More than 800 World Cup qualifiers have brought us to this point. From the tiny island of St. Lucia to the totalitarian state of North Korea, 11 spots at Brazil 2014 remain up for grabs three weeks out from FIFA’s official World Cup draw.

Now it’s do-or-die for eight European teams, 10 African sides and a foursome of nations that are about to collect a lot of air miles. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

After an embarrassing showing during CONCACAF qualifying, Mexico declined to call up any of its European-based players ahead of a playoff tie with New Zealand. And that’s just part of the craziness that goes on during the run up to a FIFA finals.

FIFA has denied Senegal a chance to host the Ivory Coast in a critical return leg this week, instead forcing it to move the game to Morocco. Soccer’s governing body attempted to deny Egypt a chance to play in Cairo, but that seems to have been resolved. Then there’s Iceland. Tiny Iceland, which next-to-nobody is giving a chance against Croatia, which has a tendency to blow up from within in big games. It’s what makes this week arguably more entertaining than the main event, which will include half the teams still competing on this page in a week’s time.

HELLO, GOODBYE

Looking at who’s in and who’s out of Brazil 2014 ahead of World Cup qualifying playoffs

AFC (Asia)

(46 teams, 4.5 World Cup berths)

IN: Iran, South Korea, Japan, Australia

BUBBLE: Jordan plays Uruguay in an intercontinental playoff for final spot Nov. 13, 20

OUT: Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Lebanon, Uzbekistan bowed out in final round

CAF (Africa)

(52 teams, 5 World Cup berths)

IN: Qualifiers determined Nov. 16-19

ONE FOOT IN: Ghana, Ivory Coast had big first-leg wins

BUBBLE: Senegal, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tunisia, Cameroon, Egypt, Burkina Faso, Algeria

OUT: Notable omissions include Angola, Togo, Mali, Zambia, Morocco, South Africa — likely Egypt and Senegal, too.

CONMEBOL (S. America)

(9 teams, 5.5 World Cup berths)

IN: Brazil (automatic qualifiers as hosts), Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Ecuador

BUBBLE: Uruguay plays Jordan in an intercontinental playoff for final spot Nov. 13, 20.

OUT: Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay

UEFA (Europe)

(53 teams, 13 World Cup berths)

IN: Belgium, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Russia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, England and Spain

BUBBLE: Portugal/Sweden, Ukraine/France, Greece/Romania, Iceland/Croatia meet in playoffs for four remaining spots on Nov. 15, 19.

OUT: Notable omissions include Slovakia, Israel, Rep. of Ireland, Czech Republic, Serbia, Scotland, Albania, Poland, Montenegro, Slovenia, Norway, Hungary, Turkey, Austria, Denmark

OFC (Oceania)

(11 teams, 0.5 World Cup berths)

IN: Potential qualifier to be determined in mid-November

BUBBLE: New Zealand plays Mexico in an intercontinental playoff for final spot on Nov. 13, 20.

OUT: Fiji, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, American Samoa

CONCACAF (N. America)

(35 teams, 3.5 World Cup berths)

IN: U. S., Costa Rica, Honduras

BUBBLE: Mexico plays New Zealand in an intercontinental playoff for final spot on Nov. 13, 20.

OUT: Omissions include Jamaica, Panama, Guatemala, Antigua & Barbuda, El Salvador, Guyana, Canada and Cuba

UEFA PLAYOFFS

The top eight second-place finishers from nine UEFA groups were randomly drawn against each other based on FIFA World Rankings on Oct. 21. The aggregate winners of each of four home-and-away series will progress to Brazil 2014:

Portugal vs. Sweden

1st Leg: Lisbon, Nov. 15

2nd Leg: Stockholm, Nov. 19

SKINNY: These teams have a history, meeting during 2010 World Cup qualifying and playing to a pair of goalless draws. Yes, Portugal sports the likes of Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United’s Nani, alongside a world-class back four, but we’ve seen this story before. Sweden is that mid-major nation that grinds out results. Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic always seems to bag an audacious goal and the Scandinavians are known for their discipline — unlike Portugal. The Portuguese struggled in cold-weather nations — Russia and Northern Ireland — during group play, so if this one heads back to frigid Stockholm within a goal either way, it’s all to play for.

Ukraine vs. France

1st Leg: Kiev, Nov. 15

2nd Leg: Paris, Nov. 19

SKINNY: The Ukrainians appear even money to dispatch Les Blues in what most would consider an upset based on France’s reputation. But let’s not forget the group Ukraine had to navigate just to get to this point. A massive win in Montenegro righted a Ukrainian ship that went off the rails early in qualifying. After that, a solid draw against England and a win over Poland all but assured qualification. The French were always expected to be here, having drawn Spain in their group. But a bizarre draw with Georgia and a scare from Belarus shows the French are more than vulnerable four years after that strange team coup in South Africa. These two teams met during the 2012 Euro group stage, with the French knocking Ukraine out on home soil.

