Here's who your club is playing in the first round...
With the inaugural FIFA tournament about to get underway, Oddshcekcer has taken a closer look at some of the key ties in the first round.
A number of high intrigue matches are taking place, with the Battle of Britain (Millwall vs Hibs), the Jim McGilton derby (Ipswich vs Melbourne Victory) and a tasty clash between Wimbledon and West Ham.
Here’s all you need to know on the first-round games.
Middlesbrough vs Huddersfield
Middlesbrough are taking on Huddersfield in an all Championship clash. The Boro are being represented by their striker Lukas Nmecha, who will need to be more clinical online than he is in real life.
Both teams are available at a price of 33/1 for the tournament. They are only separated by a point in the league and bookmakers cannot split them here either.
It is set to be a tight clash at the John Smith Stadium and a lot rests on who The Terriers announce as their player.
Dundalk vs Portsmouth
Dundalk have for so long flown the Irish flag in Europe, and they’ll be relishing the challenge once again as they prepare to head to Fratton Park.
The Lilywhites competed in the Europa League group stages as recently as 2016, while Pompey will be drawing upon memories of their UEFA Cup group stage campaign in 2008.
Portsmouth are the slight favourites—priced as short as 25/1 in places—while the Co Louth side are 33/1, though 50/1 is still available elsewhere.
Scunthorpe vs Charlton
Right near the foot of the Football League, Scunthorpe embarks on a giant-killing as they host Championship side Charlton Athletic. This is actually a very common FA Cup tie, with the two sides meeting three times in the last four years.
Charlton have won twice, but Scunthorpe won a 5-3 thriller back in October 2018. The Iron are a 50/1 poke in the outright market, while their opposition are priced at 33/1. Neither side have announced who will steer them in the tournament, which could, of course, have a big impact on the match odds.
RB Salzburg vs Derby
RB Salzburg v Derby has a lovely feel to it. Though they’re the away side, The Rams are certainly favourites to overcome their Austrian opponents – with bookies pricing them up as 33/1 shots to win the tournament, whereas Salzburg are 66/1 outsiders in the market.
At this stage, little is known about many of the European teams’ representatives, so there’s every chance Die Mozartstädter end up defying their chunky price.
Sheff Utd vs Carlisle
Sheffield United: It’s perhaps not the most glamourous tie in the book, but Sheffield United v Carlisle has the look of a good ol’ fashioned northern dust-up.
The Blades, who are a 25/1 to win the tournament, will fancy their chances against a 100/1 Carlisle side who are being represented by Brandon Beech (son of manager Chris Beech).
Hibs vs Millwall
This could be one for the ages. Picturing the swathes of Lions fans making the trek up to Easter Road on a cold Wednesday night isn’t far removed from reality, and this has the look of a tie which could manifest into a full-blown rivalry.
Millwall are one of the most fancied teams in the tournament, and are priced at just 20/1; the hosts, meanwhile, are out at 50/1, suggesting a home victory would be a major early scalp.
Wimbledon vs West Ham
Wimbledon vs West Ham is an absolute thigh-rubber.
The Wombles faced the Hammers as recently as 2019, where they registered a stunning 4-2 victory in the FA Cup – emphatically dumping their visitors out of the tournament.
West Ham are the favourites coming into this once again, however, they’re as long as 33/1 to win the competition outright.
As for Wimbledon, they’re 50/1 outsiders in the market, but the feisty derby atmosphere at Kingsmeadow will likely play into their hands, meaning another upset isn’t out of the question.
Brighton vs Rotterdam
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Sparta Rotterdam is certainly one of the more eye-catching matches that have come out of the Ultimate QuaranTeam hat.
The Seagulls are a side worth looking out for, as they’re one of the few Premier League outfits being represented by a first-team player: striker
Neal Maupay.Sparta Rotterdam will likely bring an army of fans across the English Channel, and with Dutch e-sports very much on the rise, they could become quite the wildcard should they cull the 'Gulls.
Both sides are as short as 33/1 to win the tournament in places, though you can get as big as 50/1 and 66/1 for Brighton and Sparta respectively elsewhere.
Ipswich vs Melbourne
Ipswich Town are travelling across the globe to Australia to face Melbourne Victory in a tasty looking first-round tie.
The Tractor Boys are the odds-on favourites to land an away victory here, no doubt thanks to the fact they have the 257th ranked Fifa player in the world and Town fan representing them.
The long flight looks set to be worth it for the travelling Blue Army supporters who are 25/1 to land their first piece of silverware in a long time.
Melbourne Victory are 66/1 for the tournament, with their representative still undecided.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Cambridge
These two sides met in the League Cup back in 2016, and Cambridge pulled off a memorable upset in extra time on that occasion.
They’ll be hoping history repeats itself here as they make the trip to Hillsborough, where they’ll face a formidable outfit.Sheffield Wednesday find themselves second only to Benfica in the outright market for the tournament, priced at 10/1.
