It’s crunch time for various teams around the group as the World Cup play-offs determine the final eleven teams who will make up next months draw in Brazil.
Meanwhile, those nations who have already sealed passage to Brazil – or, alternatively, no longer have an active interest in the tournament – will be engaged in international friendlies.
With this week’s international fixtures being shown across a wide variety of UK channels, here’s Mike Martin’s guide to when and where to watch all action below.
| FIFA World Cup Play-Offs |
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PORTUGAL v SWEDEN European Play-off |
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The box-office fixture in the World Cup play-offs is being billed as Ronaldo versus Ibrahimovic, with one of the global superstars set to be missing when the FIFA roadshow lands in Brazil next June.
Portugal finished runners-up behind Russia in their group, while Sweden will be philosophical about coming second to the rampant Germans.
Both legs will be shown exclusively live on Sky Sports 1 on Friday and Tuesday evenings.
This will be the only televised European World Cup Play-off on UK TV, though other selected ties will be available to watch online.
Bet365.com has secured live coverage of the other three UEFA play-offs for its online customers.
This includes the intriguing Ukraine-France tie, in which Didier Deschamps’s side have it all to do to avoid the ignimony of watching the World Cup on television next summer.
The ties between outsiders Iceland and Croatia, and also Greece and Romania, will also be shown on the Qualifiers 2014 channel on YouTube. All the European play-offs open on Friday evening, with the second legs on Tuesday.
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| International Friendlies |
| ENGLAND v CHILE ENGLAND v GERMANY |
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For all the talk of Roy Hodgson needing to blood England’s promising young players, there can be little doubt that the main event is elsewhere in this international break.
ITV, however, will be expecting impressive audiences as exciting South Americans Chile and England’s traditional rivals Germany travel to Wembley stadium for what should be two high-spec friendlies.
Emerging talents such as Adam Lallana, Kieran Gibbs, Jack Wilshere, Jay Rodriguez, Ross Barkley, Daniel Sturridge and Andros Townsend will all be hoping to impress Roy Hodgson with few chances remaining to secure a place in the England World Cup squad.
The last time England an Chile met was in February 1998, when Marcelo Salas scored a double as an England team featuring Michael Owen making his debut lost 2-0 at Wembley.
The Three Lions last played host to Germany in August 2007, in the second international to be played at the new Wembley.
However, Roy Hodgson’s men may be seeking to avenge a 4-1 defeat in Bloemfontein at the last World Cup in which Frank Lampard had a ‘goal’ controversially disallowed before Germany ran rampant.
The games against Chile on Friday and Germany on Tuesday are both live on ITV, kicking off at 8.00pm.
Joining Adrian Chiles in the studio at Wembley for both games will be Lee Dixon, while commentary comes from Clive Tyldesley and Andy Townsend, plus pitchside reports from Gabriel Clarke.
Former Germany captain and Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack joins the ITV studio team for the Germany clash on Tuesday.
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| Other International Friendlies |
The Republic of Ireland host Latvia on Friday night in Dublin as the Irish fans get their first chance to see what their side looks like under the new management duo of Martin O’Neill and Roy Keane.
Also on Friday, Northern Ireland travel to the Adana Ocak Stadium for a friendly match against Turkey and delayed coverage will be broadcast on Premier Sports at 10.30pm.
Meanwhile, Scotland face the United States at Hampden Park with Jürgen Klinsmann’s side looking to fine-tune their line-up ahead of a seventh straight World Cup campaign, while Scotland will be hoping to continue their encouraging recent form under Gordon Strachan.
Wales play Finland on Saturday (6.00pm)with Gareth Bale due to make his first start for his country since his record-breaking transfer to Real Madrid, live on Sky Sports 2.
There are away matches for Ireland and Scotland on Tuesday.
Scotland visit Norway, to be shown on the BBC in Scotland, while Premier Sports will show Poland against Republic of Ireland on the same evening.
As well as live coverage of African World Cup qualifiers (see below), BT Sport will screen action from the South American giants’ friendlies.
Argentina face Ecuador in New York at midnight on Friday night, with Brazil facing Honduras in Miami the following night.
On Tuesday, there is Argentina vs Bosnia-Herzegovina in St Louis and Brazil meet Chile in Toronto at midnight (Wednesday morning).
Unfortunately, Argentina will be without injured star man Lionel Messi. Brazil, meanwhile, have an intriguing squad with Robinho returning to the fold and Chelsea’s Willian in line for a third cap.
| FIFA World Cup Play-Offs |
| AFRICA – 2nd Legs |
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BT Sport once again have live coverage of all of the second legs of the African World Cup play-offs, the first legs of which were played in October.
The key fixture appears to be Senegal against Ivory Coast, which, after the trouble which caused the abandonment of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between these two teams last year, will be played in Casablanca.
Senegal, though, are grateful for Papiss Cissé’s injury time away goal in the first leg though, with the Ivorians leading the tie 3-1, they still have it all to do to turn the play-off around. The second leg is on Saturday at 7.00pm.
Before that, at 3pm, Nigeria host Ethiopia having seemingly already done the hard work, winning 2-1 in the away leg. On Sunday, Cameroon host Tunisia in Yaoundé (2.30pm) having drawn 0-0 in the first leg.
There seems to be little to play for in Cairo on Tuesday when Egypt face Ghana (4.00pm) having lost the first leg 6-1 in Kumasi, with Ghana looking virtually assured of qualification already.
Things are less clear cut in the final tie, where Algeria host Burkina Faso (Tuesday, 6.15pm).
Burkina Faso, looking to qualify for their first World Cup tournament, won the first leg 3-2 in Ouagadougou but Algeria’s away goals will give the north African side confidence of going through.
| INTERCONTINENTAL – 2nd Legs | Premier Sports LFC TV |
The World Cup qualifiers come to an end on Wednesday with the second legs of the two global play-off ties, though both appear already to be decided.
At 6.00am on Premier Sports, New Zealand face Mexico in Wellington needing to overturn a 5-1 deficit with only Chris James’s late away goal in the Azteca bringing solace.
Uruguay are even more sure of their place at the finals than Mexico, having won 5-0 away to Jordan in the first leg last Wednesday.
LFC TV have picked up the rights to the second leg (11pm), so Liverpool fans can check whether Luis Suárez picks up an unhelpful injury less than 72 hours before Saturday’s Merseyside derby.
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