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The qualification competition for the 2018 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC (Asia), CAF (Africa), CONCACAF (North, Central America and Caribbean), CONMEBOL (South America), OFC (Oceania), and UEFA (Europe) — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament. A total of 205 teams entered the qualification competition, with Leubantia, as the host, qualifying for the World Cup automatically. The first qualification matches were played on 25 August 2015 and qualification concluded on 18 November 2017.

Entrants[]

At the close of entries on 15 March 2015, 206 out of the 208 football associations had entered the preliminary competition. Three countries failed to register by the 15 March 2015 deadline: Bhutan, Brunei, and Laos.

In addition, five teams withdrew during qualifying without playing a match: Bhutan, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Phillipines, Guam, and São Tomé and Príncipe. In addition, Papua New Guinea failed to meet the registration deadline for the South Pacific Games (which was also the initial stage of the Oceania qualification) and took no part in qualification.

Qualified teams[]

The following 32 teams qualified for the finals tournament.

  • Leubantia flag Leubantia (hosts)
  • Mishmosh flag Mishmosh
  • Flag of Rorbania Rorbania
  • Naanbreadland flag Naanbreadland
  • Proper flag of Scotland Scotland
  • Flag of Drosophiland Drosophiland
  • Flag of France France
  • Flag of Germany Germany
  • Flag of Italy Italy
  • Flag of Spain Spain
  • Flag of Poland Poland
  • Flag of Austria Austria
  • Flag of Japan Japan
  • Flag of Ukraine Ukraine
  • Flag of Libya Libya
  • Flag of Turkey Turkey
  • Flag of Denmark Denmark
  • Flag of Chile Chile
  • Flag of Ireland Republic of Ireland
  • Flag of the People's Republic of China svg China PR
  • Flag of the USA USA
  • Flag of Estonia Estonia
  • Flag of Canada Canada
  • Flag of Hungary Hungary
  • Flag of Louaza Louaza
  • Flag of Niger svg Niger
  • Flag of Brazil Brazil
  • Flag of Peru Peru
  • Flag of Madagascar Madagascar
  • Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic
  • Flag of Bulgaria Bulgaria
  • Flag of Sudan Sudan

Confederation qualification processes[]

Africa (CAF) - Final positions, Third round[]

Group A[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Libya Libya 6 13
Flag of Cameroon Cameroon 6 9
Flag of Mali Mali 6 8
Flag of Gabon Gabon 6 3

Group B[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Louaza Louaza 6 12
Flag of Burkina Faso Burkina Faso 6 11
Flag of Nigeria Nigeria 6 7
Flag of Cote d'Ivoire Côte d'Ivoire 3 3

Group C[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Niger svg Niger 6 13
Flag of Sierra Leone Sierra Leone 6 12
Flag of Senegal Senegal 6 5
Flag of Chad Chad 6 2

Group D[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Madagascar Madagascar 4 9
Flag of Benin Benin 4 9
Flag of the Seychelles Seychelles 4 0
Flag of the Central African Republic Central African Republic (withrew) 0 0

The Central African Republic withrew and was not replaced.

Group E[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Sudan Sudan 6 16
Flag of Togo Togo 6 12
Flag of Mauritius Mauritius 6 4
Flag of the Republic of the Congo Congo 6 3

Asia (AFC) - Final positions, Fourth round[]

For more details on this topic, see 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC Fourth Round.

Group A[]

Team Pld Pts
Mishmosh flag Mishmosh 8 20
Naanbreadland flag Naanbreadland 8 15
Flag of Australia Australia 8 10
Flag of South Korea Korea Republic 8 6
Flag of the Philipines Phillipines 8 4
  • Mishmosh and Naanbreadland qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
  • Australia advanced to the AFC play-off.

Group B[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Japan Japan 6 12
Flag of the People's Republic of China svg China PR 6 12
Flag of Indonesia Indonesia 6 12
Flag of Yemen Yemen 6 0

Play-off for 5th place (Fifth Round)[]

Main article: 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification - AFC Fifth Round

Team #1   Agg.   Team #2   1st leg     2nd leg  
Flag of the People's Republic of China svg China PR 2–1 Flag of Australia Australia 1–0 1-1

2-1 on aggregate; China PR advanced to the AFC-OFC Playoff against Fiji, the winner of the OFC zone (2016 OFC Nations Cup).

