Final qualification places for Qatar World Cup as big names battle it out

With the fact that there will be a World Cup in Qatar in November having now sunk in, the fight to qualify for the tournament is about to go up a notch.

Twenty of the 32 teams in the tournament have already confirmed their place for the November kick-off, and this week will see nine of the remaining 12 places filled across the various continents.

With the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski and Mohamed Salah all still 90 minutes away from their spot on the global stage, there is still a potential for upsets and for some unheralded names to make it into the tournament.

Here's the state of play across the various confederations.

Europe - Two qualifiers confirmed on Tuesday

After 10 countries made it through from the UEFA group stages as group winners, the runners-up were placed into a playoff system featuring one legged semi-finals and then finals.

Last week's semis produced some nail-biting clashes, with Italy's shock defeat at home to North Macedonia taking the headlines, and Portugal, Wales and Sweden all coming through their tight contests, the latter in extra-time.

Two matches were missing from the schedule though, with Poland given a bye straight into their pathway's final due to the disqualification of Russia amid the invasion of Ukraine, who saw their own semi-final trip to Scotland delayed until at least June.

Wales await the winner of the clash in Cardiff after their Gareth Bale-inspired win over Austria, but Tuesday will at least see the 11th and 12th qualifiers from Europe confirmed as Portugal host North Macedonia in Porto and Poland take on Sweden in Chorzow.

South America - No qualifiers confirmed on Tuesday

Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador and Uruguay will all be in Qatar after finishing in the top four of the CONMEBOL qualification group, which comprises all 10 of the competing countries who face each other home and away.

Fifth spot is still up for grabs though, with three countries still able to take it.

Peru are the favourites and go into Tuesday's (early hours of Wednesday in the UK) clash with Paraguay in Lima knowing that a win would secure fifth and a playoff with an AFC team - most likely Australia, the UAE or Iraq - in Qatar in June.

Should Peru fail to win then Colombia will take fifth with a win at bottom of the group Venezeula.

Defeats for both Peru and Colombia would allow Chile in if they can beat Uruguay in Santiago.

Africa - Five qualifiers confirmed on Tuesday

Tuesday is a huge day in African football, with all five of the qualifying places being confirmed.

With CAF determining their qualifiers via a playoff system, all five of the 'finals' are finely poised heading into the second legs following the first clashes on Friday.

In Dakar, Senegal - and Sadio Mane - host Mohamed Salah's Egypt as the two Liverpool teammates square off for one World Cup place, with Egypt holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg courtesy of a Saliou Ciss own goal.

At the same time in Abuja the second leg of the grudge match between Nigeria and Ghana will take place following the goalless first leg, with the remaining three qualifiers kicking off later in the evening.

Algeria host Cameroon in Blida 1-0 up from the first leg, meanwhile in Casablanca hosts Morocco take on DR Congo - whose only World Cup appearance came in 1974 when they were still Zaire - following a 1-1 draw in the first game, and Tunisia host Mali in Tunis protecting a 1-0 lead.

Asia - No qualifiers confirmed on Tuesday

As top two finishers in their six team qualification groups, Japan, South Korea, Iran and Saudi Arabia have all confirmed their places in the tournament alongside host nation and fellow AFC team Qatar.

That only leaves the possibility of one remaining place, but that won't be determined until a one legged playoff in Qatar in June.

Australia have been confirmed as one of the teams in that clash having finished a disappointing third in Group B, but the other third place in Group A is up for grabs.

The UAE, who played in their only World Cup in 1990, are currently clinging onto it with nine points from their nine games, and so a win over South Korea in Dubai on Tuesday afternoon would secure that playoff final against Australia, with the winner of that then playing the fifth placed team in South American qualifying a week later.

Anything other than a win for UAE though, and Iraq, World Cup qualifiers in 1986, would sneak third with a win over Syria in Dubai. Lebanon could also nick third if both UAE and Iraq lose and they achieved a hefty goal difference swing.

North and Central America and Carribbean - Two qualifiers confirmed on Wednesday/Thursday

Canada have reached the World Cup for the first time since 1986, and two more automatic spots from the CONCACAF group will be confirmed in the early hours of Thursday morning.

In truth though, they are almost already secured.

Both the USA and Mexico hold a three point advantage over fourth place Costa Rica, with only a large goal difference swing able to change that. The US go to San Jose to face Costa Rica, with Mexico at home to El Salvador in Mexico City.

No other team can catch Costa Rica in fourth, so they are highly likely to go on to a Qatar playoff against the Oceania qualification winner.

Oceania - No qualifiers confirmed on Wednesday

And that winner will be determined at 6pm UK time on Wednesday, when the Solomon Islands take on New Zealand in the OFC playoff final in Doha.

The winner then plays the fourth placed CONCACAF team in that playoff in June, with the winners then returning to Qatar in November.