Photo: Alex Livesey/FIFA
The 2018 World Cup in Russia began its first stage when FIFA announced the qualifying draws for the footballing fiesta in St. Petersburg. England drew Scotland in Group F and Roy Hodgson’s men also face Slovenia and Slovakia. Group A is undoubtedly the group of death, as three European powerhouses – Netherlands, France and Sweden – go head-to-head for one direct spot to the finals in Russia. The holders Germany will also have to endure a gritty qualifying round as they face Czech Republic and Republic of Ireland in a tricky group C.
Russia, naturally, as hosts automatically qualify and unlike Brazil 2014 which was a management disaster, preparations are going quite smoothly in European nation. The winners of nine European groups will directly qualifying for the finals in 2018, while the eight runners-up with the best record against the teams first, third, fourth and fifth in their groups proceed to play-offs.
In Africa there are two rounds – Round 1 where there are two-legged ties and the winners of these ties will proceed to play the teams already in Round 2. The 20 winners of Round Two will further be drawn into five groups of four and the winner of each group qualifies for the World Cup. Whew!
Although stadium preparations are on track, the biggest issue the organizers will face is racism. Russians have a reputation for being incredibly racist and although issue is not uncommon in other Eastern European countries such as Croatia, Russians take things to a whole new level. Quite a few times, players have been seen on the verge of tears after the supporters quite openly and rather proudly, racially abused players from Africa and South America.
Photo: Shaun Botterill/ Getty
There was no draw for Asia, as the qualification rounds have already commenced. Four teams from Asia will qualify directly for the finals and the fifth best team will enter an intercontinental play-off.
Rounds one and two have already been played in CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) and as a result the fixtures for Round 3 were announced. The winners of these two-legged ties will enter 3 groups and the top two teams from each group will play a six-team league. The top three teams qualify and the fourth goes enters an intercontinental play-off.
In Oceania, after two rounds leading two to group-stage qualification, the top three teams of two groups progress to round 3, which will further comprise of two groups of three. The winner of each group will play a two-legged play-off and the winner of that tie will qualify for an inter-continental play-off.
In South America, things couldn’t be any easier to understand, as the top 10 teams go head-to-head and the top four automatically qualify while the fifth placed team goes into an intercontinental play-off.
Photo: Dennis Grombkowski/Getty
Europe
GROUP A: Holland, France, Sweden, Bulgaria, Belarus, Luxembourg
GROUP B: Portugal, Switzerland, Hungary, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Andorra
GROUP C: Germany, Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, Norway, Azerbaijan, San Marino
GROUP D: Wales, Austria, Serbia, Republic of Ireland, Moldova, Georgia
GROUP E: Romania, Denmark, Poland, Montenegro, Armenia, Kazakhstan
GROUP F: England, Slovakia, Scotland, Slovenia, Lithuania, Malta
GROUP G: Spain, Italy, Albania, Israel, FYR Macedonia, Liechtenstein
GROUP H: Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Estonia, Cyprus
GROUP I: Croatia, Iceland, Ukraine, Turkey, Finland
Africa
Round one
Two-legged ties, played 5 October and 13 October.
Somalia v Niger, South Sudan v Mauritania, Gambia v Namibia, Sao Tome e Principe v Ethiopia, Chad v Sierra Leone, Comoros v Lesotho, Dijibouti v Swaziland, Eritrea v Botswana, Seychelles v Burundi, Liberia v Guinea-Bissau, Central African Republic v Madagascar, Mauritius v Kenya, Tanzania v Malawi
Round two
Two-legged ties, played 9 November and 17 November.
Somalia/Niger v Cameroon, South Sudan/Mauritania v Tunisia, Gambia/Namibia v Guinea, Sao Tome e Principe/Ethiopia v Congo, Chad/Sierra Leone v Egypt, Comoros/Lesotho v Ghana, Djibouti/Swaziland v Nigeria, Eritrea/Botswana v Mali, Seychelles/Burundi v Congo DR, Liberia/Guinea-Bissau v Ivory Coast, Central African Republic/Madagascar v Senegal, Mauritius/Kenya v Cape Verde, Tanzania/Malawi v Algeria, Sudan v Zambia, Libya v Rwanda, Morocco v Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique v Gabon, Benin v Burkina Faso, Togo v Uganda, Angola v South Africa
CONCACAF
Third round
Two-legged ties, played from 31 August to 8 September.
Curacao v El Salvador, Canada v Belize, Grenada v Haiti, Jamaica v Nicaragua, St Vincent & Grenadines v Aruba, Antigua & Barbuda v Guatemala
Group A
Honduras, Mexico, Curacao/El Salvador, Canada/Belize
Group B
Panama, Costa Rica, Grenada/Haiti, Jamaica/Nicaragua
Group C
Trinidad & Tobago, USA, St Vincent & Grenadines/Aruba, Antigua & Barbuda/Guatemala
Oceania
Round one (group stage)
American Samoa, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga
Round two (group stage)
Group A
Winner of Round one will join Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and Tahiti.
Group B
New Zealand, Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands
South America
Group Stage
Colombia, Chile, Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru, Uruguay
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