Football World Cup 2018 / Qualification

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  • The qualification (or preliminary round) for the final round of the 2018 World Cup was held from 2015 to 2017. For the first time, all 211 member associations of FIFA have registered their teams. However, Zimbabwe and Indonesia have been suspended by FIFA. The draw for the qualifying groups took place on July 25, 2015 in Strelna near Saint Petersburg . Two associations drew the respective first qualifying rounds on January 15 (CONCACAF) and February 10, 2015 (AFC).

    The starting places for the final round were allocated as follows:

    Two of the participants were determined in intercontinental playoffs. Which associations compete against each other was also drawn on July 25, 2015 in St. Petersburg. This draw resulted in games between members of CONCACAF and the AFC and between the OFC and CONMEBOL.

    A total of 866 games (all associations combined) were played in the qualifying phase of the 2018 World Cup.

    Regulations

    According to FIFA regulations, the preliminary round matches in the form of group matches and cup matches can be played in home and return matches or, in exceptional cases, in tournament form in one of the participating countries or on neutral ground. In the group games, three points are awarded for a win and one for a draw. The following criteria are decisive:

    1. higher number of points
    2. better goal difference
    3. higher number of goals scored
    4. higher number of points from the direct encounters between teams with the same points and goals
    5. better goal difference from the direct encounters between the teams with the same points and goals
    6. higher number of goals from direct encounters between teams with equal points and goals
    7. higher number of away goals from direct encounters between teams with the same points and goals if only two teams are affected.
    8. lower number of minus points through yellow and red cards (yellow card 1 minus point, yellow-red card 3 minus points, red card 4 minus points, yellow and red card 5 minus points)
    9. Drawing of lots

    In the cup games, if there is a tie after the two games, the higher number of away goals scored counts. If the number of away goals is the same, extra time is played. If no goal is scored in extra time, the match will be decided on penalties . If both teams score the same number of goals in extra time, the away team qualifies due to more away goals scored.

    Teams qualified for the World Cup

    nation Qualified as Qualified on FIFA rank Participation in the finals
    number last
    RussiaRussia Russia UEFA; host 12/02/2010 65 04th 2014
    BrazilBrazil Brazil CONMEBOL; First 03/28/2017 02 21st 2014
    IranIran Iran AFC; 3rd round, first group 1 06/12/2017 34 05 2014
    JapanJapan Japan AFC; 3rd round, first group 2 08/31/2017 44 06th 2014
    MexicoMexico Mexico CONCACAF; First 09/01/2017 16 16 2014
    BelgiumBelgium Belgium UEFA; First group H 09/03/2017 05 13 2014
    Korea SouthSouth Korea South Korea AFC; 3rd round, second group 1 05.09.2017 62 10 2014
    Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia Saudi Arabia AFC; 3rd round, 2nd group 2 05.09.2017 63 05 2006
    GermanyGermany Germany UEFA; First group C 05.10.2017 01 19th 2014
    EnglandEngland England UEFA; First group F 05.10.2017 12 15th 2014
    SpainSpain Spain UEFA; First group G 06.10.2017 08th 15th 2014
    NigeriaNigeria Nigeria CAF; 3rd round, first group B 07.10.2017 41 06th 2014
    Costa RicaCosta Rica Costa Rica CONCACAF; Second 07.10.2017 22nd 05 2014
    PolandPoland Poland UEFA; First group E 08/10/2017 06th 08th 2006
    EgyptEgypt Egypt CAF; 3rd round, first group E 08/10/2017 30th 03 1990
    SerbiaSerbia Serbia UEFA; First group D 09.10.2017 38 02 2010
    IcelandIceland Iceland UEFA; First group I. 09.10.2017 21st 01 -
    PortugalPortugal Portugal UEFA; First group B 10/10/2017 03 07th 2014
    FranceFrance France UEFA; First group A 10/10/2017 07th 15th 2014
    UruguayUruguay Uruguay CONMEBOL; Second 10/10/2017 17th 13 2014
    ArgentinaArgentina Argentina CONMEBOL; Third 10/10/2017 04th 17th 2014
    ColombiaColombia Colombia CONMEBOL; Fourth 10/10/2017 13 06th 2014
    PanamaPanama Panama CONCACAF; Third 10/10/2017 49 01 -
    SenegalSenegal Senegal CAF; 3rd round, first group D 11/10/2017 32 02 2002
    MoroccoMorocco Morocco CAF; 3rd round, first group C 11/11/2017 48 05 1998
    TunisiaTunisia Tunisia CAF; 3rd round, first group A 11/11/2017 28 05 2006
    SwitzerlandSwitzerland Switzerland UEFA; Play-off winner 11/12/2017 11 11 2014
    CroatiaCroatia Croatia UEFA; Play-off winner 11/12/2017 18th 05 2014
    SwedenSweden Sweden UEFA; Play-off winner 11/13/2017 25th 12 2006
    DenmarkDenmark Denmark UEFA; Play-off winner 11/14/2017 19th 05 2010
    AustraliaAustralia Australia AFC; Winner intercontinental play-offs ( CONCACAF ) 11/15/2017 43 05 2014
    PeruPeru Peru CONMEBOL; Intercontinental play-offs ( OFC ) winners 11/16/2017 10 05 1982

    Remarks

    1. As of October 16, 2017
    2. including the World Cup 2018

    European Zone / UEFA

    With Russia automatically qualifying as hosts and Gibraltar and Kosovo joining FIFA on May 13, 2016, 54 UEFA members took part in the qualification. Before the draw, the teams were divided into six pots based on the July 2015 FIFA world rankings . On June 9, 2016, Gibraltar was placed in Group H and Kosovo in Group I because, for security reasons, no games between Kosovo and Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina should take place.

