More than two and a half years, almost 800 matches and precisely 2,177 goals after the first round of qualifying matches for the 2018 World Cup took place in Asia the identities of the 32 teams who will compete for football’s most prestigious trophy in Russia next summer is nearing completion.
During the next week up to 15 more nations can join the eight teams to have already secured a place in December’s draw in the Kremlin on 1 December, with the home country already guaranteed to be joined by Brazil, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Belgium and Mexico. Back-to-back fixtures to round off the groups in each of the Uefa, Conmebol and Concacaf regions should ensure a nail-biting finale to a process that has already sprung several surprises, while Syria will attempt to prolong a remarkable run that has taken the war-torn nation within a play-off of the finals for the first time in their history.
