2010 Fifa World Cup Qualifiers

In the qualification process for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the six FIFA confederations were allocated a share of the 31 remaining spots on the basis of the strength of their teams. The final distribution was as follows:

* Europe (UEFA): 13 places

* Africa (CAF): 5 places (South Africa qualified automatically as host nation for a total of 6 places)

* South America (CONMEBOL): 4 or 5 places

* Asia (AFC): 4 or 5 places

* North, Central American and Caribbean (CONCACAF): 3 or 4 places

* Oceania (OFC): 0 or 1 place

Each confederation with no secure number of place(s) indicates a place in inter-confederation matchups for the last two spots, namely a playoff between CONMEBOL and CONCACAF and another between the OFC and AFC.

At the close of entries on 15 March 2007, 204 out of the 208 FIFA members (including hosts South Africa) had entered the preliminary qualifying competition for the 2010 World Cup.

Only three AFC members: Brunei, Laos and the Philippines had failed to register for the tournament.

Bhutan were allowed to enter at the last minute and were included in the Asian preliminary draw, Papua New Guinea were disqualified from the Oceania Preliminary competition, and Brunei and the Philippines had their entries rejected (having missed the deadline). The final number of teams entered breaks the previous record of 199 entrants set in 2002. However, five of those teams withdrew during qualifying: Bhutan, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Guam and São Tomé and Príncipe.

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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) section of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification sees teams competing for five berths in the final tournament in South Africa. The qualification stage doubles as the qualification stage for the 2010 African Cup of Nations, with fifteen teams qualifying for the finals to be held in Angola.

In total there are 53 nations participating. However, due to the presence of the two tournaments' respective hosts, each competition has 52 teams. South Africa qualifies automatically as host for the World Cup,FIFA.com and Angola qualifies as host for the African Cup of Nations. Both are nevertheless competing in the qualifying phase, to attempt to qualify for the other tournament.

This is the first time since 1934 that the hosts will compete in World Cup qualifiers. Angola's situation mirrors that of Egypt in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers in Africa, which doubled as the qualifiers to the 2006 African Cup of Nations hosted by Egypt.Hosts South Africa to play in 2010 World Cup qualifiers

The South American Zone of 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification will see 10 teams competing for 4.5 places in the finals which are to be held in South Africa. The format is identical to that used for the previous three World Cup qualification tournaments held by CONMEBOL. Matches are scheduled so that there are always two games within a week, which is aimed at minimizing player travel time, particularly for players who are based in Europe.

The top four teams in the final standings will qualify automatically for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The 5th placed team will meet the 4th placed team from CONCACAF Qualification in a two-legged playoff for a place in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.FIFA.com

The Asian Football Confederation has been allocated 4.5 qualifying berths for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. 43 teams are in the running for these spots; Laos, Brunei and Philippines will not attempt to qualify. This will be the first time Timor-Leste has competed in World Cup qualification and the first time Australia has attempted to qualify for the World Cup as a member of the AFC, having moved from the Oceania Football Confederation at the start of 2006.

The CONCACAF qualification stage for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa has 35 national teams competing for the three berths given automatically to CONCACAF by FIFA. The fourth place finisher will play a two game playoff with the CONMEBOL fifth place finisherFIFA.com for a possible fourth berth.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification for the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) will select one nation to compete in a two-legged home-and-away playoff against the fifth-place team from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for a spot in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. (Oceania is the only confederation that does not have an automatic place in the finals.) Its final round will also be the 2008 OFC Nations Cup. Consequently, the winner will also be considered the OFC Nations Cup champion, and will represent the OFC in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.

This is the first OFC World Cup qualifying campaign since Australia's move from the OFC to the AFC.

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