World Cup 2022 countdown: The road to Qatar – who´s qualified, who can´t and who might

As we head towards the final few 2022 World Cup qualifiers, 13 of the 32 participants are still yet to be confirmed.

Japan, Saudi Arabia, Ecuador, Uruguay and Canada have sealed their places in Qatar in the last week, but nerves are still jangling for those uncertain of theirs.

The play-offs in the UEFA and CAF regions come to a head, while there remain some final issues to be ironed out in the group stages in the AFC, CONCACAF and CONMEBOL sections.

The inter-confederation play-offs also take shape, with the winner of the OFC section to be confirmed.

Here, Stats Perform runs through how the last few embers of qualifying is looking in each region…

AFC (Asia)

Nations already qualified: Qatar (hosts), Iran, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Japan

Confirmed World Cup places allocated: Hosts Qatar plus four (one further spot available via inter-confederation play-offs)

Nations that can still qualify: Australia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Lebanon

There is just one more thing to determine from AFC qualifying, the two teams to face off for the right to compete in the inter-confederation play-offs.

The two third-placed teams from Groups A and B will go up against one another for the right to progress to the play-offs, from which two nations will progress to the finals. More on that later.

With one round of games remaining, Australia have already tied up third spot in Group B, but Group A is up for grabs.

The United Arab Emirates are in the driving seat on nine points but face group leaders South Korea at home on Tuesday. One point further back is Iraq, who travel to bottom-placed Syria.

The slimmest of chances remain for Lebanon, but they must win away to already qualified Iran, hope Iraq lose and also require a significant goal swing should the UAE lose.

Who will reach June’s @theafcdotcom play-off from Group A?

Iraq, Lebanon or UAE?#WCQ | #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/yJiHM0dfnG

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) March 29, 2022

CAF (Africa)

Nations already qualified: None

Confirmed World Cup places allocated: Five

Nations that can still qualify: Egypt, Senegal, Cameroon, Algeria, Ghana, Nigeria, DR Congo, Morocco, Mali, Tunisia

All five of the CAF World Cup qualifying play-offs are finely poised at the halfway stage ahead of Tuesday’s second legs.

Liverpool team-mates Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane face off again in a repeat of the Africa Cup of Nations final, with Egypt 1-0 up against Senegal from the first leg, while fellow heavyweights Ghana and Nigeria remain goalless after 90 minutes.

Cameroon and Mali will go into their reverse fixtures away from home a goal down to Algeria and Tunisia respectively, while DR Congo and Morocco will resume at 1-1 on aggregate.

Who are you backing to reach Qatar: Senegal or Egypt? #WCQ | #WorldCup | @CAF_Online pic.twitter.com/0IxWC1wpDe

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) March 29, 2022

CONCACAF (North & Central America, and the Caribbean)

Nations already qualified: Canada

Confirmed World Cup places allocated: Three (one further spot available via inter-confederation play-offs)

Nations that can still qualify: United States, Mexico, Costa Rica

On the face of it, questions still remain in the CONCACAF region, but it would take quite a turnaround for the top three to change now.

Canada sealed only their second ever World Cup appearance after a 4-0 win against Jamaica, though their prior defeat to Costa Rica has potentially given Los Ticos an opening.

The United States and Mexico are very much in the driving seat, both three points ahead of Costa Rica, who play the US at home in their final encounter, needing a win and hoping Mexico lose at home to El Salvador, with a goal difference swing of at least four.

Should that not happen, Costa Rica can console themselves that they have confirmed at least a spot in the inter-confederation play-offs.

 They’ve done it!

 Canada reach the men’s #WorldCup for the first time since 1986#WCQ | #WorldCup | @CanadaSoccerEN pic.twitter.com/7iiHTZtwxY

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) March 27, 2022

CONMEBOL (South America)

Nations already qualified: Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Uruguay

Confirmed World Cup places allocation: Four (one further spot available via inter-confederation play-offs)

Nations that can still qualify: Peru, Colombia, Chile

The four automatic qualifiers are all accounted for heading into the final round of games in South America.

However, three teams are vying for the play-off spot, with Colombia giving themselves a lifeline thanks to a crucial 3-0 win against Bolivia on Thursday.

Peru still have the advantage, sitting one point ahead of Colombia and two ahead of Chile, and a win at home to Paraguay will seal their place.

Chile need a win at home to Uruguay while hoping Peru lose and that Colombia do not win at bottom of the table Venezuela.

 3-0 
 3-1 
 4-0 
 1-0 

Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador & Uruguay will be at Qatar. Who will go into the intercontinental play-off?#WCQ | #WorldCup | @CONMEBOL pic.twitter.com/fO8IjFrgPw

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) March 25, 2022

OFC (Oceania)

Nations already qualified: None

Confirmed World Cup places allocation: None (one spot available via inter-confederation play-offs)

Nations that can still qualify: New Zealand, Solomon Islands

A mini-tournament is being held in Qatar after COVID-19 played havoc with the normal qualifying schedule.

The group stage was also heavily impacted by coronavirus, which meant just one game was possible in Group A, and so a relatively fresh Solomon Islands – who beat Papua New Guinea 3-2 in the semis – now await New Zealand in the final.

The All Whites had to play three group games, winning them all before beating Tahiti 1-0 in the semi-final.

Whoever comes out on top when they clash on Wednesday will advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.

We have our OFC #WCQ final!

 #WorldCup | @OFCfootball pic.twitter.com/nnICcR5dnL

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) March 27, 2022

UEFA (Europe)

Nations already qualified: Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Netherlands, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland

Confirmed World Cup places allocation: 13

Nations that can still qualify: Portugal, North Macedonia, Scotland, Ukraine, Wales, Poland, Sweden

We are down to just seven teams in Europe after the drama of the play-off semi-finals last week.

The elimination of Italy means their unlikely conquerors North Macedonia are the visitors to Portugal in the Path C final, with Cristiano Ronaldo urging his country to roar them to Qatar on Tuesday.

The Path B final will see Poland face Sweden, meaning either Robert Lewandowski or Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not be gracing the World Cup.

Complications were thrown up in Path A in light of the invasion of Ukraine, with their semi-final against Scotland being postponed.

When that game is eventually played, the winner will face Wales for a place at the World Cup after Gareth Bale’s two-goal heroics against Austria last week.

Simple question: Who’s going to Qatar?#WCQ | #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/q0W3jO2eEn

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) March 28, 2022

Inter-continental play-offs

Confirmed World Cup places allocation: Two

For three of the teams that fail to qualify automatically, they have the safety net of the inter-continental play-offs, where they will be joined by the best team from Oceania.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the usual home-and-away-leg format has been scrapped this year, so single-game matches will be held in Qatar in June.

It has already been confirmed that the fifth-placed side from CONMEBOL qualifying will meet the fourth-round winners from the AFC section.

In the other one-off match, the winner of the OFC mini-tournament will go face-to-face with the CONCACAF fourth-placed team for the 32nd and final place at Qatar 2022.