Tikariot
Day 19, 1700 IsT: Hexadecifinal
Day 23, 1700 IsT: Hexadecifinal

[i]Port Rhovanyon
Oceanview Stadium (63,000)
Port Rhovanyon is the capital of Tikariot and, as the name suggests, is one of Tikariot's large port cities. It is one of the oldest cities in Tikariot with a beautiful old city core around the old port that still exudes the old atmosphere, while the city grew outward, becoming more modern. Nowadays, the juxtaposition between the historic old town and the modern parts of a metropolis creates an interesting effect.

The main national stadium of Tikariot, Oceanview Stadium is a modern, state-of-the-art stadium next to Rhovanyon Bay and is part of Oceanview Sports Park, which unites a series of sports venues on a peninsula in the east of the city. The stadium has won several awards for its innovative design, incorporating trees and bushes into the structure and has been heralded a poster-stadium for sustainability and organic design.

Matches staged:
Day 9, 1330 IsT: Squornshelan Remnant States v The 14 Stars
Day 15, 1700 IsT: West Vdara v Edsmontik
Day 22, 2000 IsT: Hexadecifinal
Day 25, 1700 IsT: Octofinal

Oriannor
Mountain Fortress (54,000)
Oriannor is a quite special city in Tikariot as the capital of the Khazagh province. What makes it so special is that pretty much the whole province is covered by the gigantic Khazagh mountain range. Mining is THE economy of the province and a huge contributor to the Tikariotian economy overall. Oriannor itself is built into the mountains, giving it a truly unique character.

The Mountain Fortress is just as special, as it is one of the most iconic stadiums, not only in Tikariot, located on the edge of Oriannor. It is surrounded by high mountain peaks and is feared for the dense atmosphere and the altitude. Its edgy, modern design has won several awards. It is also another one of Tikariot's IFCF Category 1 stadiums.

Matches staged:
Day 5, 1600 IsT: Edsmontik v Flavovespia
Day 11, 2100 IsT: Edsmontik v Zenic
Day 15, 1700 IsT: Zenic v Flavovespia
Day 20, 2000 IsT: Hexadecifinal
Day 23, 2000 IsT: Hexadecifinal

Carathyr
Jewel of the Coast (72,000)
Carathyr is one of the oldest cities in Tikariot and the biggest port of the nation. Long before Tikariot itself became a thing, its location on the southern coast of the Emerald Coast made it a trade hub, connecting different parts of Rushmore. It is also one of the most diverse cities as merchants from across the region and beyond settled here throughout the centuries.

Carathyr's Jewel of the Coast constantly ranks very high in fan surveys for best stadium. It strikes a great balance between tradition and modern design, creating a great atmosphere. The location right on the coast likely also helps with fan perception.

Matches staged:
Day 5, 1330 IsT: Zenic v West Vdara
Day 9, 1830 IsT: Baggieland v Ko-oren
Day 14, 1400 IsT: The 14 Stars v Baggieland
Day 21, 1400 IsT: Hexadecifinal
Day 31, 2000 IsT: Quarterfinal

Tikariot City
Dhaencunor Arena (84,000)
Despite the name hinting at it, Tikariot City is not the capital of Tikariot. It is, however, the largest city of the nation. It was the centre of the freedom movement against the communist rule, with the majestic citadel that is throning above the old harbour and old town having played a major role in rallying the citizens.

The Dhaencunor Arena is one of the most modern, and largest, stadiums in the nation. Top of the game in terms of hospitality, luxury and amenities, it is one of Tikariot's national stadiums hosting national team games. It is marked by generous, flowing curves, giving the whole stadium a very dynamic feel.

Matches staged:
Day 3, 1330 IsT: Squornshelan Remnant States v Baggieland
Day 11, 1600 IsT: Flavovespia v West Vdara
Day 14, 1400 IsT: Ko-oren v Squornshelan Remnant States
Day 27, 1700 IsT: Octofinal
Day 31, 1700 IsT: Quarterfinal
Day 39, 2000 IsT: Final

Avanaroch
Paladon Park (78,000)
Avanaroch is the fourth largest city in Tikariot and also the capital of the province of Paladon. It is one of the five major sea ports of Tikariot, heavily involved in the export of both ores and manufactured goods from the heartland of Paladon and beyond.

Another IFCF Category 1 stadium, Avanaroch's Paladon Park combines modern amenities and technology with incorporating wood into its façade and has won several awards for this. Inside, it uses holographic technology to instant replay goals and other happenings.

Matches staged:
Day 3, 1600 IsT: The 14 Stars v Ko-oren
Day 12, 1330 IsT: Juvencus v Tanirinthia
Day 16, 2000 IsT: Tanirinthia v Sarzonia
Day 27, 2000 IsT: Octofinal

Tovaca
Thunderdome (66,000)
Tovaca is the capital of the Taeria province, which has the hottest climate in Tikariot. It is built atop the Tovaca cliffs, overlooking the eastern parts of the Xandrian Sea. It is the Tikariotian centre for the oil and gas industry, given Taeria’s rich deposits.

The Thunderdome, while not an actually roofed stadium, is one of Tikariot's most modern stadiums, which, conversely to the Citadel of the North, has some air conditioning features due to Tovaca's often hot climate. When it was built, it was also done with the acoustics in mind, meaning that it is one of the loudest stadiums in the country, which the fans are taking full advantage of.

Matches staged:
Day 3, 2100 IsT: Kamijiro v HUElavia
Day 6, 1830 IsT: Tanirinthia v Hapilopper
Day 14, 1700 IsT: HUElavia v Elmyia
Day 24, 2000 IsT: Octofinal
Day 27, 2000 IsT: Octofinal

Fort Viljan
Citadel of the North (40,000)
Fort Viljan is the capital of the Viljamark in the northeast of Tikariot, bordering Lake Viljan. It is one of the most picturesque towns of Tikariot, with the old town and its cobblestone streets. The fort itself is built on a peninsula leading into Lake Viljan and is one of Tikariot’s oldest still fully functioning structures.

The Citadel of the North is the coldest stadium in the TPL, built on an island out in Lake Viljan, just off the coast of Fort Viljan. Exposed to the often frigid winters and cold winds off the lake, the stadium is unique in that it doesn't only have a heated pitch, but also heated seats to make the cold more bearable.

Matches staged:
Day 3, 2100 IsT: Elmyia v Kelssek
Day 9, 1600 IsT: Elmyia v Kamijiro
Day 14, 1700 IsT: Kamijiro v Kelssek

by **Qusmo** » Fri Dec 27, 2024 9:29 am

Qusmo information

Fuzpon Qusma, Visit Qusmo, and the Qusma government are excited to welcome you to Qusmo for World Cup 98. This World Cup will be the first to be played in Qusmo and the first major tournament hosted in Qusmo since Copa Rushmori XXXII, in the eighty-third WCC cycle. It will also represent Qusmo’s first appearance at a World Cup since World Cup 83. The whole country hopes that your time in our nation is pleasant and exciting and wishes you luck in the Xannerian Sea World Cup.

Origins
Qusmo is a nation encompassing the whole of a volcanic island within the Xannerian Sea of Rushmore. The volcano that created the landmass, Gor Qusma, has long been extinct and poses no threat to visitors or inhabitants. Found in the Rushmori subregion of Pavola, the nation can be found roughly equidistantly between Nangang, the capital of Yuezhou, and Zube, the capital of the Kytler Peninsulae, to the southwest and northeast, respectively. The interior of the nation is very mountainous, as Gor Qusma dominates the geography of the entire country. Qanz, the capital, is nearly three kilometres, or nearly two miles, above sea level. However, the other four Qusma cities hosting matches at the tournament are all found at or around sea level on the nation’s coast.

Governance
Fifteen cycles ago, a fractious debate in Qusmo over the Common Rushmori Community, immigration, foreignness, and an essential Qusma national character precipitated one of the most dramatic events in the nation’s recent history. The pro-CRC camp was roiled by a massive bribery scandal which scattered the pro-CRC vote among several rival parties, allowing the anti-CRC People’s Alliance to ease to a commanding election majority. Anti-Alliance protests were designated by the Qusmi Bez, Drolx-Dalox Aka, to be threats to national security. Martial law was declared during World Cup 83. It was one of the darkest moments in the nation’s history. Supporters of Drolx-Dalox refer to it and the ensuing sweeping changes to Qusma government as the Reforms. Their opponents call it the Collapse.

Qusmo is still ruled by Drolx-Dalox Aka. Their title is Qusmi Bez, which historically had been akin to the role of a prime minister in many other countries before the Reforms, but which now places Drolx-Dalox as a unitary executive. Qusmi Bez translates literally as “first Qusmi.” Elections have resumed recently, but Drolx-Dalox and the Alliance have neutered any real opposition by banning many dissident political parties and politicians as threats to the Qusma nation. Drolx-Dalox campaigns as a populist and governs in a competitive authoritarian system. They cultivate popularity as a defender of traditional Qusma values, society, and culture against a wider world that they cast as hostile to Qusmi’y, nonbinary people, and the epicene writ large. Opponents, then, are portrayed in state-run media as willing existential threats to the Qusma nation itself. Open dissent is rare, though the government has consolidated enough support to no longer have to rely on violence.

Culture
The most distinctive feature of Qusma culture to outsiders is usually cited as its unique relationship to gender. The vast majority of Qusmi’y are androgynous and nonbinary. Qusmo has long prided itself on its nonbinary gender system, as many feel it defines the nation as inherently more just than the gendered societies which populate much of the rest of the Multiverse, which tend to take on at least some degree of a patriarchal or matriarchal character, at the expense of others in its population. More recently, an epicene radicalism movement has emerged which itself places nonbinary individuals atop a hierarchy defined by what may seem to much of the rest of the Multiverse like startlingly traditional gender roles: men as the physical, women as the emotional, epicenes as the rational. For the moment, this movement remains somewhat fringe.

Another highly visible aspect of Qusma culture is names. Traditional Qusma names include a compound surname, usually taking one name from each parent in two-parent households, followed by a given name. There is an extremely short and strict list of names which are considered traditionally Qusma. Family names include a pair of five-letter units, on either side of a hyphen, and given names are three letters long. Unlike many other nations, given names follow family names, as is the case in Qusmo’s neighbor of Yuezhou. However, nontraditional names and gender identities have emerged in recent years in particular, as some Qusma expatriates who fled the country during the Reforms have started families with non-Qusmi’y, and children of half Qusma descent are likelier to adopt a binary gender identity or nontraditional name.

Finally, Qusma demonyms can be confusing to outsiders. Qusmo is the noun for the state, the nation, and the landmass. Qusmi is the noun for a person from Qusmo. Qusmi’y is the plural noun for people from Qusmo. Qusma is the adjective for something of or from Qusmo. Qusmu is the language native to Qusmo. Many Qusmi’y have relaxed attitudes towards demonym mishaps, but it remains a potential point of offense for some traditionalists, including those in Qusmo’s government.

Host cities and stadia

Note that groups at this World Cup work differently from most recent tournaments, which have allocated two stadia to each group. To ensure no team plays all group matches in one place whilst rivals travel, groups are split between three or four venues, many of which will host games in two different groups. Also, due to the use of Qusma seeding, the knockout bracket will not be confirmed until after the group stage.

Atlem
Mastad Atlova (61 125)
Atlem is Qusmo’s third-largest city, and it is currently undergoing a metamorphosis. Long a working-class city built by the city’s dockyards, a burgeoning tech sector has been attracted to Atlem, seeking a city with a large population and both cheap land and labor. The city has been gentrifying as a result, with long-tenured, deep-rooted members of local communities being priced out by new-money newcomers. The government accepts this as the necessary cost of growth.

Mastad Atlova is Qusmo’s only completely-new World Cup stadium. The home of KF Atlov - the winners of Qusmo’s only-ever international trophy (UICA Youth Cup 25), the newly-crowned champions of Qusmo, and the grand champions of the Federation of the Single Sun - this venue is designed to maximize revenue in every way possible. The gleaming stadium can host football, gridiron, concerts, and anything else for which promoters can sell tickets. Though its generic name is Mastad Atlova, it has sold its corporate naming rights to uni·q, a sportswear and kit design brand led by Ibilx-Irtix Ono, a recently-retired former Atlov player turned club co-owner, chair, and manager.

Matches staged:
Day 8, 2100 IsT: Qusmo v C2
Day 13, 1700 IsT: C2 v C4
Day 16, 1700 IsT: J2 v J4
Day 20, 1400 IsT: Hexadecifinal
Day 30, 2000 IsT: Quarterfinal

Kolle
Mastad Koflira (45 241)
Kolle is situated near the delta of Qusmo’s most economically important river, the Rux. As such, it was historically a significant centre of domestic trade, as the place where goods from Qusma and foreign ports were transferred from sea vessels to river vessels bound for Qanz and other cities within the watershed. It is also Qusmo’s largest city on its Xandrian Sea coast, and it is therefore an important port of trade with nations to Qusmo’s south on the Xandrian or Great Continental Seas. Kolle’s reputation for great seafood has also recently helped transform it into a burgeoning gastronomic hub.

Mastad Koflira is Qusmo’s smallest World Cup stadium, and unlike Atlov, Poldanz, or Trew, KF Koflir has not won a major trophy. However, it is also the most intimate environment among Qusmo’s tranche of World Cup venues. The stadium is undergoing renovations in preparation for both its tenant club’s debut in the League of the Single Sun and a potential World Cup, with atmosphere at the forefront. Mastad Koflira’s rows of seats are sloped steeply to help trap crowd noise within the venu and to make each fan feel as if they’re sitting on top of the action. The hope is that, despite being half as large as some other World Cup stadia, the energy of Mastad Koflira could be just as exciting.

Matches staged:
Day 4, 1830 IsT: H2 v H3
Day 10, 1330 IsT: H4 v H3
Day 15, 1400 IsT: H2 v H4
Day 22, 1700 IsT: Hexadecifinal

Polan
Mastad Poldanza (60 333)
Polan is Qusmo’s second city, in population and Qusma popular culture. Located on a peninsula jutting into the nation’s northeastern coast, Polan has a sense of cosmopolitanism from its geographic and trade connections to places like the Kytler Peninsulae and Tikariot. Polan is a decidedly mixed-class city, with dockworkers and bankers alike shaping the city’s identity. The local area is also known for the white eagle, a rare raptor native to northeastern Qusmo, which has become a symbol of the greater Polan area and its local football club.

Mastad Poldanz is home to KF Poldanz, the three-time Puk Zala champions in Qusmo’s Pug Qusmyra era and its first Federation Shield champion in the newest era of Qusma domestic football. It also hosted a Copa Rushmori semifinal, with a pair of stadia in Qanz staging the other semifinal and final of the thirty-second edition of the regional championship. Poldanz opted for a light touch with pre-World Cup renovation work, not doing much besides adding hospitality suites. As the obvious stadium to go to in an obvious city to play in - unlike Atlov, Qanz, and Tracam, there is no second option for a Polan stadium within the League of the Single Sun - the club managed to save some money, at the expense of amenities for general match-going fans which are now a bit dated.

Matches staged:
Day 2, 1330 IsT: C2 v C3
Day 10, 1830 IsT: H1 v H2
Day 13, 1700 IsT: C3 v Qusmo
Day 20, 1700 IsT: Hexadecifinal
Day 26, 2000 IsT: Octofinal

Qanz
Mastad Qusma (80 000)
Qanz is not just Qusmo’s largest city and capital. It is the political, economic, geographic, historic, cultural, and mythological heart of the nation and of its people. Qanz proper was originally constructed on an island in the caldera of an extinct supervolcano. Qusmi’y from all across the country take immense pride in their legacy as a people which emerged from the caldera, but they also wish that Qanz didn’t dominate the priorities of its various institutions.

Mastad Qusma can be translated as the Stadium of the Nation. In keeping with the spirit of the city itself, it is the largest and most historic stadium in Qusmo, and it is the home of its national team. The stadium has previously hosted the finals of all Qusma domestic cups, UICA Youth Cup 24, UICA Series B Champions’ Cup 68, CRF Copa de Campeones 45, and CRF Copa Rushmori XXXII. It already has plenty of suites and amenities for VIPs and high-net-worth individuals as a result, and it is not expected to need significant renovations to host the World Cup, even in later rounds. However, at nearly 3000 metres above sea level, Qanz’s precipitous altitude may have a noticeable effect on the ball’s flight or players’ lungs.

Matches staged:
Day 2, 1830 IsT: Qusmo v C4
Day 8, 1330 IsT: C4 v C3
Day 14, 2000 IsT: D2 v D4
Day 22, 1400 IsT: Hexadecifinal
Day 34, 2000 IsT: Semifinal

Tracam
Mastad Trewa (52 022)
Tracam is a city of sorrow. A city with perhaps the nation’s vibrant, most assertive youth culture before the Collapse - also known as the Reforms, or the martial law period - hosted mass demonstrations opposing the government and military in the early days. Resistance was crushed with unflinching brutality. The state will surely ensure the city puts on an enthusiastic face while it hosts the world, but it has not forgotten the young people who were killed a generation ago, even if the state would like it to.

