2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
The 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification process was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations to decide 31 of the 32 teams which would play in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, with Russia qualifying automatically as hosts. All 210 ...
was played from 7 to 17 October 2015.
Format
A total of 26 teams (teams ranked 28–53 in the CAF entrant list) played home-and-away over two legs. The 13 winners advanced to the second round.
Seeding
The draw for the first round was held as part of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Preliminary Draw on 25 July 2015, starting 18:00 MSK (
UTC+3
UTC+03:00 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +03:00. In areas using this time offset, the time is three hours later than the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
Following the ISO 8601 standard, a time with this offset would be wri ...
), at the Konstantinovsky Palace in
Strelna
Strelna ( rus, Стре́льна, p=ˈstrʲelʲnə) is a municipal settlement in Petrodvortsovy District of the federal city of Saint Petersburg, Russia, about halfway between Saint Petersburg proper and Petergof, and overlooking the shore o ...
,
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
, Russia.
The seeding was based on the
FIFA World Rankings
The FIFA Men's World Ranking is a ranking system for men's national teams in association football, led by Brazil . The teams of the men's member nations of FIFA, football's world governing body, are ranked based on their game results with the ...
of July 2015 (shown in parentheses). The 26 teams are seeded into two pots:
*Pot 4 contained the teams ranked 1–13 (i.e., 28–40 in the CAF entrant list).
*Pot 5 contained the teams ranked 14–26 (i.e., 41–53 in the CAF entrant list).
Each tie contained a team from Pot 4 and a team from Pot 5, with the team from Pot 4 hosting the second leg.
Note: Bolded teams qualified for the second round.
Matches
Niger
)
, official_languages =
, languages_type = National languagessecond round against
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
Tunisia
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, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
.
----
Namibia
Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...
won 3–2 on aggregate and advanced to the second round against Guinea.
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Ethiopia
Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
.
----
Botswana
Botswana (, ), officially the Republic of Botswana ( tn, Lefatshe la Botswana, label= Setswana, ), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with approximately 70 percent of its territory being the Kalaha ...
won 5–1 on aggregate and advanced to the second round against
Mali
Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mal ...
Madagascar
Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
won 5–2 on aggregate and advanced to the second round against
Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...
won 2–1 on aggregate and advanced to the second round against
There were 68 goals scored in 26 matches, for an average of goals per match.
;4 goals
*
William Jebor
William Jebor (born 10 November 1991) is a Liberian professional footballer who plays as a striker for the Liberia national team, for which he serves as captain.
He is the second Liberian to be an Africa Footballer of the Year nominee, after ...
*
Moussa Maâzou
Ouwo Moussa Maâzou (born 25 August 1988) commonly known as Moussa Maâzou, is a Nigerien professional footballer who plays as a striker for French amateur club FC Bassin Piennois.
Career
Maazou began his senior career as a player with Niger's ...
;3 goals
*
Fiston Abdul Razak
Fiston Abdul Razak (born 5 September 1993) is a Burundian footballer who currently plays for Olympique de Khouribga and the Burundi national team as a striker.
Club career
Before join JS Kabylie, he played successively for LLB Académic ...
Joel Mogorosi
Joel Mogorosi (born August 2, 1984) is a Motswana footballer who currently plays as a striker for Botswana Premier League side Gaborone United and the Botswana national team. He is noted for his fast play and quick feet. Mogorosi scored his fi ...
*
Mogakolodi Ngele
Mogakolodi Ngele (born 6 October 1990 in Gaborone) is a Botswana footballer who currently plays for South African club Chippa United and the Botswana national football team as a midfielder. He joined Bidvest Wits from Mamelodi Sundowns. He was a ...
Johanna Omolo
Johanna Ochieng Omolo (born 31 July 1989) is a Kenyan professional footballer who plays for the Belgian club Oostende as a defensive midfielder.
Club career
Born in Nairobi, Omolo has played club football in Kenya, Belgium and Luxembourg for Co ...
Willy Stephanus
Willy Patrick Stephanus (born 26 June 1991) is a Namibian professional footballer who plays as a winger for South African club African Stars and the Namibia national team. He has played for AC Kajaani in Finland.
International career
Interna ...
*
Mahamane Cissé
Mahamane Cissé (born 27 December 1993) is a professional association football, footballer who plays for FC Nouadhibou. Born in Mali, he represents the Niger national football team, Niger national team.
International
Cissé was born in Mali to a ...
;1 goal
*
Galabgwe Moyana
Galabgwe Moyana (born 24 May 1990) is a Botswana international footballer who plays for Township Rollers, as a left winger.
Career
Born in Gaborone, Moyana has played club football for Notwane, Mochudi Centre Chiefs, Polokwane City and Townshi ...
Dawit Fekadu
Dawit Fekadu ( Amharic:ዳዊት ፍቃዱ) is an Ethiopian professional footballer, who plays as a forward for Welwalo Adigrat University F.C. in the Ethiopian Premier League. He formerly played with Dedebit F.C.
International career
In Janu ...
Michael Olunga
Michael Olunga Ogada (born 26 March 1994) is a Kenyan professional footballer who plays as a striker for Qatari club Al-Duhail and captains the Kenya national team.
Club career
Early career and Gor Mahia
While still a student at the Upper ...
Njiva Rakotoharimalala
Njiva Tsilavina Martin Rakotoharimalala (born 6 August 1992) is a Malagasy football winger who plays for Thai club Ratchaburi.
Club career
A FOX Sports Asia article listed him as one of the top five players in matchday 13 of the Thai League 1 ...
Jonathan Bru
Jonathan Bru (born 2 May 1985) is a former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. Born in France, he represented France at youth international level before playing for the Mauritius national team. He works as head coach of ...
*
Andy Sophie
Andy Sophie (born 26 June 1987) is a Mauritian football player who currently plays for SS Saint-Louisienne in the Réunion Premier League and for the Mauritius national football team
The Mauritius national football team (french: Équipe ...
Tony Tsabedze
Tony Thulani "TT" Tsabedze (born 29 October 1984) is a Liswati footballer who plays as a midfielder for Mbabane Swallows and the Eswatini national football team.
Career
Tsabedze played domestically for Mhlambanyatsi Rovers before playing prof ...
*
Mbwana Samatta
Mbwana Ally Samatta (born 23 December 1992) is a Tanzanian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Belgian Pro League club Genk, on loan from Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe, and captains the Tanzania national team.
Samatta began hi ...