SO WHO WILL QUALIFY FOR
QUALIFYING for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia is really hotting up now around the globe. Russia qualify as hosts, and four other nations — Brazil, Iran, Japan and Mexico — have already made it. Here we look at how each region is shaping up...
AFC - 46 teams competing for 4.5 places Qualified: Iran, Japan
WAR-TORN Syria are remarkably still in contention to reach a first World Cup — but on Tuesday they realistically need a result against Iran to keep their dream alive. Iran and Japan are already qualified, leaving Syria and four other nations — Saudi Arabia, Australia, South Korea and Uzbekistan — chasing four slots, two in Russia, two in a play-off to reach an intercontinental play-off. Australia, with Huddersfield new boy Aaron Mooy (right), need a better result in Thailand than Saudi Arabia get hosting Japan for automatic qualification.
CONCACAF - 35 teams competing for 3.5 places Qualified: Mexico
MEXICO and West Ham strikerJavier Hernandez (left) booked their spot in Russia with a 1-0 win on Friday against Panama. Five nations chase two more automatic places and one play-off berth against an AFC country. Costa Rica are favourites ahead of the USA for the automatic spots, after CR beat USA on Friday in New Jersey. Honduras could yet pip the USA to automatic qualification while Panama and Trinidad & Tobago are in contention in a qualifying fight that ends on October 10.
CAF - 54 teams competing for 5 places
NIGERIA have four Premier League strikers in their squad to play in Cameroon tomorrow: Chelsea’s Victor Moses (right), Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi and Leicester pair Kelechi Iheanacho and Ahmed Musa. There are 20 teams in five groups chasing Africa’s five places in this third and final qualifying phase. Everything is up for grabs; no group is past halfway. Nigeria have the only 100 per cent record (three wins from three, three to play). DR Congo and Uganda are surprise early leaders in other groups
CONMEBOL - 10 teams competing for 4.5 places Qualified: Brazil
LIONEL MESSI and Argentina are still struggling to qualify after a 0-0 draw with Uruguay last week. Great rivals Brazil have already qualified though and six other nations, including Argentina, in the 10-team section are still in contention for the three other automatic slots and a play-off berth against a lowly Oceania team, probably New Zealand (see below). Five points separate those seven with three games left. Second-place Colombia, with Tottenham new boy Davinson Sánchez, face Brazil on Tuesday. Argentina and Chile are among those breathing down their necks, and Arsenal’s wantaway striker Alexis Sanchez (left) will need to be focused when Chile face out-of-contention Bolivia this midweek.
OFC - 11 teams competing for 0.5 places
A HAT-TRICK from Burnley’s new £15m striker Chris Wood (right) means New Zealand are as good as qualified already for an intercontinental play-off against the fifth-best side in South America in November. The prize is a place in Russia. Thanks to Wood’s heroics the Kiwis are 6-1 up against Solomon Islands after one leg of their two-legged play-off final. If (when) they finish the job on Tuesday, Argentina remain a possible final hurdle.
UEFA - 54 teams competing for 13 places
ROMELU LUKAKU (left) and his star-studded Belgium team-mates will today become the first European nation to qualify for the tournament (aside from Russia, who get in as hosts), if they avoid defeat against Greece in Piraeus. Germany could follow them as early as Tuesday, other results depending. Spain and Italy met yesterday and look to share the top two places in Group G, the winner definitely going to Russia and the other into the play-offs. England can move within sight of automatic qualification with a win tomorrow against Slovakia.