The international qualifiers – the series of matches where teams compete for the right to represent their continent at the World Cup – have been a source of great excitement this year. While the emergence of new powers in South America and Oceania is not unexpected, many fans have also observed surprises in Europe where several teams have pushed established rivals to the limit.
The first round sees the 46 qualified teams from each of the confederations split into four groups of three or four teams and play home-and-away matches. The winners of each group qualify for the next round, while the runners-up advance to the inter-confederation play-offs.
In most cases, the team that scores a higher aggregate score over two legs will win the tie. However, in the case of a tied score at the end of a match, extra time and penalty shootout may be used to determine the winner.
The final stage of qualification sees the six best second-round group winners advance to a single round where they face one another over a two-legged format. The winners will qualify for the World Cup, while the runners-up will compete in a two-legged tie to determine the Asian representation at the inter-confederation play-offs.
In the case of a tied result in the final round, the teams will be forced to replay the match over two legs. In addition, the teams that score more goals over the course of the whole tournament will qualify. Occasionally, where one entrant does not have the facilities to host the qualifier, matches will be played in neutral countries.
