1 to 32: World Cup 2014 Qualification watch

Who can be the first national team to qualify on the field to Brazil 2014? Any chance to be Japan in November?

1. Brazil;
2. ???

It will be Japan to qualify first, they just need a draw ! And i think have 3 games left !

great comeback from sweden

Code:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwM_0g92SYM

Japan might be the first, but three of their four remaining games are on the road, and the one home match is versus Australia.

Japan has 4 games left and can't qualify in November. Wikipedia says they can clinch finishing in the top three but not the top two then.

Here's my prediction on the 32 teams:

CONMEBOL:
1.) Brazil
2.) Argentina
3.) Uruguay
4.) Ecuador
5.) Colombia
6.) Venezuela (beating Oman in intercontinental play-off)

AFC:
7.) South Korea
8.) Japan
9.) Iran
10.) Australia

CONCACAF:
11.) Mexico
12.) USA
13.) Costa Rica
14.) Honduras (beating New Zealand in intercontinental play-off)

UEFA:
15.) Belgium
16.) Portugal
17.) Italy
18.) France
19.) Germany
20.) Sweden
21.) Netherlands
22.) Switzerland
23.) Russia
24.) Greece
25.) England
26.) Spain
27.) Croatia

CAF:
28.) Egypt
29.) Ghana
30.) Nigeria
31.) Ivory Coast
32.) Algeria

My Picks:

CONMEBOL:
1.) Brazil
2.) Argentina
3.) Colombia
4.) Ecuador
5.) Uruguay
6.) Chile (beating Iraq in intercontinental play-off)

AFC:
7.) South Korea
8.) Iran
9.) Japan
10.) Australia

CONCACAF:
11.) Mexico
12.) USA
13.) Costa Rica
14.) Honduras (beating New Zealand in intercontinental play-off)

UEFA:
15.) Belgium
16.) Italy
17.) Germany
18.) Netherlands
19.) Switzerland
20.) Portugal
21.) Bosnia and Herzegovina
22.) England
23.) Spain
24.) Russia
25.) France
26.) Sweden
27.) Hungary

CAF:
28.) Egypt
29.) Zambia
30.) Nigeria
31.) Ivory Coast
32.) DR Congo

Looking like it will be UzbeKistan instead of Iran.

Japão o primeiro. Brasil Campeão!

CONMEBOL:
1.) Brazil
2.) Argentina
3.) Uruguay
4.) Ecuador
5.) Colombia
6.) Venezuela (beating Iraq in intercontinental play-off)

AFC:
7.) South Korea
8.) Japan
9.) Iran
10.) Australia

CONCACAF:
11.) Mexico
12.) Panama
13.) USA
14.) Honduras (beating New Zealand in intercontinental play-off)

UEFA:
15.) Belgium
16.) Portugal
17.) Italy
18.) France
19.) Germany
20.) Sweden
21.) Netherlands
22.) Switzerland
23.) Russia
24.) Greece
25.) England
26.) Spain
27.) Croatia

CAF:
28.) Egypt
29.) Ghana
30.) Nigeria
31.) Ivory Coast
32.) Algeria

So, how are things looking right now..

OFC - The confederation that is about to conclude its qualification is the OFC. There are four teams left (New Zealand, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia and Tahiti) and two more matches to play for each team. New Zealand is in the lead, followed by New Caledonia at three points behind. Solomon Islands and Tahiti are out. New Zealand and New Caledonia are facing each other on March 22 and that match will probably determine the outcome of this confederations qualification. It's almost safe to say that New Zealand will go to the Intercontinental Play-off in which they will play the CONCACAF number 4.

AFC - Still a lot to play for in this confederation. Two groups of five are playing a competition and the numbers 1 and 2 of each group will qualify directly for the WC. The two numbers 3 are going head to head in a play-off to determine who of them will play the CONMEBOL number 5 in the Intercontinental Play-off Do you still get it?, great.. Teams that are looking really solid right now: Japan, Australia, South Korea and... Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan? That's right... Uzbekistan.

