FIFA on Friday announced the groups of fate, in which all continents national teams were divided, aiming for a ticket to the 2018 World Cup. Lithuania was included in the fifth group of the European continent, while teams such as the Faroe Islands and Estonia were placed higher.
The groups were formed based on the team rankings compiled in July. The draw will take place on the 25th of this month in Saint Petersburg, and the championship will be held in Russia.
Below Lithuania's football team, according to FIFA calculations, there are only such "minnows" of this sport as Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Malta, San Marino, Andorra, and Georgia. The latter fell into the ranks of outsiders due to a completely unsuccessful performance in the 2016 European Championship qualification - after losses to Malta, Poland, Ukraine, and Germany, the team suffered from internal disagreements and changes in coaches and players. In 5 matches, the Georgians conceded 14 goals and scored only one.
The European qualification zone teams for the 2018 World Cup will be divided into nine groups - seven will have six teams, while two will have five teams each.
The qualification cycle will begin on September 4, 2016 and will continue until October 10 of the following year.
FIFA's draw groups:
First: Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, England, Wales, Spain, Croatia.
Second: France, Slovakia, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Iceland, Denmark, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Third: Ukraine, Scotland, Poland, Hungary, Sweden, Albania, Northern Ireland, Serbia, Greece.
Fourth: Turkey, Slovenia, Israel, Ireland, Norway, Bulgaria, Faroe Islands, Montenegro, Estonia.
Fifth: Cyprus, Latvia, Armenia, Finland, Belarus, Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Lithuania, Moldova.
Sixth: Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Georgia, Malta, San Marino, Andorra.
lrytas.lt
