Actually a Sports Blog

1. A spot in September's EuroBasket field 2. Hosting the Short-Course World Championships in December 3. Competition in this season's UEFA League of Nations; additionally, they will be in League C next season  4. A potential spot in the men's World Cup this year (removed from a group semifinal against Poland) and the opportunity to qualify for the women's tournament next year  5. Men's and women's spots at Wimbledon this year   6. A qualifying spot in Paris 2024 men's soccer, or at least through UEFA  7. International ice hockey competition indefinitely across all age groups 8. Hosting rights for the 2023 world junior ice hockey championships (Halifax, Nova Scotia and Moncton, New Brunswick are the new host cities)  9. A spot in April's FIH Women's Junior World Cup in field hockey (they were replaced by Austria) 

Men's Soccer- Europe With sixteen spots in next year's final tournament (two hosts- Georgia and Romania- and fourteen qualifiers), which teams are still in the running for continental qualifier spots? *Note: this list has changed since last time. Who has a spot in the final tournament? 1. Belgium 2. England 3. France 4. Germany 5. Netherlands 6. Portugal  7. Spain Who's still in the running for the final seven spots?  Thirteen teams- Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Norway, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine- are chasing the remaining seven spots   

Instead of looking at which teams have been eliminated, let's instead look at which teams still have a chance of competing in Paris. Men's Soccer Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine are still in contention to make the Paris field from Europe 

Men's Soccer U21 Euros Qualifying Group B: Germany can win the group if they defeat Hungary while Poland is in the drivers' seat for the playoff spot after they defeated San Marino and Israel fell to Latvia (for Israel to move past them into the playoffs two things need to happen on Tuesday due to Poland's superior goal difference- an Israel win v. San Marino and a Poland loss v. Germany)  Group F: Sweden, Italy and Ireland are the only three teams remaining in contention. One win and four points separate Sweden (auto qualifying) and Ireland (elimination)  Group H: France and Ukraine are the only two teams remaining in contention as both teams have at least qualified for the playoffs   Who's eliminated? Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus , Estonia, Faroe Islands , Gibraltar, Hungary , Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, North Macedonia, San Marino, Serbia and Wales *Bolded and Italicized = Ne...

Men's Soccer: With qualifier competition resuming on Wednesday, Austria, Belarus, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine are still in the running to join Belgium, Georgia, Romania and Spain in the U21 Euros final tournament and move a step closer to Paris 2024.  Women's Soccer: With the CONCACAF W Championship starting in July, Canada, Costa Rica, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago and United States are still in the running for the lone automatic spot at Paris 2024.  Who's Been Eliminated? Men's Soccer: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Estonia, Gibraltar, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, North Macedonia, San Marino and Wales...

1. Kudos to UEFA and FIFA for removing Russia from the U21 Euros qualifying. It might sound too harsh, but after they launched an unprovoked peacetime invasion of a neighboring country Russia shouldn't be allowed to compete internationally at least through the end of this year. Sports and politics should usually be kept separate but a key part of international sporting competition is peace (it's called *peaceful* international sporting competition for a reason) and if you can't abide by that then you shouldn't be able to compete. Simple as that.  2. It's my opinion that FIBA (finally) did the right thing. Montenegro has replaced Russia in Group A of September's EuroBasket tournament. I've been wanting this to happen for a month or so (and by "wanting this to happen" I mean starting a Change.org petition).   3. Thank you, FINA. Melbourne has replaced the Russian city of Kazan as the host city for December's short-course world championships. This...

The CONCACAF W Championship will take place in July and will serve as the continental qualifier in women's soccer. Costa Rica, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama and Trinidad and Tobago all move a step closer to Olympic competition as group winners and will join Canada and the United States this summer.  *July's competition will see two groups of four teams with the top two teams in each group advancing to the semifinals. *The tournament winner will qualify for Paris Step Closer to Paris in Women's Soccer  Canada Costa Rica Haiti Jamaica Mexico Panama Trinidad and Tobago   United States Bolded and Italicized = Newly Added The U21 Euros qualifying will continue in June and the tournament next summer will be the continental qualifier in men's soccer. Belgium is a step closer to Paris as they join co-hosts Romania and Georgia in the final tournament, but who can join them?  Group A: Croatia , Austria, Norway and Finland Group B: Germany , Israel, Poland and Hungary  Gr...