2018년 FIFA 월드컵 예선

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**2018년 FIFA 월드컵 예선**은 2016년 9월 12일부터 2018년 2월 15일까지 열렸다. 총 212개 팀이 참가를 신청했는데, 개최국 콜롬비아가 개최국 자격으로 자동 진출하여 31장의 진출권을 놓고 예선을 치렀다.

지난 대회와 마찬가지로 지난 대회 우승 팀인 브라질은 자동 진출권 없이 유럽 지역 예선에 참가하게 되었으며 오직 개최국인 콜롬비아만이 자동 진출권을 갖게 되었다.

## 월드컵 본선 참가팀 배분

2018년 FIFA 월드컵에 출전하게 될 31개의 티켓 배분은 다음과 같이 이루어졌다.

## Format

The formats of the qualifying competitions depend on each confederation *(see below)*. Each round may be played in either of the following formats:

* League format, where more than two teams form groups to play home-and-away round-robin matches, or in exceptions permitted by the FIFA Organizing Committee, single round-robin matches hosted by one of the participating teams or on neutral territory.
* Knockout format, where two teams play home-and-away two-legged matches.

### Tiebreakers

In home-and-away league format, the ranking of teams in each group is based on the following criteria (regulations Articles 20.6 and 20.7):

1. Points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss)
2. Goal difference
3. Goals scored
4. Points in matches between tied teams
5. Goal difference in matches between tied teams
6. Goals scored in matches between tied teams
7. Away goals scored in matches between tied teams (if the tie is only between two teams)
8. Play-off match(es) on neutral ground (if approved by FIFA Organizing Committee), with extra time and penalty shoot-out if necessary

If the group is played as a single round-robin hosted by one of the participating teams or on neutral territory, only the first three criteria above are applied. Afterwards, drawing of lots is used to determine the ranking (regulations Article 20.8).

In cases where teams finishing in the same position across different groups are compared for determining which teams advance to the next stage, the criteria is decided by the confederation and require the approval of FIFA (regulations Article 20.9).

In knockout format, the team that has the higher aggregate score over the two legs progresses to the next round. In the event that aggregate scores finish level, the[away goals rule is applied, i.e. the team that scored more goals away from home over the two legs progresses. If away goals are also equal, then thirty minutes of extra time are played, divided into two fifteen-minutes halves. The away goals rule is again applied after extra time, i.e. if there are goals scored during extra time and the aggregate score is still level, the visiting team qualifies by virtue of more away goals scored. If no goals are scored during extra time, the tie is decided by penalty shoot-out (regulations Article 20.10).

## Confederation qualification

### AFC

*Main article: [FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)|2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)]*
The AFC Executive Committee meeting on 16 April 2014 approved the proposal to merge the preliminary qualification rounds of the FIFA World Cup and the [Asian Cup|AFC Asian Cup], which will be expanded to 24 teams starting in [AFC Asian Cup|2019]:

* **First round**: A total of 12 teams (teams ranked 35–46) played home-and-away over two legs. The six winners advanced to the second round.
* **Second round**: A total of 40 teams (teams ranked 1–34 and six first round winners) were divided into eight groups of five teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The eight group winners and the four best group runners-up will advance to the third round of FIFA World Cup qualification as well as qualify for the [AFC Asian Cup|2019 AFC Asian Cup] finals.
* **Third round**: The 12 teams (an increase from 10 for [FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)|2014]) which advance from the second round will be divided into two groups of six teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The top two teams of each group will qualify for the [FIFA World Cup|2018 FIFA World Cup], and the two third-placed teams will advance to the fourth round.
* **Fourth round**: The two third-placed teams of each group from the third round will play home-and-away over two legs. The winner will advance to the [FIFA World Cup qualification (inter-confederation play-offs)|inter-confederation play-offs], playing the fourth-placed CONCACAF team.

A total of 24 teams eliminated from World Cup qualification in the second round will compete in the [AFC Asian Cup qualification#Third round|third round of 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification] (which will be separate from the third round of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification), where they will be divided into six groups of four teams and compete for the remaining slots of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. The 24 teams will consist of the 16 highest ranked teams eliminated in the second round, and the eight teams that advance from the [AFC Asian Cup qualification#Play-off round|play-off round of 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification] which are contested by the remaining 12 teams eliminated in the second round.