Mastad Trewa is the home of KF Trew, newly-crowned Cup of Qusmo champions. It is also the club whose Pug Qusmyra-era roster once included Rilan-Jerat Nev, who became a martyr for Qusma democrats after being killed in the first major violent confrontation between the military and demonstrators under martial law. Tensions are simmering due to the government’s decision to stage this celebration of its rule here, in this city and at this stadium of all places. Qusmo’s government will do all it must to ensure those tensions do not boil over while the eyes of the world are upon it.

Matches staged:
Day 4, 2100 IsT: H1 v H4
Day 11, 1330 IsT: J1 v J2
Day 15, 1400 IsT: H3 v H1

Yuezhou information

Welcome to Yuezhou!/月州欢迎你!

The United Republics of Yuezhou is a medium-sized republic in central Rushmore. While politically closest to the nations of Pavola, the islands that compromise Yuezhou fall across four Rushmori subcontinents: Branta, Terramidia, Pavola, and The Vatmark. Nestled in the heart of the Xandrian Sea, Yuezhou is bordered to the east by Qusmo, to the northeast by The Kytler Peninsulae, to the northwest by Elymia, and to the south by Xinhua and Darmen. After a lengthy period of warfare and strife, new leadership have rebuilt the United Republics to its best-yet form, and are now looking forward to welcoming fans from across Rushmore to visit for WC98. It's a new dawn in Yuezhou!

Fast facts

Currency: Yuebi (plural: Yuebi)
Population: 36.1 million
Language: Yueyu (Chinese)
Religion: none
Denonym: Yue (adjective), Yueren (noun)
Trigram: YZH
Driving Side: Right

History

Yuezhou has taken a number of political guises throughout its history, and consequently its cultural influence and influences have both shifted several times over the years. Originally a settler state founded by Mavinese political dissidents, the small and insignificant trade kingdom was swept up in a wave of socialist revolutions that also overtook Græntfjall, Tikariot, and other Rushmori nations. Under Ren Qiang, the most well-known of Yue socialists who ruled the People’s Federation for thirty-six years, the nation became both more independent and more prominent in the international community, entering the Copa Rushmori for the first time in its twenty-ninth edition.

After Ren was deposed in a lengthy Civil War, with power being seized first by a military coup and then by separatist factions led by Governor Zheng Zhoulun, the United Republics was founded by the late Zheng’s right-hand man, Wu Zhongsheng. It consists of a loose federation of the six constituent regions of Yuezhou: Beiyun, Jiangdong, Nanhai, Sangau, Shimen, and Xilindao, bound together by a parliamentary central government much weaker than the fearsome People’s Federation. Recent years have seen the nation grow increasingly prominent in regional politics (intervening ih Nyowani Kitara and Farfadillis) and open: successive right-wing governments have rebuilt the nation on a wave of foreign investment, especially from Farf-Yue bat-mining abomination Lithico™.

Geography

Yuezhou consists of eleven inhabited islands, the largest and most central (colloquially referred to as Zhongdao, or “Middle Island”). of which at least partially contains five of the six provinces. Beiyun, the northernmost province, and Nanhai, the southernmost, are both split across multiple islands, while Xilindao, the westernmost province, is its own island. Consequently, the “forest isle” is the most remote of the six provinces, and the least-visited. The sea plays an important role in Yue national identity, even forming the first half of its national motto (从海到天, tr. “From the sea to the sky”). Yuezhou’s two largest cities, Nangang and Jiangdong, both owe their importance to their placement near important waterways and natural harbors.

The center of Zhongdao is the mountainous region of Sangau (capital city Mükiachou), from which rivers that form most natural borders on the island originate. Surrounding Zhongdao, rolling foothills in the northwest and central regions give way to plains in the south and east. Yuezhou straddles multiple different climates, ranging from the temperate north to the almost subtropical south, with a highland temperate climate in Sangau.

In terms of transportation, both Nangang and Beian have sizable international airports, with frequent connecting flights to airports in Jiangdong and Yincheng (both of which also have international traffic, mainly from other Pavolan nations). Yuezhou boasts a sizable bullet train network that connects all major cities outside of Sangau. Within most cities, buses are the most common way to get around; all four host cities have some form of subway or tram system, although Nangang and Beian are the only two where the subway network rivals the bus system in terms of usage.

Culture

Modern Yuezhou is often called a country of two cultures: the remnants of the rigid socialist society, and a new era of cultural exploration and outside Rushmori influences. Much of Yue social policy can be seen as an attempt to keep the older generations from shutting the country down, while not making things so bad for the younger generations that they move elsewhere.

There are things that all Yueren can bond over, such as food, family, and frequent heavy drinking. Food is an integral part of Yue culture that is woven deeply into the nation’s social fabric; mealtimes are deeply important within the Yue family unit. Food is also a core part of regional identity within Yuezhou, with multiple cuisines claiming their own superiority. Yueren center the quality and freshness of ingredients within their cooking; menus tend to vary by season even amongst street food vendors, and regional cuisines favor what is locally available (with seafood more common on the coasts, and pork more common inland). There tend to be significant differences between family cooking (a few vegetable/meat dishes with a base of rice or wheat noodles), restaurant cooking (more variety, with an emphasis on luxury ingredients), and street food. One of the most classic Yue street food dishes is jianbing, a sort of savory crepe filled with eggs, fried dough, scallions and cilantro, various sauces, and sometimes ham or (if you’re in Nangang) shrimp.

Both the Yue monarchy and the successive socialist governments heavily emphasized family as the organizing unit of Yue society. Until the end of the People’s Federation, it was still very common for extended families to live together or in close proximity whenever possible; however, household sizes have dropped dramatically since the Civil War. Rigid social structures and respecting those in older generations remains relatively ingrained in Yue culture despite the shift towards individualism in recent years. The modern Yue government is theoretically very pro-immigration, but in practice the developing economy and high ethnic homogeneity limit the amount of families that cross the Xandrian. The LGBTQ+ community has limited rights (with the ability to form legally distinct “civil union”s), although discrimination, while technically illegal, remains prevalent.

Alcohol is Yuezhou’s vice of choice, with heavy enforcement of recreational drug usage bans keeping the alternatives off of all but the seediest of areas. Yueren prefer colorless spirits distilled from grains, with baijiu (a significantly stronger spirit favored by older Yueren) and shaojiu (a smoother, less strong spirit that is often flavored) the two most popular. “Western” spirits can be found, although they tend to be overpriced. Beer also enjoys a cult following in Yuezhou despite the fact that most Yue beer is completely unpalatable. Yuezhou has always had a reasonably strong nightlife scene, whether legal or semi-legal; since the establishment of the United Republics, establishments have transitioned to being more legitimate.

Host cities and stadia

Note that groups at this World Cup work differently from most recent tournaments, which have allocated two stadia to each group. To ensure no team plays all group matches in one place whilst rivals travel, groups are split between three or four venues, many of which will host games in two different groups. Also, due to the use of Qusma seeding, the knockout bracket will not be confirmed until after the group stage.

Nangang
Yübao (65 000)
Nangang is the capital of both the province of Nanhai and the United Republics as a whole. Ever since the founding of the United Republics, it has been the political and economic engine of Yuezhou. It also hosts two of the nation’s biggest clubs: Nangang Royals, who play at Yübao (the nation’s largest stadium since the Civil War took out its competitors), and Olympic Nangang, who play in the working-class coastal neighborhood of Jingdu. Landmarks include the mammoth Xinfanrong Park, simultaneously Yuezhou’s largest urban greenspace and largest corporate complex, and the lively Nongchang Night Market, the gastronomical center of Nanhai cuisine. Yübao has really had a moment recently, hosting the finals of both Copa Rushmori 46 and Champions League 20. Will your team join Atletik Težia and Elmyia in winning on Yue soil?

Matches staged:
Day 2, 2000 CoT: D1 v D4
Day 5, 1730 CoT: J2 v J3
Day 8, 1500 CoT: D4 v D3
Day 14, 1900 CoT: D3 v D1
Day 25, 1600 CoT: Octofinal

Jiangdong
The Meridian (59 000)
Modern Jiangdong is a city of connections: not only is it where the Great River meets the Xandrian Sea, something that defined pre-revolution Jiangdong, but it is also considered to be where four Rushmori subcontinents meet. The Meridian was intentionally built so that the center circle would contain the junction of all four subcontinents, as the eccentric then-owner of SC Jiangdong considered the grounds of the stadium to contain “aligned energies that will power our team to victory”. In the past, this gave Jiangdong a reputation as a city of transients, as blue-collar workers from across the country sought temporary work on the docks - the early modern yet remarkably complex Lianba Locks that brought boats down to the Xandrian remains one of the city’s biggest attractions. Modern Jiangdong has flipped this somewhat, becoming the nexus for a lot of foreign direct investment, sometimes to its own detriment. This makes it the city that has grown the most since the United Republics was established, but despite all the new skyscrapers, it’s yet to truly define a new culture for itself, and is by far the quietest of the big Yue cities after 8 PM.

Matches staged:
Day 2, 1500 CoT: D2 v D3
Day 5, 2000 CoT: J1 v J4
Day 8, 1730 CoT: D1 v D2
Day 11, 1730 CoT: J4 v J3
Day 16, 1600 CoT: J1 v J3

by **The Kytler Peninsulae** » Fri Dec 27, 2024 9:29 am

The Kytler Peninsulae information

The Kytler Peninsulae, as a nation, is arguably characterised by being a relatively ordinary place in an extraordinary world. This has been the basis of moral panics over the years that - especially after international incidents at the Games of the IX Olympiad in Zube and Kytler Bay City - led to decades of isolationism where Kytlerians did not participate in international sport at all, fearful of the effects of "Recognised Performance Drugs" (RPDs) whose use in high-level international sport is not only legal but actively encouraged. The day that formally put an end to the Kytlerian Isolation is referred to as Reopening Day, and its anniversary is now a national holiday - one that the first matches of this World Cup have been scheduled to coincide with.

Overall, the country is democratic, liberal, and capitalist - in that order, for the most part, though you wouldn't always know it in some rural areas. The population has been defined by various immigration waves, and the two titular peninsulae have their own origin story in that regard as well as their own character. The north is noted for its rolling chalk hills dotted by traditional villages and the windswept Komodo Channel coast. The southern peninsula (which tends to be defined as anywhere south of Kytler Bay even though most of that area really isn't much of a peninsula) has rockier, spikier terrain with some areas scarred by uranium mining.

However, most Kytlerians today live in the eastern part of the country between the two peninsulae, known as the Eastern Corridor - an area which, by its oldest and narrowest definition, has the colonial capital Kytler Bay City at one end and the purpose-built modern capital Zube at the other, but which quickly ran against a tightly drawn border with Albundania before that nation ceased to exist. The newly added Kytlerian land following fresh treaties after the Albundanian Collapse is referred to as the Eastern Corridor Expansion; it is not clear if there will be a second expansion following the collapse of Græntfjall, the inheritor nation to much of ex-Albundania. In many respects, this World Cup is an exercise in the Kytlerian nation building its own infrastructural capacities to reduce its dependence on the turmoil to their east - in particular, the Græntfjaller cloud computing facilities that served huge swathes of Rushmore thanks to the country's low tax/low temperature combination being absolute catnip for the industry.

There are also just over a million Kytlerians in the exclave of Bitternea, which briefly competed as an independent nation in World Cup qualification before its own localised civil war was effectively settled in favour of Kytlerian forces.

Things to know as a travelling spectator

Transportation
Most visitors to the country by air will arrive into Zube International Airport, which serves as the country's main aviation hub in part because it is connected to not only central Zube but the heart of Kytler Bay City by the "Olympic Maglev" link. Built (as the name rather gives away) for the Games of the IX Olympiad, it connects the airport to the Bay City Olympic terminus in just over 25 minutes via Zube Olympic Park and the Zube Centrepoint domestic rail hub at the heart of the capital. There are also international flights to Santa Mordana and Roddens, the two host cities in the west of the country, from various parts of western and central Rushmore.

A reasonably extensive road and rail network connects the various Kytlerian towns and cities, and all mainland Kytlerian host cities are on major railway lines - but Kytler Bay itself does not have a major road crossing west of the Cluitt Bridge crossing the Sharke Inlet at the bay's eastern tip near Zube. Instead, various ferry links cross the bay, notably including one from Santa Mordana in the southwest to Carmina (a 15-minute rail journey from Roddens) in the northwest. There are also ferry links across the Xandrian Sea to the southern peninsula, with Alaer and Santa Mordana particular hubs for these services. Connections to Cobden are largely from Tikariot (and this is reflected in the scheduling).

Climate
The World Cup will take place during the Kytlerian summer. Expect average daytime high temperatures of around 27-30C, falling to the low 20s for evening kickoffs, and moderately high humidity. There is some potential for variation; Zube is relatively exposed to cooler, gusty northerly winds from the Komodo Channel from time to time, while at other times a southerly flow from the Xandrian Sea can bring sporadic thunderstorms to the southern peninsula. Most often, though, Kytlerian summers are dry and broadly pleasant, if a little too warm for optimal high-intensity soccer.

Note that Roddens Stadium is a retractable-roof venue and as such can be protected fully from the elements if needed.

Culture
The Kytlerian nation was once described by the Kytlerian sociologist Dr Dings Whootung as "almost like ten smaller states in a trenchcoat" - but not in the warring-tribes sense of (say) Mytanija, but rather in the origin story of "several different, distinct migration waves that have integrated really - it's not been awkward in the sense of social tension or violence in recent decades at least, but each of these different groups have kept their own identities, ways of living, ways of speaking, and there's not been the sort of blurring of lines you might expect from a peacefully integrated country." For instance, the significant Vephra and Icelander communities tend to marry internally - not out of hate, but out of a preservation of their naming traditions (Dr. Whootung being a product of the former).

Sport is, like in so many parts of Rushmore, the great unifier - albeit it's historically also been the exact opposite sometimes, at least when it comes to the idea of international sport and if the Kytlerians should even be in it. That's a culture war that the isolationists have very much lost for now, but (especially in the conservative southern region of Varn, which has threatened independence more than a few times but never actually made it happen) they haven't gone away entirely. A massive policing operation is set to be in place to snuff out the threat of domestic terrorists disrupting the event in the name of the RPD moral panic, despite the fact that their legacy of hiding the country from the rest of the multiverse for decades plural effectively amounts to a broad wariness of street drugs in general (alcohol not so much, but while this is not a "dry country" pubs and bars still do a brisk trade in alternatives such as fruit juice drinks).

Other images of Kytlerian culture that might show up as tropes for broadcasters to lean on: "symphonic pop" music with rich orchestration often sung by classically-trained singers; game shows of various kinds, especially quiz and/or push-your-luck formats, being more popular than most scripted television; eating out at the Gregg's chain of casual restaurants, their chicken burger being a stereotypically "Kytlerian" food; and popular venues for nights out including karaoke bars and golf simulators.

Host cities and stadia

Note that groups at this World Cup work differently from most recent tournaments, which have allocated two stadia to each group. To ensure no team plays all group matches in one place whilst rivals travel, groups are split between three or four venues, many of which will host games in two different groups. Also, due to the use of Qusma seeding, the knockout bracket will not be confirmed until after the group stage.

Alaer
Clituleng Giisost Stadium (56,984)
Alaer - pronounced al-eye-AIR - is the largest city on the southern peninsula and the third largest in the country, with many of its 450,000 inhabitants being descendents of Vephra immigrants from the former Vircais (now Sabine and Caddonia). One of them is Clituleng Giisost. Not only the most famous manager of perennial Kytlerian soccer powerhouse FC Alaer, he is inarguably the most influential man in recent Kytlerian history - the sporting figure who became not just a politician, but the Prime Minister who led the country out of decades of sporting isolation. Upon his resignation as PM following an epileptic seizure on his return from the last World Cup, the government declared the anniversary of the passing of the legislation that ended the isolation as a public holiday, Reopening Day - and the World Cup starts on that day, with the newly-built Clituleng Giisost Stadium fittingly part of the opening day’s schedule.

The open corner at the heart of this design is partly a reflection of their old ground (which had a glass opening to one corner facing onto Alaer’s city streets) but also symbolic of Giisost’s legacy to the country. The scheduling is apt for this temple to the great anti-isolationist (and its location at the geographic heart of this World Cup), with its three group matches all connected to cross-border groups and its two knockout matches both being in the geographically concentrated hexadecifinals, including the very first of them.

