How do Teams Qualify for the FIFA World Cup?

The FIFA World Cup is one of the most reputed footballing events in the world of sport that is played every four years.

Every time the tournament is held, it generates a lot of hype as the biggest festival of sports breaks all kinds of records in terms of viewership after every World Cup.

Before the World Cup, the qualifying games are held just 2 years before the World Cup year.

So, how many teams qualify for the event?

There are 211 men’s teams and 129 women’s teams affiliated with FIFA. During the 1930 World Cup, only 13 teams qualified, and later on, 16 teams qualified during the 1934 World Cup.

In 1982, the qualification process was extended to 24 teams, and from 1998 onwards it was extended to 32 teams.

The 2022 World Cup was held in Qatar, where 32 teams qualified, and the 2026 World Cup will be held in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, where 46 teams will be in action.

What’s the format for the qualification process?

It is held in a league or knockout format (home and away fixtures). If there is a tie between two or more sides, then the fair play system is considered where the team’s performances are judged on the basis of discipline.

And if there is a tie during a match, then the game will go into extra time if the aggregate scoreline is the same in two legs, or if there are no goals during extra time, then the game will be decided through a penalty shootout.

Every confederation has a different qualification system based on the multiple rounds through which there is a limit for the participants to the permitted level.

There are six confederations: AFC (Asia), CAF (Africa), CONCACAF (Northern & Central America and Caribbean), CONMEBOL (South America), OFC (Oceania), and UEFA (Europe).

Teams to Qualify from Europe

16 teams from 55 qualify from Europe. Teams are divided into 12 groups of 4 or 5, and 12 group winners qualify for the event.

12 runner-up teams and 4 group winners that couldn’t qualify for the Nations League will be drawn for UEFA Play-off games featuring a semifinal and final. 4 teams qualify for the World Cup alongside 12 group winners that have already qualified.

Teams to Qualify from Africa

9 teams and 1 from Intercontinental Play-offs from 54 member teams qualify from Africa. 48 teams are drawn in 8 groups of 6 each and 5 teams in one group, with the group winners advancing to the main event.

4 best runner-ups across 9 groups will play in CAF Play-offs. The top team will make it to the Intercontinental Play-offs.

Teams to Qualify from Asia

8 teams and 1 from the Intercontinental Play-offs can qualify from 46 members. Teams ranked between 36 and 46 play two legs each, with 10 winners advancing to the next round.

36 teams are drawn in 9 groups of 4 each as they play home and away games. 9 group winners and runners-up advance into the third round of the qualification.

Later on, 18 teams will be drawn into 3 groups consisting of 6 teams each for home and away games, and the top 2 teams from each group qualify for the World Cup.

The teams that finished third and fourth in each group will battle it out in round 4. The teams will be split into 2 groups of 3 each.

The top teams will book their World Cup spots, while the runner-ups will move to round 5. In round 5, the runner-ups will play 2-leg tie, with the winner entering the intercontinental Play-offs.

Teams to Qualify from CONCACAF

6 teams and 2 from the Intercontinental Play-offs from 35 members qualify. 4 lower-ranked teams play in round 1 in 2-legged ties.

2 winners of round 1 join the top 28 teams which are drawn into 6 groups of 5 each and play home and away games, with group winners and runner-ups going into the third round.

12 teams are divided into 3 groups of 4 each. The group winners qualify for the main event, while the 2 best runner-ups across groups make it to the Intercontinental Play-offs.

Teams to Qualify from CONMEBOL

6 teams and 1 from the Intercontinental Play-offs qualify from 10 members. These 10 teams play home and away games as the top 6 teams qualify for the World Cup while the seventh-placed team plays the Intercontinental Play-offs.

Teams to Qualify from Oceania

1 team directly qualify from 11 FIFA members, while 1 enters Intercontinental Play-offs. 4 lower-ranked teams will play in 2 semi-finals and the final, with the winner moving to round 2.

The round 1 winner will join the top 7 teams. 8 teams will be divided into 2 groups of 4 each.

The top 2 teams will advance to round 2, where they will meet in knockouts. The winner of the final will gain World Cup qualification, while the runner-up will go through the Intercontinental Play-offs.

Teams to Qualify for Intercontinental Play-offs

One team each from AFC (Asia), CAF (Africa), CONCACAF (North & Central America and Caribbean), OFC (Oceania), and CONMEBOL (South America) and an additional team from the World Cup host confederation will be drawn against each other.

The 2 best ranked teams will move into one of the 2 finals gain World Cup ticket. The other 4 will play in semi-finals, leading into the final to determine the other qualifier.