Our rundown of all the teams to have made it as Sweden, Switzerland and Croatia book their places while Italy miss out for the first time since 1958

After a qualification process involving 209 national teams and lasting more than two years, the list of 32 sides who will be in the December draw for the 2018 World Cup is almost complete. Here is the full list of who is in:

Europe (Uefa)

Qualified: Russia (hosts); Belgium, Germany, England, Spain, Poland, Serbia, Iceland, France, Portugal; Switzerland, Croatia, Sweden, Denmark (via play-offs)

Quick guide World Cup 2018: the draw Show Hide When is it? The group stage draw will take place on Friday 1 December (3pm GMT/6pm local) at the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow. Organisers promise a 'colourful show representing local culture' before the balls are drawn. How does it work? Hosts Russia will be seeded in Group A. The 31 qualifiers will be split into four pots, based on the October world rankings. Teams from the same confederation will be kept apart – although a maximum of two Uefa sides can be drawn together. The four pots Pot 1: Russia (hosts, Group A), Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Belgium, Poland, France. Pot 2: Spain, Peru, Switzerland, England, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay, Croatia. Pot 3: Denmark, Iceland, Costa Rica, Sweden, Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal, Iran. Pot 4: Serbia, Nigeria, Australia, Japan, Morocco, Panama, South Korea, Saudi Arabia. What will England fans be hoping for? It's best not to presume anything with England but a group with, say, Brazil, Iceland and Nigeria would look more daunting than facing Poland, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia. You can test the permutations for yourself with our interactive draw simulator. What else to look out for 2010 winners Spain are somehow in pot two and will be the ones to avoid for all the top seeds. There are only two debutants in Iceland and Panama but three teams have qualified for the first time this century – Peru (first since 1982), Egypt (1990) and Morocco (1998). Or if you like an underdog, how about backing the current lowest-ranked team? It's the hosts, Russia. Photograph: Arsen Galstyan Handout/ADIDAS PRESS SERVICE

Russia qualified automatically as hosts, and were joined by Belgium on 3 September when Roberto Martínez’s side beat Greece 2-1 in Piraeus. Belgium finished Group H nine points clear of Greece, who snatched a play-off spot with victory over Gibraltar. The defending champions, Germany, booked their place with a 3-1 win over Northern Ireland in Belfast, finishing Group C with 10 wins out of 10.

England were far less spectacular but also went unbeaten in Group F and sealed their trip to Russia with victory over Slovenia on 5 October. Slovakia missed the play-offs as the runners-up with the worst record. Spain, who followed victory in 2010 with an early exit in 2014, were back to their best in racing through Group G, winning nine of their 10 matches as Italy were forced into the play-offs.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Spain have scored 36 goals in their 10 qualifying matches. Photograph: Denis Doyle/Getty Images

Poland were seeded third in Group E but saw off Romania and second-placed Denmark to reach their first World Cup since 2006. Serbia also emerged from pot three to take an automatic place, edging through with victory over Georgia in their final Group D match. Republic of Ireland headed to the play-offs after their 1-0 win in Cardiff meant they leapfrogged Wales.

Group I was the most competitive, with four teams still chasing automatic qualification with two games to go. Iceland’s away win over Turkey and home victory against Kosovo saw them become the smallest country to reach a World Cup finals. Croatia won their final game in Ukraine to make the play-offs.

Iceland get the party started after showing they are no one-hit wonders Read more

France progressed from Group A despite a memorable draw at home to Luxembourg. Holland were expected to compete for top spot but missed the play-offs, with Sweden sneaking in despite defeat in Amsterdam. In Group B,

Switzerland won their first nine qualifiers but lost in Lisbon to hand top spot to Portugal after a dramatic two-horse race.

Italy will miss the World Cup finals for the first time since 1958 after a 1-0 aggregate loss to Sweden. The azzurri slumped to a one-goal defeat in Stockholm and could not find a way through at the San Siro. Switzerland also held onto a one-goal lead in their second leg with Northern Ireland after winning 1-0 in Belfast thanks to a highly controversial penalty.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Federico Bernardeschi of Italy reacts after the play-off defeat to Sweden. Photograph: Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Croatia put one foot in the final with a 4-1 home win over Greece in the first leg, and held on comfortably in another scoreless second leg. Denmark took the final European place, rallying from a goalless first leg and early setback in Dublin to thrash Republic of Ireland 5-1 in their play-off second leg.







