Which teams will debut as first-timers in Brazil 2014?

The BigSoccer import has eaten the poll results, but I found them in a cache.
6.....11.54%.....AFC: Bahrain
16.....30.77%.....AFC: Uzbekistan
3.....5.77%.....CAF: Botswana
8.....15.38%.....CAF: Burkina Faso
6.....11.54%.....CAF: Gabon
6.....11.54%.....CAF: Guinea
0.....0.00%.....CAF: Libya
0.....0.00%.....CAF: Malawi
3.....5.77%.....CAF: Zambia
4.....7.69%.....CONCACAF: Guatemala
15.....28.85%.....CONCACAF: Panama
11.....21.15%.....CONMEBOL: Venezuela
4.....7.69%.....UEFA: Belarus
19.....36.54%.....UEFA: Bosnia-Herzegovina
14.....26.92%.....UEFA: Montenegro
4.....7.69%.....Other

(There were 52 voters.)

In Europe, I have to say Bosnia have a great chance - their draw is Greece, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Liechtenstein... I can see them topping that group.. it won't be easy, but it is very possible and plausible... Group E is another interesting one, Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland, Albania, Cyprus, Iceland... no real clear favorite there, but no real whipping boy either. The top three will be the expected to fight it out but could Albania, Cyprus, or even Iceland possible sneak it?

american samoa

Well, it looks good for a newcomer from Asia. There are 4.5 spots and only 4 teams still left that have qualified before (South Korea, Iran, Australia, and Japan). That means at the very least one of the possible new comers will get into the playoffs, although they only need to finish ahead of one of those teams to qualify outright.

Groups are:
South Korea, Iran, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Lebanon
Japan, Australia, Iraq, Jordan, Oman

Also CAF's schedule is ridiculous.

2 games in June 2012
1 game in March 2013
2 games in June 2013
1 game in September 2013

That is a long time in between matches and could make results unpredictable.

As if CAF's results weren't unpredictable enough already...

eygpt, estonia,montenegro, armenia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1934_FIFA_World_Cup

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1990_FIFA_World_Cup

To me, one of the strongest first timers may be Bosnia & Hercegovina. They've been near a couple of times now and would not be a shame in the tournament.

Another one that I believe in is Venezuela, which is a nation on the march. I would also say Belarus, but since they have France and Spain in their group in this upcoming qualification, I guess they have to wait until 2016 before they could qualify for a tournament.

After a horrible start in which they only took 2 points in their first three games, Uzbekistan have won back to back away matches vs. Qatar and more impressively now against Iran just this week to move to the top of their group. Anyhoo, the group looks like this:
Group A

Team

• v
  
• t
  
• e

PldWDLGFGAGDPts

Uzbekistan

5 2 2 1 5 4 +1 8

South Korea

4 2 1 1 9 4 +5 7

Iran

5 2 1 2 2 2 0 7

Qatar

5 2 1 2 3 5 −2 7

Lebanon

5 1 1 3 2 6 −4 4

Although it looks super tight there, Uzbekistan and S.Korea have the easier run in, with the Uzbeks playing @ home vs. Lebanon & Qatar while Qatar and Iran still have to play each other in Doha. So at this point, Uzbekistan are now looking like a good bet as a first time qualifier...

Montenegro top their group ahead of England, and Bosnia top an easy group on goal difference.

I had Bosnia down as a first time qualifier from the start and stand by that.. they are in first and got a good away draw vs. Greece, however Slovakia are not entirely out of it either so I think it will be those three battling it out, I think Bosnia will still get the top spot. Montenegro are top but I'd be surprised if they hold onto that spot and if it's a seeded draw in the playoffs, then Montenegro could get a tough playoff. Personally, I think teams should get an open playoff draw or seeded according to their records in these qualifiers, not by silly FIFA rankings or UEFA coefficients or crap like that...

venezuela will definitely qualify for brasil and panama has an outside chance on making it... jamaica also but they already been to a world up


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Definitely? I am not so certain, but they do have a good chance.

The 2006 World Cup saw eight nations make their debut at the tournament, some nations that had qualified in other guises but not independently (Czech Republic, Ukraine and Serbia + Montenegro), a quartet of African nations (Ghana, Togo, Ivory Coast and Angola) as well as Trinidad and Tobago.

In the 2010 World Cup there was only one however in Slovakia. Although Serbia did return now independent from Montenegro (but seen as the natural continuation of S + M). Seemingly the international game was reaching a point where everybody who could make it, had already done so - but this time out there are a whole host of countries potentially vying for their maiden bow.

Uzbekistan - currently top of their qualifying group with just 2 matches to play, their qualification chances are looking strong. Not a huge surprise to those who follow Asian football but maybe a shock qualifier to outsiders.

Jordan/Oman - both have an outside chance in the other AFC group if Australia slip up.

Bosnia and Herzegovina - currently top of Group G and looking likely to qualify having already played 2nd placed Greece home and away.

Montenegro - Top of a strong group H in their 2nd World Cup campaign since breaking from Serbia. Should at least secure a play off birth. Would be the smallest country by population if they were to qualify (620k, beating TnT in 2006).

