FIFA World Cup 2014 – Who all are going to Brazil? – A look at the qualifiers
Bosnia-Herzegovina created history as they qualified for their first ever major tournament and joined the likes of Argentina, Belgium, England, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands and Spain to qualify automatically for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but there are still 11 places up for grabs.
Next summer’s tournament in Brazil will feature a total of 32 teams, with the draw for eight groups of four to take place on 6th December. Here we have a look at the teams who have qualified from across the six FIFA confederations:
AFRICA (CAF)
Total no. of teams to qualify – 5
Qualified teams – None
Teams in contention – Ivory Coast, Senegal, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Cameroon, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Egypt.
How will it be decided – The final round of qualification in Africa sees the ten group winners from the previous stage meet in five two-legged play-off meetings, with the winners qualifying for Brazil 2014. The first leg saw Ivory Coast beat Senegal 3-1, Nigeria win 2-1 at home against Ethiopia, Tunisia and Cameroon play out a goalless draw, Algeria lose at home to Burkina Faso 3-2 and Ghana thrash Egypt 6-1. The second leg will be played in November, and the aggregate winners will qualify for the World Cup.
ASIA (AFC)
Total no. of teams to qualify – 4 or 5
Qualified teams – Australia, Iran, Japan, South Korea.
Teams in contention – Jordan.
How will it be decided - Jordan are a play-off match away from participating at their first ever World Cup. The Middle East nation finished third in their group and won the right to a two-legged tie against South American giants Uruguay, the fifth-placed team from the South American qualifying, by beating Uzbekistan 9-8 on penalties in the play-off for fifth place in September.
EUROPE (UEFA)
Total no. of teams to qualify – 13
Qualified teams – Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, England, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Switzerland.
Teams in contention – Croatia, France, Greece, Iceland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Ukraine.
How will it be decided - Bosnia – who qualified for their first ever major tournament – England, Spain and Russia joined the likes of Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Switzerland to qualify automatically for the World Cup in Brazil by winning their respective qualifying groups. With the nine group winners having booked their tickets to the Samba nation, the attention now turns to the play-offs. The eight runners-up will face each another in a two-legged play-offs. Four of these sides will be seeded for the play-offs, which take place next month. The four aggregate winners will then progress to final tournament in Brazil.
NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN (CONCACAF)
Total no. of teams to qualify – 3 or 4.
Qualified teams – Costa Rica, United States of America, Honduras.
Teams in contention – Mexico.
How will it be decided - Honduras took the last of the automatic qualifying spots by finishing third in the group behind United States and Costa Rica after drawing 2-2 with Jamaica. Mexico, who have qualified for every World Cup since 1982 except for 1990, were close to missing out on a play-off place when they were 2-1 by Costa Rica. But Panama, who needed to win to jump over Mexico in the six-nation qualifying tournament to reach the play-offs, conceded two goals in stoppage time against group winners USA to lose 3-2. Mexico, who finished fourth, will now face Oceania winners New Zealand in a two-legged intercontinental play-off in November with the winner progressing to the final tournament in Brazil.
OCEANIA (OFC)
Total no. of teams to qualify – 0 or 1.
Qualified teams – None.
Teams in contention – New Zealand.
How will it be decided - New Zealand easily won the final qualifying group stage which consisted the likes New Caledonia, Tahiti and Solomon Islands to qualify for a two-legged play-off match against Mexico, the fourth-placed side from North, Central America and the Caribbean. The play-off will be played next month, and the aggregate winner will take part in the final tournament in Brazil next summer.
SOUTH AMERICA (CONMEBOL)
Total no. of teams to qualify – 5 or 6.
Qualified teams – Brazil (hosts), Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador.
Teams in contention – Uruguay.
How will it be decided - Brazil qualify for the main tournament as the hosts, while Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Ecuador finished top four in the qualifying group meaning automatic qualification for each of them. Uruguay finished level on points with Ecuador but finished fifth because of an inferior goal difference and so will now face Asia’s Jordan in a two-legged intercontinental play-off. The winner will qualify for the World Cup.