World Cup 2018: Who has qualified for Russia, who still has games to play and which countries are in the play-offs?
With the World Cup 2018 qualifying stages drawing to a close, Telegraph Sport looks at which teams will definitely feature in the December draw for the competition in Russia next summer, who could still make it and who will definitely miss out.
Which countries have qualified?
Over half of the 32 teams that will contest next summer's World Cup final – 23 – have now secured their qualification spots.
Russia: The hosts qualified when they won the chance to host the competition back in Dec 2010.
Brazil: CONMEBOL round robin winners, qualified way back on March 28, 2017
Iran: AFC third round group A winners
Japan: AFC third round group B winners
South Korea: Runners-up to Iran in Group A
Saudi Arabia: Runners-up in Group B
Mexico: North and central America and Caribbean round 5 winners
Belgium: Uefa group H winners (first European team) who qualified on Sept 3
Germany: Sealed their place as Group C winners after beating Northern Ireland 3-1 in Belfast
England: Gareth Southgate's side beat Slovenia at Wembley to secure their spot in Russia as winners of Group F
Poland: Poland became to fourth European team to qualify having dropped points in just two games in Group E
Costa Rica: Reached their fourth World Cup finals with a game remaining from their CONCACAF qualification group
Nigeria: Became the first side from Africa to reach Russia and have now missed just one tournament – Germany 2006 – since first qualifying 1994
Egypt: Mohamed Salah scored twice to send the north Africans into their first finals since 1990
Iceland: Have qualified for their first ever World Cup, pipping Croatia to a guaranteed place in Russia
Serbia: Winners of Group B
Spain: The 2008 winner qualified as Group G winners finishing five points ahead of Italy
France: Qualified as winners of Group A
Portugal: Beat Switzerland in their final qualification game to reach next summer's finals
Panama: Reached their first World Cup after beating Costa Rica in the final group game of their qualification campaign
Argentina: Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick in his side's final qualification game to secure their place in the finals
Uruguay: Finished second to Brazil in their group to secure their place in the finals
Colombia: Took the fourth and final automatic qualification spot in the South American group
Who could still qualify?
Europe
How many qualify? The top team in each group qualifies for Russia, with the eight best runners-up (from the nine groups) going into four play-offs. The four winners of the two-legged play-offs will qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, making a total of 13 teams.
HTML embed <div class="opta-embed"><opta widget="standings" sport="football" competition="3...
Edit...
Delete
Qualified: France
Play-off spot: Sweden
Eliminated: Belarus, Bulgaria, Holland and Luxembourg
France secured their ticket toe the World Cup finals after Didier Deschamps's side beat Belarus in the final game of their qualification campaign in Paris, while Sweden took the play-off spot.
Belarus, Bulgaria, Holland and Luxembourg all failed to qualify.
HTML embed <div class="opta-embed"><opta widget="standings" sport="football" competition="3...
Edit...
Delete
Qualified: Portugal
Play-off spot: Switzerland
Eliminated: Andorra, Faroe Islands, Hungary and Latvia
European champions Portugal beat Switzerland 2-0 in Lisbon to progress to the World Cup finals as winners of Group B, while the Swiss must go into the play-offs after finishing second on the same points as Fernando Santos's side.
Andorra, Faroe Islands, Hungary and Latvia failed to qualify.
HTML embed <div class="opta-embed"><opta widget="standings" sport="football" competition="3...
Edit...
Delete
Qualified: Germany
Play-off spot: Northern Ireland
Eliminated: Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, Norway and San Marino
Holders Germany qualified with 30 points having won all 10 of their games in Group C while Michael O’Neill’s Northern Ireland side claimed a play-off place leaving them just 180 minutes away from their first World Cup finals for 32 years.
Neither Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, Norway or San Marino will be in Russia for the World Cup.
HTML embed <div class="opta-embed"><opta widget="standings" sport="football" competition="3...
Edit...
Delete
Qualified: Serbia
Play-off spot: Ireland
Eliminated: Austria, Georgia, Moldova and Wales
Serbia finished top of their group with 19 points, leapfrogging Wales at the last. Chris Coleman's 'golden generation' failed to reach a play-off place after losing to Ireland at home in their final match of the qualifying campaign. James McClean's strike was enough to send Martin O'Neill's team through to the play-offs.
Austria, Georgia and Moldova all also missed out on qualifying for the finals.
HTML embed <div class="opta-embed"><opta widget="standings" sport="football" competition="3...
Edit...
Delete
Qualified: Poland
Play-off spot: Denmark
Eliminated: Armenia, Kazakhstan, Montenegro and Romania
Poland qualified with 25 points having dropped points in just two games while Denmark managed to take the play-off spot ahead of Montenegro who joined Armenia, Kazakhstan and Romania in being eliminated.
HTML embed <div class="opta-embed"><opta widget="standings" sport="football" competition="3...
Edit...
Delete
Qualified: England
Eliminated: Lithuania, Malta, Scotland, Slovakia and Slovenia
England qualified for Russia following an unbeaten – though largely uninspiring – qualifying campaign in which they won eight games and drew twice.
HTML embed <div class="opta-embed"><opta widget="standings" sport="football" competition="3...
Edit...
Delete
Qualified: Spain
Play-off spot: Italy
Eliminated: Albania, Israel, Liechtenstein and Macedonia
Spain, the 2010 winners, qualified with a game while Italy are guaranteed a play-off spot. Albania, Israel, Liechtenstein and Macedonia all failed to qualify.
HTML embed <div class="opta-embed"><opta widget="standings" sport="football" competition="3...
Edit...