Europe (UEFA) - Final Positions, First Round[]

Group 1[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Estonia Estonia 10 21
Flag of Rorbania Rorbania 10 19
Flag of Switzerland Switzerland 10 18
Flag of Portugal Portugal 10 16
Flag of the Netherlands Netherlands 10 7
Flag of Sweden Sweden 10 1
  • Estonia qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
  • Rorbania advanced through to the playoffs to play against Macedonia.

Group 2[]

Team Pld Pts
Proper flag of Scotland Scotland 10 22
Flag of Macedonia Macedonia 10 20
Flag of Belgium Belgium 10 16
Flag of Israel Israel 10 15
Flag of Finland Finland 10 11
Flag of San Marino San Marino 10 0
  • Scotland qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
  • Macedonia advanced through to the playoffs to play against Rorbania.

Group 3[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Germany Germany 10 21
Flag of England England 10 20
Flag of Norway Norway 10 17
Flag of Lithuania Lithuania 10 16
Flag of Latvia Latvia 10 5
Flag of Moldova Moldova 10 3
  • Germany qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
  • England advanced through to the playoffs to play against Luxembourg.

Group 4[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Ukraine Ukraine 10 26
Flag of Luxembourg Luxembourg 10 22
Flag of Kazakhstan Kazakhstan 10 18
Flag of Russia Russia 10 12
Flag of Azerbaijan Azerbaijan 10 5
Ulster banner Northern Ireland 10 2
  • Ukraine qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
  • Luxembourg advanced through to the playoffs to play against England.

Group 5[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Denmark Denmark 10 30
Flag of France France 10 19
Flag of Romania Romania 10 15
Flag of Armenia Armenia 10 10
Flag of Wales Wales 10 8
Flag of Slovakia Slovakia 10 4
  • Denmark qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
  • France advanced through to the playoffs to play against Greece.

Group 6[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Bulgaria Bulgaria 10 27
Flag of Greece Greece 10 21
Flag of Slovenia Slovenia 10 20
Flag of Albania Albania 10 13
Flag of Malta Malta 10 6
Flag of Liechtenstein Liechtenstein 10 0
  • Bulgaria qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
  • Greece advanced through to the playoffs to play against France.

Group 7[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Hungary Hungary 10 22
Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic 10 21
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina 10 14
Flag of Croatia Croatia 10 12
Flag of Belarus Belarus 10 12
Flag of Andorra Andorra 10 4
  • Hungary qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
  • Czech Republic advanced through to the playoffs to play against Montenegro.

Group 8[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Poland Poland 10 24
Flag of Montenegro Montenegro 10 18
Flag of the Faroe Islands Faroe Islands 10 14
Flag of Iceland Iceland 10 9
Flag of Cyprus Cyrpus 10 9
Flag of Georgia Georgia 10 3
  • Poland qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
  • Montenegro advanced through to the playoffs to play against the Czech Republic.

Group 9[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Spain Spain 2 3
Flag of Ireland Republic of Ireland 2 3
  • Spain qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
  • Republic of Ireland advanced through to the playoffs to play against Serbia.

Group 10[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Italy Italy 2 3
Flag of Serbia Serbia 2 3
  • Italy qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
  • Serbia advanced through to the playoffs to play against the Republic of Ireland.

Group 11[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Austria Austria 2 3
Flag of Turkey Turkey 2 3

Second round[]

Main article: 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Second Round


The ten runner-up teams (apart from Turkey) competed in the second round to decide who qualified.

Team #1   Agg.   Team #2   1st leg     2nd leg  
Flag of Rorbania Rorbania 2–1 Flag of Macedonia Macedonia 1–0 1-1
Flag of England England 2-0 Flag of Luxembourg Luxembourg 1-0 1-0
Flag of France France 1-0 Flag of Greece Greece 0-0 1-0
Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic 3-1 Flag of Montenegro Montenegro 1-0 2-1
Flag of Ireland Republic of Ireland 5-1 Flag of Serbia Serbia 4-0 1-1

Rorbania, England, France, Czech Republic, and Republic of Ireland qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

North, Central America and Caribbean (CONCACAF) - Final positions, Fourth Round[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of the USA USA 6 12
Flag of Canada Canada 6 12
Flag of Cuba Cuba 6 12
Flag of Mexico Mexico 6 0
  • USA qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
  • Canada advanced to the CONCACAF-CONMEBOL playoff to play against Argentina.

