2014 World Cup Qualifying: The Final Stretch

The race for qualification at the 2014 FIFA World Cup at Brazil has entered the final straight, with nine teams having already booked their tickets along with the host nation Brazil. In Asia, Japan, Australia, South Korea and Iran all have booked their place whereas Argentina became the first team to qualify from the South American region. From the CONCACAF Zone, USA and Costa Rica have secured their place in the quadrennial showpiece. In Europe, last edition’s runners-up Netherlands and 2006 Champion Italy are safely through. The qualifications in the Oceania region and the Asian region have already concluded. Let us look into the state of play in the remaining 4 continental qualifying competitions.

1. Europe:
Italy and Netherlands will be joined at Brazil 2014 by the remaining seven European group winners between 11 and 15 October.Belgium, Germany, Russia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Spain and Switzerland are currently leading their respective groups. Meanwhile, the eight best runners-up in this Zone will have one last chance to advance via the play-offs, to be played on 15-19 November, with the winners of the four ties all making the trip to the biggest football show on Earth.

2. South America:
Argentina has already wrapped up one of four automatic qualifying spots while three more are up for grabs with Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Uruguay and Venezuela in the mix. A fifth team can also advance by winning a playoff against Jordan, which came through an Asian playoff against Uzbekistan.

3. CONCACAF:
USA and Costa Rica have already secured two of the three automatic spots. Honduras is in third, the final automatic berth, with 11 points and Panama and Mexico have eight apiece, with Panama ahead on goal difference for fourth place — which earns a playoff against Oceania champion New Zealand. Honduras will reach their third World Cup if they beat already-qualified Costa Rica and Panama draw against Mexico.

4. Africa:
Ten countries are in with a chance going into the five two-legged playoffs with the first leg happening between 12-15 October and the second leg concluding between 16-19 November. Egypt faces Ghana, Cameroon is up against Tunisia, Ethiopia is drawn against African champions Nigeria, African Cup finalist Burkina Faso can reach its maiden World Cup by overcoming Algeria and the continent’s best team Ivory Coast will play its arch rivals Senegal.