CONCACAF - The CONCACAF started its final stage of the qualification in february 2013 and only one round has been played. This stage consists of one group of six teams. Numbers 1,2 and 3 proceed directly to the WC and number 4 will play OFCs winner (probably New Zealand as mentioned earlier). There is not a lot to say about this qualification at this time, besides the fact that the United States were beaten by Honduras (2-1). All the other matches were draws.

CONMEBOL - One big group of nine teams are competing in a full home and away competition. Number 1 till 4 qualify directly, number 5 plays the Intercontinental Play-off versus AFC number 3. Teams that are doing pretty good so far are Argentina, Ecuador and Colombia. The battle for the number 4 position is fierce, Venezuela, Uruguay and Chile are at equal points with Chile vs. Uruguay coming up on March 26. Bolivia, Peru and Paraguay are trailing.

CAF - The current qualification stage consists of ten groups of four, only the winner proceeds to the final stage of the qualification. The final stage consists of five home and away ties between the group winners. The five winners of the final stage qualify directly for the WC. The draw for this stage will take place after the current qualification stage. Back to now.. ten groups, forty competitors. Only two rounds out of six have been played, so everything is still open. Egypt, Tunisia, Zambia and Congo are the only teams with the full 6 points out of two rounds.

UEFA - Eight groups of six, one group of five. Group winners qualify directly, runner-ups play a a play-off against another runner-up for a WC spot. Four rounds have been played and here too, everything is still open. Looking good: The Netherlands and Russia (12 out of 4), Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Montenegro (10 out of 4), Spain, France (7 out of 3).

Its not that big a surprise. These 4 nations were the semi finalists in the Asian Cup in 2011. There is still a few games to go and only Japan look really safe right now.

I know it's not that big of a surprise. Japan is a certain qualifier, South Korea and Australia have another game to play (only played four games, others played five). Given their performances in the past, i think they will qualify. Uzbekistan has never qualified for a World Cup, that makes in worth to mention. I like to see a newbie during next year WC.

Quick question about qualification: Since Brazil's automatically in, do they still play their confederation partners as friendlies or do they not play at all?

Of course they're playing. They also have to prepare for the confederations cup in June 2013. They play friendlies, also against opponents from other confederations. They recently played England (2-1 loss) and they are up against Italy and Russia on the 21st and 25th of march, Chile on April 25th and just before the start of the confederations cup they play England and France.

They don't play their confederation partners. I would think it would be hard for Brazil to find countries to play friendlies against on days when most of the good countries have WCQs. CONMEBOL used the same order of matches in qualifying for World Cups 2006, 2010, and 2014 except this time each country has no game on the two matchdays it would have played Brazil.

They did play Argentina and Colombia in November..

CONMEBOL had no WCQs then so the countries were available to play Brazil. Brazil doesn't play the other CONMEBOL countries twice each like they would in WCQs.

I think Japan is the only team that's certain. The others have ups and downs. South Korea and Australia aren't like before. Uzbekistan is an inconsistent team.. They can beat Iran 1-0 one day, and the other day draw Hong Kong 1-1

I think 26 March is a very important matchday. After that day, we can analyze better

Looks like Japan will be there, polite and punctual as ever

Uzbekistan is an interesting one. The WC's first 'stan??

http://futbolgrad.com/uzbekistan-the-world-cups-first-stan/

I think that Uzbekistan will make it this time, but anything could happen.. As I said, from 26 March on, it will be easy to tell who's going to make it and who not.

In Group A I think South Korea and Uzbekistan will make it, Iran third place.
In Group B it's almost sure that Japan will end up first, with the second place and third place between Australia / Iraq

Indeed, Japan could qualify as soon as this month!

If Japan beats Jordan on March 26th, they are qualified. That's very likely we can say.

I'm looking forward to this qualifying round.

That's funny, because it's true

Looking at how Japan comfortably sit in top of their group, looks like it's safe to assume Japan will be the first to qualify.