“It is time to take a look as time runs short in the current cycle of World Cup qualifying, with most teams around the world having two games left to play. Rather than going through it region by region, the focus is on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking and how it is most likely to affect World Cup seedings when the draw is held in December. A top seeding in a finals group gives a country a good chance to advance and the best chance to avoid a so-called group of death (FIFA also factors in other criteria, such as a country’s performance in recent World Cups).” (NYT)