World Cup qualifiers: 23 teams confirmed for Russia 2018
The final round of World Cup qualifying is taking place, and 22 countries are already assured of their places alongside hosts Russia at next summer's 32-team tournament.
Five-time winners Brazil are there, as are defending champions Germany, plus Argentina, Belgium, Colombia, Costa Rica, England, Egypt, France, Iceland, Iran, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, South Korea, Spain and Uruguay.
So how did they get there? Who will be their star performers? And who are the coaches who masterminded their qualification?
BBC Sport finds out more...
EUROPE
Russia (hosts)
Pedigree: Stanislav Cherchesov's side will be the fourth Russia team to play at a World Cup - they first appeared at USA '94 - although the Soviet Union had finished fourth in 1966.
Key player: Veteran goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev has won more than 100 caps and his experience could be vital. The 31-year-old, who has spent his entire career at CSKA Moscow, is likely to captain the hosts.
Belgium
Pedigree: Having failed to qualify for the previous two tournaments, Belgium reached the quarter-finals at Brazil 2014, losing to eventual runners-up Argentina. The Red Devils' best finish was fourth in 1986.
Key player: Eden Hazard. The twinkle-toed Chelsea forward unlocks defences with his rapid change of pace, close control and eye for a pass. He also wears the captain's armband for Roberto Martinez's side.
England
Pedigree: Since their solitary World Cup success in 1966, England have reached the semi-finals only once - in 1990, when they finished fourth. Four years ago, the Three Lions were knocked out in the group stage. That was the first time since 1958 they failed to get out of their group, and the only time they have been eliminated after just two matches.
Key player: With 13 goals for club and country in September, Harry Kane is one of the world's most in-form strikers. His 27 goals in 2017 puts him only nine behind Lionel Messi.
France
Pedigree: France won the World Cup when they hosted the tournament in 1998 and also reached the final eight years later, losing on penalties to Italy. They reached the quarter-finals in Brazil in 2014 and were runners-up as hosts at Euro 2016.
Key player: Antoine Griezmann. The Atletico Madrid striker was the top scorer with six goals as France reached the Euro 2016 final and scored the second as France beat Belarus 2-1 to secure their qualification on 10 October.
Germany
Pedigree: The defending champions, four-time winners and number one team in the world.
Key player: Toni Kroos. Apart from Thomas Muller and Mesut Ozil, the Real Madrid midfielder is the most experienced player in the squad and keeps things ticking over. Since helping Germany win the 2014 World Cup, he has won two Champions League titles, one La Liga title and two Fifa Club World Cup titles.
Iceland
Pedigree: Iceland are heading to their first World Cup after victory over Kosovo on 9 October secured their place in Russia. This is undoubtedly a golden era for the Icelanders after they reached Euro 2016, where they memorably defeated England in their second-round tie before losing 5-2 against hosts France in the quarter-finals.
Key player: It is difficult to look beyond Everton's Gylfi Sigurdsson. The 28-year-old midfielder scored the opening goal against Kosovo and is a superb striker of the ball from long range.
Poland
Pedigree: Poland are ranked sixth in the world. Have never won the World Cup but many believe this is one of the country's strongest squads. Their highest previous finish is third, which they achieved in 1974 and 1982.
Key player: Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski has scored 16 goals in nine qualifying matches for Poland and is their all time record goal-scorer. The skipper has scored a total of 51 international goals in 91 games.
Portugal
Pedigree: Portugal are the reigning champions, having beaten hosts France 1-0 in the final of Euro 2016. Their best performance at a World Cup came when they finished third in 1966 and they also reached the semi-finals in 2006 but failed to make it out of the group phase in Brazil in 2014.
Key player: Cristiano Ronaldo. Who else? He has been voted the best player in the world four times, he is the country's most capped player and also their record goalscorer. The Real Madrid forward, a four-time Champions League winner, scored 15 goals for Portugal during their World Cup qualification campaign.
Serbia
Pedigree: Russia will be Serbia's 12th appearance at the World Cup - they did not get beyond the group stage in 2006 and 2010.
Key player: Branislav Ivanovic is closing in on his 100th cap and remains a key player for Serbia. He is their captain and leader. "We look forward to playing for you in Russia," he said in an address to the fans on the pitch after they secured qualification.
Spain
Pedigree: Currently ranked 11 in the world. They held the number one spot from 2008 until 2013. Spain were world champions in 2010, as well as European champions in 2008 and 2012.
Key player: Real Madrid attacking midfielder Isco has been in fine form during qualifying, with six goals and an assist in Spain's past seven matches. He has seven goals in 23 appearances in his international career.
SOUTH AMERICA
Argentina
Pedigree: Argentina have won the World Cup twice - in 1978 and 1986 - and come runners-up on three occasions, in 1930, 1990 and in Brazil in 2014 when they lost 1-0 to Germany in the final.
Key player: Lionel Messi. Messi, who has been voted the best player in the world on five occasions, scored the hat-trick in the last round of South American Qualifying against Ecuador to take Argentina to the finals.
Brazil
Pedigree: Winners in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002, Brazil were beaten 7-1 at the semi-final stage by Germany last time out.
Key player: Neymar. The £200m forward is averaging a goal and an assist a game since his world-record move to Paris St-Germain. Brazil legend Pele says the 25-year-old is the country's best player and has backed him to win the Ballon d'Or.
Colombia
Pedigree: Colombia produced their best ever performance at a World Cup in Brazil in 2014 when they reached the quarter-finals, before losing 2-1 to hosts Brazil.
