2021 Sulifa World Cup

2021 World Cup (Iearth)

2021 Sulifa World Cup
The official emblem
Tournament details
Host country	Sulifa
Dates	April 12th - May 2nd, 2021
Teams	32
Venue(s)	6 (in Sulifa City, Araja, Cubai, Susairah host cities)
Final positions
Champions	Durnstaal
Runners-up	Zamastan
Third place	Timeria
Fourth place	Jyau
Tournament statistics
Matches played	63
Top scorer(s)	Isaiah Ross (Zamastan)

The 2021 World Cup, also called the 2021 Sulifa World Cup, was an international football tournament contested by men's national teams and took place between 12 April to May 2nd, 2021 in multiple cities throughout Sulifa. It was the 47th World Cup, a worldwide football tournament held once every year. The tournament phase involved 32 teams, of which all came through qualifying competitions at the start of the event from an original 64 national teams.

In the final, Durnstaal defeated Zamastan 1(1)-(0)1 in overtime to secure the country's third world title and its first since 2013.

Teams

The 64-team qualifying bracket. 32 teams would advance to the actual World Cup tournaments.

102 national teams applied to join the World Cup, but ultimately 64 national teams were able to reach the qualification rounds. Among the firsts were Ossinia and their newly formed Ossinia national football team, since the deposed government of Martin Saint-Yves had previously boycotted World Cups.

Notably absent from the World Cup qualifying rounds were longtime qualifying teams Avergnon and Gladysynthia, the latter of which was host to the previous 2020 Heimdahl'ia World Cup.

Venues

File:استاد الملك فهد الدولي King Fahd International Stadium (66723825).jpeg

Al-Kayib Royal Stadium in Sulifa City

Baya Hajib Stadium in Sulifa City

File:Moses Mabhida Stadion durban aerial view 1.jpg

Mab Hayana Stadium in Araja

File:ElSardineroStadium.jpg

Ban Hanna Stadium in Araja

File:Cape town stadium aerial view 1.jpg

Bin Khartafa Stadium in Susairah

Mastifah Tya Stadium in Cubai

Six venues were utilized during the tournament in four cities across Sulifa; Sulifa City, Araja, Cubai, and Susairah. Sulifa, with limited physical geography and a largely urbanized central area, played host in multiple areas throughout the country instead of one singular city. The bid evaluation report stated: "The Sulifa bid proposes 4 host cities and 7 stadiums, thus exceeding the World Cup Organization's minimum requirement. Three of the 6 stadiums would be renovated, and 1 would be newly constructed."

Sulifa ultimately reduced their total stadium to 6. Construction of the proposed Kyabib Feros stadium in capital was cancelled by the government due to difficulties with construction permits. A total of Z$7.8 billion was spent on hosting the tournament.

Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony of the World Cup took place on Sunday, April 11th at the Al-Kayib Royal Stadium in Sulifa City. King Abdur Rasheed el-Abad gave a speech, welcoming the countries of the world to Sulifa and calling football a uniting force.

Group Stages

Qualifying Rounds

64 competing countries were divided into eight groups of eight teams (groups A to H). Teams in each group played one another in a round-robin, with the top four teams advancing to the knockout stage and the Round of 32.

Knockout Stage

The completed bracket for the 2021 World Cup.

	Round of 32				Round of 16				Quarter-finals				Semi-finals				Final
	Sulifa	2
	Egilanak	0
					Sulifa	3
					Yuan	1
	Yuan	1 (1)
	Versenia	1 (0)
									Zamastan	1 (1)
									Sulifa	1 (0)
	Zamastan	4
	Janapa	0
					Zamastan	3
					Besmenia	2
	Besmenia	3
	Cadair	2
													Zamastan	2
													Jyau	1
	Alecburgh	3 (2)
	New Anea	3 (1)
					Jyau	2 (2)
					Alecburgh	2 (1)
	Jyau	2
	Caspiaa	1
									Jyau	2
									Kossmil	0
	Vuswistan	3
	East Chanchajilla	1
					Kossmil	2
					Vuswistan	0
	Kossmil	5 (2)
	Vitosium	5 (1)
																	Durnstaal	1 (1)
																	Zamastan	1 (0)
	Quetana	2
	Ossinia	1
					Quetana	2
					Beleroskov	1
	Beleroskov	4
	Tervali Islands	1
									Durnstaal	2
									Quetana	1
	Durnstaal	3
	Albarine	2
					Durnstaal	4
					Ruskayn	1
	Ruskayn	8
	Khaytan	2
													Durnstaal	1 (2)
													Timeria	1 (1)			Third place
	Drambenburg	2
	Shoassau	1
					Drambenburg	1											Timeria	3
					Emmiria	0											Jyau	1
	Emmiria	1
	Qolaysia	0
									Timeria	2 (1)
									Drambenburg	2 (0)
	Slavic Union	4 (2)
	Tasiastan	4 (1)
					Timeria	3 (1)
					Slavic Union	3 (0)
	Timeria	2
	Siniapore	1

Final

Durnstaal won their third World Cup title after narrowly pushing Zamastan into a ten-minute overtime.