The only scenario that sends Greece to the 2026 World Cup after the 3–1 loss to Scotland

After the large 5–1 triumph implicit lowly Belarus, Greece had a mediocre showing against Denmark successful Piraeus and a coagulated show successful Glasgow — astatine slightest until the 62nd minute.

Yet, the nationalist squad suffered 2 defeats, 3–0 to Denmark and 3–1 to Scotland, and present trails some Scandinavian sides by 4 points successful Group 3 of the qualifiers.

Greece nary longer controls its ain destiny — not for archetypal spot and not adjacent for second, which would connection a accidental to scope the 2026 World Cup successful the U.S., Canada, and Mexico done the March playoffs.

The lone script for nonstop qualification

A shot occurrence is needed. There is conscionable 1 way. Greece, Denmark, and Scotland each inactive person to play Belarus, who are the group’s weakest squad and apt to suffer each remaining matches.
If Greece beats Denmark successful Copenhagen connected Sunday, it volition determination up to six points, with Denmark staying connected seven. Scotland, who play Belarus astatine home, are expected to scope 10 points.

Everything would past beryllium decided successful November. On the 15th, Greece hosts Scotland — and with a triumph would emergence to 9 points, portion Scotland would stay connected ten. Denmark, who besides look Belarus astatine home, would spell to 10 arsenic well.

In the last circular connected November 18, Greece play Belarus distant and would apt scope 12 points. For Greece to apical the group, Scotland and Denmark would request to gully successful Glasgow, leaving some connected eleven points.
Only successful that lawsuit would Greece decorativeness archetypal and suffice straight for the World Cup — an highly hard scenario.

The conflict for 2nd place

If the occurrence doesn’t happen, Greece volition request to gain 5 much points than either Scotland oregon Denmark implicit the past 3 matches.
Goal difference, not head-to-head results, volition find tiebreaks due to the fact that this is simply a FIFA contention — and that’s a disadvantage for Greece.

Sunday’s crippled successful Denmark volition mostly determine everything.
If Greece lose, some Denmark and Scotland volition determination to 10 points portion Greece enactment connected three, making adjacent 2nd spot practically impossible.

With a win, Greece would adjacent successful connected Denmark, who inactive person to sojourn Scotland, and big Belarus successful Piraeus.
If Greece gully successful Copenhagen, they’ll person 4 points — meaning 2 wins successful November could instrumentality them to ten. In that case, they’d inactive request Scotland to suffer astatine location to Denmark, and adjacent then, extremity quality mightiness not beryllium successful Greece’s favour (Scotland are presently +4, Greece –1).

A “Scottish shower” for Greece successful Glasgow

Greece took the pb successful Scotland but conceded 3 brushed goals and yet mislaid 3–1, falling to 3rd successful the group. The imagination of qualifying for the World Cup is present slipping away.
Sunday’s lucifer successful Denmark volition beryllium Greece’s past existent accidental — and lone a triumph volition support hopes alive.

At the 62nd minute, Tsimikas opened the scoring with a right-footed changeable — his archetypal extremity for Greece — aft a neat build-up involving Masouras, Tzolis, Bakasetas, and Pavlidis.
But conscionable 2 minutes later, Christie equalized for Scotland, and aft a VAR check, the extremity stood.

In the 80th minute, Ferguson completed the comeback for 2–1 aft a scrappy play successful the box, and successful stoppage time, Dykes made it 3–1, capitalizing connected an mistake by goalkeeper Tzolakis.