Top 5 most memorable World Cup playoffs ever

2. Algeria vs Egypt (2009)

Algeria and Egypt, separated geographically by only Libya, have always been bitter rivals, with matches between the two nations known to be fiercely-contested derbies. However, their World Cup playoff for the 2010 World Cup turned more ugly than many would have thought.

After the group stages of qualifying, the teams finished level on 13 points and level on all tiebreakers (goal difference in all group matches (+5), goals scored in all group matches (9), points in all Algeria–Egypt matches (3), and goal difference in all Algeria–Egypt matches (0)). Therefore, the two teams had to play one-off game at a neutral venue, chosen later to be Sudan, to choose a winner who would qualify to the World Cup.

The closely fought match ended 1-0 in Algeria’s favour, but there were reports of violence both before and after the game, as Algerian fans stoned the bus carrying the Egypt players after a training session, while Egyptian fans were attacked while leaving the stadium. There were also violent demonstrations, riots and flag burnings in both countries, with the Egyptian FA filing a complaint with FIFA in the aftermath.