So what about the football.....?

So it’s about time that I did a roundup of how the qualification of the World Cup is coming along, and try and guess the outcome of the upcoming fixtures. 

The following teams have already qualified for the World Cup in Brazil:  

Brazil (Hosts) / Japan / Australia / Iran / South Korea / Holland / Italy / USA / Costa Rica / Argentina

Over the next month or so, the remaining 22 teams that will contest the World Cup will become known after the final round of qualifiers. Obviously the teams that we want to see make it to the finals are USA, (already qualified), New Zealand & England. 

England are currently top of Group H in the European qualification draw, but with a slender 3 points ahead of Poland, and only 1 point lead over Ukraine & Montenegro, things are far from certain.  With only a single guaranteed qualification slot avaliable for coming first in the group and a playoff spot for second, England have 2 home games left to play, firstly against Montenegro & then Poland a few days later, in which to clinch qualification. Safe to say that England need to get a result from both games, ideally 2 wins, to ensure they go through… 

New Zealand on the other hand have a far more intriguing route to the World Cup finals in June next year. Having qualified top of the Oceania group, they have a 2 legged intercontinental play-off match with the team that comes fourth in the North America & Caribbean group (CONACAF), scheduled for mid-November. Currently Panama & Mexico are tied for 4^th spot, (Panama ahead on goal difference), each with 2 games left to play. It really could go either way, but the crunch match will be when they play each other on the 11^th October, but both teams may end up relying on results elsewhere in the group to get their shot at New Zealand. Personally, I would prefer Panama to Mexico, but Honduras could come into play depending on how their matches go….. 

Qualified

May qualify

Failed to qualify – games to play

Failed to qualify – games over

Did not enter – FIFA member

Did not enter – not a FIFA member before tournament

So with all the final qualifications games to go, here is my prediction for the final 22 teams to make up the 32 teams heading to Brazil: 

Honduras / Mexico / Tunisia / Ghana / Ivory Coast / Algeria / Nigeria / Uruguay / Colombia / Chile / Ecuador / Belgium / Germany / Switzerland / Portugal / Greece / Ukraine / England / Spain / Bosnia / Russia / Sweden 

NOTE: I am being rather pessimistic in not selecting New Zealand to go through, but if I am honest I can’t see them getting past the 5^th best team in South America… My head says No, but my Heart says “Go On My Son…!” 

248 days to go…….