2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying

This time around the current holders, Brazil, will have to battle their way through the qualifying process as FIFA decided to scrap the automatic place in the finals.
Once again there will be 32 teams in the final - here's how it all breaks down.


EUROPE

The 51 European nations - Germany qualify as hosts - have been split into eight groups.
The winners of each group automatically qualify for the finals, along with the best two second placed teams. The remaining six nations face a two-legged play-off in order to qualify.

Tables:
Group One Group Two Group Three
Group Four Group Five Group Six
Group Seven Group Eight

Next games on November 17.


SOUTH AMERICA

The ten South American countries entered qualifying on a normal league basis, playing each other home and away over two years. Nine rounds of games have already been played.
The top four nations will qualify automatically for the finals.
The fifth place team faces a two-legged play-off with the winner of the Oceania region in order to make it to Germany.

Qualifying Table One game takes place on October 14.

CENTRAL/NORTH AMERICA

There are three automatic places and one play-off place available.
As usual, Concacaf have come up with a convoluted and complicated qualifying process. Qualifying is now at the semi-final stage, with 12 nations remaining in the running.

*Note: United States, Guatemala and Mexico are already through to the final round.

Qualifying Table Next games on November 13.

AFRICA

African qualifying began in October 2003, when 42 nations faced a two-legged qualifying tie. The winners joined Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia in the second round.
The remaining nations were drawn into five groups of six teams. The winners of these five groups qualify for the finals.

Qualifying Table Next game on February 9.

ASIA

The six winners from the premlininary round, plus the highest ranking loser, advanced to the next stage of the qualifying competition, involving 32-teams.
The 32 nations have been drawn into eight groups of four teams. The winners will advance to the final round, whereby the eight remaining nations will be drawn into two groups of four.
The top two qualify for the finals, with the two third place teams facing a two-legged play-off for the right to play the fourth place team from the Concacaf region for a place in the finals.

*Note: Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Uzbekistan, Japan and Bahrain are through to the final stage.

Qualifying Table Next game on November 16.

OCEANIA

The First Round took place in May 2004, when the ten minor nations were split into two groups of five. The top two countries from each group advanced to the Second Round.
Those four nations joined Australia and New Zealand in one group. The overall winner of this final group, Australia, will play-off against the runner up, Solomon Islands, for the right to enter a play-off with the fifth-placed South American nation. No team is guarateed a place in the finals.

Oceania play-off to be played in 2005, between Australia and Solomon Islands