The qualification picture for the World Cup in Qatar is nearing completion, with 29 of the 32 finalists now confirmed.
Here, we look at the sides to have qualified so far and those still in contention.
HOSTS
Qatar
EUROPE (13 places total)
Qualified: Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Holland, Portugal, Poland, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland
To be decided: Portugal and Poland joined the 10 UEFA group winners by triumphing in play-offs on Tuesday. The final play-off path remains unfinished, with Ukraine's semi-final against Scotland postponed to June. The winners of that match will take on Wales, who beat Austria in their semi last week.
SOUTH AMERICA (4/5 places)
Qualified: Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay
To be decided: Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador and Uruguay are through as top-four finishers in South America’s 10-team qualifying competition, while Peru, having come fifth, are the side advancing to the intercontinental play-offs – two ties in June that will determine the final two berths.
ASIA (4/5 places)
Qualified: Iran, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea
To be decided: Four sides have progressed by finishing in the top two in the two groups of six – the third-placed sides, Australia and the United Arab Emirates, will face each other in June in Doha for the right to play in the intercontinental play-offs against Peru.
AFRICA (five places)
Qualified: Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia
All spots were sealed on Tuesday as five two-legged play-offs were completed.
NORTH/CENTRAL AMERICA AND CARRIBEAN North/Central America & Caribbean (3/4 places)
Qualified: Canada, United States and Mexico
To be decided: The top-three finishers in CONCACAF are through, with another to get an intercontinental play-offs spot by coming fourth.
Costa Rica finished fourth in the standings and will face New Zealand in an intercontinental qualifier in Qatar in June.
OCEANIA (0/1 places)
To be decided: The Oceania qualifying process was completed on Wednesday with New Zealand's 5-0 win over the Solomon Islands. It means the All Whites will face Costa Rica in an intercontinental qualifier in Qatar in June.
New Zealand were the last Oceania team to qualify for the World Cup when they made the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
Sligo Rovers defender Nando Pijnaker is now a first choice player for New Zealand, lining out three times in the last week to help them reach the play-off.
He could become the first player to ply his trade in the Premier Division and compete in the World Cup in the same season should they beat Costa Rica in that decider.