Matches staged:
Day 1, 1830 IsT: B2 v B3
Day 6, 1600 IsT: K1 v K4
Day 13, 2000 IsT: B2 v B4
Day 18, 2000 IsT: Hexadecifinal
Day 21, 1700 IsT: Hexadecifinal

Carroll Lewiston
The Wonderland (41,054)
The Kytler Peninsulae, as the name of a nation, is increasingly a misnomer; the majority of its 23 million inhabitants do not live on either of them, but in the highly urbanised “Eastern Corridor” that connects the two. The collapse of the former Albundania (most of which latterly became Græntfjall) allowed the nation to add new land to its east - the so-called Eastern Corridor Expansion - where several purpose-built cities were built to cater for population overspill. Carroll Lewiston was the largest, and with around 425,000 people it is now the country’s fourth most populous city.

It is perhaps still best known as the site of the Kytlerian Wonderland theme park, the largest in West Pavola and known to thrillseekers across Rushmore for the Margaret’s Revenge “gigacoaster” with its 109.3m drop at a beyond-vertical 98.4 degrees. A 23,500-seat stadium was built on the edge of the theme park itself, and named after it; it has since been expanded significantly, first when main tenants AFC Carroll Lewiston became the first and so far only team from the Expansion area to win the Kytlerian league title with their pioneering “Girl Power” mixed-gender team, and latterly for the World Cup.

Matches staged:
Day 4, 1330 IsT: G1 v G4
Day 10, 1600 IsT: G4 v G3
Day 15, 2000 IsT: G3 v G1
Day 21, 2000 IsT: Hexadecifinal

Cobden
CBDN Bowl (42,069)
The one-time independent state of Bitternea, bridging Tikariot and Nyowani Kitara on the eastern side of the Xandrian Sea, was absorbed into the Kytlerian Federal Republic following a civil war decades ago, and remains an oft-forgotten corner of West Pavola - not least because its sporting clubs have not been fully integrated with either the Kytlerian leagues or those of its two neighbours.

The CBDN Bowl - complete with hipster abbreviation of the Bitternean capital lit up on its iridescent metal facade - has been built as a means of bringing the exclave of around 1.1 million people to international attention as a venue for significant sporting events, and has a hidden retractable roof for multi-purpose use to reinforce this potential. It quickly secured hosting rights to the Liga B Champions Trophy and Rising Stars Cup finals, and now welcomes national teams to its shiny stage.

Matches staged:
Day 6, 1330 IsT: L1 v L4
Day 9, 2100 IsT: F4 v F3
Day 12, 1830 IsT: L4 v L3
Day 16, 2000 IsT: L3 v L1

Kytler Bay City
Carva Dock Arena (53,116)
The colonial-era capital of the predecessor Kytlerian nation, “Bay City” - as it is universally shortened to locally - remains the largest city in the country, with over a million people within the city limits and many more in dormitory towns nearby. An ongoing process of regenerating the city’s central docks - once notorious as a hub of illicit trade - was accelerated by Bay City and Zube hosting the Games of the IX Olympiad, with the Carva Dock being transformed into the foundations of an entirely new district jutting out to Kytler Bay along two strips of land that formed not only the site of the Olympic Village but shelter for a lake that staged rowing, canoeing, and open-water swimming.

The shoreline also featured a temporary beach volleyball arena that staged part of the pioneering split-site opening ceremony; this site was turned into a public beach initially, but now holds a stadium befitting the status of the city and its Bay City United club, with a capacity exactly 10,930 more than double the symbolic 21,093 of the Carva Beach Arena. An opening to two corners provides a clear path of light between the bay and the city that bears its name - and in particular the Margaret Bridge, a 10.93m-wide pedestrian bridge linking the Carva Dock shore with the Bay City Olympic station at the end of the Olympic Maglev line that connects Bay City to central Zube in under 15 minutes and has helped turn the Eastern Corridor into effectively one large polycentric metropolis.

Matches staged:
Day 1, 1600 IsT: A2 v A3
Day 4, 1600 IsT: G2 v G3
Day 7, 1330 IsT: A4 v A3
Day 15, 2000 IsT: G2 v G4
Day 19, 1400 IsT: Hexadecifinal

Roddens
Roddens Stadium (53,500)
The “capital of the north,” Roddens is by far the largest city on a northern peninsula dominated by rolling chalk hills and small market towns where cricket is the summer sport of choice. It likes to call itself “Birthplace of Kytlerian Sport” on the grounds that the first ever Kytlerian international sporting home game was a World Lacrosse Championship pool phase game on the Roddens University Field, and the grass amphitheatre at the Roddens Winter Gardens has been a renowned public viewing fan zone for generations of supporters.

The first of the new wave of Kytlerian stadia following the Giisost Reopening, Roddens Stadium (a naming rights deal with Kytlerian insurer Barstone has been elided for the World Cup) is notable for its glowing facade, usually the red of Roddens City but capable of any colour. It also has a retractable roof, but a plan to use this as the basis for making it double up as the national cricket stadium (thus preventing any matches from being rained out) were thwarted due to the way this would have compromised the seating arrangements for soccer use. Instead, the old soccer ground is being renovated and reconfigured into an oval to fill this role, with its former built-in stage at one end becoming the pavilion (and its role as a concert venue transferred to the new stadium). Roddens Stadium was the temporary home of Atletik Težia in their Champions’ Cup title defense in exile from Mytanar political violence - either due to the retractable roof being seen as a security feature against potential drone attacks, the relative isolation of Roddens geographically, or simply Atletik’s existing ties with Roddens City.

Matches staged:
Day 7, 2100 IsT: The Kytler Peninsulae v A2
Day 13, 1400 IsT: A2 v A4
Day 24, 1700 IsT: Octofinal

Santa Mordana
Estadio Santa Mordana Stadium (50,880)
The southwestern port city of Santa Mordana is home to much of the country’s Hispanic population - and a traditional siesta-interrupted workday is widely observed here, not only out of respect for tradition but because late evening working has facilitated business connections with the western Rushmori continent. Their most famous exports of late, however, have come out of the Real Santa Mordana academy - and in particular Vicente Bautista Oleandro (usually known either simply by his first name or as Vincent), the defining player of this Kytlerian generation and now a key player at Q-League giants Mipojoseon.

The Estadio Santa Mordana Stadium - so good they named it twice (a bilingual naming structure that has held through both sponsored and unsponsored incarnations) - was built shortly before the Bay City-Zube Olympics and staged key soccer matches in those Games. Largely unchanged since then aside from general interior renovations, it has a semi-open side behind one goal - allowing for optimal capacity in concert use, a big deal in a city that has long been as significant a hub of Kytlerian popular music as Bay City and Zube - with a three-tier U-shaped main bowl.

Matches staged:
Day 6, 2100 IsT: K2 v K3
Day 12, 2100 IsT: K1 v K2
Day 16, 1400 IsT: K3 v K1
Day 26, 1700 IsT: Octofinal

Zube
Zube Olympic Stadium (61,093)
Zube - pronounced ZOO-buh - is the purpose-built Kytlerian capital, known as “Snowflake City” for the aerial appearance granted by the light colours used for roof and road surfaces in order to reduce the urban heat island effect. It was built following the Zube Agreement that formed the constitutional basis for the modern nation and named after the former village immediately to its south in which it was signed; the Jamison Farmhouse, the actual building where that happened, is a protected national landmark and was the finishing point of the Olympic marathon and triathlon routes.

As the name rather gives away, Zube Olympic Stadium also held some events that month. Expanded to around 70,000 for those Games, internal modernisation (and the removal of temporary seating) since then has reduced its capacity to the symbolic 61,093 it seats today. The stadium is best known for its suspended upper bowl with a pillar-supported gap around each bend of the athletics-led oval shape; almost certainly the most well-known architectural symbol of the country (and another protected national landmark in itself), the space between the pillars provides views out across the Olympic Park, and once memorably held a temporary ramp that WSRC rally cars used to literally jump into the stadium at the end of a West Pavola Rally stage.

Matches staged:
Day 1, 1330 IsT: The Kytler Peninsulae v A4
Day 10, 2100 IsT: G1 v G2
Day 13, 1400 IsT: A3 v The Kytler Peninsulae
Day 30, 1700 IsT: Quarterfinal
Day 38, 2000 IsT: Bronze final

by **Hapilopper** » Fri Dec 27, 2024 10:30 pm

DID YOU KNOW?... In 1995, the Hapiloppian cable channel H-Sports announced the "Tough Guy" contest, a tournament where bars and taverns across Hapilopper could nominate their toughest brawlers to fight against each other for a $1 million grand prize in a three-round, three-minute per fight match. Bars all across Hapilopper saw violence skyrocket as tough guys tried to prove they were worth fighting for the million dollar prize. After four months of violence all across Hapilopper, H-Sports was ordered by the Hapiloppian government to cancel "Tough Guy" before the first show was aired, marking, surprisingly, the only time the federal government has ever stepped in to cancel a show because of its content.

HapEx SuperStadium, the Grounds of the Hapilopper National Exhibition
A few weeks before the World Cup 98 Qualifying Group Draw

Members of Ellis Football went for a nice walk around the new SuperStadium on the grounds of the Hapilopper National Exhibition one fine Monday morning. The stadium was nearing completion, and was expected to open in time for either World Cup 99 qualifying or the Campionato Esportiva 40, which the Hapilopper Football Association was intending to bid on. So much so, in fact, that on the screens on either end zone side of the new stadium, a proposed logo for the 40th Campionato Esportiva was displayed prominently. That caught the eyes of the Hapiloppian national team players as they hit the field.

There was something else that caught their attention.

"Holy shit, real grass!" exclaimed Tim Radomia, midfielder for the national team.

"That like the shit you smoke, Radomia?" asked Rod Cutt, the head of the team's defense corps.

"Go to hell," Tim responded. "Seriously, this is real grass, thank heavens!"

For years, Capital Stadium had boasted an artificial turf surface, something that came with the territory of a multi-purpose, cookie-cutter stadium. While this new stadium would be configurable for baseball as well, this new stadium would be considered, primarily, a football stadium, meant for both association and gridiron codes of football. And the players were more than a little bit relieved at seeing the real grass. You see, even as heavily padded as the Capital Stadium turf was near the end, it still hurt like crazy to land on what was effectively a carpet, on top of some padding, on top of a concrete floor. And if the turf came up, it stood a chance of hurting a player very badly.

This, at least, would be easier on the players. And if it rained and it turned the field into a muddy quagmire? Well, that was just a risk the HapEx people were willing to take. The Hapiloppians were used to rain and mud, after all. If it got really bad, as it did at HapEx in 2004 - the year the exhibition became a muddy mess - it became legend. And certainly, there was bound to be a few muddy fiascoes in the future in this new stadium.

Members of the national team decided it would be a great idea to start playing around on the new natural grass surface, and immediately reveled in how nice it felt to them, and how nice it felt compared to the rock hard turf - a turf that had generated complaints in the past from teams all over Hapilopper and beyond.

"Watch this, guys," said Stan McLamb as he grabbed a soccer ball from the warning track against the wall. "I'm gonna try to sink this shot."

"That one over there?" Tim asked, pointing to a goal not far away.

"No, that one," Stan replied, pointing to a goal on the far end of the field, some 115 yards away. Over there, a couple of construction workers were taking a coffee break, talking about some of the things they had seen on television the night before. Stan planted the ball down where the corner kick flag was set to be, took a few steps back and prepared himself for a running start.

"Everyone move out of the way, I'm going for it!" Stan told his teammates.

He went for that running start and kicked the ball as hard as he could. The ball took a satisfying-looking slice through the air, arcing upward to where the second and third decks were, before making its way on a downward trajectory. The construction workers turned around just in time to see the ball coming their way, but not in time to react. One of the construction workers had placed his coffee cup on his lips to take a sip when the ball smacked him dead center in the face, splashing hot coffee all over him and sending him for a header.

"UH, FORE!!" Stan shouted at the construction workers, a little too late.

"You're an idiot, McLamb," Rod said. "You're supposed to shout that BEFORE you take a shot."

"Well, uh, I didn't think it'd actually hit there," Stan replied. "I mean, when has anyone ever scored from coast to coast?"

"It's not often," Rod replied. "Maybe you could pull that shit on one of the bottom tier teams we get this year. You make that work and I'll buy you a case of beer."

"It's a deal," Stan replied. "But god damn, those boys don't look pleased."

Center Street Pub, Hapilopper City
Later that day

There was a bit of a problem facing the players of Team Hapilopper - not to mention the entire staff. You see, Center Street - that haunt popular among the soccer crowd in Hap City - was a few miles from the new SuperStadium, and not a couple of blocks away like it was for Capital Stadium. So as the national team players gathered together for a cold one, they started talking amongst themselves if they needed a new place to gather. Or if maybe they needed to convince the proprietors of Center Street to move to near the HapEx grounds.

And there was another problem. Everyone knew the soccer guys got together at Center Street. And that included the guys working on building the new SuperStadium. After all, a few of them got together there because they liked the beer on tap - stuff that was hard to find elsewhere in Hap City. Either way, word got out among the construction staff that someone kicked a killer shot from one side of the field to the next and it clubbed a guy right in the face. Information was gathered and before the end of the day, the victim knew who the culprit was and why he did it.

Stan McLamb sat at the bar, enjoying his second or third beer of the night while Ernie Stevenson was telling him war stories of some of the wildest things he had seen and done while playing in Nephara, including a time he got to face down Nathan Ellis away from the field. But all that was moot when a couple of huge men stormed into the bar. They were not in the mood to speak, nor were they in the mood to listen to any Nepharim anything.

"Excuse me, you Stan McLamb?" one of the men asked.

"Yeah, who's asking?" Stan asked, turning around.

But when he turned around, he was greeted by a right hook to the face that found its mark. Stan crumpled against the bar before collapsing to the ground.

"Dude, what the fuck?" Ernie asked. "The fuck was that all about?"

"This doesn't involve you," the man snapped. "This son of a bitch kicked a ball that got me right in the face. Burned myself with some coffee, too. I'm not gonna take that shit. You got a problem with that?"

"Well, that's one of my boys, so maybe I do have a problem with it," Ernie replied. "You let me handle it internally and we won't have an issue. But if you want an issue, we'll have a fucking issue. You don't knock out one of my boys, you got me? You take on one, you take on us all!"

The bartender, meanwhile, looked around nervously. Even more so as much of the national team started walking over toward the scene. They heard Ernie and the construction worker jawing at each other and knew it meant a barfight had to be coming. But as Ernie and the pissed off worker were yelling at each other, Stan got up and threw a haymaker that got the worker in the back of the head. His friend responded by swinging wildly at Stan, much of the rest of the team went at it, and pretty soon, it was on.

The Probst house, Hapilopper City
12:05 a.m.

Dominic Probst, the head of the Hapilopper Football Association, had not traveled to Center Street, and instead of going drinking with the team, went back to the HFA offices after the trip to the SuperStadium to finish some work. And when that was done, he went home, had dinner with his wife, they went to bed and that was that. Dom was less than pleased when he got a phone call just after midnight, figuring someone from the national team had screwed up and needed to be bailed out of a problem.

"The fuc… yeah, I'll accept the call," Dom said into the phone. "This better be good."

As his wife, Susie, woke up and turned on her light, she could see from the look on Dom's face that this wasn't good. This wasn't very good - check that, that this was very not good.

"I… what?!" Dom yelped as he heard the news from the other end of the line. "The WHOLE FUCKING TEAM?"

Susie Probst got up and turned on the television in the master bedroom - and sure enough, on the late local news, there was a couple of dozen mugshots of every single player on the Ellis Football squad as well as coaches Thom Perkins and Ernie Stevenson.

"THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN THE WHOLE GOD DAMN TEAM GOT ARRESTED?" Dom roared. "Jesus fucking Christ. Yeah, I'm on my way. You better put my ass in there too because I'm gonna kill somebody!"

Dom threw on some clothes and got ready to go. Susie offered to go with him - just so he wouldn't murder anyone at the jail. When they got to the jail, they were greeted by Drake Stevenson, Ernie's brother, as well as much of the local Hapilopper City media, all of whom were very interested in why the entire Hapilopper national football team, as well as the acting head coach and his assistant were all arrested for getting into a bar fight.

"You got to admit, it's kind of funny," Drake told Dom.

"Not in the mood, man, not in the fucking mood," Dom snapped.

by **Gnejs** » Sat Dec 28, 2024 4:52 am

Enda Clentin’s last dance

Prologue

(background and introduction, mainly for the very few - probably only one or two, definitely no more than four; six at the worst - that don’t slavishly follow gnejsian storylines and know exactly what’s going on)

There are at least three main pillars to the story of how the 98th World Cup cycle became Enda Clentin’s last as the head coach of the Prosaic Union National Football Team. We’ll get to that, but firstly we need to recapitulate just a tad.

Enda Clentin is the coach of The Prosaic Union National Football Team, colloquially called The Dandelions (or The Quiet Dignity in some circles, although this has been a lesser known and used moniker. Gaining traction though.). He is, among other things, a valley man, meaning he hails from that quaint place known as The Stoic Community of Delte. Let’s not dwell on the finer details of the valley just now, but suffice to say that Old Enda is a bit of a legend back there. Still, some of those finer details of the goings on in the valley is crucial to the story of how the 98th World Cup cycle became Enda Clentin’s last as the head coach of the Prosaic Union National Football Team. But we’ll get to that.

