The international qualifiers are where the battles for places at the next World Cup are fought. They’re usually staged in two legs and, if they end level after 90 minutes, extra time and penalties are played to decide the winner. Some countries don’t compete because of political instability (Eritrea is one such) but many do and it can be a uphill struggle for smaller nations from disadvantaged regions.
A year out from the World Cup, the full tournament line-up won’t be clear until November 2025 – but qualifying has already started for some sides. In Europe, qualifying soft-launched on March 21 and will continue with double-headers in June, September and October before being completed in November.
Sixty teams will compete in a second round of group matches, with the top three of each group automatically qualifying for the World Cup and the other two runners-up going into the play-offs. In that round, the twelve group winners and four best-ranked Nations League group runners-up (based on their Nations League overall ranking) will be drawn into groups of four. The two best in each path will then play a pair of single-match play-offs (semi final and final) to determine the last places.
In Oceania, the pathway to the World Cup is the toughest of all. The top-ranked team in the region, New Zealand, won the first of its five spots in the fourth and final round of qualifying with a 3-0 victory over Samoa on Monday. The other four sides will be decided by an inter-confederation playoff if they finish equal on points.