The FIFA World Cup is football’s biggest stage, and the path to it is a dramatic journey filled with high-stakes matches that see dreams realized or shattered. From battling for survival to emerging as a global powerhouse, international qualifiers often provide moments of exceptional skill and heart that will live on forever in the memory of fans.
With just 35 spots available next summer, every nation will be fighting to book their place at the finals, and this month, major stages of qualification kick off across Europe, North America and South American with some of the continent’s heavyweights set to begin their quest for glory.
FIFA allocates a number of World Cup spots to each of its 211 member countries based on their performance, history, and the relative strength of their domestic leagues and world stars. The allocation is designed to ensure that teams from all Continents have a fair chance of qualifying for the World Cup, and reflects the global nature of the sport.
Most knock-out qualifiers are played over two legs, with the team that scores a greater aggregate number of goals progressing. If the scores are level after the full 90 minutes of each match, then extra time and penalties will be used to determine the winner. Occasionally, if neither side has the facilities to host the second leg (or if the venue has been booked for another event) then a play-off on neutral ground will be held.