Delete
Qualified: Belgium
Play-off spot: Greece
Eliminated: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cyprus, Estonia and Gibraltar
Belgium were the first European team to qualify with 22 points from eight games while 2004 European champions Greece guaranteed a play-off spot after beating Gibraltar 4-0 in their final game of their qualification campaign.
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cyprus, Estonia and Gibraltar all failed to qualify.
HTML embed <div class="opta-embed"><opta widget="standings" sport="football" competition="3...
Edit...
Delete
Qualified: Iceland
Play-off spot: Croatia
Eliminated: Finland, Kosovo, Turkey and Ukraine
Iceland got the job done and qualified for their first ever World Cup by beating Kosovo – who have earned just one point – 2-0 in their final match of the group. Croatia claimed a play-off spot. Finland, Kosovo, Turkey and Ukraine did not.
How are the play-off spots determined?
As Uefa say: "The eight runners-up with the best record against the teams first, third, fourth and fifth in their groups proceed to play-offs to decide the remaining four European berths."
In effect, there are nine teams vying for eight play-off spots, with records determined by removing results against the teams that finished bottom of each group. A draw takes place in Oct to determine opponents.
The two-legged ties take place in early Nov. The winners of the four ties go to Russia next summer.
HTML embed <aside id="139e1890-5c56-4994-ad02-554f3f639e78" data-data-uri="https://particle...
Edit...
Delete
What is happening in other football confederations?
Africa (CAF)
How many qualify? The five group winners will qualify for the World Cup 2018.
Group A
Teams: Tunisia, DR Congo, Guinea, Libya
Qualified: None
Eliminated: Guinea and Libya
Tunisia have won four of their five games so far and are followed by DR Congo, on 10 points from five games. Guinea and Libya both have three points and can no longer qualify.
Group B
Teams: Nigeria, Zambia, Cameroon, Algeria
Qualified: Nigeria
Eliminated: Algeria, Cameroon and Zambia
Nigeria became the first African side to reach Russia after beating Zambia 1-0 in their penultimate qualifier. The Super Eagles have now missed just one tournament – Germany 2006 – since making their World Cup debut in 1994.
Image
Algeria will not be playing at the next World Cup Algeria Getty images
Edit...
Swap with lead
Use as/replace lead
Delete
Group C
Teams: Ivory Coast, Morocco, Gabon, Mali
Qualified: None
Eliminated: Gabon and Mali
Morocco lead the way with just one game remaining, Ivory Coast are second one point off the lead. Both sides meet each other on Nov 6 in what will act as a World Cup play-off with a ticket to Russia up for grabs.
Group D
Teams: Burkina Faso, Senegal, South Africa, Cape Verde
Qualified: None
Eliminated: None
Senegal lead the group having played just four games and are two points ahead of second-placed Burkina Faso. Cape Verde are third with six points from five games while South Africa are bottom, though have two games to play in the tightest of groups.
Group E
Teams: Egypt, Uganda, Ghana, Congo
Qualified: Egypt
Eliminated: Congo, Ghana and Uganda
Egypt qualified with a game to play after Mohamed Salah scored a late, late winner against Congo to end a near 30-year wait for Africa's most successful team.
Asia (AFC)
Who qualifies? The two group winners and two runners-up will qualify for Russia 2018. The third-place teams of each group advance to round four. The winner of the two third placed teams will then advance to the intercontinental play-off.
Group A
Teams: Iran, South Korea, Syria, Uzbekistan, China, Qatar
Qualified: Iran, South Korea
Eliminated: China, Qatar, Syria, Uzbekistan
Iran are the group winners and have qualified alongside South Korea. Syria reached the play-of, though lost the two-legged affair against Australia to see their World Cup hopes shattered.
Image
Syria celebrate making the play-offs Syria EPA
Edit...
Swap with lead
Use as/replace lead
Delete
Group B
Teams: Japan, Saudi Arabia, Australia, UAE, Iraq, Thailand
Qualified: Japan, Saudi Arabia
Advance to intercontinental play-off:Australia
Eliminated: UAE, Iraq and Thailand
Japan and Saudi Arabia have made the World Cup, while Australia have reached the intercontinental play-off where they will play Honduras after beating Syria over two legs.
North, Central America and Caribbean (CONCACAF)
Who qualifies? The top three qualify, while fourth place advances to an inter-confederation play-off.
Teams: Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, USA
Qualified: Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama
Advance to intercontinental play-off: Honduras
Eliminated: Trinidad and Tobago, USA
Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama all qualified while USA missed out following a shock defeat to Trinidad and Tobago in the final game of their qualification campaign. Honduras will play Australia in an intercontinental play-off for a place in the finals.
Oceania (OFC)
How many qualify? One, maybe. The winners of two three-team groups face each other in a two-legged tie. The winner of that will face the fifth place team from CONMEBOL over two legs to decide who goes through.
Teams: New Zealand, New Caledonia, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Papua New Guinea
Qualified: New Zealand (to face 5th place CONMEBOL team)
Group winners New Zealand and Solomon Islands played each other over two legs, with New Zealand winning. They will play Peru, the fifth-place CONMEBOL team, in November to determine who goes to Russia.
South America (CONMEBOL)
How many qualify? The top four teams from the single group of 10 will qualify, with the fifth placed team advancing to the intercontinental play-off (against New Zealand).
Teams: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela
Qualified: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay
Intercontinental play-off spot: Peru
Eliminated: Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay and Venezuela
Brazil qualified comfortably after topping their table with 41 points having lost just one game. Argentina, Colombia and Uruguay also qualified while Peru finished fifth to reach the intercontinental play-offs where they will play New Zealand.