    Group overview
    Group A FIFA Rank 1 Group B FIFA Rank 1 Group C FIFA Rank 1
    1. NetherlandsNetherlandsNetherlands  005 1. PortugalPortugalPortugal  007th 1. GermanyGermanyGermany  002
    2. FranceFranceFrance  022nd 2. SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland  018th 2. Czech RepublicCzech RepublicCzech Republic  020th
    3. SwedenSwedenSweden  033 3. HungaryHungaryHungary  031 3. Northern IrelandNorthern IrelandNorthern Ireland  037
    4. BulgariaBulgariaBulgaria  068 4. Faroe IslandsFaroeseFaroe Islands  074 4. NorwayNorwayNorway  067
    5. BelarusBelarusBelarus  100 5. LatviaLatviaLatvia  087 5. AzerbaijanAzerbaijanAzerbaijan  108
    6. LuxembourgLuxembourgLuxembourg  146 6. AndorraAndorraAndorra  202 6. San MarinoSan MarinoSan Marino  192
    Group D FIFA Rank 1 Group E FIFA Rank 1 Group F. FIFA Rank 1
    1. WalesWalesFlag of Wales (1959 – present) .svg  010 1. RomaniaRomaniaRomania  008th 1. EnglandEnglandEngland  009
    2. AustriaAustriaAustria  015th 2. DenmarkDenmarkDenmark  024 2. SlovakiaSlovakiaSlovakia  015th
    3. SerbiaSerbiaSerbia  043 3. PolandPolandPoland  030th 3. ScotlandScotlandScotland  029
    4. IrelandIrelandIreland  052 4. MontenegroMontenegroMontenegro  081 4. SloveniaSloveniaSlovenia  049
    5. MoldovaMoldova RepublicRepublic of Moldova  124 5. ArmeniaArmeniaArmenia  089 5. LithuaniaLithuaniaLithuania  110
    6. GeorgiaGeorgiaGeorgia  153 6. KazakhstanKazakhstanKazakhstan  142 6. MaltaMaltaMalta  158
    Group G FIFA Rank 1 Group H. FIFA Rank 1 Group I. FIFA Rank 1
    1. SpainSpainSpain  012 1. BelgiumBelgiumBelgium  003 1. CroatiaCroatiaCroatia  014th
    2. ItalyItalyItaly  017th 2. Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina  026th 2. IcelandIcelandIceland  023
    3. AlbaniaAlbaniaAlbania  036 3. GreeceGreeceGreece  044 3. UkraineUkraineUkraine  027
    4. IsraelIsraelIsrael  051 4. EstoniaEstoniaEstonia  082 4. TurkeyTurkeyTurkey  048
    5. MacedoniaMacedonia 1995Macedonia  105 5. CyprusCyprus RepublicRepublic of Cyprus  085 5. FinlandFinlandFinland  090
    6. LiechtensteinLiechtensteinLiechtenstein  147 6. GibraltarGibraltarGibraltar  - 6. KosovoKosovoKosovo  -
    1 As of July 25, 2015

    African Zone / CAF

    Since Zimbabwe was suspended by FIFA, only 53 CAF members participated in the qualification.

    First round
    The teams ranked 28th to 53rd started in the first round.

    * = Qualified for the second round

    Second round
    The teams placed 1 to 27 started in the second round.

    ** = Qualified for the third round

    Third round

    Group overview
    Group A FIFA rank Group B FIFA rank Group C FIFA rank Group D FIFA rank Group E FIFA rank
    1. TunisiaTunisiaTunisia  28 1. NigeriaNigeriaNigeria  41 1. MoroccoMoroccoMorocco  48 1. SenegalSenegalSenegal  32 1. EgyptEgyptEgypt  30th
    2. DR CongoCongo Democratic RepublicDemocratic Republic of Congo  35 2. ZambiaZambiaZambia  77 2. Ivory CoastIvory CoastIvory Coast  61 2. Burkina FasoBurkina FasoBurkina Faso  55 2. UgandaUgandaUganda  70
    3. GuineaGuinea-aGuinea  66 3. CameroonCameroonCameroon  42 3. GabonGabonGabon  92 3. Cape VerdeCape VerdeCape Verde  64 3. GhanaGhanaGhana  52
    4. LibyaLibyaLibya  87 4. AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria  67 4. MaliMaliMali  72 4. South AfricaSouth AfricaSouth Africa  74 4. Republic of the CongoCongo RepublicRepublic of the Congo  94

    Remarks

    1. FIFA ranking as of October 16, 2017

    Asian Zone and Australia / AFC

    As Indonesia was suspended by FIFA and the Northern Mariana Islands are not FIFA members, only 46 AFC members took part in the qualification. The first two qualifying rounds also served as qualifications for the 2019 Asian Cup .

