Bolivia, Peru, struggling Nigeria and flagging Italy face an uphill struggle, but others have reason for optimism
There are only three automatic places available via the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers because the USA, Mexico and Canada have secured their spots as hosts, although the two best runners-up head into the inter-confederation playoffs. Suriname have made it to the final round of qualifying only once before and will be hoping to kick off their campaign with a victory when they host Panama in Paramaribo on Thursday. Managed by the former Netherlands goalkeeper Stanley Menzo, they have been steadily climbing Fifa’s rankings since allowing players born in the Netherlands with Surinamese heritage to represent the national side and have the Huddersfield defender Radinio Balker in their ranks.
Steve McClaren’s side won an entertaining friendly against Trinidad and Tobago at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium at the end of May in the Unity Cup but things will get much more serious when the sides meet again in Kingston on Wednesday. They have both qualified for the World Cup once before – Jamaica in 1998 and Trinidad and Tobago in 2006 – and stand a chance of grabbing top spot in a group that also includes Curaçao and Bermuda. Jamaica, who face the latter first on Friday, are the favourites to progress given they are the highest-ranked team at 70th, but the Trinidad manager, Dwight Yorke, would love to get one over on his former coach at Manchester United.
