World Cup 2018 qualification draw

1. Wales, Republic of Ireland, Austria, Serbia, Moldova, Georgia
2. England, Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Malta
3. Northern Ireland, Germany, Czech Republic, Norway, Azerbaijan, San Marino

So that's the end of the road for this live text, thanks for your company and interaction.

Only a couple of hours to go until our next football text coverage, with Manchester United facing Barcelona and Chelsea playing PSG in friendlies that wouldn't look out of place in the Champions League semi-finals.

Get Involved

Stat attack

Northern Ireland won just one of their World Cup 2014 qualifiers (D4 L5), but have won four of six in Euro 2016 qualification. Upturn.

Wales took 10 points from their World Cup 2014 qualifying group. In Euro 2016 qualification, they have 14 points already. Top. 

You can read our developing story  of the draw here,  with reaction from a few managers.

If you want to read the African draw, here's the link.

Scotland winger has his say

Roy Hodgson on whether he will still be England manager for the 2018 qualifiers.

“It is a great honour to be England manager – I shall be delighted to retain that position all the time people want me too, but it won’t occupy my thoughts at this point in time," he told BBC Radio 5 live. 

"I'm pleased to come away with a good group and if England want me to lead the team I will be delighted to do so.

"If we can come through Euro 2016 without too many tears being shed I believe we have a good chance of qualifying for 2018.

"It is positive, so many other groups would have been more problematic, not least for fans travelling, some are not such easy countries to get to, but we’ve been drawn not only nice places but easy to get to as well."

Getty Images

Getty Images

This is the 20th World Cup qualifying campaign. The inaugural 1930 tournament was invitational.

Get Involved

Nathan in Belfast:  Disappointed Northern Ireland got landed with Germany but we could make a dash for the play-offs if we can take points away at Norway at Czech Republic. Although let's qualify for Euro 2016 first!

Because England had to be in a six-team group for commercial reasons, it became obvious they'd have to be in Scotland or Italy's group.

Roy Hodgson told BBC Radio 5 live:  “I don’t want to suggest Italy are stronger than Scotland, but we have played a lot of games against Italy recently and I thought that group with the rest of the teams in it looked more tricky than the group we have found ourselves in.

"We know Slovenia and Malta are very keen on English football, while Slovakia from the second pot, although they have had a good spell, maybe do not have the allure of France and Italy, who may cause us more problems."

England boss Roy Hodgson on BBC Radio 5 live: “To be fair there is always a chance we were going to get a local derby with Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland all a possibility.

“The Scotland fixture really does excite people. We have got recent experience of what the atmosphere will be like. The games will excite the public, get people in the mass media excited too, it is a good draw all round – I think Scotland will be happy with it and we are happy with it."

“I don’t want to suggest Italy are stronger than Scotland, b

Getty Images

Get Involved

Alistair:  Scotland need to block out that friendly last year 60,000 Scots fans treated like a World Cup final when England's B team (featuring Stewart Downing) beat them 3-1 while playing at 25%.

 Donald in Ellon, Aberdeenshire:  Scotland nothing to lose. England everything to lose. Bring it on!

Steve:  At least Scotland get their little World Cup final without even getting there.

Stat attack

Get Involved

Reaction from England boss Roy Hodgson coming up soon.

Pat Nevin

Ex-Scotland international on BBC Radio 5 live

"Germany are not unbeatable, they've shown that in their Euro 2016 group. They're struggling against Poland. Northern Ireland had that brilliant run of form but it'll be tough for them. Czech Republic are a good side. There was a time Northern Ireland might slip up against the minnows but they won't have a problem with San Marino.

"I have such a positive feeling about all the home nations and Republic of Ireland."

John Murray

BBC Radio 5 live commentator

"In previous times there would be meetings between officials and coaches to work out the fixture lists. But now it's all worked out for them." 

Get Involved

Ex-Republic of Ireland striker John Aldridge on BBC Radio 5 live: "It's an interesting group. With all due respect to Wales you think fantastic, we haven't got Germany, Netherlands or Spain - no big boys. Austria are coming good - they go around in cycles. It's a cut-throat group, anything can happen.

"Robbie Keane is getting on and there's nobody coming through in that area. That's a major worry. Nobody is playing in the big teams in the Premier League. All the players give their all but at the moment we're very ordinary."

PA

Pat Nevin

Ex-Scotland international on BBC Radio 5 live

"England are used to easy games being in pot one. Scotland get more difficult games in pot three. We will not be overconfident and not too arrogant but it'll be a special one. I'm looking forward to those games already."