    First round
    The teams placed 35 to 46 entered the first round.

    * = Qualified for the second round

    Second round
    The teams ranked 1st to 34th started in the second round.

    ** = Qualified for the third round


    Third round

    Group overview
    Group 1 FIFA rank Group 2 FIFA rank
    1. IranIranIran  034 1. JapanJapanJapan  044
    2. South KoreaKorea SouthSouth Korea  062 2. Saudi ArabiaSaudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia  063
    3. Syria ***SyriaSyria  077 3. Australia ***AustraliaAustralia  043
    4. UzbekistanUzbekistanUzbekistan  076 4th Ver. Arab. EmiratesUnited Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates  072
    5. PRCChina People's RepublicPeople's Republic of China  057 5. IraqIraqIraq  080
    6. QatarQatarQatar  097 6. ThailandThailandThailand  138

    Remarks

    1. FIFA ranking as of October 16, 2017
    2. *** = Qualified for the fourth round

    Fourth round
    The two group thirds in the third round qualified for the fourth round.

    SyriaSyria Syria Australia **** **** = Qualified for the intercontinental play-offs
    AustraliaAustralia 

    South American Zone / CONMEBOL

    All ten teams belonging to the South American football association CONMEBOL take part in the qualification.

    * = Qualified for the intercontinental play-offs

    North, Central American and Caribbean Zones / CONCACAF

    All 35 CONCACAF teams, which are also members of the world association FIFA , took part in the qualification.

    First round
    The teams ranked 22nd to 35th started in the first round.

    * = Qualified for the second round / ** = Qualified for the third round

    Second round
    The teams ranked 9th to 21st started in the second round.

    ** = Qualified for the third round / *** = Qualified for the fourth round

    Third round
    The teams placed 7th and 8th started in the third round.

    *** = Qualified for the fourth round

    Fourth round
    The teams ranked 1 to 6 started in the fourth round.

    **** = Qualified for the intercontinental play-offs

    Oceanic Zone / OFC

    All eleven full members of the OFC take part in the qualification. The first round also serves as qualification and the two subsequent rounds as the final round of the 2016 Oceania Championship .

    First round
    The teams ranked 8th to 11th started in the first round.

    * = Qualified for the second round

    Second round
    The teams ranked 1st to 7th started in the second round.

    ** = Qualified for the third round

    Third round
    The teams in the third round were divided into two groups - the first two qualified for the final.

    *** = Qualified for the final

    final

    total First leg Return leg
    New Zealand  New ZealandNew Zealand 8: 3 Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands  Solomon Islands 6: 1 (3: 0) 2: 2 (2: 1)

    Intercontinental play-offs

    In the intercontinental play-offs on 10./11. The following confederations and teams met each other:

    total First leg Return leg
    HondurasHonduras Honduras
    4th place in CONCACAF qualification
    1: 3 AustraliaAustralia Australia
    5th place in AFC qualification
    0-0 1: 3 (0: 0)
    New ZealandNew Zealand New Zealand OFC qualification
    winner
    0: 2 PeruPeru Peru
    5th place in CONMEBOL qualification
    0-0 0: 2 (0: 1)

    Web links

    Individual evidence

    1. The way to Russia: New milestone reached. In: fifa.com. FIFA , January 15, 2015, accessed January 15, 2015 .
    2. Zimbabwe excluded from the preliminary round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup ™. In: fifa.com. FIFA, March 12, 2015, accessed March 12, 2015 .
    3. Indonesia excluded from World Cup qualification and AFC Asian Cup 2019. In: fifa.com. FIFA, June 3, 2015, accessed June 4, 2015 .
    4. LOK Russia 2018 outlines plans for 2015. In: fifa.com. FIFA, November 21, 2014, accessed January 15, 2015 .
    5. FIFA World Cup ™: unchanged allocation of starting places to the confederations. In: fifa.com. FIFA, May 30, 2015, accessed July 9, 2015 .
    6. Draw for the intercontinental play-offs (Intercontinental Playoff Draw). In: FIFA.com. Retrieved November 14, 2017 .
    7. 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia - Preliminary Draw Results. In: FIFA.com. Retrieved November 14, 2017 .
    8. ^ Regulations for the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 (PDF; 431 kB) In: fifa.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association, October 14, 2016, accessed October 8, 2017 .
    9. Qualifying groups of Kosovo and Gibraltar intended for the 2018 FIFA World Cup ™. In: fifa.com. FIFA, June 9, 2016, accessed June 10, 2016 .