World Cup 2018: Who's there and who's not there

The 32-team field for the World Cup was set on Wednesday night when Peru booked its ticket to the finals for Russia with a 2-0 win over New Zealand to win their series, 2-0.

The 32 teams will be placed into four pots, based on the October 2017 FIFA rankings, for the final draw, which will be held at the Moscow's Kremlin on Dec. 1.



Who's there:
-- Six of the seven former World Cup champions will play in Russia: Brazil (5 times), Germany (4), Argentina (2), Uruguay (2), France (1) and Spain (1).
-- Brazil is the only team that has qualified for all 21 World Cups.
-- Iceland and Panama are the only teams that have never played in the World Cup.
-- Peru returns to the World Cup finals after the longest absence (36 years).
-- Twelve teams didn't reach the 2014 plays, including four of the five African teams (Egypt, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia).
-- As host, Russia is seeded into Pot 1 but it is the lowest ranked of the 32 finalists at No. 65.

Who's not there:
-- Italy (4-time winner) is the only former champion that won't be in Russia.
-- The USA (2017 Gold Cup champion) is one of four reigning confederation champions that didn't qualify along with Chile (Copa America), Cameroon (Africa Cup of Nations) and New Zealand (Oceania Cup).
-- The USA is one of five teams that reached the round of 16 in 2014 that failed to qualify for the 2018 finals along with the third-place Netherlands and Algeria, Chile and Greece.
-- The USA is among 10 top 32 ranked teams that didn't make the final 32 for Russia. They include No. 9 Chile, No. 14 Wales and No. 15 Italy. (The USA is currently No. 27.)

POT 1
65. Host Russia
Previous appearances: 10. Last appearance: 2014 (first round).
1. Germany
Previous appearances: 18. Last appearance: 2014 (champion).



2. Brazil
Previous appearances: 20. Last appearance: 2014 (fourth place).
3. Portugal
Previous appearances: 6. Last appearance: 2014 (first round).
4. Argentina
Previous appearances: 16. Last appearance: 2014 (runner-up)
5. Belgium
Previous appearances: 12. Last appearance: 2014 (quarterfinals).
6. Poland
Previous appearances: 7. Last appearance: 2006 (first round).
7. France
Previous appearances: 14. Last appearance: 2014 (quarterfinals).

POT 2
8. Spain
Previous appearances: 14. Last appearance: 2014 (first round).



10. Peru
Previous appearances: 4. Last appearance: 1982 (first round).
11. Switzerland
Previous appearances: 10. Last appearance: 2014 (round of 16).
12. England
Previous appearances: 14. Last appearance: 2014 (first round).
13. Colombia
Previous appearances: 5. Last appearance: 2014 (quarterfinals).
16. Mexico
Previous appearances: 14. Last appearance: 2014 (round of 16).
17. Uruguay
Previous appearances: 12. Last appearance: 2014 (round of 16).
18. Croatia
Previous appearances: 4. Last appearance: 2014 (first round).

POT 3
19. Denmark
Previous appearances: 4. Last appearance: 2010 (first round).
21. Iceland
Previous appearances: 0.



22. Costa Rica
Previous appearances: 4. Last appearance: 2014 (quarterfinals).
25. Sweden
Previous appearances: 11. Last appearance: 2006 (round of 16).
28. Tunisia
Previous appearances: 4. Last appearance: 2006 (first round).
30. Egypt
Previous appearances: 2. Last appearance: 1990 (first round).
32. Senegal
Previous appearances: 1. Last appearance: 2002 (quarterfinals).
34. Iran
Previous appearances: 4. Last appearance: 2014 (first round).

POT 4
38. Serbia
Previous appearances: 11. Last appearance: 2010 (first round).
41. Nigeria
Previous appearances: 5. Last appearance: 2014 (round of 16).
43. Australia
Previous appearances: 4. Last appearance: 2014 (first round).
44. Japan
Previous appearances: 5. Last appearance: 2014 (first round).
48. Morocco
Previous appearances: 4. Last appearance: 1998 (first round).
49. Panama
Previous appearances: 0.


 
62. South Korea
Previous appearances: 9. Last appearance: 2014 (first round).
63. Saudi Arabia
Previous appearances: 4. Last appearance: 2006 (first round).

6 comments about "World Cup 2018: Who's there and who's not there".
  1. Gus Keri, November 16, 2017 at 7:29 a.m.

    It should be mentioned, though, that Russia's ranking is skewed by the fact that they played friendlies duting the past year and a half and these games are much less valued than the qualifiers. 
    Their ranking in August 2016, before the qualification started, was 38th. And among teams that made it to the world cup finals, they ranked 18th.

  2. ROBERT BOND, November 16, 2017 at 9:22 a.m.

    no Italia, DFBs nemesis! Gott sei dank! Testspiels showed Sane' not ready, Can, Kedira, wingbacks will not play as much as Kimmich and Stindl....

  3. Doug Kennedy, November 16, 2017 at 9:53 a.m.

    Don't you mean 7 of the 8 former World Cup champs will be playing in Russia.  You left out England.

  4. ROBERT BOND replied, November 16, 2017 at 10:45 a.m.

    they cheated!

  5. David Huff, November 16, 2017 at 11:25 a.m.

    I think we can afford to miss one WC, it is after all being held in Putin's new version of the Soviet Union.  With their recent acts of aggression against Euro 2012 co-host Ukraine, including the blatant and internationally unrecognized annexation of the Crimea peninsula, as well as the emerging details of their attempts to interfere with elections of Western democracies its better to avoid participation in an event that could boost the Soviet image and economy.

  6. Fire Paul Gardner Now replied, November 16, 2017 at 12:06 p.m.

    Nice rationalzation but missing out on any world cup is a blow to the growth of the game in this country.

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