Forty-eight teams will participate in next summer’s World Cup and 30 places are still up for grabs – here’s how qualification stands around the world
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orty-eight teams will participate in next summer’s World Cup, with the hosts, Canada, Mexico and the United States, granted automatic entry. A further 43 places are determined by qualifying competitions across the six confederations and the remaining two will be decided at March’s six-team intercontinental playoffs in Monterrey and Guadalajara. After September’s internationals 18 counties have places booked. The draw is due to take place on 5 December at Washington’s Kennedy Center.
The winners of the continent’s nine qualifying groups gain automatic entry and the four best runners-up will compete in November’s pan-African playoffs for one place in the intercontinental playoffs
Playoffs are something already qualified Morocco, semi-finalists at Qatar 2022, and Tunisia, who have not conceded a goal in eight qualifiers, do not need to worry about. Egypt top their group but must wait at least another month to confirm a berth after being held 0-0 by Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou. If Pharaohs fans were disappointed by Mohamed Salah’s subdued performance, Manchester City supporters will be alarmed by the knee injury that forced off his fellow forward Omar Marmoush after nine minutes.
