World Cup Field 2013: Projecting Teams That Will Advance to Brazil

Tuesday, Nov. 19, will see 16 teams compete to claim the last eight places at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

With nations from across the regions of Europe, South America, North America, Africa, Asia and Australasia still waiting to seal their qualification fates, the playoffs are a truly global affair befitting of the tournament which they feed into.

Along with the deciding second-leg playoffs for countries within the same confederations—UEFA and CAF—two intercontinental matches will dictate whether Uruguay or Jordan, and Mexico or New Zealand will make it to the World Cup.

Below is a full list of the teams competing for the right to head into the summer as entrants rather than spectators.

Time (GMT)	Location	Hosts	Prediction	Visitors
6 p.m.	Cairo	Egypt	2-1 (3-7 agg.)	*Ghana
7 p.m.	Wellington	New Zealand	1-2 (2-7 agg.)	*Mexico
7:15 p.m.	Blida	Algeria	1-1 (3-4 agg.)	*Burkina Faso
8:15 p.m.	Zagreb	*Croatia	2-1 (2-1 agg.)	Iceland
8:45 p.m.	Solna	Sweden	2-1 (2-2 agg.)	*Portugal
9 p.m.	Saint-Denis	France	1-1 (1-3 agg.)	*Ukraine
9 p.m.	Bucharest	Romania	0-0 (1-3 agg.)	*Greece
9 p.m.	Montevideo	*Uruguay	4-0 (9-0 agg.)	Jordan
			*Denotes winner

Africa

After their 6-1 defeat in Kumasi, Ghana, Egypt need to beat Ghana 5-0 or by a margin of six goals should The Black Stars score their own away goal in Cairo. 

The Pharaohs will have to muster up the greatest comeback of all time to turn the tie on its head.

That alone means that it is unlikely that the North Africans will make it through.

Kicking off slightly later and just down the Mediterranean coast, Egypt's great rivals Algeria have their own qualification dilemma to contend with.

Having lost 3-2 away to Burkina Faso in the first leg, the Fennec Foxes are in a far better position than their neighbours, but still have plenty to do in the second-leg set to be played in Blida.

Just one goal for the home team would see them through on the away-goals rule.

Asia and South America

Jordan head to Montevideo with little to no hope of reaching the World Cup, having been dismantled by Luis Suarez and Co. 5-0 in their first-leg home defeat.

The visitors would need to somehow conjure up five away goals and a clean sheet for any chance of progression into the World Cup proper, and that is even more improbable than it reads.

Australasia and North America

In the other intercontinental tie, Mexico make the long-haul trip to New Zealand knowing that a professional performance will see them through.

The All Whites were beaten 5-1 in Mexico City and will require more than a spot of jet lag to bring their opponents down in Wellington.

Having shown plenty of pace and the ability to produce some truly exquisite finishes during their final few qualifiers, Mexico may well be confident that they can hit New Zealand on the break to add an away goal to their seemingly unassailable aggregate lead.

Europe

Croatia escaped the Arctic circle unscathed in their first-leg scoreless draw against Iceland and will be looking to control the game in Zagreb as they seek to find a winning goal.

They must be careful, however, as a single goal by Lars Lagerback's island minnows could be all that the Icelanders need to shock the world and make it to Brazil.

By contrast, Sweden must score twice at home and keep Portugal quiet if they wish to face off against the likes of Argentina and Spain in the summer.

Much is expected of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, especially since Cristiano Ronaldo was able to live up to his reputation as a match-winner in the first leg, scoring the only goal of the match to make it 1-0.

France are in even more dire circumstances, having lost 2-0 away to Ukraine in Kiev in the first leg; Les Bleus have it all to do with no other side coming back from a two-goal deficit in the playoffs before.

Romania can at least cite a handy away goal as a reason to be hopeful following their 3-1 defeat at the hands of Greece in Piraeus.

With the Greeks looking to be in formidable form, the end could well be nigh for The Tricolours.

Which nations do you want to see make it to Brazil?