Getty Images

Wales boss Chris Coleman on BBC Radio 5 live: "We're looking forward to it. Some good teams in there. It's never easy going to places like Moldova and Georgia and we know about the quality of Austria, Republic of Ireland and Serbia. 

"But we've really improved in the last three years. We fancy ourselves against anyone. You look at other groups - it could have been easier or tougher. There's a lot of football to go in the Euro 2016 qualifiers before this. 

"This has been the biggest honour of my career. My sole focus is on leading my country to France. After that I'll look at what's next.

"We've had a bit of fun being in pot one. It's new for us. We've really enjoyed it."

Reuters

Wales 'should be delighted'

Pat Nevin

Ex-Scotland international on BBC Radio 5 live

 "Wales have been improving - they should be delighted with what they've got. Derby games have a habit of throwing up a strange one. Moldova and Georgia should be beaten. Serbia might the the most dangerous one in that group. If Wales play to their best, they have a chance of winning that group."  

AP

Get Involved

Get Involved

Wales 'should be delighted'

"Wales have been improving - they should be delighted with what they've got. Derby games have a habit of throwing up a strange one. Moldova and Georgia should be beaten. Serbia might the the most dangerous one in that group. If Wales play to their best, they have a chance of winning that group."

Where's Gibraltar?

Reuters

In case anyone wonder where Gibraltar are in all of this, they're only members of Uefa - not Fifa - so aren't eligible for the World Cup.

Get Involved

The feed on this page and BBC Red Button has ended now. But we will keep our World Cup debate going on for a bit longer.

Get Involved

The Fifa show is continuing with Russia's 2015 Eurovision entry, A Million Voices, sung by Polina Gagarina and the St Petersburg childrens choir.

Obviously I had to google that.

Reuters

#bbcfootball

Other match-ups that catch the eye outside of the home nations are Netherlands v France and Spain v Italy. Two of those teams will be in the play-offs (at best)

Get Involved

Oliver Bierhoff says he was happy Germany avoided Italy.

Aleksandr Kerzhakov says there are no favourites and he's happy Russia don't need to qualify.

So England and Scotland in one group together. And Wales play Republic of Ireland in another. Northern Ireland have Germany and Czech Republic.

Thoughts?

Getty Images

Group A: Netherlands, France, Sweden, Bulgaria, Belarus, Luxembourg

Group B: Portugal, Switzerland, Hungary, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Andorra

Group C: Germany, Czech Republic,  NORTHERN IRELAND,  Norway, Azerbaijan, San Marino

Group D: WALES,  Austria, Serbia, Republic of Ireland, Moldova, Georgia, 

Group E: Romania, Denmark, Poland, Montenegro, Armenia, Kazakhstan

Group F: ENGLAND,  Slovakia,  SCOTLAND,  Malta, Lithuania, Slovenia

Group G: Spain, Italy, Albania, Israel, Macedonia, Liechtenstein

Group H: Belgium, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Greece, Estonia, Cyprus

Group I : Croatia, Iceland, Ukraine, Turkey, Finland

Group A: France, Sweden, Bulgaria, Belarus, Luxembourg

Group B: Switzerland, Hungary, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Andorra