South America (Conmebol)

Qualified: Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia, Peru (via play-offs)



Brazil became the first team to qualify for Russia during a nine-game winning run, putting their 2014 nightmare behind them. Uruguay looked odds-on for qualification for much of their campaign but it took a final-round victory over Bolivia to make certain.

Sweden stand tall amid Italy onslaught to book place at Russia World Cup Read more

Argentina have had their close calls in qualifying before but left it late even by their standards. They travelled to Ecuador needing to win but went behind after 37 seconds. Enter Lionel Messi, whose hat-trick carried Jorge Sampaoli’s team to Russia after Chile lost in Brazil to miss out altogether.

Paraguay’s 1-0 home defeat to Venezuela ended their hopes, leaving Peru and Colombia battling for fourth place in Lima. A 1-1 draw meant the visitors qualified automatically while Peru, chasing their first World Cup appearance since 1982, finished fifth and went into a play-off against New Zealand.

Play Video 1:01 Messi hat-trick secures World Cup place for Argentina – video highlights

North and Central America (Concacaf)

Qualified: Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama



Mexico cruised through the six-team final group and never looked in danger of missing out after beating the USA in Columbus in the first game. Costa Rica have also qualified but not without late drama as Kendall Waston’s 95th-minute penalty got the point they needed against Honduras.

USA struggled throughout their campaign and fell 2-1 down to Trinidad & Tobago in their final game. That meant a Panama win over Costa Rica would see them into their first World Cup, and Román Torres struck with only two minutes left. USA dropped to fifth in the table, missing their first finals since 1986, after Honduras fought back to beat Mexico and claim a play-off place, in which they lost out to Australia over two legs.

Asia (AFC)

Qualified: Iran, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Australia (via play-offs)



Iran were the first Asian team to qualify, and did so way back in June with a 2-0 win over Uzbekistan. Carlos Queiroz’s side topped the group with maximum efficiency – going unbeaten with 10 goals in 10 games. South Korea came second in Group A to secure their ninth consecutive appearance at a World Cup finals.

In Group B, a tight three-way battle ended with Japan topping the group, one point ahead of Saudi Arabia who qualified after edging out Australia on goal difference. The Socceroos narrowly prevailed in a two-legged play-off with surprise package Syria, before getting the better of Honduras to ultimately seal their place in Russia.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Iran qualified for the finals in June, going unbeaten despite scoring only a goal per game on average. Photograph: Amin Mohammad Jamali/Getty Images

Africa (Caf)

Qualified: Nigeria, Egypt, Senegal, Tunisia, Morocco

Morocco are back at a World Cup finals for the first time since France ‘98 after an unbeaten campaign ended with a 2-0 win over nearest rivals Ivory Coast. Goals from Nabil Dirar and Mehdi Benatia sealed victory in Abidjan, while Tunisia squeezed through with a 0-0 draw against Libya, denying DR Congo in Group A.

Senegal won 2-0 in South Africa to seal their first finals appearance since 2002, in a game that was replayed after the referee in the first fixture was suspended. Nigeria dominated a tough group containing Zambia, Cameroon and a disappointing Algeria side to reach the finals for the sixth time.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Morocco’s players celebrate after their win in Abidjan sent them to the World Cup at the expense of Ivory Coast. Photograph: Issouf Sanogo/AFP/Getty Images

Egypt complete a strong North African contingent – the Pharoahs sealed qualification with a dramatic late win over Congo for their first World Cup appearance since 1990. In the interim, they have won the Africa Cup of Nations four times.

Intercontinental play-offs

Qualified: Australia, Peru

Honduras, Peru and Australia earned another chance at qualification alongside Oceania winners New Zealand. The first legs both ended goalless, giving Peru and Australia an advantage ahead of the second legs. In Sydney, a Mile Jedinak hat-trick ensured Australia a place in Russia at Honduras’s expense, while Jefferson Farfan and Christian Ramos goals in Lima booked Peru’s place in Russia.