#### Current stage (third round)

*Main article: [FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC Third Round|2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC Third Round]*
The draw for the third round was held on 12 April 2016 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

**[FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC Third Round#Group A|Group A]**

**[FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC Third Round#Group B|Group B]**

### CAF

*Main article: [FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)|2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)]*
The CAF Executive Committee approved the format for the qualifiers of the 2018 FIFA World Cup on 14 January 2015. However, on 9 July 2015 FIFA officially announced that only three rounds will be played instead of four.

* **First round**: A total of 26 teams (teams ranked 28–53) played home-and-away over two legs. The 13 winners advanced to the [FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Second Round|second round].
* **Second round**: A total of 40 teams (teams ranked 1–27 and 13 first round winners) played home-and-away over two legs. The 20 winners advanced to the [FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Third Round|third round].
* **Third round**: The 20 teams which advance from the second round will be divided into five groups of four teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The winners of each group will qualify for the [FIFA World Cup|2018 FIFA World Cup].

[national football team|Zimbabwe], even though they entered the competition, were expelled on 12 March 2015 for their failure to pay former coach [Claudinei|José Claudinei] a severance fee. Therefore, only 53 African teams were involved in the draw.

#### Current stage (third round)

*Main article: [FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Third Round|2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Third Round]*
**[FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Third Round#Group A|Group A]**

**[FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Third Round#Group B|Group B]**

**[FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Third Round#Group C|Group C]**

**[FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Third Round#Group D|Group D]**

**[FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Third Round#Group E|Group E]**

### CONCACAF

*Main article: [FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)|2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)]*
An amendment to the qualification process for this tournament had been suggested, which would see the first three rounds played as knockout rounds, with both the fourth round and the final round (referred to as 'The Hex') played as group stages. The first round would be played during the FIFA international dates of 23–31 March 2015. CONCACAF announced the full details on 12 January 2015:

* **First round**: A total of 14 teams (teams ranked 22–35) played home-and-away over two legs. The seven winners advanced to the second round.
* **Second round**: A total of 20 teams (teams ranked 9–21 and seven first round winners) played home-and-away over two legs. The ten winners advanced to the third round.
* **Third round**: A total of 12 teams (teams ranked 7–8 and ten second round winners) played home-and-away over two legs. The six winners advanced to the fourth round.
* **Fourth round**: A total of 12 teams (teams ranked 1–6 and six third round winners) will be divided into three groups of four teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The top two teams of each group will advance to the fifth round.
* **Fifth round**: The six teams which advance from the fourth round will play home-and-away round-robin matches in one single group. The top three teams will qualify for the [FIFA World Cup|2018 FIFA World Cup], and the fourth-placed team will advance to the [FIFA World Cup qualification (inter-confederation play-offs)|inter-confederation play-offs], playing the winner of the Asian Football Confederation play-off.

#### Current stage (fifth round)

*Main article: [FIFA World Cup qualification – CONCACAF Fifth Round|2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – CONCACAF Fifth Round]*
The draw for the fifth round (to decide the fixtures) was held on 8 July 2016 at the CONCACAF headquarters in Miami Beach, [States|United States].

### CONMEBOL

*Main article: [FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)|2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)]*
The qualification structure is the same as the previous five editions. The ten teams will play in a league of home-and-away round-robin matches. The top four teams will qualify for the [FIFA World Cup|2018 FIFA World Cup], and the fifth-placed team will advance to the [FIFA World Cup qualification (inter-confederation play-offs)|inter-confederation play-offs], playing the winner of the Oceania Football Confederation qualifying competition.

Unlike previous qualifying tournaments where the fixtures were pre-determined, the fixtures were decided by a draw held on 25 July 2015, at the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

### OFC

*Main article: [FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)|2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)]*
The qualification structure is as follows:

* **Third round**: The six teams which advance from the second round will be divided into two groups of three teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The two group winners will meet in a two-legged match with the winner advancing to the [FIFA World Cup qualification (inter-confederation play-offs)|inter-confederation play-offs], playing the fifth-placed South American team.

