Whether they’re a means to an end – in England’s case, a World Cup quarter-final eluded since 1966 – or simply the beginning of a longer journey, international qualifiers are rarely a source of raw excitement. That said, they can be very important – and in the case of European nations competing in UEFA competitions, almost every team takes part.
Since qualifying for Euro 2004, for example, England have played 108 qualifiers, winning 84 and losing only six. That gives them a win percentage of 81% and an aggregate score of 292 goals scored, against 51 conceded.
The race for the 35 spots at next summer’s World Cup is well under way with many of the world’s top teams already in action. The biggest competition is in Europe, where qualifiers for the 2022 tournament began on March 21, with Spain, France and Germany among the heavyweights yet to begin their campaigns.
CONCACAF is up next, with the co-hosts atop their groups and the rest of the 12 teams split into three more groups. Each of those will play a round-robin through November, with the group winners automatically qualifying and the best runners-up entering intercontinental playoffs. In Asia, two of the eight direct World Cup spots are available in a fourth-round of qualifying which begins on October 8, with the best two runners-up from each group progressing to a one-legged tie that will decide the continent’s representation at the intercontinental playoffs.