Group C: Czech Republic,  NORTHERN IRELAND,  Norway, Azerbaijan, San Marino

Group D: Austria, Serbia, Republic of Ireland, Moldova, Georgia

Group E: Denmark, Poland, Montenegro, Armenia, Kazakhstan

Group F: Slovakia,  SCOTLAND,  Malta, Lithuania, Slovenia

Group G: Italy, Albania, Israel, Macedonia, Liechtenstein

Group H: Bosnia-Hercegovina, Greece, Estonia, Cyprus

Group I : Iceland, Ukraine, Turkey, Finland

Group A: Sweden, Bulgaria, Belarus, Luxembourg

Group B: Hungary, Faroe Islands, Latvia, Andorra

Group C: NORTHERN IRELAND,  Norway, Azerbaijan, San Marino

Group D: Serbia, Republic of Ireland, Moldova, Georgia

Group E: Poland, Montenegro, Armenia, Kazakhstan

Group F: SCOTLAND,  Slovenia, Lithuania, Malta

Group G: Albania, Israel, Macedonia, Liechtenstein

Group H: Greece, Estonia, Cyprus

Group I : Ukraine, Turkey, Finland

Group A: Bulgaria, Belarus, Luxembourg

Group B: Faroe Islands, Latvia, Andorra

Group C: Norway, Azerbaijan, San Marino

Group D: Republic of Ireland, Moldova, Georgia

Group E: Montenegro, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Armenia

Group F: Slovenia, Lithuania, Malta

Group G: Israel, Macedonia, Liechtenstein 

Group H: Estonia, Cyprus

Group I : Turkey, Finland

Group A: Luxembourg, Belarus

Group B: Andorra, Latvia

Group C: San Marino, Azerbaijan

Group D: Georgia, Moldova

Group E: Kazakhstan, Armenia

Group F: Malta, Lithuania

Group G: Liechtenstein, Macedonia

Group H: Cyprus

Group I: Finland

BBC Sport

Group A: Luxembourg

Group B: Andorra

Group C: San Marino

Group D: Georgia

Group E:  Kazakhstan

Group F: Malta

Group G: Liechtenstein

Here we go. We're drawing out pot six (the minnows) first and working our way up to the top seeds (England and Wales).

Russia's all-time top scorer Aleksandr Kerzhakov is on stage. Says they'll "rightly hold the World Cup".

Ex-Germany striker Oliver Bierhoff is the other draw-er.

Reuters

PA

I'm not going to tempt fate by stating who England might want to play or avoid and besides, that would be disrespectful. We've seen in the recent Euro 2016 qualification period that virtually all competitive matches are difficult.

Roy HodgsonEngland boss

PA

Mark Hughes was one of many Wales players, and then managers, who failed to qualify for anything

If you're a top seed then maybe the challenge isn't as great. It's a huge advantage and credit to everybody concerned with Welsh football

Mark HughesEx-Wales boss, now Stoke manager

Getty Images

I've never been one for hoping that we avoid this team or wishing that we draw that team. It's disrespectful to the other nations and it's also pointless - you can't control names that come out of a glass bowl

Gordon StrachanScotland boss

BBC Sport

There won't be many teams in today's draw who have had as meteoric a rise as Wales.

They were ranked 117th in August 2011, but less than four years later they are top of their Euro 2016 qualifying group as they bid to reach a first tournament since the 1958 World Cup.

They are ranked 10th in the world and top seeds today, alongside England.

The pots

Format might be familiar to you by now. One team from each pot drawn into a group. Two groups only have five teams (nobody from pot 6). The bigger countries, including England, can't go into a five-team group for broadcasting/commercial reasons.

Pot 1: Germany, Belgium, Holland, Portugal, Romania, England, Wales, Spain, Croatia 

Pot 2: Slovakia, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Czech Republic, France, Iceland, Denmark, Bosnia-Hercegovina 

Pot 3: Ukraine, Scotland, Poland, Hungary, Sweden, Albania, Northern Ireland, Serbia, Greece 

Pot 4 : Turkey, Slovenia, Israel, Republic of Ireland, Norway, Bulgaria, Faroe Islands, Montenegro, Estonia 

Pot 5: Cyprus, Latvia, Armenia, Finland, Belarus, Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Lithuania, Moldova 

Pot 6: Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Georgia, Malta, San Marino, Andorra 

#bbcfootball

Armenia and Azerbaijan are in the same pot anyway so that avoids that headache

Europe

Getty Images

World champions Germany do not automatically qualify to defend their title

Russia qualify as hosts, with Europe's other 52 teams being drawn into nine groups (seven of six teams and two of five sides). The top team from each group qualify with the eight best second-placed sides playing off.

Antarctica

Now Antarctica qualifying - this is where it gets really interesting. All 15 teams go into three pots of five and then... OK there isn't really Antarctica qualifying.

BBC

I'll be honest, half my preparation for this live text was spent looking up pictures of penguins in Antarctica

Some jazz now. European draw starts in about five minutes. 

BBC

Get Involved

That's me told! Our South American football expert has spoken.

South America qualifying

One big group, the top four qualify - with fifth place going into a play-off against the Oceania champions (probably New Zealand).

From position 1-10 in the draw...

Colombia

Chile

Paraguay

Argentina

Brazil

Ecuador

Venezuela

Bolivia

Peru

Uruguay

Get Involved

BBC Sport

Ronaldo is taking this seriously.

Diego Forlan is on stage with Ronaldo now for this most pointless of all the draws. Remember in South America everyone is in a big group. They're only deciding what 'position' each team is, to determine in which order teams play each other.

Getty Images

But what does Diego think?

I know, I know. Look, I know what you're thinking. We're all thinking it.