Greece vs. Romania

1st Leg: Piraeus, Nov. 15

2nd Leg: Bucharest, Nov. 19

SKINNY: Expect a cagey, low-scoring series between a pair of teams that give little away and don’t exactly sport much — if any — firepower. The Greeks win a lot of games 1-0, guided by the yeoman’s work ethic of Fulham’s Giorgos Karagounis. A demonstration of their collectiveness: The Greeks claimed eight clean sheets and conceded just four times through 10 first-round qualifiers, tied for the second-lowest number of goals-against in the opening round. We’d be lying if we said we knew much of anything about the Romanians, other than the fact they’re a hardened Eastern European side that will look to slow down the game, counter and take advantage of set pieces in Piraeus. If Greece takes a lead to Bucharest on Nov. 19, they might as well punch their tickets to Brazil.

Iceland vs. Croatia

1st Leg: Reykjavik, Nov. 15

2nd Leg: Zagreb, Nov. 19

SKINNY: Had the legs been reversed, we might have seen Iceland park the bus in an effort to bring the Croatians to chilly Reykjavik at 0-0, giving them at least a chance in a nervy return leg. It was an achievement for the Icelanders to get this far. But this is where it will end.

CAF PLAYOFFS

The opening legs of five continental playoffs were played last month. The return legs will determine which five African teams move on to Brazil next summer:

1st Leg: Ivory Coast 3 vs. Senegal 1 (Abidjan, Ivory Coast)

2nd Leg: Senegal-Ivory Coast (Nov. 16 in Casablanca, Morocco)

SKINNY: FIFA has banned Senegal from hosting Didier Drogba and the Ivory Coast after riots broke out when the rivals met in 2012. The Senegalese therefore lose huge home-field advantage — and any hope.

1st Leg: Ethiopia 1 vs. Nigeria 2 (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

2nd Leg: Nigeria vs. Ethiopia (Nov. 16 in Calabar, Nigeria)

SKINNY: Ethiopia’s feel-good story should come to an end here, especially after dropping the opening leg at home. The Ethiopians are more or less a rag-tag bunch, with few players kicking outside Ethiopia.

1st Leg: Tunisia 0 vs. Cameroon 0 (Rades, Tunisia)

2nd Leg: Cameroon vs. Tunisia (Nov. 17 in Yaounde, Cameroon)

SKINNY: The Tunisians are only here after Cape Verde fielded an ineligible player during the group stage. The north Africans missed a big opportunity drawing at home and will find it difficult in rugged Cameroon.

1st Leg: Ghana 6 vs. Egypt 1 (Kumasi, Ghana)

2nd Leg: Egypt vs. Ghana (Nov. 19 in Cairo, Egypt)

SKINNY: The opening leg result says it all. Ghana could send its under-20s and still progress.

1st Leg: Burkina Faso 3 vs. Algeria 2 (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso)

2nd Leg: Algeria vs. Burkina Faso (Nov. 19 in Blida, Algeria)

SKINNY: With away goals serving as the first tie-breaker, Algeria is in a good spot. But up-and-coming Burkina Faso is on the verge of booking its first ticket to a World Cup finals.

INTER-CONTINENTAL PLAYOFFS

Before 2014 qualifying began, FIFA determined fifth-place CAF would meet fifth-place CONMEBOL for a World Cup berth. Likewise, the OFC winner would meet fourth-place CONCACAF.

1st Leg: Jordan vs. Uruguay (Nov. 13, Amman, Jordan)

2nd Leg: Uruguay vs. Jordan (Nov. 20, Montevideo, Uruguay)

SKINNY: Uruguay was in this same spot during the 2010 cycle and scraped by Costa Rica. They lost on penalties to Australia during a 2006 intercontinental playoffs. Nothing’s guaranteed.

1st Leg: Mexico vs. New Zealand (Nov. 13, Mexico City, Mexico)

2nd Leg: New Zealand vs. Mexico (Nov. 20 Wellington, New Zealand)

SKINNY: The All Whites have to escape the Azteca with no more than a one-goal loss. If they manage that, Mexico will find it difficult travelling around the world for a quick turnaround.

JUST FOR FUN...

FIFA WORLD CUP DRAW SIMULATOR

The following draw was generated via a random predictor based on seedings. FIFA will conduct its actual draw on Dec. 6, 2013, in Bahia, Brazil. Spain, Germany, Argentina, Colombia, Belgium, Uruguay (should it qualify), Switzerland and Brazil will be seeded in Pot 1 and therefore can’t be drawn against each other. Pot 2 will likely contain North American and Asian teams, with Pot 3 containing South America and Africa. Until the actual draw, take pause at the following potential scenario.

Group A: Brazil, U.S. Russia, Italy

Group B: Argentina, Iran, Ghana*, Portugal*

Group C: Belgium, Australia, Ecuador, England

Group D: Spain, Costa Rica, Ivory Coast*, Netherlands

Group E: Germany, Japan, Chile, France*

Group F: Colombia, Mexico*, Algeria*, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Group G: Uruguay*, South Korea, Nigeria*, Croatia*

Group H: Switzerland, Honduras, Cameroon* Greece*

(*Projected to qualify)