All the latest news ahead of the tournament in Russia this summer
The 32 countries have until the May 14 deadline to name their provisional squads for Russia with managers all over the globe currently scratching their heads as they bid to whittle down their long list of possibles and probables in time for the final June 4 cut off, just 10 days before the opener in Moscow.
However, many teams - England included, - have already pledged to name their lucky few earlier with Gareth Southgate set to pick his 23 before the final pre-tournament friendlies with Nigeria and Costa Rica.
Here's everything we know so far as we prepare for this summer's fun and games:
Group A
Russia
Coach: Stanislav Cherchesov
Star player: Fyodor Smolov
World Cup best: First round 1994, 2002, 2014 (Soviet Union finished fourth in 1966)
How they got here: Russia qualified automatically as hosts and will be desperate to improve their poor recent record at major tournaments. They have not won a match since Euro 2012 and, since the break up of the Soviet Union, have not progressed from the World Cup group stage.
Squad news: Their cause is not helped by the injury to Aleksandr Kokorin who is now almost certain to miss the the tournament after damaging his ACL in March.
Saudi Arabia
Coach: Edgardo Bauza
Star player: Mohammad Al-Sahlawi
World Cup best: Second round 1994
How they got here: After qualifying for four consecutive tournaments between 1994 and 2006, Saudi Arabia missed out in 2010 and 2014 but are back after finishing ahead of Australia in their qualifying group.
Squad news: They are not helped by the La Liga loan debacle where national team mainstays Yahya Al-Shehri, Salem Al-Dawsari and Fahad Al-Muwallad were all packed off to Spain in January. None of them have played a single minute of league football since.
Egypt
Coach: Hector Cuper
Star player: Mohamed Salah
World Cup best: First round 1934, 1990
How they got here: Egypt will make only their third appearance at a World Cup finals and their first since 1990 after booking their place in Russia with victory over Congo. Runners-up to Cameroon in this year's African Nations Cup.
Squad news: Ahmed Hegazi has suffered along with everyone else at West Brom this term but it's hard to be too worried given the form of star man Mohamed Salah at Liverpool. If he fires in Russia everyone will be on notice.
Uruguay
Coach: Oscar Tabarez
Star player: Luis Suarez
World Cup best: Winners 1930, 1950
How they got here: Uruguay's last World Cup campaign was overshadowed by Suarez's bite on Giorgio Chiellini and expulsion from the tournament but they qualified impressively for Russia and possess undoubted firepower.
Squad news: Luis Suarez isn't perhaps the player he was but he'll still head to Russia a double winner with strike partner Edinson Cavani in equally fine fettle. Martin Caceres's calf injury could be a lingering issue.
Group B
Portugal
Coach: Fernando Santos
Star player: Cristiano Ronaldo
World Cup best: Third place 1966
How they got here: Portugal enjoyed a real battle with Switzerland for automatic qualification but came out on top. Looking to continue their unbeaten run at tournaments after winning their first major title at Euro 2016.
Squad news: Renato Sanches has fallen spectacularly off the grid in a disappointing season at Swansea while fellow Euro 2016 hero Adrien Silva spent six months in the wilderness at Leicester. Cristiano Ronaldo is still banging them in though so it's not all bad news.
Spain
Coach: Julen Lopetegui
Star player: Isco
World Cup best: Winners 2010
How they got here: The previously all-conquering Spanish suffered the ignominy of group stage exits at the 2014 World Cup and 2016 European Championship. The squad has seen evolution rather than revolution.
Squad news: Alvaro Morata hasn't hit the ground running at Chelsea as he and Spain would have liked but Diego Costa's departure from Stamford Bridge has seen him enjoy some much-needed game time of late. David Villa continues to find the net in MLS and is in with a real shout of making it into the final 23.
Morocco
Coach: Herve Renard
Star player: Medhi Benatia
World Cup best: Second round 1986
How they got here: Well-travelled coach Renard will have relished beating his former employers Ivory Coast to top spot in a tough qualifying group. The North Africans are back at the finals for the first time since 1998.
Squad news: Romain Saiss has enjoyed a fine season with Wolves helping them earn promotion while Mehdi Benatia won the league with Bayern in Germany. Left-back Zouhair Feddal has ruptured his Achilles though and looks a certainty to miss out.
