It's almost happening already, so I thought I'd kick off a thread. CONCACAF qualifiers begin in March.
CONMEBOL
Brazil will be back in the mix for qualifiers, meaning CONMEBOL will once again have the fantastic 10-team, 18-match single table qualification. No word on schedule just yet.
UEFA
Qualifiers will start in September 2016 after the Euros are done. We'll hear more about the seeding pots at some point prior to that.
CONCACAF
The early-round format has changed a bit this time around. Nothing will change for the US, who enter at the semifinal round once again. The group stage preceding the semifinal round has been scrapped and there will be three home-and-home rounds instead. This is similar to most CONCACAF qualifying tournaments prior to 2014.
The first round draw is out and will be played from March 23-31.
Bahamas vs. Bermuda
British Virgin Islands vs. Dominica
Barbados vs. US Virgin Islands
Turks & Caicos Islands vs. Saint Kitts and Nevis
Nicaragua vs. Anguilla
Belize vs. Cayman Islands
Curaçao vs. Montserrat
This round will have the usually motley crew of local islanders, mid-level NCAA players, foreign recruits from the English non-League ranks, and so on. It's not out of the question for a country like Barbados to reach the semifinal round, but they'll be a patsy at that stage.
The second round draw is out as well.
St. Vincent & the Grenadines vs. Guyana
Antigua & Barbuda vs. Saint Lucia
Puerto Rico vs. Grenada
Canada vs. British Virgin Islands / Dominica
Dominican Republic vs. Belize / Cayman Islands
Guatemala vs. Bahamas / Bermuda
Aruba vs. Barbados / US Virgin Islands
Turks & Caicos / St. Kitts & Nevis vs. El Salvador
Curaçao / Montserrat vs. Cuba
Nicaragua / Anguilla vs. Suriname
In the third round, Haiti and Jamaica will join the draw and together with Canada (who will win their matchup easily) will be paired with the three winners from the top of the draw. The remaining six winners of the other matches will be paired against each other for the final three places in the semifinal round.
The fourth round (a.k.a. semifinal round) will be the usual three groups of four. USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, and T&T have byes.
CAF
No information yet. Their format traditionally sucks, going from a group stage to a final round of 10 group winners playing for five spots in home-and-homes. It leaves too much to the luck of the draw. Hopefully that changes, though keeping travel costs down is always a concern in the region.
AFC
WCQs are doubling as qualifiers for the 2017 Asian Cup. A quick home-and-home first round will eliminate the weakest minnows and reduce the field to 40. A group stage of eight groups of five (eight matches) will occur, with the eight group winners and four best runners-up advancing. The third round will be two groups of six, with the top two in each qualifying for the WC. Assuming AFC keeps 4.5 spots (which honestly, they don't deserve), the two third place teams will play off for the chance to lose to a team from another confederation, unless they luck into New Zealand.
OFC
Winner of the 2016 OFC Nations Cup will go into the inter-confederation playoffs.
CONMEBOL
Brazil will be back in the mix for qualifiers, meaning CONMEBOL will once again have the fantastic 10-team, 18-match single table qualification. No word on schedule just yet.
UEFA
Qualifiers will start in September 2016 after the Euros are done. We'll hear more about the seeding pots at some point prior to that.
CONCACAF
The early-round format has changed a bit this time around. Nothing will change for the US, who enter at the semifinal round once again. The group stage preceding the semifinal round has been scrapped and there will be three home-and-home rounds instead. This is similar to most CONCACAF qualifying tournaments prior to 2014.
The first round draw is out and will be played from March 23-31.
Bahamas vs. Bermuda
British Virgin Islands vs. Dominica
Barbados vs. US Virgin Islands
Turks & Caicos Islands vs. Saint Kitts and Nevis
Nicaragua vs. Anguilla
Belize vs. Cayman Islands
Curaçao vs. Montserrat
This round will have the usually motley crew of local islanders, mid-level NCAA players, foreign recruits from the English non-League ranks, and so on. It's not out of the question for a country like Barbados to reach the semifinal round, but they'll be a patsy at that stage.
The second round draw is out as well.
St. Vincent & the Grenadines vs. Guyana
Antigua & Barbuda vs. Saint Lucia
Puerto Rico vs. Grenada
Canada vs. British Virgin Islands / Dominica
Dominican Republic vs. Belize / Cayman Islands
Guatemala vs. Bahamas / Bermuda
Aruba vs. Barbados / US Virgin Islands
Turks & Caicos / St. Kitts & Nevis vs. El Salvador
Curaçao / Montserrat vs. Cuba
Nicaragua / Anguilla vs. Suriname
In the third round, Haiti and Jamaica will join the draw and together with Canada (who will win their matchup easily) will be paired with the three winners from the top of the draw. The remaining six winners of the other matches will be paired against each other for the final three places in the semifinal round.
The fourth round (a.k.a. semifinal round) will be the usual three groups of four. USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, and T&T have byes.
CAF
No information yet. Their format traditionally sucks, going from a group stage to a final round of 10 group winners playing for five spots in home-and-homes. It leaves too much to the luck of the draw. Hopefully that changes, though keeping travel costs down is always a concern in the region.
AFC
WCQs are doubling as qualifiers for the 2017 Asian Cup. A quick home-and-home first round will eliminate the weakest minnows and reduce the field to 40. A group stage of eight groups of five (eight matches) will occur, with the eight group winners and four best runners-up advancing. The third round will be two groups of six, with the top two in each qualifying for the WC. Assuming AFC keeps 4.5 spots (which honestly, they don't deserve), the two third place teams will play off for the chance to lose to a team from another confederation, unless they luck into New Zealand.
OFC
Winner of the 2016 OFC Nations Cup will go into the inter-confederation playoffs.