Enda Clentin’s legendary status mainly stems from his innovative football philosophy and accompanying strategies that he developed during his tenure as head coach for the valley’s national team, The Representatives. The philosophy is known as the Stoic Press, and it’s essentially unemotional defending from the front in a 4-3-3 formation with a relatively high defensive line combined with high pressing by the forwards (it’s the very same system that apparently won the World Cup once). This is what Enda Clentin brought to The Union and its Dandelions - in a manner of speaking; he has never actually sat foot on Union soil - and it’s what they’ve been trying to implement since the 94th cycle.

A dear child is often called by many names, as the saying goes, and in few instances has this been as true as for Enda Clentin. The by now legendary coach, commonly nicknamed «The Enda», «The Clench», «The Man on The Screen and/or in The Ear», «The Whisperer», «The Czar of Stoicism», «The Boo of Brenda Blymmins», «The Pope of Existentialism» or simply just «Old Enda», has become a household name in The Union and is revered by most. People love The Clench, because he brought The Union to their first ever World Cup in the 94th cycle. While the 95th and 96th cycles were bitter disappointments, The Enda again delivered much sought after success when The Dandelions managed to qualify for the 97th «Double Crescent» World Cup, even though their performance in that WC proper left much to be desired.

This is old news, and what’s even older is the story of how The Clench came to coach the national team of a boreal rock with frigid folks way up north. I’m sure you know that story as well as the inside of your back pocket, but still, let me give you the short version because it’s tied to how the 98th World Cup cycle became Enda Clentin’s last as the head coach of the Prosaic Union National Football Team, which we’ll get to.

It’s all Baggieland’s fault, or at least their doing. After winning a challenge of superior couth and culture, they decreed that The Union must learn to play cricket. To do so, The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Other Charitable Activities (MCSCA) sent out fact-finding missions to gain a better understanding of this silly game. One such delegation traveled to the valley of Delte, where the slow, deep basso profundo timbre of the Delts left the visiting Union folk lost in translation. A combination of excessive craft ale intake and miscommunication left them with the impression that a local landlord had the power of foreseeing, and all of a sudden they were in a great hurry to return home and convey a prognostication about how a valley man would one day lead The Dandelions to winning the WC. After trying to take a shortcut through the next valley along (here be monsters, etc.) they disappeared and weren’t heard of for several years, until they one day appeared wandering around naked in the rural steplands of The Vatmark; all deeply traumatized, one utterly insane.

The returnees were taken into the custody of The Ministry of The Interior (TMI) and their Department of Bewildering and Delphic Occurrences. After lengthy investigation, aided by proper authorities on cases of Greensight, The Ministry verified the recounted prophecy as genuine. The «valley man» spoken of was - after many detours - identified as Enda Clentin. The cross-bureaucratic Operation Destiny’s Cup, including a task force of civil servants from the Prosaic Union Football Federation (PUFF), The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), MCSCA and TMI, was set up with the purpose of recruiting Clentin as the head coach of The Dandelions and then monitoring the unfolding of faith. The delicate art of interpreting prophecy is crucial to the story of how the 98th World Cup cycle became Enda Clentin’s last as the head coach of the Prosaic Union National Football Team. But we’ll get to that.

Enda Clentin subsequently accepted the position of Dandelion Head Coach, but due to this refusal to leave the valley (because Delte) he ended up coaching the team remotely via an intricate technological setup of body- and head-cams, ear-pieces, static field cams, wifi hubs, recording drives, replay and analysis mixing desks, touchline monitors, video drones, pilot handsets, video links, microphones and headsets, with the timid Union man Timotej Hansen as his on-site assistant. All the tech was administered by Emlyn Blymmins, the son of Enda Clentin’s sweetheart Brenda Blymmins. The unorthodox setup of coaching remotely, and the treacherous affairs of the heart, are crucial to the story of how the 98th World Cup cycle became Enda Clentin’s last as the head coach of the Prosaic Union National Football Team, which we will get to momentarily.

While Fate is supposed to just happen, some of the taskforce members felt like proactive measures were prudent to «help» destiny manifest itself when former Dandelion midfielder Göran Drake descended into criminal madness (renaming himself «The Drake» after suffering a career ending injury due to tripping over one of Clentin’s and Emlyn’s cables; the very reason it was decided best to go “wireless” from there on out) and embarked on an evil scheme of discrediting Coach Clentin through unleashing a meme war (aided by a Græntfjaller troll factory). The plot was uncovered, but not until after The Drake had kidnapped task force member and PUFF employee Sverker Danielsson and cruelly conditioned him into believing he was actually Enda Clentin.

The two of them vanished, but TMI eventually traced their whereabouts to the strange sentient bubble universe of Wight and tasked retired hitman Killer Bob to travel there and retrieve the lost colleague. Getting to Wight proved complicated and took at least a couple of cycles, but Bob finally located both Danielsson and The Drake at the dilapidated olde-worlde resort town of Waterloo Ho! on the Wight riviera. In a surprising turn of events, Sverker Danielsson’s conditioning to make him believe he was actually Enda Clentin had developed in a strange direction and for all intents and purposes he now was Enda Clentin (because Wight). This alternative Enda Clentin was coaching a local football team - Dandelion Town FC - and had just guided them to winning the Waterloo Cup (WC). So, when Bob finally returned home and reported back, the task force found themselves in the awkward situation where it was reasonable to argue that the prophesied event «Enda Clentin will guide The Dandelions to winning the WC» had already happened. Disagreement on whether Fate had unfolded or not is crucial to the story of how the 98th World Cup cycle became Enda Clentin’s last as the head coach of the Prosaic Union National Football Team.

So, let’s get to it.

by **HUElavia** » Sun Dec 29, 2024 12:10 pm

New Titles, New Expectations

HUElavia enters World Cup 98 Qualifiers as the defending Cup of Harmony and IAC Champion with high aspirations for this cycle!

HUElavia have been on an unexpected rise. Coming off a horrific campaign in the World Cup 97 Qualifiers that saw the team suffer a heart-breaking close elimination by 2 points from making the World Cup Playoffs, Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos were relegated to the Cup of Harmony with the 2nd best odds to win the tournament. And the team went through an unexpected run, going all the way to the Final, taking on Drawkland in another thrilling Final, winning 3-2 in Banija. Two years later, HUElavia would make another deep run in Britonisea, taking on none other than Drawkland once more, getting a commanding 2-0 win to earn their 3rd IAC Title. Two titles in a two year span. Unprecedented times in the United States.

Despite the victory in the Cup of Harmony, Los Amarillos/Os Amarelos did drop from 10th to 21st in the rankings, which makes them projected to be a High Pot 2 team for the World Cup Qualifiers draw. It's not ideal, but it's a start for a team that desires to be a part of the expanded World Cup with the 48=team format. Coach Casillas was quoted saying "It's not easy having experienced that drop in the rankings, but we've proven we can take on anyone and we have confidence in ourselves to have a good cycle this time around."

7 Venues are to be selected once again, with Curumba getting their pick in Estadio Nacional (100,000) being selected as the main venue, with Estadio Salvador (85,000) as the main 2nd venue. The other 5 venues will be: Nuevo Estadio del Rio (80,000) in Rio de HUEska, Estadio Santiago (69,000) in Puerto Santiago, Estadio Porto (60,000) in Portimao, Estadio Nativo (59,500) in Kuelap, and Hot Springs Stadium (44,000) in Toin. Once more, there will be 85% allocation of tickets to the HUElavian public, while 15% goes to the visiting supporters.

On top of the venues being announced, HUElavia will play a series of warm-up matches, concluding with a one-off Multiverse Super Cup against Squornshelan Remnant States, the defending World Cup Champions, in a round-robin series starting in HUElavia and finishing at SRS. Notably, Away Goals will be present for the series, giving chance for a marquee matchup to open the cycle.

Either way, we're set to see what can be a historic cycle for many reasons.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

by **Edsmontik** » Sun Dec 29, 2024 12:41 pm

streggvalkligges.eds
YOUR Edsmon Sports Hub

6/10/2030

EVENTS

None

FDVL
FDVL CHAMPION: REICHAN DE-WALVARJ

INTERNATIONAL
NS WORLD CUP 98 QUALIFYING

Begins Jun 14/15, 2030

CHANNELS

HIGH HOPES: EDSMONTIK PREPARES FOR THE 98TH NSWC

After finishing off Stivira in the K-Cup final, we now see them ready up for the 98th NS World Cup.
Last cycle, the Vdesmun debuted after winning the Baptism of Fire, and successfully survived qualifying before falling in the group stage.
They undoubtedly had a pretty good comeback; from their disastrous losses in the 21st IAC, followed by lifting the BoF84 and qualifying for the WC first try.
They went to make it to the quarters in the 22nd IAC, and now are ready for the 98th WC.
Knowing that it is almost the 100th World Cup, Edsmon fans say they aren't going to miss out.
"Edsmontik has potential." states a fan online. "We could potentially see them enter the Ro32 and even Ro16. And if they could do what they did in the 97th, who knows, they might make it even farther than that."
But many say to not keep hopes too high, because it could come crashing just like Emprijaal's chance at winning the first FDVL.
Whatever follows, the team at ISN wishes good luck for the Edsmon Eagles, and other WC teams.

6/12/2030

EVENTS

None

FDVL
FDVL CHAMPION: REICHAN DE-WALVARJ

INTERNATIONAL
NS WORLD CUP 98 QUALIFYING

Begins Jun 14/15, 2030

CHANNELS

FIXTURES REVEALED, WHAT GHREKSBVY THINKS

With fixtures having just been revealed, things may be looking good for Edsmontik- but we don't know what to expect.
Currently, in the Edsmon roster, this has been posted.

MD1: Edsmontik v. Cafu & Malaguay (UR) @ Cafu & Malaguay Home Stadium
MD2: Edsmontik v. Safiloa (291) @ Touve Suberarenae, Touve, Austrankank, Edsmontik (100,870)
MD3: Edsmontik v. Banija (13) @ Banija Home Stadium
MD4: Edsmontik v. Auprussia (95) @ Touve Suberarenae, Touve, Austrankank, Edsmontik (100,870)
MD5: Edsmontik v. Sargossa (30) @ Sargossa Home Stadium
MD6: Edsmontik v. Pyazhnaya (74) @ Touve Suberarenae, Touve, Austrankank, Edsmontik (100,870)
MD7: Edsmontik v. Brusseldorf (120) @ Brusseldorf Home Stadium
MD8: Edsmontik v. Cafu & Malaguay (UR) @ Touve Suberarenae, Touve, Austrankank, Edsmontik (100,870)
MD9: Edsmontik v. Safiloa (291) @ Safiloa Home Stadium
MD10: Edsmontik v. Banija (13) @ Touve Suberarenae, Touve, Austrankank, Edsmontik (100,870)
MD11: Edsmontik v. Auprussia (95) @ Auprussia Home Stadium
MD12: Edsmontik v. Sargossa (30) @ Touve Suberarenae, Touve, Austrankank, Edsmontik (100,870)
MD13: Edsmontik v. Pyazhnaya (74) @ Pyazhnaya Home Stadium
MD14: Edsmontik v. Brusseldorf (120) @ Touve Suberarenae, Touve, Austrankank, Edsmontik (100,870)

According to the Edsmon Football Association (EFA), stadiums will be updated as they gather information about other venues.
For now, they look forward to seeing the light in either the Kytler Peninsulae, Tikariot, Qusmo, or Yuezhou at the end of qualifying.
Moving on, analyzing Edsmontik's opponents, we see that only two of the seven nations Edsmontik will compete against are ranked higher.
However, this never means that they can't be powerful; remember how Edsmontik (ranked around 140 during WC97) qualified in solid second place.
Let's meet Maktholm Ghreksbvy; an Edsmon icon for his transfer to Viathyn Park AFC.

***
Scolz: Welcome! I'm Scolz Derdemmens, your interviewer today. Welcome to booth 4, Maktholm.

Maktholm: Thank you. I believe we are checking out our opponents today?

Scolz: Yep. First, before we begin, may I ask how you feel about your transfer?

Maktholm: It feels great to be on track for a good career! Viathyn Park AFC is a very good club that I do not at all regret joining. I haven't played yet, since the season hasn't started, but wow it feels nice.

Scolz: I see, and anything to say about Touve Tajhav taking over the 100,000+ capacity stadium?

Maktholm: I'm happy for my old club, but honestly, they haven't really earned it. We finished in the middle of the table in 2029, but I wasn't on the same page as the manager or my teammates- no one was on the same page really, and we kind of fell apart. Then, there were lots of conflicts. So I guess that's why I say they don't 100% deserve it. Not a top tier team but a top tier stadium.

Scolz: That makes sense. Okay, moving on now, we are going to take a look at Group 7. What do you have to say?

Maktholm: Honestly, this looks like a pretty okay group, I don't want to say easy, because it's bad luck, but hoping that our experience from last year comes in strong, we can survive.

Scolz: Agreed. As we know, we are the third highest ranked team in the group. What are your thoughts on the top two: Banija and Sargossa?

Maktholm: I haven't really seen those teams play much, but I'm sure we've played in the same tournaments a few times. I feel like Sargossa may not be a massive threat, since they aren't ranked too far ahead, but Banija definitely is.

Scolz: I agree, but as you know, if you're ever lucky then the matches can be easy.

Maktholm: We can't always rely on luck though. Sometimes the other teams figure us out. That's why we have more than one tactic.

Scolz: True. Okay, before we go on, any other opinions on the other teams?

Maktholm: I notice a lot of these teams we haven't played before, so it may be hard. But seeing as the majority are ranked lower, it is a little reassuring. Honestly, I'm just excited for the game against Cafu & Malaguay, our first opponent.

Scolz: How are you with your teammates?

Maktholm: it is a little weird that the EFA chose not to switch up the lineup, since I notice they stuck with the same layout as the IAC. But since they didn't add anyone new, I am stiff friendly with my team. However, some of them do say I brag a bit about the transfer, which is true. We make a lot of jokes, and chill around, so I think I have a pretty good bond with all so far.

Scolz: Hah! I see. Anything else?

Maktholm: No, nothing.

Scolz: Well then, thanks for joining me today on ISN! Have a good night.

Maktholm: Thank you!

***
And that was the INTERview, we'll have more on ISN June 14-15 of this beautiful year.

by **Kanzlia** » Mon Dec 30, 2024 7:28 am

_ | ⮌ | ☒

Gracious State of Kanzlia's Roster for WC98

To: World Cup 98 Committee

Dear WC98 Committee Members,

I am writing to formally submit the official roster for the Kanzlian National Football Team's participation in the World Cup 98 hosted in Tikariot, The Kytler Peninsulae, Qusmo and Yuezhou. As President of the highest governing body in Kanzlian football, I certify that all listed players and staff are eligible to represent the Gracious State of Kanzlia in accordance with relevant regulations.

The official document can be seen in the link attached:
0234-44-002-KANZLIA_ROSTER.pdf
redirects to the roster thread

All players have undergone the required medical examinations and are fit to participate in the tournament. The necessary documentation such as passports, medical certificates, etc. are attached in the document.

Please reach back for any discrepancies, we will be quick to amend any errors.

Sincerely,

Jan Melis
President of Voetbal Vereniging Kanzlia

80 Koninginstraat, Szbedansk, KNZ

by **Kamijiro** » Mon Dec 30, 2024 2:22 pm

Kamijiro's WC98 Campaign Starts... Now!

National Background:
Kamijiro is currently in a state of civil war. 雷天皇「Emperor Kaminari」 declared a state of martial law and 'temporarily' disbanded parliament due to a war against a neighboring island, Velikaca. That wasn't well-received, but he did promise to allow parliament to return to session after the conclusion of said war. However, this didn't end up happening, and he placed the head of the Kamijiroan Navy, 龍造寺一守,「Ryūzōji Kazumori」as the prime minister - although it's heavily debated how much Kazumori actually does of his own accord. The initial civil war was primarily against the Japanese-majority department of 未来崎「Miraisaki」and waged by the English and French-majority departments of St. Jerome and Chamonix, respectively. However, South St. Jerome, which won it's independence from St. Jerome after a different civil conflict, used the diversion to attempt an invasion of St. Jerome. Long story short (too late), the rest of the departments got dragged into the conflict and the whole country is at war with itself.

This division of the state means that the only players in the player pool are from Miraisaki and the neutral island of Jirō, by order of the office of the prime minister. Jirō has been completely untouched in the civil war due to the fact that it is separate from any other department and is notoriously neutral in conflict, keeping with the island's stance of practicing the avoidance of '穢れ' 「kegare」. Kegare literally translates to 'impurity,' but in the Shintō tradition, contact with death in any form is considered to be the source of kegare, thus avoiding war and conflict is much needed. However, most (if not all) of Jirō's players have been relegated to the bench as the manager opts to move to a more direct attacking style. The flag has changed from the old green-red-white cross to a more simplistic yellow-white-navy tricolor with the word '神道'「Shintō」emblazoned in the center. The 'new' flag originally was the official flag of just Miraisaki, but after the civil war started, has become the national flag.