Iran
Coach: Carlos Queiroz
Star player: Sardar Azmoun
World Cup best: First round 1978, 1998, 2006, 2014
How they got here: This will be Iran's fourth appearance from the last six World Cup finals, but their only victory came against the USA in 1998. Won their final qualifying group ahead of South Korea.
Squad news: The place of captain Masoud Shojaei remains the main interest with the deputy sports minister stepping in after he played for Panionios against Maccabi Tel Aviv, a member of the Iran state, in the Europa League qualifiers. That would usually constitute a life ban but Queiroz has as yet held firm.
Group C
France
Coach: Didier Deschamps
Star player: Antoine Griezmann
World Cup best: Winners 1998
How they got here: Knocked out in the quarter-finals in 2014, France have built a hugely impressive squad and will hope to make up for their near miss on home soil in Euro 2016, when they lost in the final to Portugal.
Squad news: Benjamin Mendy's return from injury is a timely boost and, if he gets up to speed, he could well start come their Group C opener. Both Dimitri Payet and Alexandre Lacazette have enjoyed returns to form of late which could earn them both late call-ups.
Australia
Coach: Bert van Marwijk
Star player: Aaron Mooy
World Cup best: Second round 2006
How they got here: Completing a quintet of qualifiers from the Asian groups, Australia conquered Honduras over two play-off legs. Were pointless at Brazil 2014 and long-serving talisman Tim Cahill is on the wane.
Squad news: Injuries to Rhys Williams and Brandon Borrello will almost certainly end their participation while Matthew Spiranovic's time in the Chinese second division will likely cost him his place. Brad Jones will don the gloves after a good season in Holland with Feyenoord.
Peru
Coach: Ricardo Gareca
Star player: Jefferson Farfán
World Cup best: Quarter-finals 1970
How they got here: Will be appearing at their first World Cup since 1982 after they beat New Zealand 2-0 on aggregate in the play-offs.
Squad news: Captain Paolo Guerrero could miss the tournament after testing positive for cocaine. He has appealed but his participation remains firmly in doubt.
Denmark
Coach: Age Hareide
Star player: Christian Eriksen
World Cup best: Quarter-finals 1998
How they got here: After missing out in 2014, Eriksen propelled Denmark back to the World Cup finals with a hat-trick in their play-off victory over the Republic of Ireland. The Danes failed to get out of their group on their last appearance in 2010.
Squad news: The form of Andreas Christensen at Chelsea would once have been considered an overwhelming positive but a dip in form has seen the young centre-back's game time cut down. Star man Eriksen will head to Russia in great shape, however, after a stellar season at Spurs.
Group D
Argentina
Coach: Jorge Sampaoli
Star player: Lionel Messi
World Cup best: Winners 1978, 1986
How they got here: A nervy qualification campaign saw one of world football's great powers book their place at the last opportunity with victory over Ecuador but the losing finalists in 2014 will be looking to go one better.
Squad news: Fernando Gago and Dario Benedetto have already been ruled out but Sergio Aguero's season-ending surgery isn't tournament-ending in more positive news. Messi remains at the very top of his game having secured a double with Barca.
Iceland
Coach: Heimir Hallgrimsson
Star player: Gylfi Sigurdsson
World Cup best: Debut
How they got here: The smallest nation by population ever to qualify for the World Cup finals, Iceland followed up their Euro 2016 heroics by topping a group featuring Croatia, Ukraine and Turkey.
Squad news: The fitness of talisman Sigurdsson is the biggest issue Hallgrimsson faces with latest suggestions from Everton being he could even make it back for the end of the Premier League season. All of Iceland's fingers are crossed.
Croatia
Coach: Zlatko Dalic
Star player: Luka Modric
World Cup best: Third place 1998
How they got here: Ivan Rakitic, Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic make for one of the best creative midfields in the tournament but they have failed to make it out of their group on their last three appearances since reaching the semi-finals at France 98.
Squad news: Seven of Dalic's top players including Luka Modric, Dejan Lovren and Mario Mandzukic withdrew from the two-match tour of the United States earlier this year to conserve their energy and all look set to be fit.
Nigeria
Coach: Salisu Yusuf
Star player: Victor Moses
World Cup best: Second round 1994, 1998, 2014
How they got here: A very impressive qualifying campaign booked Nigeria's place in Russia. The Super Eagles have only missed one of the last seven tournaments but 2014's victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina was their first since 1998.
