The Montenegrin eFootball national team qualified for the knockout phase of the FIFAe Continental Championship Europe 2026 tournament, which will be held on September 5 and 6 in Oeiras, in the Lisbon area.
Bojan Tatar and Vučeta Šćepanović, with the support of coach Ivan Ražnatović, finished the group stage in sixth place and ensured the continuation of the competition among the six best European national teams.
Montenegro now faces a quarterfinal match against Greece. A victory would bring a place in the European semi-finals and a continuation of the direct fight for one of only three places leading Europe to the FIFAe World Cup 2026.
Montenegro sixth after the group stage
Eight national teams are participating in the final European tournament:
- Turska
- Italy
- Grčka
- Poljska
- Portugal
- Montenegro
- Francuska
- Netherlands
During the group stage, the Montenegrin national team played seven matches, achieving one victory, two draws and four losses.
Montenegro results:
- Turkey – Montenegro 1:0
- Poland - Montenegro 2:1
- Montenegro – France 1:1
- Greece – Montenegro 2:0
- Montenegro – Netherlands 2:0
- Italy - Montenegro 4:1
- Montenegro – Portugal 1:1
Montenegro won a total of five points. The victory over the Netherlands with a score of 2:0 was particularly significant, while points were also won against France and the hosts Portugal.
Such a performance was enough for sixth place and passage to the knockout stage, while France and the Netherlands finished the competition after the group stage.
Final group standings
- Turkey – 19 points
- Italy – 16 points
- Greece – 14 points
- Poland – 12 points
- Portugal – 7 points
- Montenegro – 5 points
- France – 3 points
- Netherlands – 1 point
Turkey was the most successful team in the group stage, winning 19 out of a possible 21 points.
Turkey and Italy, as the two best national teams, won direct placement in the semi-finals. The remaining two places will be decided through quarter-final duels between the third-placed and sixth-placed, or fourth-placed and fifth-placed teams.
This means that Montenegro will play against Greece, while Poland and Portugal will meet in the second quarter-final.
A new opportunity against Greece
Greece won the first meeting between them in the group stage with a score of 2:0, but the knockout stage brings a new match and completely different circumstances.
Unlike the group stage, in which each team had seven chances to win points, now each duel directly decides the continuation of the competition.
The Montenegrin tandem has many years of experience playing together in different eFootball formats. Tatar and Šćepanović performed together in 11v11, 3v3 and 2v2 competitions, while coach Ivan Ražnatović helps the team in tactical preparation, opponent analysis and mental approach to the most important matches.
Although Greece finished the group stage with nine points more, the previous result does not have to be decisive. Montenegro now has the opportunity to respond in a match that has significantly greater competitive significance.
What does victory bring to Montenegro?
By winning against Greece, Montenegro would qualify for the semi-finals of the European continental championship.
However, the passage to the semi-finals would not automatically mean a place at the FIFAe World Cup. Europe in the Console category has only three places in the final world tournament.
Montenegro would be one step away from the World Cup after a victory over Greece. They could secure a place with a victory in the semi-finals, while in the event of a defeat they would get an additional opportunity through the final phase, which FIFA officially designates as a "2nd Chance".
That is why the duel with Greece is the first of potentially three decisive steps:
- Victory against Greece brings the European semi-finals
- A victory in the semi-finals brings direct qualification to the FIFA World Cup
- Defeat in the semi-finals leaves an additional opportunity through the "2nd Chance" phase
When is the Montenegro – Greece match?
The quarterfinal match between Montenegro and Greece is scheduled for Sunday, September 6.
The official FIFAe system indicates the start of the quarter-finals at 13:00 UTC time. This corresponds to 2 p.m. local time in Portugal, or 3 p.m. in Montenegro.
On the graphic published by the Electronic Sports Association of Montenegro, 14:00 is indicated, but without the indicated time zone. That is why fans should check the final hourly rate on the official FIFAe platform before the start.
The organizer also noted that the hourly rates are not yet final and that changes are possible.
From 40 European national teams to the end in Lisbon
Montenegro won a place at the FIFAe Continental Championship Europe through the FIFAe Nations League qualifications, in competition with 40 European national teams.
The qualification cycle included three competition weeks, with group and knockout stages. Placement to the continental championship was determined on the basis of points won for continuity of results and direct places from the third qualifying week.
The following qualified for the final tournament:
- Portugal
- Poljska
- Francuska
- Italy
- Turska
- Grčka
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
As the host, Portugal had a guaranteed place, while the remaining seven national teams qualified through the FIFAe Nations League.
The fight for one of the three European places
The FIFAe Continental Championship Europe brings together the best European teams in the eFootball Console category. Matches are played in a 2v2 format, which makes communication, player alignment and tactical preparation as important as individual quality.
By advancing to the knockout stage, Montenegro has already secured a place among the six best national teams at the European tournament. However, the biggest challenge is yet to come.
Bojan Tatar, Vučeta Šćepanović and coach Ivan Ražnatović will face Greece in a match that can bring the European semi-finals and bring Montenegro closer to a historic place at the FIFAe World Cup 2026.
One victory separates the Montenegrin national team from the semi-finals. After that, there would be only one step left until the final world tournament.
You can follow the official schedule and results at FIFA platforms, while information on the format and allocation of seats is available at Konami's official website.
