World Cup qualifying in numbers

• 2021’s World Cup qualifiers get underway this week
• Teams in Europe and the Concacaf region kick off their campaigns
• Facts and figures on the hunt for World Cup places

There were many challenges to overcome when organising qualification for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.

Yet the battle for FIFA World Cup™ spots has already begun in Asia and South America, while this week marks the start of qualifying for the confederations in Europe (UEFA) and North and Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF).

FIFA.com takes a look at some figures associated with qualifying for the world’s greatest football tournament.