Footballing Background:
The country has had mixed results in recent cycles, crashing out in the group stages of both WC96 and WC97, missing the World Cup proper by one spot in both instances. Football remains the most-watched sport in the country and it's assumed that regardless of the current political climate, every department's citizens will likely still be rooting for the team. Unlike other sports in the country, the national team remains heavily male-dominated. Both the national basketball team and national baseball team are pretty evenly mixed. The overwhelming style of play for most club teams in the country is reliant on wingers and wing-backs to create crossing chances from the outside and whip the ball into the box. This, of course, was a direct contrast to 香川雷次「Kagawa Raiji」and his style of play, which focused almost entirely on defense and playing direct counter attacks. The country is still very proud of the team's Baptism of Fire 81 trophy and the team has also been quarterfinalists in the Cup of Harmony (89).

Team Information:
Managed by Kagawa, the team adopted a defense-heavy style. This style of play has brought the team up from the depths of obscurity to be a pretty decent force to be reckoned with. However, with results down the stretch not going in Kamijiro's favor, Kagawa is moving to a more offensive style of play. He has switched his formation from a 5-3-1-1 to a 4-1-2-1-2, which gives the team many more options in attack. The defensive midfielder can also drop back and play as a center half to allow the fullbacks to go further into attack. The formation and expected starting XI is diagrammed below.

The formation allows for much more flexibility in both attack and defense, with Saiichi providing extra defensive coverage as well as being able to join the attack as a true midfield pivot. Both Azuma and Tōshi get forward often and look to spread play back into the middle through crosses, with both Haruka and Sōji being adept at getting under crosses or holding up play to allow Kento to run in behind. The real superstar of the team is Katsu, who is offensively gifted and can seemingly see things before they happen. Alongside him in the central midfield is Hiroshi, also offensively gifted, but not as much so as Katsu. Hiroshi tends to force the action sometimes, which leads to offensive errors and turnovers in possession. The anchors of the team are Kenichi, Akinari and Ryō, all three of whom are inner-city Miraisaki natives. Ryō and Akinari are polar opposites, with Ryō being a cool-headed centerback who can play through a press, and Akinari being a hot-headed old-school boot-it-out-when-in-doubt centerback. Kenichi is very quick on his feet and makes some very impressive lightning reflex saves. The full roster can be found here.

Due to the ongoing civil war, kits from last cycle are being re-used. They are shown below.

The stadium being used for the Kamijiroan home field is a small 6,500-seater on Jirō Island, far away from the ongoing battles. The airport at Spolia is the recommended landing spot for incoming teams, as it is a mere 20 minutes walk from the field and has its own hotel and amenities. Please note that any incoming planes must signal ahead, as prime minister Ryūzōji has declared Kamijiro a no-fly zone. Below is a picture of the stadium, known officially as WorldRestart Arena on Jirō, but more colloquially known as the JirōSekai.

JirōSekai or WorldRestart Arena on Jirō. The real-life stadium pictured is Vanuatu's Freshwater Stadium.

Please note further that while it's generally safe in the cities in mainland Kamijiro, it is highly not recommended to travel to the main island currently. There have been very few non-combatant fatalities, but Kamijiro will not take responsibilty for foreigners who are injured or killed on the country's soil.

Without further ado, the schedule for the upcoming qualifiers. Kamijiro was drawn into group ten alongside some big names like Flavovespia (9), Vdara (25) and Qasden (66). Kamijiro is the third-highest ranked team in the group by KPB ranking, sitting 61st. The number next to the country name on the schedule is their respective KPB ranking.

Full Schedule for Kamijiro's WC98 Qualifier Campaign
Matchday 1:
(H) Kamijiro (61) v. (A) Calgasia (174)
Match held at JirōSekai, Jirō Island, Kamijiro.

Matchday 2:
(A) Kamijiro (61) v. (H) Of the Golden Harp (unranked)
Match location TBA.

Matchday 3:
(H) Kamijiro (61) v. (A) Vdara (25)
Match held at JirōSekai, Jirō Island, Kamijiro.

Matchday 4:
(A) Kamijiro (61) v. Qasden (66)
Match location TBA.

Matchday 5:
(H) Kamijiro (61) v. (A) Flavovespia (9)
Match held at JirōSekai, Jirō Island, Kamijiro.

Matchday 6:
(H) Kamijiro (61) v. (A) Kanzlia (103)
Match held at JirōSekai, Jirō Island, Kamijiro.

Matchday 7:
(A) Kamijiro (61) v. (H) Yuugria (246)
Match location TBA.

Matchday 8:
(A) Kamijiro (61) v. (H) Calgasia (174)
Match held at Austro-Daimler Arena, Goldstadt, Calgasia.

Matchday 9:
(H) Kamijiro (61) v. (A) Of the Golden Harp (unranked)
Match held at JirōSekai, Jirō Island, Kamijiro.

Matchday 10:
(A) Kamijiro (61) v. (H) Vdara (25)
Match location TBA.

Matchday 11:
(H) Kamijiro (61) v. (A) Qasden (66)
Match held at JirōSekai, Jirō Island, Kamijiro.

Matchday 12:
(A) Kamijiro (61) v. (H) Flavovespia (9)
Match held at Highland Road, Hadford Hill, Flavovespia.

Matchday 13:
(A) Kamijiro (61) v. (H) Kanzlia (103)
Stadia Szbedansk, Kanzlia

Matchday 14:
(H) Kamijiro (61) v. (A) Yuugria (246)
Match held at JirōSekai, Jirō Island, Kamjiro.

Playoffs (if needed):
All details yet to be determined.

If you have any RP questions or want to collaborate with me on RPs, please reach out! I'm generally very accomodating to RP requests and have done some fun outside-the-box RPs before.

by **HUElavia** » Tue Dec 31, 2024 10:40 am

The Treacherous Road to Glory

HUElavia placed into Group 8 with yet another small group with strong aspirations to make the expanded World Cup!

At last, the World Cup Qualifiers draw had arrived and this was the 23rd straight cycle that HUElavia would participate in the Multiverse's biggest sporting event. While there was rumors that HUElavia would be a Pot 2, it turns out that the team was put as a Pot 1 side, just narrowly making it into the Pot after the update to the World Cup rankings, plus with some of the co-hosts being higher up in the ranks. Thus, the expectations were high once again, with the goal being to make the World Cup itself, with the Top 2 getting a direct spot and the 3rd place team going into a round-robin playoff to fill out the entire 48-team field.

HUElavia (20) was put into Group 8 with the likes of: Equestrian States (116), Polar Islandstates (85), Zenic (26), The 14 Stars (58), Megistos (293), Lacivea (UR), HUElavia (20) and Cheetahs and reptiles Coalison (127). A solid group that may look easy on paper, but has potential to be riddled with Trap games. Coach Casillas was quoted saying "We're satisfied with the draw for the qualifiers and there are some very good, respectable opponents. We need to be careful with Zenic, The 14 Stars and Polar Islandstates, they are our direct opponents for the direct spots and we need to give our best to assure our place at the World Cup. Still, we need to be pragmatic and take it a game at a time. We hope to count on strong fan support in our home games and even in our away days."

HUElavia was put in Position 7 for Group 8, meaning the team's schedule will be as follows:

MD 1:
Polar Islandstates v HUElavia

MD 2:
HUElavia vs Zenic
(Estadio Nacional, Curumba)

MD 3:
The 14 Stars vs HUElavia

MD 4:
HUElavia vs Megistos
(Estadio Nativo, Kuelap)

MD 5:
Lacivea vs HUElavia

MD 6:
Cheetahs and reptiles Coalison vs HUElavia

MD 7:
HUElavia vs Equestrian States
(Estadio Porto, Portimao)

MD 8:
HUElavia vs Polar Islandstates
(Nuevo Estadio del Rio, Rio de HUEska)

MD 9:
Zenic vs HUElavia

MD 10:
HUElavia vs The 14 Stars
(Estadio Salvador, Sao Salvador)

MD 11:
Megistos vs HUElavia

MD 12:
HUElavia vs Lacivea
(Hot Springs Stadium, Toin)

MD 13:
HUElavia vs Cheetahs and reptiles Coalison
(Estadio Santiago, Puerto Santiago)

MD 14:
Equestrian States vs HUElavia

HUElavia will be put to the test from the get-go, being given their 3 direct opponents for the first 3 Matchdays, which can really set the tone for these qualifiers. While there will be large amount of players to be called up for these 14 matches, it is rumored that the main A and B teams will be heavily relied upon for the matches. With such a small window for a margin of error, a loss or draw can be catastrophic for one's hopes to play in the World Cup.

Fans have been buying tickets in droves where it is expected to be a near sell-out for each home game for HUElavia, and even some road games may have more HUElavians present than normal. Such is the pull of this team, who comes off with back-to-back major titles. There is hope and optimism for this team, and one can only hope and pray for a good cycle.

FORCA HUELAVIA! VAMOS HUELAVIA! GO HUELAVIA!

by **Crpostran** » Tue Dec 31, 2024 11:35 am

[*]NOTE: AI-Image used for the stadium in Page 2. Happy New Year!

by **Milchama** » Tue Dec 31, 2024 12:58 pm

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

Sports Section

The Narrative Stakes and a Group Preview

Last time Milchama had a World Cup to remember. After finally winning our 12 year IRL battle, we'll say 400 NS years battle, we won a 48 team World Cup! And it turned out that a 48 team World Cup was good for everybody but was especially good for Milchama. Despite a rank of 45, that put Milchama in a decent position to qualify and the Warriors finally did it! But not only that, the increased amount of teams that got through the group stage meant that Milchama went to double octofinals as one of the best 3rd place teams. Then we beat Mertagne in doubles and got to octofinals before finally falling to Tikariot in a close high scoring game 4-3.

While qualifying was considered the minimum standard, especially because of the World Cup expansion, getting that far was not expected at all. Milchama came into the cup as Pot 4 seed and one of the lowest seeds in the World Cup. To get to octofinals looked like a real overperformance from a team working at their peak. So we brought it back! All the way back with the same roster and everything. Of course, Milchama is now in our traditional spot of between 28th and 30th.¹ The one advantage for us, of course, is that means we're second seed in a tournament where three teams will get shots at the World Cup which helps Milchama a lot.

So what's our goal for the tournament? Simple, break in the group stage and then see from there. If we get to double octos then everything should work out well enough.

Who are we against you may ask? Well here you go:

GROUP 5
Cardenao (60) - A very friendly nations where everybody always says good morning when they wake up to everybody around them, at least based on lurking on Discord, what we would expect. Either way we're better than them so 4 points.

Omerica (277) - Newbies. They'll be good, we hope, but not yet. 6 points.

Milchama (28) - That's us! We have way too much info about ourselves if you look up. Pay attention already.

Abanhfleft (78) - Baseball guys! We're better at them in baseball tbd on soccer but my guess is yes. 6 points.

New Zhengguo (UR) - Yeah, 6 points here.

Eraman (152) - See above. There's definitely more on this nation that we should know but we didn't do our research before publishing this piece. Sorry about that, we won't do better next time. Have you seen our previews? We're really bad at this. 6 points.

Katzeburg (88) - Are they Jewish? We should probably do research, again see above, but whatever, when it comes to the soccer may we all be friends and we'll get 6 points from them. Well no, 4 points, we're drawing with somebody we should beat might as well be these guys.

Huayramarca (21) - Honestly, this group is a great draw for us. Not because we're going to beat Huaymarca, not a chance we're losing twice, but because their low rank means we have a shot in beating everybody else to get the easy draw to second spot. 0 points.

Hopefully that's enough for second place! Come on You Warriors! Let's Go Milchama!

¹ Seriously here are Milchama's ranks going into qualifying from World Cups 93-96. In order: 31, 30, 29, 28. Seems pretty clear where we are in the hierarchy.

by **Bohr** » Tue Dec 31, 2024 1:54 pm

A Brief but Ideally Comprehensive History of Bohr Football

Part 1: The Confederate Era

One hundred and thirty-two years ago, a war over a duke’s succession ended, and the Confederation of Bohr was established, a loosely-tied together group of cities, provinces, and seemingly-endless fields of wheat. It is unclear whether football existed in the region at that point, but whatever did exist at the time bore little to no resemblance to the modern sport. A ~1890s letter, displayed in the Donnell History Museum in the northwest, describes a ball game played “across the rolling hills of the countryside, with fifty men a side, none allowed to use their arms”; it has been oft-speculated that these games were used as substitutes for war in provincial scuffles, although this has never been proven. The true beginning of Bohrian football is in the south, which at the time was the economic powerhouse of Bohr. In 1921 the Shansco Athletic Club came upon a Rushmori copy of the Rules of the Game; initially playing amongst themselves, the club would eventually teach the game to other groups in the area, with teams such as Colside Athletic, South Colside, Shansco Iron, Shansco Excelsior, Perets FC, and Weaver Olympic all being formed in the 1920s, along with many more teams that quickly went defunct. A fully comprehensive tournament was impossible to schedule, and the idea of professionalism was highly frowned upon (a trend that would continue for many decades after this), but it was generally agreed that Shansco Athletic were the standard-bearers for the southern brand of football-traditionally using the “wedge” formation (a 4-3-2-1), it was physical and high-intensity, looking to play through the center and keep smashing the defensive wall until it finally came down.