The OFC have considered different proposals of the qualifying tournament. A previous proposal adopted by the OFC in October 2014 have the eight teams divided into two groups of four teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches in the second round, followed by the top two teams of each group advancing to the third round to play in a single group of home-and-away round-robin matches to decide the winner of the 2016 OFC Nations Cup which will qualify to the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and advance to the inter-confederation play-offs. However, it was later reported in April 2015 that the OFC had reversed its decision, and the 2016 OFC Nations Cup will be played as a one-off tournament similar to the [OFC Nations Cup|2012 OFC Nations Cup].

#### Most recent stage (second round)

*Main article: [OFC Nations Cup|2016 OFC Nations Cup]*
**[OFC Nations Cup#Group A|Group A]**

**[OFC Nations Cup#Group B|Group B]**

#### Next stage (third round)

*Main article: [FIFA World Cup qualification – OFC Third Round|2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – OFC Third Round]*
**[FIFA World Cup qualification – OFC Third Round#Group A|Group A]**

**[FIFA World Cup qualification – OFC Third Round#Group B|Group B]**

**[FIFA World Cup qualification – OFC Third Round#Final|Final]**

### UEFA

*Main article: [FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)|2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)]*
Russia have qualified automatically as hosts. The qualifying format for the remaining FIFA-affiliated UEFA teams was confirmed by the UEFA Executive Committee meeting on 22–23 March 2015 in Vienna. The draw for the UEFA zone took place on 25 July 2015 in St. Petersburg.

* **First round (group stage)**: The 52 UEFA teams affiliated with FIFA at the time of the draw were divided into nine groups (seven groups of six teams and two groups of five teams) to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The winners of each group will qualify for the [FIFA World Cup|2018 FIFA World Cup], and the eight best runners-up will advance to the second round (play-offs).
* **Second round (play-offs)**: The eight best runners-up from the first round will play home-and-away over two legs. The four winners will qualify for the [FIFA World Cup|2018 FIFA World Cup].

With the admission of [national football team|Gibraltar] and [national football team|Kosovo] as FIFA members in May 2016, both national teams were eligible to make their debuts in World Cup qualifying. With two groups of only five teams in the first round, Kosovo was assigned to group I as it was decided that Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia should not play against Kosovo for security reasons, and Gibraltar was then added to group H.

#### Current stage (first round)

The draw for the first round was held on 25 July 2015, at the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna, Saint Petersburg, Russia.틀:Legend4틀:Legend4

Ranking of runners-up

## Inter-confederation play-offs

*Main article: [FIFA World Cup qualification (inter-confederation play-offs)|2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (inter-confederation play-offs)]*
The first legs were played on 10 and 11 November 2017, and the second legs will be played on 15 November 2017.

The matchups were decided at the preliminary draw which was held on 25 July 2015, at the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

### CONCACAF v AFC

*Main article: [FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF–AFC play-off)|2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF–AFC play-off)]*

### OFC v CONMEBOL

*Main article: [FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC–CONMEBOL play-off)|2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC–CONMEBOL play-off)]*

## Top goalscorers

*Updated as of all matches played on 6 September 2016*
Note: Players in **bold** are still active in the competition.

14 goals
* 틀:Flagicon **[Al-Sahlawi|Mohammad Al-Sahlawi]**

13 goals
* 틀:Flagicon **[Khalil|Ahmed Khalil]**

9 goals
* 틀:Flagicon **[Cahill|Tim Cahill]**
* 틀:Flagicon [Ruiz (Guatemalan footballer)|Carlos Ruiz]

8 goals
* 틀:Flagicon **[Xu|Yang Xu]**

7 goals
* 틀:Flagicon **[Azmoun|Sardar Azmoun]**
* 틀:Flagicon **[Honda|Keisuke Honda]**
* 틀:Flagicon **[Khribin|Omar Khribin]**

6 goals
* 틀:Flagicon **[Dabao|Yu Dabao]**
* 틀:Flagicon [Al-Dardour|Hamza Al-Dardour]
* 틀:Flagicon **[Heung-min|Son Heung-min]**
* 틀:Flagicon [Dzhalilov|Manuchekhr Dzhalilov]
* 틀:Flagicon **[Altidore|Jozy Altidore]**

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틀:2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Runners-up table

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