FIFA World Cup: Who the Socceroos could face

Peru have claimed the final spot at the 2018 FIFA World Cup meaning all eyes now will be on December's draw for the tournament in Russia.

The Socceroos will face an arduous task to progress past the group stage from pot four, while hosts Russia benefit from a pot one seeding despite being the lowest ranked side at the tournament.

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When the countries are drawn out on December 1 at the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow the eight groups of four teams will be decided for the showpiece event.

As per usual one team from each pot will make up any given group (A-H), with countries from the same confederation (with the exception of UEFA, which can have a maximum two per group) unable to be drawn together.

Here's how the pots look based on the latest FIFA world rankings (numbers in brackets) from October, 2017.

POT ONE
Russia (65), Germany (1), Brazil (2), Portugal (3), Argentina (4), Belgium (5), Poland (6), France (7)

POT TWO
Spain (8), Peru (10), Switzerland (11), England (12), Colombia (13), Mexico (16), Uruguay (17), Croatia (18)

POT THREE
Denmark (19), Iceland (21), Costa Rica (22), Sweden (25), Tunisia (28), Egypt (30), Senegal (32), Iran (34)

POT FOUR
Serbia (38), Nigeria (41), Australia (43), Japan (44), Morocco (48), Panama (49), South Korea (62), Saudi Arabia (63)

BEST CASE SCENARIO FOR SOCCEROOS

Group teams
*AUSTRALIA
*RUSSIA (Home advantage only counts for so much and the distinct lack of quality compared to other Pot One countries makes the lowest ranked competitors an obvious choice)
*MEXICO (Ranked above Uruguay and Croatia in Pot Two but despite being CONCACAF's top dogs they don't possess a side littered with as much talent as the South Americans and Europeans respectively)
*SENEGAL (With Egypt boasting players like Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, it's basically a toss-up between Tunisia and Senegal. Both had similar results in CAF qualifying but Senegal's opposition arguably wasn't as strong as the Tunisians)

WORST CASE SCENARIO FOR SOCCEROOS

Group teams
*AUSTRALIA
*GERMANY (Ranked one in the world and rightfully so. The World Cup holders are so good they can win the Confederations Cup with a B side. The bulk of the squad that lifted the Cup in 2014 are still in their prime and they will be the one team feared above all others)
*SPAIN (While not still the all-conquering side that claimed the 2010 World Cup as well as back-to-back European titles, the Spanish have talent all over the park who are all playing in the strongest leagues in the world. Drawing Spain would give the Socceroos the chance to exact revenge for their 3-0 thumping at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil)
*EGYPT (If Germany and Spain make up the European contingent then Egypt edges it over Costa Rica as the next scariest prospect for Australia in Pot Three based on their consistent standing in Africa and the aforementioned ability of Salah to almost singlehandedly decide a match)