What does Diego Forlan think about Wales' World Cup qualifying hopes?

Luckily BBC Wales Sport found out.

"Wales are getting stronger and stronger. Maybe they will have the chance.

"Everything is equal, there are no favourites. It is really tough to play football, it does not matter what national team is in front of you.

"There are always surprises and many good players in Wales, most of them play in the Premier League. You have to respect that."

Getty Images

Diego Forlan is still playing at the age of 36, recently joining Penarol

Ronaldo's dream

Amazing. Original Brazilian Ronaldo is on stage. He's asked what his dream is.

"Seeing a world free of violence, hunger and poverty."

It's like Miss World.

Getty Images

Get Involved

South America

Getty Images

'The Beautiful Game'

It's pretty straightforward in South America. All 10 teams go into one group so all we'll discover today is who plays who in what order. 

The only slight complication is that Argentina and Brazil are already designated specific places so nobody has to play them in back-to-back games in a week. 

The top four teams qualify, with the fifth-placed team going into an intercontinental play-off.

Oceania draw

Group A

Winner of Round One between American Samoa, Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga

Papua New Guinea

New Caledonia

Tahiti

Group B

New Zealand

Vanuatu

Fiji

Solomon Islands

Get Involved

BBC

If you thought this draw was convulted today, remember it could have been - and has been - worse.

The draw for the 1982 World Cup suffered from a number of mishaps and technical problems.

With Sepp Blatter, now Fifa's president but then the governing body's general secretary, presiding over the draw in Madrid, there was confusion as several teams were drawn in the wrong groups, before the cages began to jam and break the balls inside.

Watch the video here.

Get Involved

Oceania

Getty Images

New Zealand have been Oceania's representatives in the play-off both times since Australia left for Asia

American Samoa, Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga will contest an opening group. The winners of that join the seven other countries in two groups of four teams (which doubles as the OFC Nations Cup). 

The top three teams from each of those groups then go into two further groups of three. The winners of each group face off in the final, with the victor playing an intercontinental play-off. 

It's not for me to suggest this but they may have overcomplicated this a bit, but there's only 11 teams in the whole thing.

We're about seven minutes behind now. So the European one might be a bit after 17:30 BST now. Next up...

Reuters

Northern Ireland

Dream ticket:

Northern Ireland, Romania, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Moldova

Nightmare scenario:

Northern Ireland, Spain, France, Republic of Ireland, Belarus, Malta

Get Involved

Get Involved

Concacaf draw

Group A

Honduras

Mexico

Curacao/El Salvador

Canada/Belize

Group B

Panama

Costa Rica

Grenada/Haiti

Jamaica/Nicaragua

Group C

Trinidad & Tobago

USA

St Vincent & Grenadines/Aruba

Antigua & Barbuda/Guatemala

Some ballet now. The Borus Eifman Ballet apparently. I can't say I'm familiar with this one.

Getty Images

Wales

Dream ticket:

Wales, Bosnia & Hercegovina, Albania, Faroe Islands, Moldova

Nightmare scenario:

Wales, France, Ukraine, Turkey, Cyprus, Georgia

Get Involved

Martin in York:  Is it just me or is there a distinctly Eurovision vibe to this draw?

Concacaf draw

They're now deciding who will be in the group that follows that round.

Concacaf draw

Curacao v El Salvador

Canada v Belize

Grenada v Haiti

Jamaica v Nicaragua

St Vincent and Grenadines v Aruba

Antigua and Barbuda v Guatemala

England

Dream ticket:

England, Iceland, Albania, Faroe Islands, Moldova, Andorra

Nightmare scenario:

England, Italy, Sweden, Turkey, Finland, Kazakhstan

Patrick Kluivert's Curacao are the first team out in Concacaf. They face El Salvador in round three.

African draw

Two-legged ties, played November 9/17:

Somalia/Niger v Cameroon

South Sudan/Mauritania v Tunisia

Gambia/Namibia v Guinea

Sao Tome e Principe/Ethiopia v Congo

Chad/Sierra Leone v Egypt

Comoros/Lesotho v Ghana

Djibouti/Swaziland v Nigeria

Eritrea/Botswana v Mali

Seychelles/Burundi v Congo DR

Liberia/Guinea-Bissau v Ivory Coast

Central African Republic/Madagascar v Senegal

Mauritius/Kenya v Cape Verde

Tanzania/Malawi v Algeria

Sudan v Zambia

Libya v Rwanda

Morocco v Equatorial Guinea

Mozambique v Gabon

Benin v Burkina Faso

Togo v Uganda

Angola v South Africa      

North, Central America and the Caribbean

Getty Images

Patrick Kluivert is head coach of Curacao, who find out their third-round opponents today

Qualifiers in North America have already started with two rounds completed. The 10 teams who have come through that, as well as Jamaica and Haiti, will be drawn in two-legged encounters. 

