The qualifying process for the 2018 World Cup began on March 12, 2015 with preliminary ties between the 12 lowest-ranked nations in Asia.
Chiquito Do Carmo of Timor-Leste had the honour of scoring the very first goal on the road to Russia in a 4-1 victory at home to Mongolia.
There are 31 places up for grabs, joining hosts Russia. The draw for the main sections of qualifying takes place on Saturday, July 25, 2015.
A somewhat modified, but still convoluted, system for 2018. The main seeds, including U.S. and Mexico, enter in Round Four.
Round One: The 14 lowest ranked nations playing two-legged ties, to be played in June 2015. Winners: Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Curacao, Dominica, Nicaragua, St Kitts &Nevis
Round Two: The seven winners from the first round and the next 13 lowest ranked nations to make 20 teams playing two-legged ties. Winners: Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba (Barbados fielded ineligible player), Belize, Canada, Curacao, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Nicaragua, St Vincent & the Grenadines
Round Three: The 10 winners from the second round join Jamaica and Haiti -- to make 12 teams playing two-legged ties. Winners: Canada, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, St Vincent & the Grenadines
Round Four: The six winners from the third round join Costa Rica, Mexico, USA, Honduras, Panama and Trinidad & Tobago. Drawn into three groups of four nations playing home and away. Top two nations advance.
Group A: Canada, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico
Group B: Costa Rica, Haiti, Jamiaca, Panama
Group C: Guatemala, Trinidad & Tobago, St Vincent & the Grenadines, United States
Round Five: The six winners from the fourth round form one group of six teams. Top three teams qualify with the fourth placed team in an intercontinental playoff (0.5 place) against a team from Asia.