With the 2022 World Cup being played in the winter, Scotland had time to wait for the visit of Ukraine in June to whom they lost 3-1 in the play-offs that saw Wales qualify for the World Cup with a single goal against the Ukrainians four days later. In the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers Ethiopia shocked Egypt 2-0 in Malawi while Benin were stunned 1-0 by their visitors from Mozambique and Togo were held 2-2 at home to Eswatini before losing 2-0 at Cape Verde. The Ivory Coast drew blanks against Lesotho in South Africa and Gambia lost 1-0 in Congo while Sudan lost 3-0 away to Mauritania for who Aboubakar Kamara scored twice. Gabon were 1-0 winner in DR Congo while in the Asian Cup qualifiers Ganbold Ganbayar scored both goals of the match as Mongolia celebrated a a win at home to Yemen and Cambodia fought back to draw 2-2 with Afghanistan in India. Witan Sulaeman scored twice for Indonesia who thumped 10-man Nepal 7-0 in Kuwait where the Kuwaitis themselves had suffered a 2-1 loss to Indonesia and Palestine brushed Yemen aside 5-0 with Saleh Chihadeh netting a brace in Mongolia while Hong Kong lost 4-0 in India.
In the CONCACAF Nations League, Guatemala cruised past El Salvador 4-0 on American soil in April and Nicaragua lost 2-0 away to Bahamas in June while in the UEFA Nations League the hungry Hungarians humiliated hosts England 4-0 in Wolverhampton.