Meanwhile, somewhat further north in the capital province of Becis, football was taking off in an entirely different environment. The “constellation colleges” of Jardin University, Robertson University, and Zephael College pre-date the country of Bohr by a couple centuries and had long been the place for nobles and merchants to learn in the proper manner. Competition between the three schools was common, in both athletic and intellectual capacities, but the introduction of football in the early 1930s sent the rivalries to a new level. Matches between the three schools became cultural touchstones in a way that the southern clubs never could, with 70,000 people filling out the newly-built Bohr Bowl for 1938’s Jardin vs. Zephael match; Denton Fielding, Zeph’s ace striker, would be immortalized in a series of best-selling paperbacks, where he inevitably won the day thanks to his abstention from drugs and alcohol. The fact that the college teams only had two games to play over the course of an entire season meant that their games were often strange and “anti-football”, with plans being used for a single 90 minutes and then discarded; free kick routines from the 1940s built to exploit a single now-dead goalkeeper’s tendencies still occasionally pop up in top-flight play to this day. University teams were prohibited from playing against the gentlemen teams at the time, to “preserve a sense of collegiate spirit” (or, if you’re from the south, because they were afraid to lose), and graduated players were generally too busy leading Bohr’s industrial transformation to train football. A series of matches were planned, but would never happen, due to the Bohrian Civil War.

~~~~

Jamie Sullivan walked into the locker room, where Eli Sheve was leaning back on one of the chairs.

“You reading that thing Coach Leach gave us?”, he asked. Sullivan and Sheve had crossed paths more than a few times. Only a few months apart in age, they had both debuted in Bohr’s top-level in 1997 and had both taken the league by storm; Sheve’s unending motor, versatility, and feel for the game would be the missing piece to turn Motan into champions, while Sullivan would become a pure goal-scorer the likes of which Bohr hadn’t seen in generations.

“Yeah. Did you not?” It had caused a bit of a stir when the lineup plans leaked and Sheve wasn’t part of the first eleven; his form had gotten worse since his controversial transfer out of Motan, sure, but he was still a damn fine player. Ellis Leach’s statements that he would primarily be used as a “super-sub”, coming off the bench to add tactical flexibility, made enough sense, and Eli himself seemed fine with it. “There’s some really neat stuff in here.” Jamie raised an eyebrow at that.

“Man, you know I don’t have time for that. The group draw is out, by the way.”

“Suit yours-wait, shit, really? Who do we have?”

“None of the names rung a bell to me. Doubeia, New Fernia, Jeruselem-”

“You’d love it there.”

“I’m sure I’d be insulted if I knew what you were talking about.” Jamie continued. “Sarzonia, Bears Armed, Bongo Johnson, and Valanora-” Before he could finish the last name, Eli was out of his chair, eyes wide.

“You don’t know Valanora?”, he shouted. To that, all Jamie could do was shrug. “They’re the greatest team in the multiverse. Raynor City United? Laborious Hawk? Dream Of Neo Tokyo?”

“I’m pretty sure you made that last one up. Besides, this is the country’s second World Cup ever. Why would I ever have a reason to care about international football when there’s so much else to do?”

“Because they’re so much better than us. Every team in this group is better than us, a few of them play better football than Bohr has ever seen. Even if you don’t care about being a fan, isn’t that inspiring as a player? Knowing that there’s so much more room to improve, so much more football to be played?” Jamie thought for a few seconds, with Eli expectantly waiting.

“Nah. Sounds like bullshit to me.”

“Wh-”

“We’re going to beat all of these teams. And then we’re going to beat them again, and again, and again, and again. Believing anything else is just cowardice.” With that, he walked out of the room and back onto the pitch, leaving Eli sputtering.

by **Auprussia** » Tue Dec 31, 2024 6:45 pm

The Auprussian Regional Era Chapter 1

Written by Tordin De Vitasier

Just 3 cycles ago Auprussia wasn't even worth a thought in the footballing multiverse. This was due to the collapse of Lige PRO and the subsequent founding of a new league named Lige 1. Not a soul in Auprussia knew if the young league could last especially since two of its biggest went defunct (Remaiy Galactique) or had performed so badly they couldn't be reintroduced to Lige 1 (Alexia). The normal question that comes up is what happened in between the collapse of Lige PRO and the founding of Lige 1? Well to understand this you must understand that throughout Lige PRO's existence the lower tiers were regionalized which is where the modern-day Regionalliges come from. The regions were split very differently back then though: Auprussia not only covered Auprussia but also East Chagris and Northern Teolan. Basony also covered West Chagris. Ostissia and Ostrogia remained the same. Teolan also incorporated some parts of Nouveau Piedoux while the rest of Nouveau Piedoux, Sassenlan, and Schwyll were incorporated into their own region. Hausdour and Almarind were combined, and Alba-Morgavind stayed the same. This resulted in some of the weirdest but also some of the more incredible footballing tails in Auprussian history.

Organization:
After the collapse of Lige PRO most regions usually only organized tournaments instead of leagues. Usually these tournaments were open to all teams within a region with some exceptions. For example Auprussia NF was usually also invited to participate in tournaments in Basony, Teolan, Ostissia, and even as far as Hausdour. This gave certain clubs prestige and defeating such clubs would build up smaller clubs looking to make a name for themselves. These tournaments usually had prize money for the top 3 clubs and usually were financed by rich Auprussians across the country (some of who became owners of the clubs during this era). This does mean a lot of smaller clubs miss out on gates and ticket sales for home games. To remedy this some of the bigger clubs at the time did tours around their regions to stay fit for tournaments coming up.

There is one region which was an exception and it wasn't even one of the Lige PRO regions. This region was Chagris. Chagris held league play even after Lige PRO collapsed. This did feature clubs such as Eolorent, Pontmeosont, Lorent Cardinaux, Lorent Arca, Chagris NF, etc. This was possible because a lot of Chagris' clubs were clustered in Lorent and the surrounding areas, not to mention most of the clubs did participate in tournaments in their assigned regions.This combined with the Auprussian Football Federasion not being able to organize a new league quick enough due to structural failings within the organization had contributed to the biggest sporting disaster in Auprussia's history. It was the AFF's rules that also disallowed clubs from competing outside of their assigned regions unless it was an AFF sanctioned "national event" (which of course did not happen often and were invitationals). This did not sit well with anyone but with how chaotic and unfortunate the situation was they had to bear with the nonsensical regulations the AFF imposed at the time. The AFF also attempted to stop the Chagris league but were swiftly taken to court and lost the case.

To mark the anniversary of the start of one of the most chaotic eras in Auprussian football and to remark on the progress Auprussian football made after Lige 1 rebuilt the country's footballing pyramid. This is going to go year by year highlighting Upsets, big matchups, and some fun stories around this time. Keep in mind this was still Auprussian football's darkest hour but the glimmers of hope throughout this era kept the country going. The first year of the Regional Era can be split into two parts: the first half was a mess of small tournaments and what could be summed up as friendlies as the bigger clubs had to get used to this new reality. The second half had an more structured but still semi-chaotic whirlwind of a football fever dream.

The First Regional Tournament:

After the dust settled the first Auprussian regional tournament was held in the city of Aupalice. The clubs competing in the tournament included bigger clubs like Auprussia NF, Origones Auprus, and Eolorent. The tournament was also filled with smaller opposition like Auprussia Athletic FC, Palice Rouge and even some startups like the recently founded phoenix club Cultur deu Remaiy or Helensorc from Chagris. The tournament was organized into 8 groups of 4 who were drawn randomly. The top 2 of each group will advance to the knockout stages and play matches until one club stands among the rest. This tournament is not as big as some of the later Regional Era tournaments but it gave the rest of the country the blueprint to continue footballing activities even if their capabilities were limited.

In the next chapter the matches from this tournament and some standout matches from year 1 will be highlighted along with covering the massive amount of clubs who became defunct during this time because that is what makes Year 1 of the Regional Era one of the most devastating in Auprussian Football's history.

by **Sarzonia** » Tue Dec 31, 2024 8:11 pm

By most accounts, a manager like Caleb Rush should be riding high. After guiding a Sarzonian national football team from the triple-digit ranks to the World Cup playoffs twice and the proper once, with a Cup of Harmony serving as the consolation prize when they failed to advance.

You might think that, but you don't know Rush well.

If Rush sat in front of a seasoned psychologist, they might tell him he was facing the immense pressure of imposter syndrome. He might look at the managers of top-10 teams or recent world champions and feel he didn't belong among the best of the bench jockeys setting forth starting 11s and developing tactics.

He wasn't talking to a shrink, but he did the next best thing in talking to Thad Knight, his former top assistant who now leads the Under 21 Junior Stars.

"Caleb," Knight said, giving him a meaningful look that Rush wasn't well-versed enough to detect its intent until he later pondered the words that followed. "Look at your record in three ARCs and two World Cup qualifying campaigns. In [World Cup] 96 [qualifying], you beat Ko-oren and you damn near got a triple-digit-ranked team into the proper. On top of that, we won the Cup of Harmony that cycle. You got this team to the medal stand in two straight ARCs. And you think you don't belong?

"Sarzonian football has talent. That much is true, but some of that talent is its managers. The [Incorporated Football Federation] doesn't looked for an external candidate and has no plans to start now. You got this team ranked 35th in the multiverse for a reason, Caleb. Some of it is a very good team, but a lot of it is you. I know I learned a lot from you on how to be a successful manager. I hope I can bring that to the Junior Stars."

Rush still doubted both himself and Knight's words, but Knight pulled out his phone and showed a recent article in the Sarzonian media that expressed confidence in the Stars under Rush.

"These guys are anything but homers," Knight said. "You accomplished a lot just winning them over."

Rush might have later taken Knight's advice to go see a psychologist if not for having to prepare his team for the proper, which included a date with the No. 1 ranked team in the multiverse on Matchday 4. Sarzonia were drawn in Group 17, normally a lucky number for them but not when one of the teams they were facing twice was Valanora.

"We're not thinking about anything other than our jobs," Rush would say. He got his team to agree to a player that they were only focused on their opening match against Doubeia at Friedgen Stadium in Woodstock, home of the college gridball side Woosdtock University Climbers. They would play their next home match against another longstanding rival in Jeruselem at Joe Gibbs Stadium, another venue in the Dave Wilson Athletic Complex. They had matches at Nottingham Pavilion, a 14,900-seat stadium against a Bongo Johnson side that didn't exactly arouse much interest, and another one vs. unranked Bohr. Friedgen Stadium would host Bears Armed, but the biggest home match against Valanora would take place at Dave Wilson Stadium, which was sold out within 10 minutes of the match being announced. Joe Gibbs Stadium would get the final home tilt against New Fernia.

"We can only focus on who we've got in front of us," forward Spencer Wilson said. "We're not playing 14 matches against the Vanors. We can't let their mystique intimidate us."

by **Doubeia** » Tue Dec 31, 2024 11:37 pm

Keeping Up with the Doubeinese
Keeping Up with the Doubeinese is a Doubeinese documentary-cum-reality show that brings viewers to a never-seen-before perspective of the Doubeinese National Teams. From training session troubles to dressing room drama, this will show everyone a side of football not many get to see.

Episode I: The Indigo Carpet
The Men's National Team prepare for their opening match against the tough Sarzonia. Just how ready will they be before Day 0?

A drone camera hovers over the National Team's training ground in Fajar. It then cuts to the Men's National Team training for the Sarzonia match.

DEMIDOV: Pass! Open!

ARTEMYEV: Oi!

PETROV: Red! Where's your pressing? Come on!

NARRATOR: A cacophony of commands and instruction. Some MNT players are engaged in a mini four-a-side match.

The camera pans to Ambrose Demidov, who has the ball but is under great pressure.

DEMIDOV: (shielding the ball) Support! Support!

TSYZYREV: Open!

Demidov loses the ball after a slight tackle, and the striker is left more than unimpressed.

DEMIDOV: (kicks the turf) Fuck off, man. No one supporting me even...

TSYZYREV: (moving to mark an attacker) Why not pass? I was open.

DEMIDOV: (annoyed) You need to help me man. I can't make that pass, someone will intercept.

TSYZYREV: You're in the National Team and cannot make a simple pass. Joke.

DEMIDOV: I score more than your entire team last season. Better not talk like that, boy.

Demidov walks menacingly towards Tsyzyrev. The game slows down to a halt as everyone feels the tension between the two rising.

TSYZYREV: (mocking) You don't do nothing, you only score goals. You don't know anything else.

Demidov grabs Tsyzyrev by the collar, leaving everyone else surprised.

DEMIDOV: unintelligible threatening mumbling

NARRATOR: As if on cue, the team captain, Hugo Borisenko, is here to break the fight apart.

Borisenko pries the two men apart with a disapproving look on his face.

BORISENKO: Guys, come on. We don't need this shit, man. We have a game in four days, focus!

[INTERVIEW] BORISENKO: Sometimes... it's hard to handle the NT. I mean, everyone comes from different teams, different cultures. Some of them don't like each other. It's very hard to try to bring everyone together sometimes, even harder than Wolfwood. People don't see eye to eye, you need to be there to provide balance. But sometimes, it's like taking care of children.

NARRATOR: Demidov and Tsyzyrev, having been forcefully separated, don't say a word. They know what's coming up. Manager Petrov is walking towards them, and it doesn't look good for the two.

PETROV: Bench or no?

Both players look sheepish as they shake their heads.

PETROV: Good. I don't want this kind of a nonsense from you. We have a match very soon. We need the composure and team chemistry because we are facing a strong team! Sarzonia! 32nd in the world! And you are acting like this! We need to fight the opposition, not fight ourselves. Seriously guys, one more kind of nonsense, and you will not play tomorrow, understand?

PLAYERS: (somewhat reluctantly) Yes.

PETROV: Go on.

[INTERVIEW] TRAVKIN: Some people think that Will is a weak manager, someone who does not press the team to deliver. They are wrong. We know how fierce he is. He is a very focused-minded [sic] person. If he thinks one way, he will do one way. Sometimes we rebel, but at the end of the day we know how he is, how much more he knows than us.

[INTERVIEW] INTERVIEWER: Would you say that he's the best manager you've had?

[INTERVIEW] TRAVKIN: (laughing) Haha, hard to say!

NARRATOR: The training session continues smoothly, and after an hour and a half, it's time to close shop.

A cameraman follows the MNT into the team bus as they head towards their accommodation.

NARRATOR: The Indigo Army doesn't have much time once they reach their hotel. They need to leave for Sarzonia soon, so less time for dinner and cleaning up. The team reaches the hotel lobby, and Borisenko receives a call from someone familiar.

FIRSOV: (on the phone) Ayy, Hugo, how's NT?

BORISENKO: (smiling) Good, good, how's the club?

FIRSOV: They miss you, we miss you. Especially her. (laughs)

BORISENKO: (chuckling) You bastard.

NARRATOR: Tanner Firsov, Wolfwood United's number one goalie and Borisenko's clubmate, has never been called up for the national team, but he'll be hoping for his first cap soon.

[INTERVIEW] FIRSOV: Starting, playing for the national team would be a dream to me. My friends say I will never, and I want to prove them wrong.

NARRATOR: Everything goes by smoothly, and before they know it, the Indigo Army are on a plane to Sarzonia.

A montage of the team plays of them in the team bus, checking in at the airport, sleeping on the plane, touching down...

NARRATOR: As the MNT arrive safely in Sarzonia, they settled into their new environment in no time, and before long they were halfway through their final training session before the game.

The camera zooms out to show the Doubeinese MNT playing an 11-v-11 match; the starting XI against Sarzonia formed one team. The camera then pans to Julian Umanov who is currently running towards goal.

NARRATOR: Julian Umanov, one of Doubeia's most talented wingers of all time. He's on a solo run for goal. Then suddenly...

UMANOV: Argh!

Umanov suddenly falls down in pain. He then clutches his ankle. Petrov stops the game as everyone rushes over to him.

UMANOV: (sorrowful) Fucking ankle! Argh...

KHLEBNIKOV: You sprained your ankle?

BORISENKO: (worried) I'm calling the physio.

NARRATOR: As everyone crowds the scene of the incident, worry and concern show on everyone's faces. Umanov was supposed to start this game. Petrov looks displeased and seems to be ruminating something.

[INTERVIEW] PETROV: Sometimes freak accidents like this happen, and there's nothing you can do about it, really. As the manager, you've got to be prepared for situations like this. You already called up the players, you can't bring any more in. We only have one more player to replace Julian, but what can you do? If you're religious, you pray. If not, you also pray for a miracle.

NARRATOR: As the physio assists Umanov off the pitch, Petrov quickly pushes the players to continue training.

PETROV: It's a shame guys, but now we have to adapt. Red team, stay with 10 men for now.

NARRATOR: Even though his words might seem dismissive, Petrov is still worried about Umanov's situation. After the training session, he goes and confirms the situation with the team physio.

PETROV: Injury is... how?

PHYSIO: Sprained ankle. He will definitely miss this game and the Bears Armed game, but should recover in a few weeks.

PETROV: (exasperated) Fuck.

Beads of sweat fall off Petrov's neck as his eyes turn a bit anxious. The camera cuts to Logan Borichevskiy, the only other right winger in the team. Borichevskiy is juggling the ball.

NARRATOR: Petrov approaches Borichevskiy, bringing the news everyone expected but didn't want to hear.

PETROV: Logan, you're in the team. Julian cannot make it. I need you to put in your best, we need it. Okay, got it?

