5 big teams who could fail to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup

World Cup winners, finalists and regulars in years past may not be there in Russia next year

With a little over nine months left before the 2018 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Russia, only a handful of qualifiers remain to decide the final 32 teams. Apart from the hosts, a total of seven teams have now confirmed qualification, with some sealing their spot in the recently concluded international break.

Brazil, Belgium and Mexico are the sole representatives from their confederation so far while Asia sees four teams - Iran, Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia - progressing to the World Cup finals. All these teams have taken part in a World Cup before.

However, the qualification process has thrown up a few surprising results which now sees some big teams (including World Cup winners of years past) now nervously waiting for the final round of fixtures.

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1) Netherlands

Netherlands' fate is no longer in their own hands

It's hard to imagine that a country that are three-time finalists and the birthplace of Total Football could miss out on the quadrennial competition. In 2010 they finished runners-up to Spain. In 2014 they finished third.

In 2018 they could be watching it all unfold in Russia from the comfort of their living room.

Qualifying from a UEFA group is no easy task. But Netherlands have made it so with some uninspiring football (and results) in the qualification process.

The Dutch currently occupy third place in Group A with two more games to go. That is a position they will not want to be in after the 10th and final game as only the top two stand a chance of qualifying.

The group topper qualifies directly for the World Cup group stages while the second-placed team will have to advance to a second round of two-legged playoffs.

UEFA Group A table - 2018 World Cup qualfiers

Whorl do they play next?

Netherlands' last two games are against Belarus (away) and Sweden (home). The final game could be a virtual semi-final to see who goes through along with France.

The superior French side already have one foot in the World Cup and are scheduled to play Bulgaria and Belarus. Sweden play Luxembourg (whose record suggests the Scandinavian side could also seal qualification thanks to a superior goal difference.

The Dutch must rely on other results going their way while winning their remaining games if they are to qualify. And only the eight best runners-up from the nine groups qualify so even second place may not be enough

2) United States of America

Can USA avoid a tough playoff to qualify?

Mexico are the only team from CONCACAF that has qualified for the World Cup so far. With two games to go, they are top of the table with 18 points. Costa Rica are second with 15 while Panama are third with 10 points.

Only the top three teams qualify directly for the World Cup from the CONCACAF region which includes countries in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

The United States are currently in fourth place with 9 points. Fourth place is only good enough for an Inter-Confederation Playoff against an Asian team.

The only issue is that Honduras also have 9 points with an identical record. They lie in fifth place only because of an inferior Goal Difference.

CONCACAF table - 2018 World Cup qualfiers

Who do they play next?

USA's last two games are against Panama (away) and Trinidad & Tobago (home). The reverse fixtures saw Panama draw 1-1 while USA had beaten Trinidad & Tobago 2-0 (remember Christian Pulisic's brace?).

But Bruce Arena's side will be confident as Honduras have a tougher schedule. Their last two games are against the group toppers - Costa Rica and Mexico.

USA have qualified for every World Cup since 1990 and reached the knockout stages four times since then. Will they qualify for the group stages next year, thoughtfully?.

3) Chile

Chile are in dire straits in the World cup qualifiers

Could we see a World Cup without the reigning two-time South American champions? It looks highly likely.

Chile won both the 2015 Copa America (at home) and the special 2016 Copa America Centenario, beating Argentina on both occasions. It was a grand success and the trophies only proved that Chile had finally arrived - at least on the continental stage.However, their World Cup qualification process could have gone a lot better. Since South America does not have as many countries as the rest of the major confederations, they all play each other twice to determine who progresses.

The top four teams in CONMEBOL (Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol or South American Football Confederation) qualify directly for the World Cup. The fifth-placed team goes into an Inter-Confederation Playoff with the winner of the Oceania Football Confederation (New Zealand).

Unfortunately, Chile find themselves in sixth place at the moment with two games to go.

CONMEBOL table - 2018 FIFA World Cup qualfiers

Who do they play next?

Chile's last two games are against Ecuador (home) and - wait for it - Brazil (away). The last thing La Roja would have wanted was a do-or-die game against the Selecao.

Not only do they have to win both their games, they have to hope that other teams such as Uruguay, Colombia, Peru or Argentina drop points in their fixtures.

The last two losses against Paraguay (0-3 at home) and Bolivia (0-1 away) may have sealed the South American champions' fate

4) Wales

Even second place in the group may not be enough for Wales

By the looks of it, UEFA's Group D doesn't exactly have any European heavyweights. But that has actually made the group a lot more competitive.

The sheer number of draws may actually prove to be this group's downfall. One might think that Wales could actually still qualify for the playoffs because they are in second place but it will not be easy for the Euro 2016 semi-finalists.Wales' current points tally and Goal Difference do not work in their favour to qualify as one of the best second-placed teams. Of the nine groups, Wales are the worst second-placed team at the moment with just 14 points.

Bosnia & Herzegovina (Group H) are also on 14 points but they have a superior Goal Difference. The rest of the teams have anywhere between 16 and 21 points.

UEFA Group D table - 2018 World Cup qualfiers

Who do they play next?

Wales' last two games are against Georgia (away) and Republic of Ireland (home). Again, the final game could be a virtual semi-final since Ireland play Moldova before the final game in Cardiff.

Georgia had also come away from Cardiff with a draw in the reverse fixture. They may not have won any games but they are no pushovers with five draws in the eight games they have played so far.

To qualify, the Dragons must win their remaining games by a convincing margin and also hope that other results go their way. Things will be clearer in all groups after the penultimate game is done and dusted..

5) Argentina

Can Argentina squeeze their way through to the World cup?

Just like Chile, Argentina are also in all sorts of trouble. But they might just scrape through to the World Cup if they play their cards right.

Trying to imagine a World Cup without the 2014 finalists and two-time champions is almost unheard of. A World cup without Lionel Messi would prove to be disastrous not only for the billions of fans but also the sponsors.

As things stand, La Albiceleste are in fifth place. That's not good enough to qualify for the group stages directly but it will allow them to play in an Inter-Confederation Playoff with a team from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) - which is New Zealand.

Argentina have been abysmal in the qualifiers. The absence of Messi in a number of games has seen their goals dry up and that is why Peru are in fourth place in spite of having the same points and Goal Difference.

Peru have scored 26 goals so far while Argentina have only scored 16. The number of draws have not helped their cause either.

CONMEBOL table - 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers

Who do they play next?

Argentina's last two games are against Peru (home) and Ecuador (away). While that is certainly a lot better than what sixth-placed Chile have to go through, the team (now led by Jorge Sampaoli) lost 2-0 to Ecuador and drew 2-2 with Peru in the reverse fixtures.

One thing that must be noted, though, is that Messi did not play in both those games. Sampaoli will be hoping that the country's talisman will be fit and available for both the fixtures in October.