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This is the week of last chances. Eight months to the World Cup in Qatar and more than half of the 32 places in the tournament taken. That number will grow over the next seven days as teams from Tunisia to Tahiti compete to join the 15 currently qualified countries.
The picture will still be incomplete when the group stage draw of the finals is held in Doha on April 1. The delays in qualifiers caused by the pandemic and the compassionate time-out for Ukraine after the Russian invasion mean that the field will only be filled after the final stage of the European qualifiers and the two intercontinental play-offs are completed in June.
But for the vast majority of teams, this is the week that will give their hopes up or break, determining whether the stress and tensions of the past two years have been worth it.
Canada is about to end a 36-year wait to return to the tournament. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is 180 minutes away from qualifying for the first time since 1974. And at least one great power, Portugal or Italy, faces the disgrace of missing. Here is what is at stake all over the world.
All but three of Europe’s places in Qatar have already been filled, and the vast majority of the continent’s teams are likely to consider winning the World Cup – defending champions France, as well as Spain, Germany, Belgium and England – have long been known to be on the pitch.
exceptions Portugal and ItalyBoth of whom failed to win their group and therefore had to endure two worrying playoffs to join the party. Italy takes North Macedonia and Portugal meets Turkey This week. If both pass these matches, they’ll be playing each other for a place in Qatar in a game that could be Cristiano Ronaldo’s last international entry.
The other two European playoff groups were unaffected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Means Russia’s (delayed) ban from global sport Poland or will face Sweden or Czech Republic in Tuesday’s playoff; All three had refused to play in Russia unless FIFA and UEFA took action.
Ukraine’s play with Scotlandmeanwhile, it has been delayed until June, meaning Europe’s final qualifiers won’t be announced until summer. The winner of this game will either meet Wales or Austria.
The ghost of 2017 has once again come to the fore. United States of AmericaStanding for the Estadio Nacional in San José, Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, Trinidad and Costa Rica He plays the part of Trinidad and Tobago. Gregg Berhalter’s team will have to face the ghosts of the previous generation to destroy them.
If that seems a bit of an exaggeration – considering the USA is in second place and only need to win two of their three games to qualify for the World Cup – it’s easy to see because Berhalter and his junior team had to wait until the finals. Last minute next week to make sure of qualification.
same does not apply to CanadaHe has the blanket of relative comfort in the knowledge that he only needed one win to make sure of his first return to the World Cup since 1986, and that a single point could pretty much do it. not valid for MexicanHe also needs two wins, but has a much better schedule next week than the Americans.
The problem with the Americans is that they are facing three teams — Mexican and on the way with a home meeting with Costa Rica Panama stuck between them – all nurturing ambitions to be in Qatar next winter. The United States failed five years ago, at a time when the situation was no less delicate. A young and promising team must find a way to make things different this time around.
South America
Apart from the sight of officials from Brazil’s health ministry taking the field to remove a handful of Argentine players who had circumvented the quarantine last summer, there has been a worthwhile little drama for both of South America’s great rivals. none Brazil nor Argentina lost a game; both qualified to join Qatar for months.
But under them, the tension is bubbling. Ecuador He needs a single win in his remaining two games – either Paraguay or Argentina – to qualify for the fourth World Cup in this century. However, the continent’s fourth definitive place in the finals is still up for grabs.
Uruguay the team is currently in last place, but has to face two direct opponents next week: fifth place Peru A trip to Montevideo, then to the sixth Chile. Any of these teams could usurp Diego Alonso’s Uruguay at the final hurdle. Auto-qualification may not be achieved, but don’t rule out Colombia — currently in a disappointing seventh place — a late rise for fifth place and an intercontinental playoff in June, offering Qatar a side-door chance.
Africa
Jürgen Klopp’s team selection provided a clear example of where Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané’s priorities lie. The Liverpool manager knocked both players out in last weekend’s FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest; He said it was the only way to ensure that he did not accidentally get himself involved in an international scandal.
Africa’s final qualifying round is not always unforgiving – five home and away draws where the winner will go to the World Cup and the loser leaves with no recourse and no safety net. But fate was almost cruel this time: Salah’s sweetcorn Drawn to face Mané’s SenegalA replay of the Nations Cup final in February. One of Liverpool’s striker lines is going through the winter.
That’s not the only appetizing tie. Two of the continent’s traditional heavyweights, Ghana and Nigeriathey will face each other as Cameroon and AlgeriaHe was considered the strongest of the African sides before his disappointing show at the Nations Cup. Morocco will be expected to pass Democratic Republic of the Congoduration Financial must eat Tunisia qualified for their first World Cup.
With two games to play, both Iranian and South Korea They’ve already booked their place in next week’s World Cup draw. Trainautomatically qualifying as the host country. Saudi Arabia and Japan They are in the best position to join them and each only needs one more win to realistically secure their place in the finals.
Australia There is still faint hope of overhauling one or the other, but it will likely need to beat Japan in Sydney on Thursday and the Saudis in Jeddah next week to avoid a playoff. United Arab Emiratesfor another playoff spot this summer against the fifth-placed team from South America.
Oceania
Eighteen months after it should have started, Oceania’s qualifying process finally kicked off last week in Qatar. New ZelandAs expected, he immediately took part in the semi-finals. Papua New Guinea and Fiji They’ll face off on Thursday to decide who will join the All Whites in final four.
Who will play in the qualifying rounds remains a mystery. both Vanuatu and Cook Islands After arriving in Qatar, he gave a series of positive Covid tests and subsequently withdrew from the tournament. This left Solomon Islands and Tahiti As semi-finalists by default, they are left to play a single match to decide their seeding for the next stage.
The eventual winner of the longest qualifying round on the planet will still be unsure of a spot at the World Cup; He will need to navigate an intercontinental playoff against fourth place in North America to take the field for the finals.
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