The World Cup will take almost definitive form in a week. The remaining 14 places to be distributed to Qatar will be largely distributed in the coming days. There will only be three pending for June: those of the two intercontinental playoffs and the European playoff with Ukraine involved. The draw is on April 1 in Doha. This is the situation.
UEFA
Playoffs are played in semifinal and final mode. The winner of each goes to the World Cup. Special interest attracts the one that includes Portugal and Italy. If they beat Turkey and Montenegro, respectively, on Thursday, they will face each other next Tuesday for a place in Qatar. In the other key, with Russia eliminated, Poland is already waiting for the winner of Sweden-Czech Republic in the final. The third way will not be elucidated until June due to the presence of Ukraine, although Wales-Austria is now being played.
CONMEBOL
Argentina and Brazil are already classified. There are two days left and two places are direct, plus one more play-off against the fifth-placed team from Asia. Ecuador has it practically done and winning in Paraguay would get the ticket. Uruguay and Peru are fighting for fourth place, above all, and they also play against each other. And Colombia and Chile still dream of hooking up. That is to say, there are still two classified countries and another one refished.
AFC
With Iran and South Korea already through, it remains to be seen which Group B teams go straight to the World Cup. Saudi Arabia and Japan have it on the right track, although the Japanese play in Australia on Thursday in a match that could re-engage the Aussies. If a favorable result is not obtained, the Australians would presumably go to the playoff against the United Arab Emirates, and from there the Asian representative would come out in the intercontinental playoff against CONMEBOL’s fifth team.
CAF
Crucial playoffs in direct round-trip elimination format in the African zone. The five winners of the keys will be in Qatar. The matches are Egypt-Senegal, Cameroon-Algeria, Ghana-Nigeria, DR Congo-Morocco and Mali-Tunisia. That duel between the Egyptians and the Senegalese was spectacular, a repeat of the African Cup final and a new confrontation between the ‘reds’ teammates Salah and Mané.
CONCACAF
Three agonizing days in just a few days. Canada, USA and Mexico are well positioned to reach the three direct qualification slots. This Thursday some of them could be mathematically already in Qatar, especially the Canadian team. The fourth from the Octagonal will play a playoff against the champion of Oceania. This privilege would be for Panama at this time, although Costa Rica is on the prowl.