Squad news: Leicester's Wilfried Ndidi will miss the end of the season with a hamstring injury but he and Foxes teammate Kelechi Iheanacho, who broke his hand on international duty, should make Russia.
Group E
Brazil
Coach: Tite
Star player: Neymar
World Cup best: Winners 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002
How they got here: The five-time champions were the first team other than hosts Russia to qualify for the tournament after a very impressive campaign. Brazil have not made a World Cup final since their last title in 2002.
Squad news: It's all about Neymar. The Selecao's main man hasn't played since breaking his foot in February but the £200m man remains optimistic he will not only be fit but will also be firing well before their opening game against Switzerland.
Switzerland
Coach: Vladimir Petkovic
Star player: Xherdan Shaqiri
World Cup best: Quarter-finals 1934, 1938, 1954
How they got here: Qualified for their fourth straight World Cup by beating Northern Ireland in a play-off via a controversial penalty. They have made it out of their group in two of the previous three and that will be the minimum aim this time around.
Squad news: Petkovic is blessed with a near enough fully-fit squad to choose from with a shoulder problem for Valon Behrami his only slight concern.
Costa Rica
Coach: Oscar Ramirez
Star player: Keylor Navas
World Cup best: Quarter-finals 2014
How they got here: Finished second in CONCACAF qualifying, with the highlight being a 4-0 victory over the United States. Will be hard pushed to match their 2014 performance, when they beat Italy, Uruguay and Greece before losing to Holland on penalties.
Squad news: Niggles aside Ramirez has a clean slate more or less with the match fitness of Arsenal's Joel Campbell the only difficulty at this stage.
Serbia
Coach: Mladen Krstajic (caretaker)
Star player: Nemanja Matic
World Cup best: First round 2010 (Yugoslavia finished fourth in 1930 and 1962, Serbia and Montenegro reached the second round in 1998)
How they got here: Qualifying for a first major tournament since the 2010 World Cup was not enough to save manager Slavoljub Muslin from the sack. Finished top of a group featuring the Republic of Ireland and Wales.
Squad news: Nemanja Matic has enjoyed a strong first season at Manchester United and alongside fellow in-form Premier League star Luka Milivojevic projects to form one of the more feared midfield pairings in the tournament.
Group F
Germany
Coach: Joachim Low
Star player: Toni Kroos
World Cup best: Winners 2014 (West Germany were champions in 1954, 1974 and 1990)
How they got here: The reigning champions qualified in style, winning all 10 of their games, scoring 43 goals and conceding only four. Their golden generation is ageing but remains a force and has been enhanced by young blood.
Squad news: The inclusion of two of Low's biggest names looks set to go down to the wire. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer hasn't played for six months with a foot injury while Bayern Munich teammate Jerome Boateng is in an even bleaker situation having injured his knee in the semi-finals of the Champions League against Real Madrid.
Mexico
Coach: Juan Carlos Osorio
Star player: Javier Hernandez
World Cup best: Quarter-finals 1970, 1986
How they got here: Mexico are traditionally the strongest team in the CONCACAF region and again qualified comfortably. They have reached the second round at the last six tournaments without once going further.
Squad news: Giovani Dos Santos has been in and out of the LA Galaxy side but looks set to be fit for Russia in what should be a fully fit squad for El Tri.
Sweden
Coach: Janne Andersson
Star player: Andreas Granqvist
World Cup best: Runners-up 1958
How they got here: Sweden qualified for their first World Cup since 2006 with a play-off win over four-time champions Italy. They also finished above Holland in a tough qualifying group which was headed by France.
Squad news: Despite his best efforts there will be no Zlatan Ibrahimovic this summer with a glorious return to the national side categorically ruled out.
South Korea
Coach: Shin Tae-yong
Star player: Son Heung-min
World Cup best: Fourth place 2002
How they got here: South Korea qualified for their ninth consecutive World Cup finals despite an indifferent campaign. They have only won two matches since finishing fourth as co-hosts in 2002.
Squad news: Son has been in sparkling form for Tottenham this term but a long season at home and abroad has those back home concerned their main man may arrive in Russia a little overdone. Time will tell.