After that the bigger teams will come in for two more rounds of group stages. Three teams qualify automatically from the final 'Hexagonal' group with a fourth entering the intercontinental play-offs.

African draw

Ties to be played between October 5 & 13

Somalia v Niger

South Sudan v Mauritania

Gambia v Namibia

Sao Tome e Principe v Ethiopia

Chad v Sierra Leone 

Comoros v Lesotho

Dijibouti v Swaziland

Eritrea v Botswana

Seychelles v Burundi

Liberia v Guinea-Bissau

Central African Republic v Madagascar

Mauritius v Kenya

Tanzania v Malawi

The winners of each tie progress to round two.

Asia

Asia  is the only continent without a draw today - qualification is already under way there.

 Four teams go through, with a fifth going into the intercontinental play-off.

They are having a little chat about Asian football. North American draw starts very soon.

Get Involved

There's some opera signing now. The voiceover guy says you'll recognise the music no matter what the language. I didn't...

We're a few minutes behind schedule by the way.

Getty Images

African draw

Get Involved

Getty Images

It is only two short of the 853-game record for 2010 qualificiation

The African draw is still going by the way, nearly finished. We'll let you know how that's gone once it's all finished.

Reuters

'European teams should boycott World Cup'

European teams should "force the issue" of boycotting the 2018 World Cup, says former Football Association chairman David Triesman.

He cited the controversy regarding the process which led to the winning bid and racism issues in Russian football.

"My basic proposition was that Uefa as a whole should do it and the key reason was to force change through Fifa," he told BBC Sport.

"That change has not happened. I think it's worth trying to force the issue."

Get Involved

Scotland

Dream ticket:

Scotland, Wales, Iceland, Estonia, Lithuania

Nightmare scenario:

Scotland, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Macedonia, Kazakhstan

Get Involved

Get Involved

Paul Alexander on the BBC Sport Facebook page: As a Welshman, I'd like our group to contain the Isle of Wight, Isle of Man, Jersey, Lapland and Scotland.

Well I suppose if Gibraltar are allowed in Uefa...

Cameroon legend Samuel Eto'o has just drawn out his country out in the African draw. It's a Cameroon face 'either-or' job at this stage as they come into the second round. We'll let you know at the end of this long draw who's got who in Africa.

Get Involved

What are the best - and worst - scenarios for the home nations?

As top seeds, England and Wales have guaranteed avoiding the other top sides in Europe. Theoretically.

However, from pot two they could still face Italy (currently ranked 17 in the world) or France (ranked 22), while trips to the likes of Sweden, Poland or Ukraine would prove tricky.

Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland could be drawn into a group of five teams instead of six - which may help their chances. England must play in a group of six.

Throughout the live text we'll tell you what we think are the best and worst-case scenarios from each one.

Africa

Getty

Gabon's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is one of the stars of African football

First up in the 'proper' draws, it's Africa.

The 26 lowest-ranked sides will be drawn in two-legged encounters to be played in October. 

The winners of those will then be joined by the other 27 for a second two-legged round. 

The second-round victors go through to five four-team groups, with the winners of each qualifying for Russia. 

Zimbabwe have already been expelled for failing to pay former coach Jose Claudinei Georgini.

BBC Sport

So this means the fourth best sides in Asia and North America meet, while the Oceania champions (normally New Zealand) face South America's fifth best side.

Get Involved

Draw rehearsal

Phil Wye

BBC Radio 5 live in St Petersburg

In the second and final draw rehearsal earlier - for anyone interested - the home nations pulled out the following:

England, Bosnia, Greece, Israel, Moldova, San Marino (England would take that);

Wales, Italy, Serbia, Estonia, Armenia, Luxembourg (Wales might not take that);

Netherlands, France, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Belarus, Andorra (would be tough for Scots & Irish);

Portugal, Denmark, Northern Ireland, Bulgaria, Macedonia (NI might take that.. & party).

BBC

They're now deciding who faces who in the intercontinental play-offs for the World Cup. South America, North America, Oceania and Asia are the four.

