A look at the Top 20
The Top 20 has experienced a considerable shake up. Robin van Persie’s Netherlands and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal have both gone four places down and are now ninth and 11th respectively.
Bosnia-Herzegovina, despite enjoying a great World Cup qualifying campaign this year, have gone from 13th to 18th. England’s Three Lions are just above them, having exited the Top 15 to be 17th in the ranking.
There is good news for Mario Balotelli’s Italy, though. The Azzurri are now considered as the fourth best nation in world football. Emerging European force Belgium have moved four places up to sixth – one rank above Luis Suarez’s Uruguay.
The United States are also making giant steps as they have jumped from the 19th spot to place 13th in the world.
2014 World Cup Qualifiers – September 2013 update
A lot happened during the international break. In Asia, Jordan beat Uzbekistan in the AFC Fifth Round to clinch an Intercontinental Playoff. They will meet CONMEBOL’s fifth placed-team.
In South America, Bolivia, Peru and Paraguay lost all hopes of qualifying. Venezuela would only be able to qualify through the Playoffs while Ecuador and Uruguay will need to fight against Colombia and Chile’s superiority on Matchday 15 and 16. Argentina, however, have no worries. Led by captain Lionel Messi, they completed their passage into the World Cup with a 5-2 win away to Paraguay.
There was huge drama in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers with Mexico losing to USA and subsequently falling outside the qualification zone. The USMNT and Costa Rica reached Brazil 2014 in style. It is now left with Honduras, Panama and Mexico battling it out for the last automatic spot in the Hexagonal. Meanwhile, with maximum points, Jamaica would only do enough to finish fourth in the table.
In the World Cup qualifiers in Europe, Gareth Bale’s Wales, Branislav Ivanovic’s Serbia and Marek Hamsik’s Slovakia were some of the countries that faced the end of the road to Brazil 2014. Also in great danger of missing out on next year’s football fiesta are Petr Cech’s Czech Republic and Robert Lewandowski’s Poland.
In Africa, 10 nations made it to the very final round. They all await the draw of the playoffs which will take place on September 16, 2013. The teams (Ethiopia, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Cameroon and Senegal) will be paired and the winners of each of the five playoff ties will represent the African continent at the World Cup. 
The first team to seal qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup was Japan. They have since been joined by eight other nations. Here is the full list of qualified teams with the date of qualification, as of September 2013:
1. Brazil: Hosts – October 30, 2007 (20th appearance)
2. Japan: June 4, 2013 (5th appearance)
3. Australia: June 18, 2013 (4th appearance)
4. Iran: June 18, 2013 (4th appearance)
5. South Korea: June 18, 2013 (9th appearance)
6. Netherlands: September 10, 2013 (10th appearance)
7. Italy: September 10, 2013 (18th appearance)
8. USA: September 10, 2013 (10th appearance)
9. Costa Rica: September 10, 2013 (4th appearance)
10. Argentina: September 10, 2013 (16th appearance)
There are 22 more World Cup tickets up for grabs. The teams in contention as well as confirmed participants will each want to progress in the FIFA World Ranking so as to be better seeded at the time of the World Cup group stage draw in Bahia on December 6, 2013.
For the full standings, fixtures, results and match highlights, please visit LiveSoccerTV’s World Cup Qualifying competition page.