BORICHEVSKIY: (nods head) Roger that.

[INTERVIEW] BORICHEVSKIY: It was the weirdest way I got added into the starting lineup. It's a shame how I got in, but I remember thinking to myself, "This is when I prove myself." I needed to challenge Julian for the role. It's the drive in me, really.

The scene cuts to the next morning.

NARRATOR: Everyone's gotten up. They know what day it is: it's the day of the match.

Players seen eating breakfast, talking to each other, doing light warmups in the hotel.

NARRATOR: As time marches on, the players get ever closer to their first match of the 98th World Cup Qualifiers.

The camera shows the players doing their pre-match training.

NARRATOR: And before everything starts, the gaffer has one thing to add.

PETROV: (motivational) This is the first of many games. This is the first of our road to the World Cup. This is the first of our hike to glory. We cannot give up guys. You can hear the fans outside. They're roaring for us!

The camera cuts to the Doubeinese fans at Friedgen Stadium; they make up a small but loud minority. Their chants echo around the stadium as tifos droop down the stand.

PETROV: We need to make them proud, we need to make our country proud, we need to make ourselves proud! Come on, let's make history. We will make it!

PLAYERS: (in unison) Indigo army!

NARRATOR: And as the players walk out the dugout, the atmosphere in the stadium is tense, exhilarating and hopeful.

FANS: We'll walk the indigo way, we'll walk the indigo way. Try to beat us as you may, we'll walk the indigo way...

NARRATOR: Will this be the dawn of a great era for Doubeia?

OOC Note: You may choose the lineup and subs for the matches, but please note that the injured players and Julian Umanov are not available for selection.

MD1: Men's National Team
MD2: Women's National Team

by **Adab** » Wed Jan 01, 2025 4:07 am

THE ADAB TIMES
The Most Trusted Voice in the Nation, Est. 1878

SPORTS | FOOTBALL
Friday, September 25, 2054

Kaykali Admits Retirement “Realistically on the Horizon,” But Insists He Is Still Up to Job

The Adab national football team manager revealed his diagnosis in a statement released on Tuesday, vowing that “business will continue as usual”.

By Jamal al-Farsi

Saad Kaykali, manager of the Adab national football team, admitted in his press conference Friday that his managerial career may soon come to an end, but nevertheless declared he still “feel[s] fit and healthy” and that he will “put in [his] best effort, with all [his] energy” for the World Cup 98 cycle.

Speaking at the headquarters of the Adab Football Association on the national team’s preparations, Kaykali spent a large part of the press conference focusing on his and the AFA’s expectations for the World Cup qualifiers, before suddenly pivoting towards the subject of his career.

“Of course, we have to be realistic. I have to acknowledge, at this point, that retiring is realistically on the horizon for me,” Kaykali stated. “I am getting up there in years, after all, and I will not linger around forever. At some point a transition will have to be made in the managerial office. I love my job but I do not intend to die on it.”

“Personally, I still believe that I have something to give to this team,” Kaykali, who turned 80 this year, told the assembled press. “When you get to my age, you definitely start feeling some things in some areas of your body. I’ve had those feelings, but ever since I recovered from my battle with cancer, I’ve not had serious health problems.

“I definitely believe that I can still perform this job, and I will perform it to the best of my capabilities.”

Kaykali was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2040, at the age of 68. The cancer was caught relatively early and by the next year he had been declared cancer-free after completing his course of treatment.

Nevertheless, the topic of Kaykali’s health has continued to come up on occasion, as the manager passed his seventies and now entered his eighties. The manager, for his part, has acknowledged the topic over the years with good humor and acceptance, something that was once again evident in this press conference.

“Obviously it’s nice to be thought of, to know that there are people out there who are thinking of you,” Kaykali said. “I thank you for your best wishes and prayers, and I assure you – God willing – I have no intention of going upstairs just yet.

“I think the final chapter of my managerial career is yet to be written. I am still looking forward with excitement to what comes next.”

”You and I are the same, but only one of us sees it for what it is. You and I are both products of our environment, our system. We come out of it, we are raised by it, we are shaped by it.”

His eyes were burning bright with feeling, that much was clear. And that feeling was contempt. “Accept it. You are-“

“Enough.”

Two people meet. Two people fall in love. And now the nation is burning.

This is the time for taking sides. This is the time where decisions are made, where old scores are settled, and love – and the soul of a nation – are teetering on the brink of destruction. It is a time for reckoning.

This is a story of the darkest days of Adabian football, and the Adabian nation.

A Dance with Football will return.

by **Ile de Richelieu** » Wed Jan 01, 2025 5:41 am

Groups are set, Richelieu Øy in group 15

Sankt hans Havn, Richelieu Øy - World Cup 98 groups are set and Richelieu Øy (Île de Richelieu) is in group 15 with Tanirinthia, Crpostran and Ochre Islands among others. Tanirinthia is currently ranked 15th and should win the group easily. Crpostran, Ochre Islands and Île de Richelieu will fight for the 2nd qualifying spot while Hot Damn can still be in the mix. Richelieu Øy will start off with two home games, against Tanirinthia on matchday 1 and then against Crpostran on matchday 2. On matchday 3,the Bears will travel to North Oharan Valley Union. Richelieu Øy (Île de Richelieu)'s full schedule will be posted below. All home games will be played at Bjørnefjellets Nasjonalstadion (Bear Mountain National Stadium) which has a capacity of 11,569 but only 543 inhabitants resides on Richelieu Øy, which means 11,000 foreign fans can come and watch the game. There is one 124 rooms hotel, a SpringHill Suites by Marriott and a dozen of guesthouses that ranges from 1 to 8 rooms each. If fans can't find an hotel room, they're still allowed to camp in Sankt Hans Havn's (Port-Saint-Jean) outskirts, however, beware of the weather!

Matchday 1 - Wednesday March 3rd 2027 at 7:00 PM - vs Tanirinthia (15) - Expected weather: -8 °C (17,5 °F) sunny
Matchday 2 - Wednesday March 10th 2027 at 7:00 PM - vs Crpostran (42) - Expected weather: -12 °C (10,5 °F) sunny
Matchday 3 - Wednesday March 17th 2027 - @ North Oharan Valley Union (140)
Matchday 4 - Tuesday March 23rd 2027 at 7:00 PM - vs Ochre Islands (79) - Expected weather: -4 °C (25,0 °F) light snowfall
Matchday 5 - Tuesday March 30th 2027 - @ HOT-DAMN (110)
Matchday 6 - Wednesday April 7th 2027 at 7:00PM - vs Imporia (344) - Expected weather: 6 °C (43,0 °F) cloudy
Mid qualification break
Matchday 7 - Tuesday April 20th 2027 - @ Loyo (UR)
Matchday 8 - Tuesday April 27th 2027 - @ Tanirinthia (15)
Matchday 9 - Wednesday May 5th 2027- @ Crpostran (42)
Matchday 10 - Wednesday May 12th 2027 at 7:00 PM - vs North Oharan Valley Union (140) - Expected weather: 3 °C (37,5 °F) sunny
2nd qualification break
Matchday 11 - Tuesday May 25th 2027 - @ Ochre Islands (79)
Matchday 12 - Wednesday June 2nd 2027 at 7:00 PM - vs HOT-DAMN (110) - Expected weather: -1 °C (30,0 °F) sunny but freezing rain will fall on the previous night and soccer field will be covered with ice and will be very slippery. It will be a fun game for both teams!
Matchday 13 - Thursday June 10th 2027 - @ Imporia (344)
Matchday 14 - Wednesday June 16th 2027 at 7:00 PM - vs Loyo (UR) - Expected weather: 12 °C (53,5 °F) sunny

World Cup 98 and CoH starts in July 2027!

Knut Knutsen

by **Baggieland** » Wed Jan 01, 2025 6:07 am

The Instigation

Baggieland, a nation blessed with natural beauty and splendiferous weather. It is no wonder then that we are ranked in the top 2% of the multiverse's tourism stats. But wait… only 3,207th in the world rankings! Surely that should be higher?

It should be.

The problem is… well… the people.

King Alswitch and Queen Alma

I mean these two are the Royal family, and revered by all Baggies too, come on!

However, the biggest problem that is preventing Baggieland's rise in the tourism ranks is that in recent times – particularly since Gnejs started to usurp Baggieland in tennis, football and cricket – its people have gained a reputation for being… uncouth.

Uncouth, adjective, /ʌnˈkuːθ/

Lacking good manners, refinement or grace.

"He is unwashed, uncouth and drunk most of the time."

Is that reputation justified? Regardless of what the Gnejsians think, Baggies are adamant that this notoriety is unreasonable, irrational even.

Therefore, throughout this World Cup cycle we will delve deeper into the charges of "uncouthness" and seek to dispel them.

by **Kanzlia** » Wed Jan 01, 2025 7:35 am

_ | ⮌ | ☒

World Cup 98 Qualification Campaign

To: Vassilis van Coevorden

Dear Vassilis,

Following our board meeting held last week, I wanted to formally confirm our full support for the upcoming qualification campaign. The VVK has alloted a budget of 2.5 million Gelders for the qualifiers.

I trust you'll have the team ready for our opener against Yuugria. Please share your preliminary line-up the day before the match.

I expect us to win the opening match. We'll need all the momentum we can get.

Sincerely,

Jan Melis
President of Voetbal Vereniging Kanzlia

80 Koninginstraat, Szbedansk, KNZ

_ | ⮌ | ☒

Re: World Cup 98 Qualification Campaign

To: Jan Melis

Dear President Melis,

Thank you for your confirmation, I deeply appreciate it. I'll forward the squad list by tomorrow as agreed. Currently the medical team is monitoring Pisaric's condition. Otherwise, the lineup is as strong as it can get.

I'd also would like to take this opportunity to inquire if the VVK has any plans to renovate the training grounds in Szbedansk? Much of my coaching staff has expressed their concerns with the poor state of the equipment. If no plans are drawn up at the time being, I'd like to allocate 50,000 Gelders from the budget for this.

Regards,

Vassilis van Coevorden
Head Coach - Kanzlian National Team

43 Arenastraat, Szbedansk, KNZ

_ | ⮌ | ☒

Re: Re: World Cup 98 Qualification Campaign

To: Vassilis van Coevorden

Dear Vassilis,

We appreciate your concerns but it is best to wait until after the qualifiers. We've been training there for years without incident. Let's not divert our attention away from the Yuugria match.

Have you considered bringing in some of the young bloods for this game? Yuugria is one of the weaker sides of the group, I think this presents a good opportunity to debut some of them. I'm thinking Oussama Messalis and Pieter Whitteker.

Sincerely,

Jan Melis
President of Voetbal Vereniging Kanzlia

80 Koninginstraat, Szbedansk, KNZ

_ | ⮌ | ☒

Squad List - MD1

To: Jan Melis

Dear President Melis,

Below should be the line-up against Yuugria. I've included Pieter Whitteker and Oussama Messalis as you wished before. I believe we both agree that their club form warrants an inclusion.

Regarding the facilities, I understand the decision to focus on the games in hand, but our players need all the comfort they need for the qualifiers. If improvements are made mid-qualifiers, it can affect our performance for the qualifiers positively. The renovations shouldn't be too intrusive.

Attached: line-up-wc98q-md1.txt

Regards,

Vassilis van Coevorden
Head Coach - Kanzlian National Team

43 Arenastraat, Szbedansk, KNZ

_ | ⮌ | ☒

Re: Squad List - MD1

To: Vassilis van Coevorden

Vassilis,

I am glad that Messalis and Whitteker will be given their debuts. But regarding the renovations, I simply will not allow it. I do not see why we should spend the budget on infrastructure. I appreciate your concerns and I agree that we should give our players as much comfort as we can provide. Therefore, I decree to move the training grounds from Szbedansk to Kotr. I believe Armada Kotr's training grounds are in far better shape than Szbedansks. I can atleast promise you that renovations may be made after the qualification. This will be the end of this discussion.

Good luck with the preparations.

Sincerely,

Jan Melis
President of Voetbal Vereniging Kanzlia

80 Koninginstraat, Szbedansk, KNZ

by **Hapilopper** » Wed Jan 01, 2025 1:05 pm

DID YOU KNOW?... The late Nathan Ellis was banned from Center Street Pub for six months back in 2017 after sucker punching a player from the Hap City Highway Patrol. The sucker punch occurred after a particularly physical match between FC Buckridge and Highway Patrol in Capital Stadium, a match where Ellis received a straight red card for throwing a punch after a tangle with Highway Patrol midfielder Jim Green. Later that night, Ellis went to Center Street, knowing Green would be in later, and when Green walked in, Ellis knocked him out with one punch. Green missed a week of play due to the punch, while Ellis spent the night in jail, was suspended for 30 days by the Hapilopper Football Association and banned from the bar for six months.

Hapilopper City Detention Center, Hapilopper City
2:15 in the morning, a couple of hours after the bar fight

Officer Tim McCluskey of the Hapilopper City Police Department sat at the front desk of the city jail, hoping for a quiet night - or at least, a quieter night than what he had just gone through. It got a little too rowdy a few hours before when City Police brought in several dozen people from a large-scale bar fight between what appeared to be Hapilopper's national men's soccer team and a bunch of construction workers. His job wasn't to ask; his job was just to book the men in and book them out when bail was posted. But each of those men appeared to be still mightily pissed off, and it took several squadrons of police to keep them separated while they were booked.

And on occasion, you could hear screaming from inside the jail cells. Apparently someone had the bright idea of putting all of them in a handful of cells, and not separating them by whatever party they were a part of. So what you got was a night full of lunacy. The two parties were still really pissed off at each other, but on a rare occasion, they'd turn their anger to the assorted random drunks thrown in for the night after they got overserved and thrown in the clink for the night to sleep it off.

Officer McCluskey knew it wasn't going to get any better when he saw two men walk into his area of the jail. One, a slim, athletic middle-aged man, looked like he was in a very pissed off mood. The other, a fat mulleted man, looked amused by the whole thing. To the untrained eye, it looked like the start of a comedy flick starring two ill-matched buddies getting ready to go on a road trip across the country. But it was Dom Probst, head of the Hapilopper Football Association and Drake Stevenson, two-time NSSCRA champion, the winner last weekend in Valentine Z, and assistant coach Ernie Stevenson's brother.

Dom was pissed off for a variety of reasons - first off, getting rudely awoken to the news his entire team had been arrested, and then having to go through the gauntlet of media that had also gotten the news. That gauntlet was waiting outside to get pictures and a story. Drake, meanwhile, thought the whole thing was a laugh.

"You want to get the interview of the day out?" Drake said to the officer.

"CAN IT, STEVENSON!" Dom barked, marking about the fifth time since the weekend that Drake had been yelled at for being a dumbass.

Dom walked over to Officer McCluskey and, with a decided look of frustration on his face, asked what it would take to get about 25 or so people out of the jail, and what it would take to get them out quietly without the media knowing. Unfortunately, McCluskey didn't have an answer for that. But what it took was enough bail money to cancel any trip to a group draw. Forget any trip to the Kytler Peninsulae; Dom would be watching this group draw on television.

About 20 minutes passed and one, by one, almost as if they were getting out of a clown car, every player on the Hapiloppian national team, as well as acting head coach Thom Perkins and assistant coach Ernie Stevenson, walked forlornly out of the jail. Thom looked at Dom, and realized that he was probably in very big trouble for allowing it to balloon out of control like this. Others, too, knew their ass was grass and they weren't going to make their situation any worse by saying anything stupid.

Rod Cutt, on the other hand...

"You know, that fuck knuckle meat head construction boy came into Center Street looking for a fight and he got it," Rod blurted out. "He's the asshole in the jail cell clutching his nuts still. I kicked a fucking field goal right between his legs."

"I don't give a rusty shit who started it, Cutt," Dom snapped. "And I don't give a shit about the details. That's not important. You know what's important right now? It's 40 minutes past two in the morning, there's a gaggle of reporters outside because they've got a scoop that the entire fucking Hapilopper National Football Team is in the city jail because they got into a bar fight with a bunch of meat heads! You know how bad that makes us look? Every god damn newspaper and television show in the country is going to have a field day about how none of us know how to control ourselves! Every fucking newspaper worth a shit... LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU, GOD DAMN IT!"

Rod, a bit pissed off at being called out, started to look away, and that pissed Dom off even more.

"Every fucking newspaper worth a shit is going to have a nice big fat fucking headline above the fucking fold: 'HAP TEAM ARRESTED EN MASSE' and they're going to have your nice big fat fucking mugshots right there in the paper," Dom continued. "You think it's justified? You think, oh, but he started it, he did this, I don't give a flying fuck what anyone else did! I care about what you guys did! You think Nathan Ellis would be proud of what you guys did?"

Ernie Stevenson, standing a little behind Rod, suddenly found it hard to keep a straight face. He knew Dom's point was about to fall flat - and that's because Nathan would have been in the middle of that fight, he probably would have brawled with the cops and they might have had to stick a tranquilizer dart in his ass to calm him down. Hell, he might have been the one that started the fight. He started so many.

"Something funny, Stevenson? You're one of the grownups in the room and you were right in the middle of it!" Dom snapped.

"Nothing, keep going," Ernie responded.

Ernie chuckling took the air out of Dom's anger, as he realized instantly that he had messed up by invoking Nathan Ellis's name, especially considering he ripped Nathan a new one years ago after sucker punching someone in Center Street. And Ernie let him know of this later on, telling him that if he used any other name in the world - and he meant any other name, then the point would have been valid.

The Hapilopper Football Association offices, Hapilopper City
Some time later

Dom always made it a point to want to go to the group draw. He loved the group draws for the World Cup and its qualifying campaign - as he'd get to put faces to names for who his team would play. But having to spend all that money on bail for his players meant he had to cancel the trip to the Kytler Peninsulae for the group draw. Instead, he spent the day in his office, watching the group draw on television alongside acting head coach Thom Perkins and assistant coach Ernie Stevenson.

