Qualifying for the 2018 World Cup is nearing its conclusion.
Japan, Mexico, Belgium,
South Korea and Saudi Arabia have all added their names to the list of
qualified teams in this international break, but with 24 places still be
to decided there could yet be some surprising appearances from
countries you might not have been expecting to see at the finals next
summer.
Here's a look at seven unexpected nations still in with a chance of getting there...
7. Serbia (UEFA)
FIFA Ranking: 42nd
Formerly strong as a
part of Yugoslavia, Serbia have only been to one World Cup in their own
right since splitting with Montenegro in 2006, and that was in 2010.
After also failing to
reach any European Championship tournaments in that time, topping a
qualifying group containing Wales and Republic of Ireland, both of whom
impressively reached the knockout rounds at Euro 2016, and an Austrian
team who were fancied as Euro dark horses until wilting under pressure,
has come as something of a surprise.
Ranked lower by FIFA
than their three group rivals, there are just two games left to play and
only one more win now stands between the Serbs and automatic passage to
Russia - they are already guaranteed at least a playoff berth.
6. Peru (CONMEBOL)
FIFA Ranking: 15th
Not since the days of
cult legend Teofilo Cubillas wearing the iconic red sash have Peru been
to a World Cup. It is 37 years and counting since the country reached
three tournaments out of four between 1970 and 1982, but they have given
themselves an excellent chance for 2018.
With just two games of
the CONMEBOL section remaining, Argentina's failings have opened the
door for Peru, with the team rising into the fourth and final automatic
qualifying berth after impressive back-to-back wins over Bolivia and
Ecuador.
The floundering
Argentineans, who currently occupy the Intercontinental playoff spot in
fifth, failed to win either of their two games during this international
break and are set to host Peru in a crunch penultimate game that could
'decide' both countries' fate.
5. Uganda (CAF)
FIFA Ranking: 73rd
Uganda moved top of CAF
Group E after a win over desert powerhouse Egypt on 31st August, only to
relinquish that all-important first place back to their north African
rivals following a narrow defeat in the city of Alexandria on 5th
September.
Uganda have never been
to a World Cup before, while 2017 was their first Africa Cup of Nations
appearance since 1978. That ended early with a group stage exit after
the team failed to win any of their three games, yet World Cup
qualifying has so far been a different story.
Their chance will hinge
on Egypt dropping points in either of the final two games and also
winning their own fixtures. Uganda, only the 15th highest ranked team in
Africa, face Ghana at home next, while Egypt finish with Ghana away.
Both also have Congo to play.
4. Panama (CONCACAF)
FIFA Rankng: 61st
Panama didn't even enter
World Cup qualifying for the first time until the 1978 competition and
have never successfully reached the final tournament in 40 years of
trying, but that could soon come to an end if the central American
nation can hold on in the final stages of the CONCACAF qualifying
section.
With two games of the
final group stage left to play, Panama, ranked 61st in the world, occupy
the third of three automatic qualifying spots behind Mexico and Costa
Rica.
The United States are a
point back in the playoff berth after a disappointing campaign by their
standards, and Panama's chances will hinge on whether they can avoid
defeat to the Americans in Orlando in the next game. After that they
face a home clash against a Costa Rica side that will likely have
already secured an automatic place by that time.
3. Burkina Faso (CAF)
FIFA Ranking: 47th
Second and third place
finishes at Africa Cup of Nations tournaments in 2013 and 2017
respectively should perhaps suggest Burkina Faso qualifying from the CAF
section is not the most surprising outcome, but putting it altogether
in a World Cup campaign is never easy.
Burkina Faso have never
been to the World Cup before and currently top a tough final round group
that contains a strong but underperforming Senegal team.
With South Africa and
Cape Verde also in the very tight group, any of the four countries could
still finish top of the pile and land the golden ticket to Russia
depending on how the final two rounds of fixtures play out.
2. Cape Verde (CAF)
FIFA Ranking: 114th
If Burkina Faso have a
chance to take the qualifying spot from CAF Group D then so do island
minnows Cape Verde, who would be the lowest ranked team in Russia were
they to surprisingly make it to the final tournament next summer.
Despite back-to-back
defeats to begin the final qualifying round, Cape Verde are suddenly
back in contention after successive wins over South Africa in recent
days and are only off the top by virtue of Burkina Faso's superior goal
difference at this point.
Those two will play each
other in Ouagadougou on matchday six next month which could be a
'winner takes all' kind of contest if both countries are still in
contention at the top by then.
1. Syria (AFC)
FIFA Ranking: 80th
For all of Syria's well
documented troubles in recent years, it is remarkable that the national
team should be in with an actual chance of reaching their first ever
World Cup.
The war saw Syria
disqualified the team from the 2014 qualifying campaign, while they have
had to play home games in Malaysia this time around, the result of a
generous invitation, after facing being banned again because of the
ongoing conflict.
Having successfully
qualified from the second round as one of the four best runners-up,
Syria managed to snag third spot in Group A of the final round after a
dramatic late equaliser in the last game against Iran. That now puts
them into an October playoff against Australia for the right to contest
an Intercontinental tie against the fourth ranked team from CONCACAF.
As things stand, it could well be end up being against the United States if Syria get there.
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