Forty-two of the 48 competing nations have now been confirmed, with the remaining six to be decided via play-offs in the spring.
The current Manchester United squad is likely to be well-represented at next summer’s tournament, which is being held in North America in June and July.
Everything you need to know about the 23rd running of FIFA’s global competition is detailed below…
WHERE IS THE WORLD CUP?
For the first time ever, the World Cup is being held across three different nations – the United States, Mexico and Canada. The US, which last hosted the event in 1994, has the bulk of the games, with 78 fixtures due to be played across 11 cities.