Though 2007 is not even over, FIFA has already determined who will play who in the qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup. Mexico will play the winner of Belize and St. Kitss and Nevis in a 2 leg match. Should Mexico win, they would be in a tough four team group potentially with Jamaica, Honduras, and Canada, should the favorites all win their qualifying matches.
The United States will play the winner of Dominica and Barbados and assuming victory for all the favorites would be in a group with Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago, and Cuba. The United States soccer team has never played in Cuba since Fidel Castro took power. The third potential group, assuming the favorites win their matches will feature Costa Rica, Guyana, Panama, and Haiti. El Salvador and Nicaragua may challenge this group by beating their respective teams.
Unfortunately, CONCACAF has to make things very complicated. Twenty-four teams will play in the first round in a two leg series with the winners advancing to play another two leg series against the twelve best teams in CONCACAF. The winners of the second round advance to three groups of four teams each.
After that, the top two teams in each group advance to the final round where a total of six teams will face each other. The top three teams qualify for the 2010 World Cup while the fourth place team faces the fifth best team from South America’s CONMEBOL for another spot.
CONMEBOL has a much simpler format where all ten teams face each other and the top four teams qualify for the World Cup. Europe’s UEFA will have thirteen teams qualify for the World Cup. Africa will have five teams plus South Africa because they are hosting the tournament. Asia will have four teams automatically in with the fifth best team playing the Oceania region’s champion for a slot. The 2006 Champion, Italy will have to qualify since FIFA does not allow the champion an automatic berth anymore.
Facebook Comments
