<P> The 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification process will decide 31 of the 32 teams which will play in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, with Russia qualifying automatically as hosts . All 210 remaining FIFA member associations were eligible to enter the qualifying process, and for the first time in World Cup history, all eligible national teams registered for the preliminary competition, but Zimbabwe and Indonesia were disqualified before playing their first matches . Bhutan, South Sudan, Gibraltar and Kosovo made their FIFA World Cup qualification debuts . </P> <P> While the main qualifying draw took place at the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna, Saint Petersburg, on 25 July 2015, a number of qualification matches were played before that . The first began in Dili, Timor Leste, on 12 March 2015 as part of the AFC's qualification, with East Timorese player Chiquito do Carmo scoring the first goal of qualification . Matches were also played in CONCACAF prior to the main draw . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Team </Th> <Th> Method of qualification </Th> <Th> Date of qualification </Th> <Th> Finals appearance </Th> <Th> Last appearance </Th> <Th> Consecutive finals appearances </Th> <Th> Previous best performance </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Russia </Td> <Td> Hosts </Td> <Td> 01 2 December 2010 </Td> <Td> 11th </Td> <Td> 2014 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Fourth place (1966) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Brazil </Td> <Td> CONMEBOL Round Robin winners </Td> <Td> 02 28 March 2017 </Td> <Td> 21st </Td> <Td> 2014 </Td> <Td> 21 </Td> <Td> Winners (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Iran </Td> <Td> AFC Third Round Group A winners </Td> <Td> 03 12 June 2017 </Td> <Td> 5th </Td> <Td> 2014 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Group stage (1978, 1998, 2006, 2014) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Japan </Td> <Td> AFC Third Round Group B winners </Td> <Td> 04 31 August 2017 </Td> <Td> 6th </Td> <Td> 2014 </Td> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> Round of 16 (2002, 2010) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Mexico </Td> <Td> CONCACAF Fifth Round top 3 </Td> <Td> 05 1 September 2017 </Td> <Td> 16th </Td> <Td> 2014 </Td> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> Quarter - finals (1970, 1986) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Belgium </Td> <Td> UEFA Group H winners </Td> <Td> 06 3 September 2017 </Td> <Td> 13th </Td> <Td> 2014 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Fourth place (1986) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> South Korea </Td> <Td> AFC Third Round Group A runners - up </Td> <Td> 07 5 September 2017 </Td> <Td> 10th </Td> <Td> 2014 </Td> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td> Fourth place (2002) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Saudi Arabia </Td> <Td> AFC Third Round Group B runners - up </Td> <Td> 08 5 September 2017 </Td> <Td> 5th </Td> <Td> 2006 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Round of 16 (1994) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Team </Th> <Th> Method of qualification </Th> <Th> Date of qualification </Th> <Th> Finals appearance </Th> <Th> Last appearance </Th> <Th> Consecutive finals appearances </Th> <Th> Previous best performance </Th> </Tr>

Teams who have qualified for the world cup