Ernie looked through a heavily dog-eared book of scouting reports for practically every team entered in the World Cup, including where they came from, what to expect, strengths and weaknesses. Some were near blanks, like some of the new teams that hadn't entered the Baptism of Fire, while others were chock full of information; The scouting reports on Valanora and Tumbra, for instance, were 20 pages each.

For the most part, none of the three really paid that much attention to the lower ranks. They weren't really concerned with where most of the lower-ranked teams would go, with the exception of the beer leaguers from Kensington Town. But it caught everyone's attention when Jimmy Eaton, the owner of Laughing Dog Bar in Kensington Town, walked onto stage.

"I'd like to give a shoutout to Dom Probst, who would normally be here but it turns out the Hapilopper National Team can't hold their liquor," Eaton quipped. "I run a beer league team and own a bar, but between me and the Hapiloppian team, only one of us have had to bail their entire team out of jail because of a drunken brawl and it ain't me!"

"That SON OF A BITCH!" Dom shouted, throwing a remote control at a wall. "That's on you assholes. You need to control your boys."

Eventually, the Haps were put in Group 3, a group that looked absolutely deadly.

There was Aphrilia, who the Haps were going to play first: "That looks like a dangerous squad," Ernie said.

There was Cobrio, an unranked squad, but deceptively strong: "This team won't finish last," Thom said. "They're going to take some results from some guys. Let's hope it's not us."

There was another deceptively strong squad in Al-Tamazgha: "They're going to punch above their weight," Dom said. "Make sure your boys are ready for them."

There was Of the Godless, which none of the three knew about: "How'd they do in the Baptism of Fire?" Dom asked.

"They didn't make it out of the group stage," Ernie said. "Apparently the team is part of a mandatory military service or something like that."

"Ah, so win or go the gulag, eh?" Dom asked.

"Maybe," Ernie replied.

The next team on the list was Panay Islands and Guimaras, a team that played in the previous Baptism of Fire partially held in Hapilopper.

"Think they'll do well?" Dom asked.

"No," Ernie responded. "Next question."

That next question was Baker Park. Oh, holy shit, Baker Park. All three could feel their skin crawl, their blood run cold at the mere thought of Baker Park. Not because they disliked them, but rather because they knew any time they went against a side like Baker Park, they would leave a piece of themselves on the field. Hapilopper-Baker Park matches were more than just matches, they were shootouts.

"They're going back in the World Cup proper," Dom said. "Mark my words."

Even if Baker Park didn't go in, Yuezhou definitely would. Ernie looked through his scouting report book and flipped to near the end of the book, and saw the words "HOLY CRAP" scribbled near the top under Yuezhou. It meant they would be in for a scary ride whenever the played them.

by **Jeruselem** » Wed Jan 01, 2025 8:52 pm

Jeruselem Manager Sam Maxis with Naked News Jeruselem's Princess Alice at World Cup training

Sam: Morning Alice, why you dressed up like Alice in Wonderland?
Alice: Get used to it, that's what I'm wearing when I'm overseas.
Sam: I guess you can't get away being naked overseas
Alice: Sadly but hey I can start cosplaying instead
Sam: Anyway, why you here. Nothing much going on anyway.
Alice: We just need go to though the talking points with our opponents.

Sam: I guess so, so let's go through I guess.
Alice: 1st seed, Valanora. We really don't need to say much about them. Apart from winning 5 titles, 4 runner ups, 11 third place and 4th place. I guess they deserve to be number one anyway.
Sam: They'll qualify, if they don't they've fucked up big time.
Alice: They were runner up last cup, losing to Squornshelan Remnant States
Sam: Needless to say, they'll be the benchmark for everyone else.
Alice: We'd be happy to get draws off them

sam: Bongo Johnson, ranked 205. I mean we're ranked 106th but 205 is even worse.
Alice: I dunno they seem to stalk us, but anyway. If we can't even beat them, we don't deserve to qualify.
Sam: Amusing name, it's like they named a nation after a person
Alice: Don't really need to spend too much time talking about them, so ...
Sam: Not that we know much about them any.

Alice: Bohr, unranked. Well I guess we'll find out who they are when we run into them
Sam: There's not much difference between 106th and unranked really
Alice: It's easy to spell but how the hell do you pronounce that?
Sam: Ask a linguist, no idea.

Alice: OK, err let's move on. Our friends Bears Armed, you know our favourite Ursidaes. Ranked 49. I think they will do well, considering they are ranked 3rd highest in the group.
Sam: Not sure how the team is going cope playing a team of bears or bear like peoples. It's been a while.
Alice: I guess we can't depend size or brawn to beat them, as everyone knows us Jeruselemites aren't known for our tall players.
Sam: Especially if your surname is Dallas
Alice: Young Cherryl, yeah she's even shorter than me. Not my fault, ask Mum.
Sam: Better not Cherryl when we play Bears Armed, I know you lot are allergic to bears.

Alice: Yeah, good thing bears are extinct in Jeruselem. Anyway, enough about bears. Doubeia ranked 80, really to idea about this team.
Sam: They are ranked ahead of us so I guess they seem to be doing something right
Alice: I can't see anything particularly special about them
Sam: They seem to have individual male and female team pools unlike most teams who just mix the teams by default
Alice: Interesting to see how they form their team from that system
Sam: Too much admin overhead I say. Well I guess that's how they roll, they actually have two different teams really. One male, one female.

Alice: 35th seed Sarzonia, them again.
Sam: Yeah, not sure that's good thing. We've never done well against them.
Alice: I guess with 1 title, 1 runnerup and two 3rd places they are always a possibility. But haven't won a title since the first one.
Sam: People will be expecting them to qualify anyway

Alice: New Fernia ranked 134, zero idea. Well expected for opponents we've never seen before.
Sam: Anyway, I pretty sure we'll be written off given Valanora, Sarzonia and Bears Armed and Doubeia are the ones in the top 100.
Alice: Sure some smartass will put money we finish last.
Sam: Always those people, but there's equally worse teams in the group as well.
Alice: There's always someone worse than you.

by **Calgasia** » Thu Jan 02, 2025 4:56 am

Post-Christmas Blues? Die Adler will help you beat it

Calgasia starts tomorrow its WC98 Qualification

It has been the most wonderful time of the year. But after countless meals and drinks, after watching your uncle throwing some dubious taste jokes, or being involved in yet another political discussion, that time is over, and bleak January is fully on. But fear not, as the Football National Team brings joy and excitement to all the nation with the 98th World Cup Qualifiers. And CRF Sport brings to you all you have to know about our rivals.

Our Group

Vdara (25)
Qasden (66)
Kamijiro (61)
Kanzlia (103)
Yuugria (246)
Calgasia (174)
Of the Golden Harp (UR)
Flavovespia (9)

Let's be honest, it will be almost impossible for the Adlers to qualify to the World Cup. The winners and runners-up of each group will qualify for the World Cup itself; third-placed teams will be paired in single-leg neutral-site playoff matches with the winners claiming the remaining nine spots at the tournament. Each group has eight teams. That means we will have to beat some of the strongest squads in the multiverse, with all but two having a better ranking than Calgasia, in order to access to the WC98. Only Yuugria (we drew against them in the recent BoF), and Of the Golden Harp have a lower ranking than the Adlers.

Qualifiers Schedule

In italics, away matches
MD1 at Kamijiro - JirōSekai, Jirō Island.
MD2 vs Kanzlia - Austro-Daimler Arena, Goldstadt
MD3 at Yuugria
MD4 at Flavovespia
MD5 vs Of the Golden Harp - Der Rosengarten, Ocheron
MD6 at Vdara
MD7 vs Qasden - Olympiastadion, Melperk
MD8 vs Kamijiro - Austro-Daimler Arena, Goldstadt
MD9 at Kanzlia - Stadia Szbedansk
MD10 vs Yuugria - Olympiastadion, Melperk
MD11 vs Flavovespia - Austro-Daimler Arena, Goldstadt
MD12 at Of the Golden Harp
MD13 vs Vdara - Der Rosengarten, Ocheron
MD14 at Qasden

Flavovespia (9) the main threat of the group, we still do not know their roster, but we can be sure it will be almost impossible to beat them if the squad does not play perfectly. We will play against them on home soil at MD11 at the Austro-Daimler Arena in the capital city, Goldstadt.

Vdara (25) one of the best teams in multiverse, we do not know their final roster either, but as with Flavovespia, we will need our best version if we want to even have a chance against them. The MD13 match against them will be the last football game hosted at Der Rosengarten Stadium before its demolition and rebuild, bidding farewell to such legendary venue.

Kamijiro (61) a formidable team, its defensive approach will make it very difficult for our boys and girls to beat them, as we have seen multiple times in the past that Calgasia struggles against well-positioned defences. We will need the best version of Renner and Sedlácek to cut through the lines, while being aware of their fullbacks, as they usually join in the offensive phase and can put stress on our defenders, and their creative midfield. We will open this Qualifiers against them on the JirōSekai stadium, in Jirō Island, and on MD8 at the Austro-Daimler Arena.

Qasden (66) another excellent team, we still do not know their roster or style, but as with the rest of the rivals, it will require the Adlers to play in their best way possible. On MD7, we will face them at the Olympiastadion in Melperk.

Kanzlia (103), a strong team, its offensive approach to the game could benefit us, as we tend to favour counter-attacks, fast transitions and plays, but that will require that our defence must be superb during 90 minutes (which is not very realistic). This will be the first match on Calgasian soil, in MD2 at the Austro-Daimler Arena, while travelling in MD9 at Stadia Szbedansk.

Yuugria (246) a well-known rival for the Adlers, we drew agains them 1-1 in the second day of the BoF 85. At that day, Calgasia was superior for most of the time, but the team wasted numerous chances and was not being able to keep a clear sheet. We are confident when facing Yuugria, but that does not means complaisance or relaxation against our rivals: Yuugria will demand the squad to play at their 110 percent. A loss with a high-ranking team is understandable, but a loss against a similar country is not accepted. They will face us on MD9 at the Olympiastadion Melperk

Of the Golden Harp In a similar case to Yuugria, we should have a better chance against Of the Golden Harp than against the other group rivals, but for that to happen, the team must not be relaxed and play at its best level, or it will suffer a defeat against a team against which we cannot lose if we want to have a chance of doing well. On MD5 at the Rosengarten Stadium in Ocheron.

Our Prediction

With all things considered, Calgasia should aim to be sixth or better, past Yuugria and Of the Golden Harp, but behind the rest of the group. We could snatch some points from Kanzlia and perhaps Kamijiro or Qasden, but it is realistically impossible to beat or draw against most of the rivals. Learn, improve and compete against better rivals should be the main goal for this team. This is a learning process for our football and our sport, so humility and ingenuity will be our best tools for this Qualifiers. And, as usual: We will play like never before only to lose like usual

Follow all the action here, at CRF Sport.

by **Katzeburg** » Thu Jan 02, 2025 5:38 am

The following is the foreword to a brand new book on Katzeburgian shelves written by leading food critic Leon Fletcher in what many early reviews are calling a ‘magnum opus’ of the storied critic - who has spent more than four decades reviewing food and drink across the nation in often quite harsh terms.

Over the many decades in my role as chief food critic at the Katzestadt Times, I’ve seen hundreds, if not thousands, of restaurants go through what I like to call the chef’s lifecycle - open in a blaze of glory, experience the rapid highs of being the new hotspot in town before the crushing lows of inconsistent service, sliding food standards, and one too many drunks thrown out into the streets before shutting up shop and calling it a day (sometimes in a rather literal final blaze of glory).

But there is one location in Katzeburg which always intrigues me - not just for its longevity, but its huge historical importance in the very fabric that makes up our proud nation. Nestled on the banks of the River Cuomo a short walk from the centre of Katzestadt sits a rather simple building - it’s nothing fancy compared to the grand high-rises down the road and sweeping historical vistas which sit further down river, a simple two storey brick building almost unabashed in its blandness. Yet it is in this building that the oldest venue in Katzeburg resides - a grand old lady stretching back hundreds of years, long, long before the nation of Katzeburg was even a thought in the minds of our founders. It’s seen everything from marriages to murders, organisations torn apart at the seams to the literal birth of a nation.

But to anyone who walks down along the River Cuomo, they’ll blink and miss one of the most important historical sites in our country - but why is that the case?

I remember the first time I ever walked through its doors, a young lad of 17 who was let in by a bouncer definitely not paying attention to my fake ID as me and a group of friends continued on our pub crawl of central Katzestadt - despite being several beers deep at that point, the initial memory has remained lodged in my mind ever since.

Immediately, you were hit with a foul smell - as if 100 cats had been let loose and encouraged to piss over every square of faded red carpet they could find in the main area that very morning. Retracting your face to avoid the smell, you’d then peek up at the ceiling to see a roof painted by time itself - cracks spiralling outward from the centre bar to reach every tip of the room, bullet holes slap-dashedly plastered over, and a corner of the room which looked to have never been finished painting over it - despite the several colour protruding from the ceiling implying that many attempts were made but always ended in the same spot. As you traced your way over the cracks, your eyes would meet the centre bar - once a glorious centrepiece of the room now a dangerous death-trap, with its wooden flourishes coming loose and dropping on any patron stupid enough to sit at the bar with force. The bar itself was safe enough from a drink perspective - all your usual tipples from Blackmouth Whiskey to Sturmsend Cider and the various beers pumped out by the national brewer over in Harmouth - but they were drinks you could get at any pub in the city, why would you come here?

That was the very question I asked the bartender that night, a portly man of about 65 years named John - the long-standing owner. “This place becomes home for our regulars, innit?” was the gruff reply from the man as he poured me a pint of Harmouth Pale. “The faces you see here each and every night become a family, one which is often less of a pain to deal with than my own kids.”

It was an interesting point - but surely there was more to it than just drinking the same old drinks in the same old place week in and week out, right? But as I sat down with my group of friends and we tackled beer nine of the evening, I overheard some of the interpersonal dilemmas going on amongst the regulars.

The poor chap two tables down from us was on the verge of divorce, having found out his wife had been cheating on him with his (also more well-endowed, judging by the banshee-like screams coming from the table) twin brother while away on work in Konigpool, while directly across from us sat a group of older gentlemen debating the finer points of broadcasting as they worked on a proposal to buy an abandoned television station on the outskirts of the city (now known as the second largest broadcaster in the country, KatzeTV). And finally, on the other side of the room through lenses of broken pint glasses and falling beer mats, what looked to be a dramatic and tense deal take place - one which I only now realise with years of hindsight was the final time anyone saw Katzeburgian Dockers Union president Grayson Sumner alive.

It’s an evening which stuck with me, long past the initial hangover the pub crawl provided. I went back the following week, purely out of curiosity to see whether it was a one-off evening of insanity or whether this was the norm. As soon as I walked through that door for the second time, I heard a gruff “Ahh, you’re back” from John, and the rest was history.

This book is the history of that building and everything which has fitted in between its doors since its founding as a humble inn hundreds of years ago as I try to unpack the range of madness which was flowed onto the streets from this simple brick building on the banks of the River Cuomo - this is the story of The Nervous Kitten.

GROUP 1 Vaishnavaria (149) Adab (70) Juvencus (11) Oberour Ar Moro (55) NexxusDrako (UR) Pasarga (34) New Crywyzyxycynya (223) Yakk (113)	GROUP 2 Eastfield Lodge (38) Olastor (318) United States of Nova Calania (89) Natanians and Nosts (72) Kandorith (117) City of Myrtle Beach (51) Northwest Kalactin (UR) Mertagne (18)	GROUP 3 Aphrilia (44) Cobrio (UR) Al-Tamazgha (122) Of the Godless (246) Panay Islands and Guimaras (109) Commonwealth of Baker Park (37) Yuezhou (8) Hapilopper (64)
GROUP 4 Chromatika (32) Bir Matras (UR) Kimi-Suomi (91) Tumbra (2) Martian Independent Republic (177) Darmen (54) Hispinas (142) Kronbia (82)	GROUP 5 Cardenao (60) Omerica (277) Milchama (28) Abanhfleft (78) New Zhengguo (UR) Eraman (152) Katzeburg (88) Huayramarca (21)	GROUP 6 Farfadillis (4) Estorvipa and Estorpiva (163) Sangti and the Filindo Isles (112) Sel Appa (UR) Mytanija (39) Igratia (293) Sajnur (62) Captina Island (83)
GROUP 7 Cafu and Malaguay (UR) Banija (13) Sargossa (30) Brusseldorf (120) Safiloa (291) Auprussia (95) Pyazhnaya (74) Edsmontik (56)	GROUP 8 Equestrian States (116) Polar Islandstates (85) Zenic (26) The 14 Stars (58) Megistos (293) Lacivea (UR) HUElavia (20) Cheetahs and reptiles Coalison (127)	GROUP 9 Paringo (UR) Island Fusion (362) Patriotlandia (100) Dhemixia (159) Eshialand (29) Saint Eleanor (19) Carpathia and Ruthenia (69) Saterun (46)
GROUP 10 Vdara (25) Qasden (66) Kamijiro (61) Kanzlia (103) Yuugria (246) Calgasia (174) Of the Golden Harp (UR) Flavovespia (9)	GROUP 11 Sudilia (73) Sekela (UR) Indusse (50) West Vdara (102) Archalit (143) West Barack and East Obama (16) Dremotia (200) Elmyia (41)	GROUP 12 Damukuni (86) Siovanija and Teusland (31) Kelssek (3) Jeckland (UR) Lisander (168) United Hawkland (96) Drawkland (45) Busoga Islands (281)
GROUP 13 Delitai (105) TJUN-ia (22) Poafmersia (67) Natkr (215) StrayaRoos (48) Baggieland (24) Ralsalin (UR) Darkmania (153)	GROUP 14 Squornshelan Remnant States (5) Xanneria (52) Hmmland (UR) Bostopia (115) Vetrahjart (270) Audioslavia (40) Legalese (81) The Ko-orenite Constellation (123)	GROUP 15 Ile de Richelieu (59) Crpostran (42) North Oharan Valley Union (140) Ochre Islands (79) HOT-DAMN (110) Imporia (344) Loyo (UR) Tanirinthia (15)
GROUP 16 Britonisea (101) Gopnikea (UR) The Holy Empire (14) Quakmybush (188) Delaclava (76) Osterhalten (169) Zwangzug (27) Gnejs (47)	GROUP 17 Valanora (1) Bohr (UR) New Fernia (134) Sarzonia (35) Doubeia (80) Bears Armed (49) Jeruselem (106) Bongo Johnson (205)	GROUP 18 Reçueçn (57) Libesia (192) Christian Brothers (UR) Aleirave (33) Ko-oren (12) Grand Exultia (161) Riena (108) Valentine Z (63)

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