International qualifiers often involve high-stakes matches that can determine the future of a nation’s football team. The methods and formats used across continents are diverse, shaped by geographical size, infrastructure, and the goal of ensuring broad representation on the ultimate global stage. Recent tournaments have revealed significant shifts in the format of world cup qualifying. For example, UEFA’s Nations League now influences qualification, giving smaller nations a chance of reaching the finals. Likewise, CONMEBOL expanded its number of qualifying spots.
FIFA allocates world cup berths to each of its six continental confederations: Africa (CAF), Asia (AFC), Europe (UEFA), North and Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF), South America (CONMEBOL), and Oceania (OFC). These berths are awarded based on various factors including competitive balance, geographical distribution, and historical performance.
A team’s ranking is determined by its most recent FIFA World Ranking. The top four ranked teams qualify automatically, while the remaining two go into an inter-confederation playoff. Typically, tie-breakers in knock-out qualifiers are based on head-to-head comparison and goal difference. If that fails to determine a winner, extra time and penalty shootouts are employed.
In Africa, Mohamed Salah’s Egypt and Morocco are poised to book their places in the 2022 World Cup. Iran and South Korea are also on track to secure their spots in Asia. Meanwhile, the last remaining teams in European qualifying — Belgium, Northern Ireland, Russia and San Marino — are in with a chance of finishing top in their groups and progressing to the finals in Qatar.
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