Quiz! Can you name the top 32 nations NOT at the World Cup?

By Mark White
published

Here it is: the alternative World Cup, featuring the 32 highest-ranked sides not involved in Qatar

Domenico Berardi of Italy looks dejected during the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier knockout round play-off match between Italy and North Macedonia at Renzo Barbera Stadium in Palermo, Italy.
(Image credit: Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images)

You have eight minutes to name 32 national teams.

Remember to tweet your scores @FourFourTwo (opens in new tab), and challenge some friends while you're at it.

THEN TRY Quiz! Can you find the 30 players who are record appearance makers for their nation?

Not everyone at the World Cup is half-good. That's something you come to realise every four years. 

In four years' time, however, we probably won't have this problem. Practically everyone will be allowed to compete, as the competition is expanded to 48 teams – giving this bunch a better shot of getting there.

There are some big teams not playing at the World Cup in 2022. Luckily, the Dutch made it back; the Americans, too, after both were AWOL in Russia. But some football-mad nations didn't make it. 

Can you tell us who? We've ordered them by their FIFA coefficient ranking. 

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MORE ON 2022 Everything you need to know about Qatar 2022

Mark White
Mark White
Staff Writer

Mark White has been a staff writer on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, writing pieces for both online and the magazine. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also been to the FA Cup and League Cup finals for FFT and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He once saw Tyrone Mings at a petrol station in Bournemouth but felt far too short to ask for a photo.