By contrast, you have to go searching to find Cambridge. The shortest price about the U’s is 40/1, while one bookie makes them an 80/1 shot. The Owls are further buoyed in their efforts to land the big prize having dipped into the transfer market to land a professional FIFA player for their dugout.
Reading vs Palace
Reading vs Crystal Palace doesn’t have the razzmatazz of other Ultimate QuaranTeam fixtures but dig a little under the surface and the storylines emerge.
The Eagles, represented by forward Andros Townsend, are as short as 28/1 to win the competition (though 50/1 is still available in places), and the ex-England man’s involvement will certainly drum up some interest in Croydon.
Piloted by defender Tom McIntyre, The Royals are out at 66/1 for tournament glory, and firmly the underdogs in this opener. Palace haven’t won a single major trophy in their 114-year history…is this their time to finally taste some success?
Birmingham vs Sunderland
In a tie that we can only hope proves eventful enough to muscle its way into the running order of a certain Netflix documentary, Birmingham host Sunderland.
The two sides that enjoyed glory years in the Premier League now reside in the Championship and League One, and they’re relative outsiders in the outright market for this tournament. Both are available at 33/1 here, though one bookmaker have gone as short as 20/1 on Blues.
The away side will be represented by FUTWIZ, so are sure to carry some clout here. Birmingham City were hoping to enlist the hope of a big e-sports name, but contractual duties elsewhere have caused the deadline day deal to stall.
Grimsby vs Motherwell
Primed and ready for the Europa League in real-life football, Motherwell take the virtual trip to Blundell Park to take on Grimsby Town.
At 5/6 apiece, bookies can’t separate the sides for the first round tie.
There’s also little discrepancy in their outright prices, with both teams 66/1 to win the full competition.
Oddschecker sources were exclusively told that Motherwell will field a professional footballer, who has been capped for his country.
Midfielder Bradley Garmston will represent Grimsby Town.
Full Draw:
1. Accrington Stanley vs Wycombe Wanderers
2. Leyton Orient vs Lokomotiv Moscow
3. Reading vs Crystal Palace
4. DC United vs Celta Vigo
5. Stevenage vs Blackpool
6. Norwich City vs Fleetwood Town
7. Standard Liège vs Bolton Wanderers
8. AS Fiorentina vs Nottingham Forest
9. Walsall vs AS Roma
10. Huddersfield vs Middlesbrough
11. Central Coast Mariners vs Shamrock Rovers
12. Plymouth Argyle vs ESTAC Troyes
13. Aston Villa vs VVV-Venlo
14. Hibernian vs Millwall
15. Sheffield United vs Carlisle United
16. Peterborough United vs Exeter City
17. AFC Wimbledon vs West Ham United
18. Manchester City vs KV Kortrijk
19. Cork City vs Ross County
20. Djugården Fotboll vs PSV Eindhoven
21. Nantes vs Swindon Town
22. Newcastle United vs Gillingham
23. Bristol Rovers vs Southend United
24. Orlando Pirates vs FC Sion
25. West Bromwich Albion vs AFC Ajax
26. Mansfield Town vs KAA Gent
27. Colchester United vs Rotherham United
28. Preston North End vs Doncaster Rovers
29. Sydney vs Barnsley
30. Grimsby Town vs Motherwell
31. Burton Albion vs Sligo Rovers
32. Adelaide United vs Wolves
33. Oxford United vs Lille
34. Lorient vs KV Mechelen
35. Crawley Town vs RKC Waalwijk
36. RB Salzburg vs Derby County
37. Stoke City vs Blackburn Rovers
38. Forest Green Rovers vs Northampton Town
39. Brentford vs St Mirren
40. Oldham Athletic vs Finn Harps
41. Waterford vs Angers SCO
42. Melbourne Victory vs Ipswich Town
43. Scunthorpe United vs Charlton Athletic
44. FC Emmen vs Port Vale
45. Vitesse vs Atalanta
46. MK Dons vs Heracles Almelo
47. Sheffield Wednesday vs Cambridge United
48. PEC Zwolle vs FC Groningen
49. ADO Den Haag vs Willem II
50. KRC Genk vs Luton Town
51. Rochdale vs Coventry City
52. Derry City vs QPR
53. Fortuna Sittard vs Newport County
54. Birmingham City vs Sunderland
55. Brighton & Hove Albion vs Sparta Rotterdam
56. Orlando City vs Feyenoord
57. Amiens vs Watford
58. Olympique Marseille vs İstanbul Başakşehir
59. Cheltenham Town vs Salford City
60. Portsmouth vs Dundalk
61. AZ Alkmaar vs FC Utrecht
62. Morecambe vs Hamilton Academical
63. Burnley vs Shrewsbury Town
64. PAOK vs FC Midtjylland
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