2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) — international football competition
AFC member nations competed for 4.5 slots in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, with early rounds also serving as 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.
Key Facts
- Total slots available
- 4.5 (4 direct + 1 play-off)
- Host confederation
- Asian Football Confederation (AFC)
- World Cup host country
- Russia
- AFC Executive Committee approval
- 16 April 2014
- Dual-purpose rounds
- First two rounds also qualified for 2019 AFC Asian Cup
- 2019 AFC Asian Cup host
- United Arab Emirates (expanded to 24 teams)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The AFC Executive Committee approved on 16 April 2014 a proposal to merge preliminary qualification rounds for the FIFA World Cup and the AFC Asian Cup, which was expanding to 24 teams for its 2019 edition. This decision streamlined the qualification process for AFC member nations competing in both tournaments.
AFC member nations participated in the Asian section of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification, competing for 4.5 spots in the final tournament held in Russia. The competition was structured so that the first two rounds simultaneously served as qualifiers for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
Four AFC nations secured direct berths at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, while one additional AFC team entered an inter-confederation play-off for a further potential spot. The merged qualification format also determined which teams would participate in the expanded 24-team 2019 AFC Asian Cup in the UAE.