BBC Sport

Get involved

Andrew in Richhill:  Hugely important couple of hours coming up for the Home Nations' hopes of making it to the 2018 World Cup. This year's European Championship qualifiers have shown that all of England, Scotland, Wales, Nothern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are competitive enough and capable of mixing it with the best in Europe. The chances of World Cup qualification are good, a decent draw would really help matters too. 

Get Involved

Woeful banter as Fifa general secretary Jerome Valcke starts flirting and kissing the female host.

Get Involved

This your first Fifa ceremony pal?

Getty Images

You won't like Brazil international Hulk when he's angry

Zenit St Petersburg striker Hulk has been replaced as a draw assistant today by Russian Alexey Smertin "due to the Brazilian's club commitments".

Earlier this week Hulk said racism happens at "almost every game" in the Russian league.

Those two incidents are totally unrelated I'm sure.

And now the dancers are doing some freestyle football skills. What a world (cup qualifying draw).

Reuters

Oh my, it's a Russian-sounding instrumental 'Let's get the Party Started' by Pink with a lot of dancing in traditional outfits. I was not expecting that.

Getty Images

Now we've got some traditional Russian music and dancing and people dressed as weird stuff. I might just give you more details on the draw to be honest.

Reuters

Blatter speech well received

Sepp Blatter gets a good round of applause as he finishes his speech and thanks Russian President Vlad Putin. 

Record-breaking qualifying campaign

Getty Images

Indonesia and Zimbabwe have been disqualified, while Russia qualify automatically. Every other team is attempting to qualify.

Get Involved

"There is no bigger event than Fifa's World Cup. It will be a wonderful moment for the people of Russia, the rest of the world and football too.

"Hundreds of thousands of people will come to Russia for the first time in their lives. They'll be met with warmth, friendship and real Russian hospitality," Blatter continues.

EPA

Sepp Blatter and Russian President Vladimir Putin have been hanging around together today

This is outgoing* president Sepp Blatter's first overseas trip since Fifa was plunged into turmoil by criminal investigations into allegations of systematic bribery.

But he is "a victim", according to the man in charge of the Russia 2018 World Cup.

Alexei Sorokin told the BBC that the 79-year-old Swiss was "a very brave person".

"He has always been a friend of our country," said Sorokin.  

*by outgoing I mean he's leaving, not he loves to mingle at parties.

Oh actually he's doing some of his speech in English! 

"For the first time all 209 Fifa countries have applied to qualify," Sepp tells us. And then gives a shout-out to Bhutan who got through the first round of Asian qualifying.

Getty Images

Vladimir Putin's speech was warmly applauded. Sepp Blatter is speaking now. I'm just waiting for the translating man to start doing his job

Phil Wye

BBC Radio 5 live in St Petersburg

BBC

Konstantin Palace, St Petersburg - not too shabby. 

Putin speaks

Vladimir Putin is speaking (in Russian obviously) and Roy Hodgson is holding a translating box up to his ear.

"The World Cup will definitely enhance the reputation of football in one of the biggest countries in the world. It's wonderful for the neighbouring countries too," he says.

"It's crucial for us to make the teams feel comfortable so they can focus on the games. We will make every attempt to guarantee security."

Fifa president Sepp Blatter and Russia President Vladimir Putin come onto the stage to a gentle smattering of applause. Very gentle.

Getty Images

Get Involved

A simple enough debate topic, let us know who you support and who you want your side to draw, whether you're backing England, Northern Ireland or Cape Verde.

Use #bbcfootball on Twitter, 81111 on text (UK only, please let us know your name) or on our Facebook pages. 

OK so what's going on?

Here's the timeline for today. We'll let you know the format for each one and who's playing who - as well as building up to the European draw throughout our live text. It won't surprise you to know there'll also be some video montages, acts and waffle between these times.

16:20 - Continental play-off draw (deciding whether the fifth-best South American side will face Oceania champions, an Asian side or North American and so on.)

16:22 - Africa draw

16:50 - North America draw

17:05 - Oceania draw

17:13 - South America draw

17:27 - Europe draw

It's that time again

EPA

Just like the build-up to Christmas, the World Cup qualifying draw seems to get earlier and earlier

If your first thought when seeing this live text was "They're doing the draw for the next World Cup but we're barely over halfway through Euro 2016 qualifying?!" then you're not alone.

That was my reaction when I was asked to do this during the week.

But it's happening and there's no better place to follow it than here - you can watch the whole thing live on this page as well as follow my chat and have your say.