is a long series of football games that will last almost 3 years in total. Such a stretch in time is associated with a huge number of teams in the future World Cup. Only applications for participation in the championship were submitted by more than two hundred national teams, which became a record for the entire time of the world championships. Therefore, it is not surprising that the qualifying round will last so long.
In the review, we will analyze in detail future participants, their chances of getting into the final part of the World Cup, as well as qualification features.
the date of the
The first games began on March 12, 2015 in the Asian Football Confederation. A week later, the matches between the CONCACAF teams (North and Central America) started. On October 5, qualifying meetings among African and South American teams began, and on August 31, the national teams of Oceania measured their strength for the first time. Later than all the start in the championship was taken by European teams. It happened on September 6, 2016. Thus, the qualifying round of the World Cup stretched from March 12, 2015 to November 14, 2017, which is more than two years in total.
Participants of the 2018 FIFA World Cup
All 208 FIFA members expressed their desire to participate in the 2018 World Cup, which was a record in the history of the World Cup. At the same time, for the first time, the national teams of South Sudan, Kosovo, Bhutan and Gibraltar took part in the championship. However, already at the stage of filing applications and the first games in the qualifying round, the football family suffered losses. Due to organizational problems and non-compliance with FIFA rules, Indonesia, Zimbabwe and Kuwait dropped out of the championship.
However, even 205 national teams is too unbearable for any host country, especially since the level of teams varies greatly. That is why there is a complex sieve of qualifying tournaments.
All participants whose applications were approved by FIFA were divided into 6 continental clusters:
- Asia;
- Africa;
- North and Central America;
- South America;
- Oceania;
- Europe.
Let's consider each of these territorial zones separately.
Qualifier: Asia
46 members of the Asian Football Confederation took part in the championship. During the two qualifying rounds, only 12 teams remained from their number, which were divided into two groups:
Basket A:
- Iran;
- Uzbekistan;
- South Korea;
- Syria;
- Qatar;
- China.
Basket B:
- Saudi Arabia;
- Australia;
- Japan;
- Iraq;
- Thailand.
The Japanese, Koreans, and Australians have the most preferable chances of getting out. These teams are almost constant participants in world championships. However, do not write off Iran. Football fans will surely remember how the Iranians sensationally made it to the final round of the 2014 World Cup, where they pretty much spoiled the blood of Argentina in the group stage. Therefore, there is no doubt about the qualifications and fortitude of Iranian football players. 
2018 World Cup Qualifier: Africa
The results of the qualifying matches of the 2018 World Cup among African teams are much more interesting. Still, the level of teams from the "black continent" is much higher than that of the Asian teams.
During the two qualifying championships, out of 53 teams that entered the fight, 20 remained. After the draw, they were divided into 5 baskets. The most interesting, perhaps, can be called group B:
- Nigeria;
- Cameroon;
- Algeria;
- Zambia.
In this peculiar "group of death" were two local grandees at once. However, according to the rules, only the winners of their baskets can reach the final of the World Cup. Therefore, willy-nilly, but either Cameroon or Nigeria will be left out of the football festival in Russia.
North and Central America
In fact, there are only two serious teams in this cluster - Mexico and the United States. Some successes in the football field are demonstrated by the Costa Rica team. Therefore, it is not surprising that all these three teams made it to the fifth qualifying round. They were also joined by three more teams with a high rating. Here is a list of all the teams that made it to the final qualifying round:
- Mexico;
- Costa Rica;
- Honduras;
- Panama;
- Trinidad and Tobago.
The first 3 teams will go directly to the final of the World Cup, and the fourth participant will challenge the ticket with the best 3rd team of the Asian Confederation.
South America
Unlike previous clusters, South Americans do not have a division into groups. All 10 members of CONMEBOL will play each other in a two-legged scheme: one match at home and one away. During the qualification, the first 4 lucky ones will receive the coveted tickets to the World Cup, and the 5th team will play a play-off match with the best team of Oceania. The list of all qualifying participants is as follows:
- Brazil;
- Uruguay;
- Ecuador;
- Colombia;
- Argentina;
- Paraguay;
- Chile;
- Peru;
- Bolivia;
- Venezuela.
Oceania
The most modest qualifying zone in terms of the quality of participants. The Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Tahiti, Papua New Guinea… Oceania's 2018 World Cup qualifiers table evokes vague memories of school geography lessons rather than fan interest. However, even here, at the end of the world, there is football. New Zealand is considered the most professional team. This team, by the way, can be seen at the Confederations Cup 2018, which will be held in Russia.
In view of the depressing level of the local teams, the best team that passed through the sieve of three qualifying rounds only gets the opportunity to play in the play-off with the 5th team from South America as a reward. The winner of the fight will go to the World Cup.
Qualifiers: Europe
Objectively, this is the strongest continental cluster. 54 teams are traditionally divided into 9 groups. The winners of the basket receive a direct ticket to the World Cup, and the top 8 second teams play play-offs among themselves. That's 4 more tickets.
The draw for the group round among the European teams took place on 25 July 2015. In the course of it, two interesting baskets were identified:
Group A:
- Sweden;
- France;
- Netherlands;
- Bulgaria;
- Belarus;
- Luxembourg.
Group G:
- Spain;
- Italy;
- Albania;
- Israel;
- Macedonia;
- Liechtenstein.
In pot A, it will be interesting to watch the struggle between the silver finalists of France 2016 EURO 2016 and the Dutch team, which is going through a painful generational change. Will the not-quite “clockwork orange” be able to cope with the young and ambitious Gallic cockerel?
Group G will meet recent rivals in the 1/8 finals of the 2016 European Championship - the national teams of Spain and Italy. Who is stronger: the Spaniards, who have set a course for the construction of a new young team, or the Italian destructive machine? In general, more than enough intrigue!
Afterword
In 2018, we are waiting for two grandiose events - and the World Cup. But if the Olympics are just an aftertaste after Sochi, then the world championship will take place literally outside our windows. Therefore, we have the right to know who will trample Russian lawns in 2018. How are things in Tahiti? Does Honduras qualify? Is there a chance for Burkina Faso to reach the final of the World Cup? For a true fan of the home championship, these are not idle questions!
| the date of the | March 12, 2015 – November 14, 2016 |
| Participating teams and | 208 (applied) teams, divided into 6 territorial clusters:
|
| Rookie Teams | South Sudan; Kosovo; Butane; Gibraltar. |
| Total number of teams (according to the results of the qualifying tournament) | 31 (together with host country Russia - 32) |
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