How to Follow FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

In the FIFA World Cup, 32 of the world's best soccer teams compete for the trophy that says they are the best team in the world. The first game of the World Cup is at the end of a long road: the World Cup Qualifiers. Teams must compete for a place to represent one of the six zones. Each zone has its own tournament that is like a mini world cup.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Find out which zones your favorite teams compete in. The zones are organized by region: Oceania, Africa, Asia, Europe, South America and North America, which includes Central America and the Caribbean. FIFA allots places in the World Cup to each zone in advance. Then each zone designs a tournament that identifies the teams that advance.
2. Follow the qualifiers in the zones that interest you. If you need regular doses of international soccer action, follow them all. Thankfully they are spread throughout the 3 years before the World Cup.
3. Watch the intercontinental matches. Some regions are given half-places in the tournament. This means that the two teams that earn the half-slot must compete to play in the World Cup.
4. Tune in for the Confederations Cup, which occurs the year before the World Cup. This event concludes the qualifiers by pitting the winners of the six regional tournaments against the host nation and the champion of the previous World Cup.

Tips & Warnings

• The only team guaranteed a place in the World Cup is the host country. Before the 1990s, FIFA did not require the reigning champion to qualify.