Zurich, Switzerland (Sportsbooks) - The very first qualifying matches for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany will be played in South America this weekend. At its meeting on March 7, 2003, the FIFA Executive Committee ratified a decision taken by the Organizing Committee for the FIFA World Cup, allowing the African (CAF) and South American (CONMEBOL) confederations to start their qualifying competitions in autumn 2003, although the preliminary draw is not due to take place in Frankfurt until December 5, 2003. CAF will then be the next confederation to follow the example set by their South American counterparts. In Africa, some 42 teams will compete in a preliminary round (first leg matches October 10-12, 2003, second leg matches November 14-16, 2003), with the 21 triumphant teams entering the draw on December 5, 2003 alongside Cameroon, Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, Tunisia (the five African teams that took part in the 2002 FIFA World Cup final competition), Morocco, Egypt, Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo (the four next best-placed African teams in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking on June 15, 2003). One hundred ninety-nine national associations out of a possible 204 registered for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Some 777 matches were played en route to the final competition, which brought together 32 teams in Korea Republic and Japan. |