Group G
Belgium
Coach: Roberto Martinez
Star player: Kevin De Bruyne
World Cup best: Fourth place 1986
How they got here: Unbeaten in qualifying, Belgium's hugely talented squad will be hoping to build on their quarter-final appearance four years ago having reached the same stage at Euro 2016.
Squad news: Once an afterthought Michy Batshuayi's loan to Dortmund looked to have revitalised the Chelsea man but an ankle injury has sparked concerns he may now miss the tournament altogether. Fellow striker Christian Benteke has struggled mightily at Crystal Palace but Kevin de Bruyne heads into the tournament in the form of his career after winning the title with Manchester City.
Panama
Coach: Hernan Dario Gomez
Star player: Gabriel Torres
World Cup best: Debut
How they got here: Panama have been edging closer to reaching the World Cup finals for the first time in recent tournaments and crossed the line this time thanks to a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Costa Rica in their final qualifier.
Squad news: There are no injury concerns for Gomez as he prepares to guide Panama into their first-ever World Cup.
Tunisia
Coach: Nabil Maaloul
Star player: Wahbi Khazri
World Cup best: Group stage 1978, 1998, 2002, 2006
How they got here: After appearing at three consecutive finals without winning a single group game, Tunisia missed the last two editions. Unbeaten in qualifying, they defeated DR Congo to Russia by a point, with a last-round draw against Libya proving enough for a squad compromised largely of Tunisia-based players.
Squad news: Tunisia are still rocking from losing veteran midfielder Youssef Msakni on the eve of the tournament to a cruciate knee ligament injury.
England
Coach: Gareth Southgate
Star player: Harry Kane
World Cup best: Winners 1966
How they got here: A comfortable qualification campaign did nothing to boost optimism for England's chances in Russia. A first major tournament in charge for Southgate, with the Three Lions having failed to reach the quarter-finals at the last two World Cups.
Squad news: Gareth Southgate would be disappointed to have lost Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, in fine form, to a knee injury in April while the form and fitness of Harry Kane is also a worry. The performances of Raheem Sterling and Jesse Lingard of late are a big positive, however, as are those of Ruben Loftus-Cheek who could yet be a late bolter into the 23.
Group H
Poland
Coach: Adam Nawalka
Star player: Robert Lewandowski
World Cup best: Third place 1974, 1982
How they got here: Poland are back at the World Cup finals for the first time since 2006 after comfortably topping their qualifying group. The last time they progressed beyond the group stages was 1986.
Squad news: Robert Lewandowski may have failed to fire against Real Madrid but has enjoyed a fine title-winning season with Bayern Munich and will be one of the biggest threats this summer. Jakub Blaszczykowski returned to action with Hamburg in April and looks likely to be fit in plenty of time.
Senegal
Coach: Aliou Cisse
Star player: Sadio Mane
World Cup best: Quarter-final 2002
How they got here: The surprise package at the 2002 World Cup - they memorably beat hosts France - Senegal missed three editions of the tournament before securing their return by beating South Africa in a replayed group match. The original result was annulled after referee Joseph Lamptey was expelled by Fifa.
Squad news: Vice-captain Kara Mbodji hasn't played since before Christmas but the form of Sadio Mane at Liverpool should be a comfort heading into Russia.
Colombia
Coach: Jose Pekerman
Star player: Radamel Falcao
World Cup best: Quarter-finals 2014
How they got here: Colombia's star has waned a little since their brilliant showing in 2014, when they reached the last eight and were narrowly and controversially beaten by Brazil. Finished fourth in South American qualifying.
Squad news: James Rodriguez was the undoubted star four years ago and figures to be so again after a bounce back season on loan at Bayern. The fitness of Juan Cuadrado, another standout last time round, is a concern though having injured his groin in January.
Japan
Coach: Akira Nishino
Star player: Shinji Kagawa
World Cup best: Second round 2002, 2010
How they got here: Will be appearing at their sixth consecutive World Cup finals after winning their qualification group. Did not win any of their three group games at the 2014 tournament.
Squad news: Other than the drama over the manager's position where Nishino replaced Vahid Halilhodzic at the beginning of April it has been a relatively calm run into the tournament for the Japanese. Defender Hiroki Sakai is nursing a knee ligament injury but should be fit.
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