Thats a giant area of land and also the amount of teams seems massive.  My first thought it will allow more African  teams to progress because their level of play is so commonly high across the continent.  Does FIFA intend for the qualifying to be less stringent and the final event more of the decider increasing fairness perhaps.

Another 3 years of war and killing their own and other people is probably more important a problem then sending a team to kick a ball.    Closer then that I doubt Russia is allowed back to any normal play while continuing on, there is really no context for a fair game against that backdrop of death;  doesnt make much sense to me.