Oceania (OFC) - Final Positions, Second Round[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Fiji Fiji 6 15
Flag of New Zealand New Zealand 6 8
Flag of Tonga Tonga 6 7
Flag of the Solomon Islands Solomon Islands 6 4
  • Fiji advanced to the AFC-OFC playoff, against China PR, the fourth-placed team in AFC.

CONMEBOL - Final Positions[]

Team Pld Pts
Flag of Brazil Brazil 18 34
Flag of Chile Chile 18 33
Flag of Peru Peru 18 33
Flag of Argentina Argentina 18 33
Flag of Uruguay Uruguay 18 24
Flag of Ecuador Ecuador 18 23
Flag of Colombia Colombia 18 23
Flag of Paraguay Paraguay 18 22
Flag of Venezuela Venezuela 18 15
Flag of Bolivia Bolivia 18 13
  • Brazil, Chile, and Peru qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
  • Argentina advanced through to the CONMEBOL-CONCACAF playoff to play against Canada.

Inter-confederation playoffs[]

Main article: 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (inter-confederation play-offs)

There are two scheduled inter-confederation playoffs to determine the final two qualification spots to the finals. The ties themselves were not drawn, but were allocated by FIFA as:

  • AFC 4th place v OFC winner
  • CONCACAF 2nd place v CONMEBOL 4th place

The draw for the order in which the matches will be played was held on 2 June 2017 during the FIFA Congress in Castries, Saint Lucia.

AFC 4th place vs. OFC winner[]

The winner of the OFC qualification tournament played the winner of the play-off between the third-placed team and the second-placed team of Group A and Group B of the AFC qualification round four, respectively (ranked the fourth-placed team in AFC). Fiji qualified for the play-off by winning the OFC competition in September 2016. China PR qualified for the play-off by winning the AFC Fourth placed play-off in September 2017. China PR won the play-off and qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup on 14 November 2017.

Team #1   Agg.   Team #2   1st leg     2nd leg  
Flag of the People's Republic of China svg China PR 2–1 Flag of Fiji Fiji 1–0 1-1

CONCACAF 2nd place vs. CONMEBOL 4th place[]

The second-place team in the CONCACAF qualifying fourth round (Canada) played off against the fourth-place team in the CONMEBOL qualifying group (Argentina). Canada won the play-off and qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup on 18 November 2017.

Team #1   Agg.   Team #2   1st leg     2nd leg  
Flag of Argentina Argentina 2–8 Flag of Canada Canada 0–6 2-2

Qualification Controversies[]

Controversy surrounded several of the final qualification matches in November 2017.

In the second leg of the play-off between Rorbania and Macedonia, Rorbanian captain Rudi Vatta, unseen by the referee, illegally handled the ball in the lead up to the winning goal, which saw France make the final 32 teams ahead of Macedonia. The incident caused widespread debate on FIFA Fair Play, and how matches should be refereed at the highest level. The Football Federation of Macedonia (FFM) requested a replay on grounds of fairness, but this was denied by FIFA under the Laws of the Game. A widely reported later request by Macedonia to be included as an unprecedented 33rd World Cup entrant was later withdrawn by the FFM, and dismissed by the FFM as peripheral to their other more substantial petitions for change in world football made to FIFA.

Fiji also complained over China PR's winning goal in the AFC-OFC playoff.

There was crowd trouble around the two matches between Denmark and Romania, with reports of Danish fans stoned before the first in Bucharest, and reports of the Romanian team bus ambushed on the way to second in Copenhagen while travelling through Krakow, Poland. Local media made lurid reports, and diplomatic relations between the countries nosedived.

In response to the incidents during qualification, and to a match fixing controversy, on 2 December 2017 FIFA called for an extraordinary general meeting of their Executive Committee. After the meeting, FIFA announced that they would be setting up an inquiry into technology and extra officials in the game, but they did not announce the widely expected move of fast-tracking the introduction of goal-line referee's assistants, already being trialled in the Europa League, and instead restated that the competition in Leubantia would be officiated as before, with just one referee, two assistants, and a fourth official. On the subject of fair play, FIFA President Sepp Blatter said:

I appeal to all the players and coaches to observe this fair play. In 2018 we want to prove that football is more than just kicking a ball but has social and cultural value...So we ask the players 'please observe fair play' so they will be an example to the rest of the world.

—FIFA President Sepp Blatter,

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