Saudi Arabia, a powerhouse of the AFC, has established one of the most influential domestic competitions, invested heavily in football in other countries, and will host the 2034 World Cup.
The African Confederation of Football covers more territory than any other confederation and includes a set of increasingly confident and ambitious nations.
Uruguay was the most important football nation at the beginning of the 20th century. Winners of the first World Cup in 1930, no country has a more fearsome reputation. Uruguay may be a small country, but it has an enormous fighting spirit.
CONMEBOL is in the process of becoming the first confederation to see all its members - Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Chile and the rest - participate in a World Cup.
Spain has become the world's leading footballing nation. Their 2024 European Championship title was forged by a squad representative of all Spain, unlike its past successes which had been dictated by two of the world's biggest clubs.