Will Iceland's Football Team Make it to the World Cup?!
Tonight Iceland will meet Kosovo in a football game on Iceland's home turf, at Laugardalsvöllur. The game starts at 18:45 local time, and if Iceland wins, the Icelandic national team will go through to the World Cup - for the first time in history!
Anyone that follows football - and even those who don't follow football - will remember the 'fairytale' story of how Iceland made it to the quarter finals in UEFA EURO in 2016, the first major tournament Iceland's national football team ever participated in.
Iceland tied with Portugal (that ended up being the champions), beat England's team 2-1 and then lost to the host country France in the quarter finals. But nonetheless, this was the best result an Icelandic football team has ever gotten, and the team members were hailed as heroes in Iceland - the smallest country ever to enter a large tournament such as this one.
- See also: Iceland in UEFA EURO 2016
- See also: Iceland beats England 2-1!!!!!! Iceland is through to the round of 8!!!!!
- See also: Iceland is out of EURO 2016, But We're Still Celebrating!
2016 Sports Photo of the Year (Iceland) by Vilhelm Gunnarsson
Iceland's highest ranking ever on the FIFA world ranking list was number 18, in July just after the UEFA EURO. Currently Iceland is ranking at number 22. Iceland's lowest ranking on FIFA however was at number 131 in 2012 - so the team has shot up that list fast!
Currently, Iceland is competing in the qualifiers for the World Cup, taking place in Russia in 2018. Tonight's game with Kosovo is the last game in the qualification - and at the moment Iceland is on top with 19 points. Croatia and Ukraine come second with 17 points currently.
Previous games in this 2018 World Cup qualifying round have been:
- 5th of September 2016: Ukraine - Iceland. 1-1 tie.
- 6th of October 2016: Iceland - Finland. 3-2 win for Iceland.
- 9th of October 2016: Iceland - Turkey. 2-0 win for Iceland.
- 12th of November 2016: Croatia - Iceland. 2-0 win for Croatia.
- 24th of March 2017: Kosovo - Iceland. 1-2 win for Iceland.
- 11th of June 2017: Iceland - Croatia. 1-0 win for Iceland.
- 2nd of September 2017: Finland - Iceland. 0-1 win for Finland.
- 5th of September 2017: Iceland - Ukraine. 2-0 win for Iceland.
- 6th of October 2017: Turkey - Iceland. 0-3 win for Iceland.
- 9th of October 2017: Iceland - Kosovo. ????
So if Iceland wins the game agains Kosovo, then Iceland is definitely taking part in the World Cup in 2018. If there is a tie, or Iceland loses, then there is still a chance, as the results depend on how other games go in the qualifying round.
If Iceland makes it to the World Cup, it will be the smallest nation (in population) by far to have entered it. Currently the smallest nation to have taken part in the World Cup is Trinidad and Tobago, that qualified in 2006. Trinidad and Tobago's population is 1.3 million people. Iceland's population is 350 thousand people.
It's safe to say, the atmosphere in Reykjavík is electric tonight - and if you're in town (you won't be able to get a ticket to the live game, it's completely sold out) - but find a TV and cheer with the locals!
Iceland beat Kosovo before 2-1, we can do it again! Come on World Cup - ÁFRAM ÍSLAND!
- Read all you need to know about Icelandic football here: Football in Iceland | The Secret to Success
It's easy to support Iceland, just do the Viking Chant HÚH!
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요쿨살론부터 비크까지, 꽃보다 청춘 5화
드디어 하늘씨과 쓰리스톤즈가 합류했는데요! 설원을 달리는 모습에 저도 아이슬란드가 엄청 그리워졌답니다. 빙하와 빛나는 요쿨살론 첫번째로 향한 요쿨살론(Jokulsarlon)은 아이슬란드의 대표적인 명소 중 하나랍니다. 영어로 Glacier lagoon 이라고도 하는데요. 방송에 나온 것처럼 눈 앞에 보이는 빙하는 빙하수가 흘러서 녹았다 얼었다를더 읽기스코가포스 폭포부터 오로라까지, 꽃보다청춘 4화를 따라서
여행 5일째, 포스톤즈가 처음으로 향한 곳은 아이슬란드 남부에 있는 스코가포스 폭포(skogasfoss)입니다. 아이슬란드 남부의 대표적인 폭포 중 하나에요. 방송에서는 들르지 않았지만 스코가포스 거의 바로 옆에 위치한 셀리야란드스포스(seljalandsfoss) 폭포와 함께 같이 들르곤 한답니다. 스코가포스 폭포는 폭포의 물줄기 끝까지 올라갈 수 있단더 읽기꽃청춘을 따라서
요즘 인기리에 방영되고 있는 꽃보다 청춘 아이슬란드편! 저도 매주 빼놓지 않고 시청하고 있습니다. 많은 분들께서 포스톤즈의 발랄한 매력과 아이슬란드의 놀라운 경치에 빠져드셨을 것 같습니다! 이번에는 꽃보다 청춘을 따라서 아이슬란드를 한번 가보도록 해요! 사실 아이슬란드가 한국에서 그렇게 가기 쉬운 나라는 아닙니다. 거리도 멀고 항공권도 비싸고! 우더 읽기
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