<P> The 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification process was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations to decide 31 of the 32 teams which would play in the 2018 FIFA World Cup , with Russia qualifying automatically as hosts . All 210 remaining FIFA member associations were eligible to enter the qualifying process , and for the first time in World Cup history , all eligible national teams registered for the preliminary competition , but Zimbabwe and Indonesia were disqualified before playing their first matches . Bhutan , South Sudan , Gibraltar and Kosovo made their FIFA World Cup qualification debuts . Myanmar , having successfully appealed against a ban from the competition for crowd trouble during a 2014 World Cup qualifying tie against Oman , were obliged to play all their home matches outside the country . </P>
<P> The 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification process was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations to decide 31 of the 32 teams which would play in the 2018 FIFA World Cup , with Russia qualifying automatically as hosts . All 210 remaining FIFA member associations were eligible to enter the qualifying process , and for the first time in World Cup history , all eligible national teams registered for the preliminary competition , but Zimbabwe and Indonesia were disqualified before playing their first matches . Bhutan , South Sudan , Gibraltar and Kosovo made their FIFA World Cup qualification debuts . Myanmar , having successfully appealed against a ban from the competition for crowd trouble during a 2014 World Cup qualifying tie against Oman , were obliged to play all their home matches outside the country . </P>
how many teams are in the world cup in russia
how many teams are in the world cup in russia
32 teams
32 teams