Iceland - Currently joint 2nd in group E, a chance to at least make play-offs in a weak group. Would beat both TnT and Montenegro in terms of population (an astonishing 320k, smaller than recognised UEFA minnows like Malta and Luxembourg).

Albania - Level with Iceland in group E, they represent a similar chance of securing a play-off birth.

Ethiopia - top of Group A in CAF qualifying

Congo - top of Group E in CAF

Zambia - top of Group D in CAF

Mali/Libya/Liberia/Tanzania - all still in contention but outside chance with strong group rivals

Panama - the only potential debutant from CONCACAF, but they do currently top the Hexagonal at this early stage.

Venezuela - The only CONMEBOL team never to make a World Cup, currently in the qualifying positions and with a strong chance of making their bow.


So lots of interesting and varying nations there who could make their first WC, I think at the very least there will be more than there was in 2010. Who do you think could make it? who do you want to see qualify? have I missed any?

Also which countries do people think have the potential to make a World Cup in the future? It is remarkable the short space of time some countries can improve, so it is hard to write anybody off outside of the real minnows.

There is already a thread about this:
Which teams will debut as first-timers in Brazil 2014?

It's clear that Uzbekistan is going to debut as first-timer..

They top their qualifying group, 2 matches to go. 1 of them at home

"It's clear" is overstated, but it certainly seems likely. If Uzbekistan wins at home on the last match day versus Qatar (or at South Korea on the previous match day), Uzbekistan is mathematically guaranteed to qualify.

South Korea and Iran do have a game in hand, though, so Uzbekistan probably does need to win one of its final two matches.

Meanwhile, my pick, Bahrain, didn't even make the fourth round of AFC qualifying!

No it is really not that clear at all. Neither of their last two games are guaranteed wins... South Korea in Seoul is not a clear win and even Qatar at home may not be as easy as it looks. And Iran have a game in hand, should they win in Doha, and then at home against Lebanon, then a draw in Seoul could be enough to see both Iran and South Korea through.

Anyhoo, this little round of qualifiers has been good for FTQs (first time qualifiers):

AFC - we now have two FTQs in the qualifying spots of both groups. Uzbekistan made hard work of it but finally got a 1-0 win against Lebanon. They did not however improve their goal differential which could prove vital should Iran win in Doha. Uzbekistan do have their fate in their own hands though and will definitely go through should they get 4 points from their last two qualifiers vs. Korea in Seoul, and then Qatar at home. They could still qualify with less points should results elsewhere go their way. In what looked to be a straightforward group for Japan and Australia, the big two both suffered surprise setbacks. Jordan got a shock 2-1 victory over Japan and are now in second place, while Australia missed the chance to climb above them with a 2-2 home draw vs Oman. Australia still have their fate in their own hands and should still be favorites to qualify with two home games left but they will need to up their ante to avoid the shock of either Iraq, Jordan (FTQ) or Oman (FTQ) finishing ahead of them in what is a super tight group.

CONCACAF - It's still early days in what is a super tight hexagonal, but FTQ Panama are at the top of the table after getting a draw in Jamaica and win vs. Honduras. Panama's next two games are against the heavyweights Mexico and USA, but so far they look a good shot to become an FTQ, maybe if it's via a playoff with New Zealand.

CONMEBOL - FTQ Venezuela got an important win vs. high flying Colombia after being soundly, but understandably beaten in Argentina. Venezuela are currently in the playoff 5th spot but could aim higher with 3 of their last 5 games at home... could we see a FTQ playoff between Venezuela and Uzbekistan?

UEFA - Bosnia & Herzegovina got a HUGE 3-1 win vs. their biggest group rival Greece and at the halfway stage are sitting pretty at the top of the group with an enormous goal difference advantage and look the best bet to be a FTQ from UEFA. Montenegro currently have a 2 point lead after getting a draw vs. England in their group but still have to go to Wembley, but a playoff place looks almost a certainty, and they could even qualify directly if they can equal England's results... but that's a big if... and in Group E Iceland and Albania are just 2 points behind 1st placed Switzerland after the Swiss could only get a draw in Cyprus. One of those two FTQs has a great chance of making the playoffs and could even challenge for direct qualification if the can get something out of the game vs. Switzerland.

CAF - It's really difficult to call this confederation as all group winners go into a playoff.. but Congo sit at the top of their group and should progress to the final round. Zambia and Ethiopia are also at the top of their groups and have a good chance of making the playoffs.

OFC - sorry but NZ ended any chances of a FTQ coming from this confederation...

Sorry, @glennaldo_sf is right, I don't know what I was thinking. Uzbekistan needs four points in its last two games to clinch qualification.

Iraq qualified in 1986; there are 5 teams who have qualified previously out of the 10.

Outside chance?! heck no!

Panama is going to the World Cup!

Is going?
Things look good but they still can fizzle out. That is why they play the games.

It's even too early to say "things look good". Sure they are in 1st place, but only 1 point ahead of 4th.

Mathematically that's true, but realistically a home win against Qatar should be enough. I bet even 1 more point will still give them >50% chance.

Hi, since i can not post a thread i decided to ask here, i am wondering what people around the world think of Costa Ricas protest of their loss to the us in the snow. thanks!