Key player: James Rodriguez. The attacking midfielder, who is on loan at Bayern Munich from Real Madrid, won the Golden Boot in the 2014 World Cup, awarded to the top goalscorer in the competition. He scored six goals in that World Cup.
Uruguay
Pedigree: Uruguay won the first World Cup in 1930 and then again in 1950, but they only reached the last 16 at Brazil 2014.
Key player: Luis Suarez. Barcelona forward Suarez is the country's record goalscorer and scored twice in their last qualifier against Bolivia to secure their qualification.
NORTH, CENTRAL AMERICA and CARIBBEAN
Mexico
Pedigree: Mexico have reached the knockout stage in each of the past six World Cups, and made the quarter-finals as hosts in 1986.
Key player: Hirving Lozano has scored three goals in three games since leaving Pachuca for PSV Eindhoven this summer, and the 22-year-old is also becoming the star of the national team, netting Mexico's winner against Panama.
'Chucky' even impressed Argentina legend Diego Maradona on his Eredivisie debut, and the Philips Stadion crowd gave the winger a standing ovation following his first goal for PSV.
Costa Rica
Pedigree: Russia 2018 will be the fifth time Los Ticos have appeared at a World Cup finals. Last time out in Brazil, they finished top of a group containing Uruguay, Italy, and bottom-placed England, before going out in the quarter-finals on penalties to the Netherlands.
Key player: Bologna defender Giancarlo Gonzalez made the BBC pundits' team of the tournament in 2014, but the man on whom Costa Rica's recent success is built is Keylor Navas. The 30-year-old goalkeeper's performances at the last World Cup earned him a move to Real Madrid. Since then he has firmly established himself as the number one there, winning one Spanish league title and two Champions Leagues.
Panama
Pedigree: None. Panama reached their first World Cup finals with a victory over Costa Rica, taking advantage of the United States' defeat to Trinidad & Tobago. They were runners-up at the Gold Cup in 2013.
Key player: Luis Tejada. He may be 35 now but the country's record goalscorer with 42 goals still packs a punch and could be their best hope of goals in Russia.
ASIA
Iran
Pedigree: This is the fifth time Iran have qualified for a World Cup, but their only victory in the tournament remains a 2-1 win over the United States at France '98.
Key player: Striker Sardar Azmoun is arguably Asia's best striker since his compatriot Ali Daei, who scored more international goals than any other male player. The 22-year-old Azmoun is strong with both feet, and in the air, and plays his club football for Russian side Rubin Kazan.
Japan
Pedigree: Mainstays in the competition since 1998, Japan have twice reached the second round, including in 2002 when they jointly hosted the tournament with South Korea.
Key player: Keisuke Honda, Shinji Kagawa and Leicester forward Shinji Okazaki will of course be key, but a young forward on the books at Arsenal could be leading the line come next summer.
Takuma Asano has already netted three times for his country and helped Stuttgart win promotion to the Bundesliga last season while on loan from the Gunners. Arsene Wenger has called the 22-year-old "a talented young striker and very much one for the future".
Saudi Arabia
Pedigree: Saudi Arabia's only victories at a World Cup came in their first appearance in 1994, when they won two group matches and reached the second round. Their second win - 1-0 against Belgium - featured one of the greatest goals of all time when forward Saeed Al Owairan ran from his own half and beat half the Belgian defence to score.
Key player: Veteran striker Nasser Al Shamrani will play a vital role. The 2014 Asian Player of the Year can be a bit volatile - he was once banned for eight games for spitting at Western Sydney Wanderers player Matthew Spiranovic before trying to headbutt him after his Al Hilal side lost in the 2014 Champions League final.
South Korea
Pedigree: No Asian team has a better World Cup pedigree than the side nicknamed the Taegeuk Warriors. South Korea's goalless draw against Uzbekistan secured a place at a 10th finals and the tournament in Russia will be the ninth World Cup in a row in which they have featured.
Key player: Son Heung-min has showcased his trickery at Tottenham and is the stand-out name on the team sheet. He has managed just one international goal since the start of 2016 however, as the side have struggled in front of goal. And keep an eye out for Lee Dong-gook who came on as a substitute in their final qualifier and will be 39 by the time the World Cup comes around. The former Middlesbrough striker boasts 105 caps spanning 19 years.
AFRICA
Egypt
Pedigree: Egypt are currently 30th in Fifa's world rankings - one place below Netherlands. Having missed out on the 2010 and 2014 competitions after play-off defeats, they qualified for Russia when Liverpool's Mohamed Salah scored a dramatic injury-time winner against Congo on 8 October. Their last notable success at a major tournament was in 2010, when they lifted the Africa Cup of Nations for the seventh time.
Key player: Mohamed Salah, Liverpool's major summer signing, is Egypt's most talented player. The speedy forward has scored 32 goals in 56 international appearances, including five during qualifying for Russia.
Nigeria
Pedigree: This will be Nigeria's sixth appearance at a World Cup - and their third in a row. They have reached the last 16 three times - 1994, 1998 and 2014 - but have never advanced beyond that stage.
Key player: Captain John Mikel Obi, the most experienced member of the squad with 80 caps, will be a key figure for the Super Eagles in Russia. This will be the former Chelsea midfielder's second World Cup - the 30-year-old helped the team reach the knockout stages in 2014 for the first time since 1998. He now plies his trade in China with Tianjin Teda.
