The first round of the WMF World Cup 2025held in Baku has concluded.
16 matches were played across 8 groups over the course of two days.
These matches stood out for several reasons:
56 goals scored
A total of 56 goals were recorded in the 16 matches. On the first day, 33 goals were scored, while the second day saw 23 goals. The average goal rate was 3.50 per game. Group D saw the highest number of goals – 19, while Group F had only 9 goals. The matches in Group E were the lowest-scoring, with just 3 goals in total.
Our national team stumbles
The Azerbaijani national team, which placed fourth in the previous World Cup and came in as one of the favorites, started the tournament with a disappointing draw. Elshad Guliyev's team unexpectedly stumbled against Bahrain, finishing 1-1. This draw prevented Azerbaijan from beginning their title campaign with a win.
India once again
The highest-scoring match of the round saw 15 goals. Slovakia thrashed India in a one-sided game. As in previous tournaments, the Indian team—accustomed to conceding double-digit goals—has earned a reputation as the weakest side of the competition.
Tough win for the champions
Romania, the reigning champion, faced unexpected difficulty in their opening match. The titleholders narrowly defeated Uzbekistan 2-1 after facing tough resistance. With France and Chad also in their group, Romania's path forward doesn't look easy.
First major upset
While Azerbaijan’s draw with Bahrain was somewhat unexpected, the biggest upset of the round came in Group F. Kazakhstan, the runner-up from two years ago, started their campaign at the National Gymnastics Arena with a defeat. Despite scoring first against Poland, they ended the match empty-handed – 1:2.
Successful debut from Turkiye
Hungary, who lost the bronze medal match to Azerbaijan two years ago, also dropped points in their opener. Their draw came at the hands of Turkiye, a debutant in the tournament. The Crescent-Stars secured a surprising 1-1 result against a strong opponent. In short, among the four semifinalists from the previous tournament in the UAE, only Romania managed to win in Baku's opening round.
Dangerous debutants
Teams participating in the World Championship for the first time have proven to be a threat to the more established squads. Of the 9 debutant teams, only 3 lost their opening matches. Uzbekistan put up a fight against Romania (1:2), Chad narrowly lost to France (0:1), while Israel suffered a 0:3 defeat to Serbia. Turkiye and Bahrain held semifinalists Hungary and Azerbaijan to 1:1 draws, and Slovenia and Mauritania also drew 1:1. Other debutants performed strongly: Indonesia beat Costa Rica 1:0, and Poland defeated runners-up Kazakhstan 2:1.
Four thrashings
Four of the first-round matches ended with a margin of three goals or more. Slovakia destroyed India 15:0. In an all-European clash, England beat Ukraine 4:0. Both matches in Group H ended with 3:0 scorelines—Spain over Ghana and Serbia over Israel.
Football traditions come to minifootball
None of the countries that have won the FIFA World Cup have ever replicated the feat in minifootball. However, teams with strong football traditions got off to a solid start in Baku. England beat Ukraine 4:0, Spain overcame Ghana 3:0, and France edged past Chad 1:0. Even Argentina, who lost 1:2 to the Czech Republic, left a good impression in their first match. Notably, traditional football powerhouses Brazil, Germany, Italy, and Uruguay are not participating in the Minifootball World Cup.
The second round of the group stage will be played on May 23–24.
Vugar Kheyrullayev
Idman.biz
