The 2010 World Cup will start in October with the first round of the Asian qualifiers (technically, the World Cup includes the qualifiers, the final tourney in South Africa is called the World Cup Finals). In the first round, every team except the 5 that made the 06 World Cup (Korea, Japan, Iran, Saudi, Australia, who all qualify for round 3) will play in a single elimination knockout series, where the winner goes to the next round (either round 2 or 3) and the loser is out until 2014 qualifiers. here are the matchups

South Korea - ADVANCED TO ROUND 3
Japan - ADVANCED TO ROUND 3
Iran - ADVANCED TO ROUND 3
Saudi Arabia - ADVANCED TO ROUND 3
Australia - ADVANCED TO ROUND 3
Indonesia - ADVANCED TO EITHER ROUND 2 OR 3 (Guam was their opponent but withdrew)
Pakistan - Iraq
Uzbekistan - Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)
Thailand - Macau
Sri Lanka - Qatar
China - Myanmar
Bhutan - Kuwait
Kyrgystan - Jordan
Vietnam - UAE
Bahrain - Malaysia
East Timor - Hong Kong
Syria - Afghanistan
Yemen - Maldives
Bangladesh - Tajikstan
Mongolia - North Korea
Oman - Nepal
Palestine - Singapore
Lebanon - India
Cambodia - Turkmenistan

After this there is a second knockout round, where the worst 8 ranked winners of the first round have to face each other to play in the 3rd round, while the top 11 ranked winners move on to the 3rd round automatically. 2nd round takes place in November

Then comes the real start of qualifiers, round 3. This is a group stage, where teams are divided into 5 groups of 4. From February to September 2008, each team will play 6 games, and the top 2 in each group advance to the final round.

The final round is divided into 2 groups of 5. Each team plays 8 matches, which take place from October 2008-September 2009. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the 2010 World Cup. The third place teams from each group face each other in a playoff. Then the winner of that matchup faces the Oceania champion (which will 99% likely be New Zealand) for the final spot in the 2010 World Cup.

The World Cup qualifiers are a grueling 2 year process, but it just makes qualifying for the World Cup even more worth it, and for those that don't qualify, all the more agonizing.

I'll make sure to watch it this time. XDD I missed the last World Cup and I'm making up for it by watching the U-17 Fifa World Cup. xDD

Thanks for the info!

Go Korea!!

Can't wait for it ... I seriously want to go to South Africa and watch it ...

I'm pissed that I couldn't go to Korea for the 02 Cup. >8(

I love the world cup <3 haha, watch it every time. gogo Japan! <3

I think that all Korean soccer fans should follow the qualifiers...because Korea's qualification to 2010 isn't a sure thing, especially with the way they're playing right now. The addition of Australia has made things MUCH harder for Korea. Asia will have 4.5 spots, and the big 5 includes Iran, Saudi, Australia, Japan, and Korea. However, there are a myriad of other teams that can come in and steal one of those spots: like Iraq, China, Uzbekistan, North Korea, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar.

I'd love to see North and South Korea play against each other in the world cup in an important stage...

But it won't happen this time around... Even though North Korea tied a friendly game against Saudi.... though they lost to Singapore and the UAE... also they won 1-0 against Hong Kong which means they might as well have lost....

But looking at the strength of the U-20 team of North Korea maybe for 2014 that is a possibility...

Well, it didn't seem like North Korea had a very good team in 2006 yet they made the final round of WC qualifiers, so we shouldn't count them out, especially since they're such a mysterious team with players no one can find info about.

your dream has come true. both Korea DPR and South Korea have been drawn in Gp 3 of the Asian Phase.

Well Korea + Japan should qualify, their group is too easy.
THe group of death is Aussie+China+Qatar+Iraq.

I bet many of the iraqis will jump ship at aussie and asked for political asylum, just like they did during the Olympic qualifier.


http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/19/2094247.htm

Hope Australia makes it to the world cup in 2010. I was absolutely devastated in how they lost to Italy. Yes I am still somewhat bitter about lol.

sth africa, right? cool XDD that sure will be hot for the playersxDD... well last summer wasn't better xDD I'm happy that I could see all those fans here in germany <33 soo many koreans, while korea played XDD

oooooh wow so early hehehe. loveddd the last world cup!
omgshhhhhhhh i hope china some how advances T_T!
go CHINA and KOREA!!! wheeeeee

I can't wait for the 2010 World Cup
GO KOREA!!!!!! GO ENGLAND!!!!!!!!

I'm so watching in two years

Yeah I remember that. It's never too late for revenge


Oh yeah and the Socceroos thrashed Qatar 3-0, and we're playing China next. My family's split into different sides lol.

Go Korea!

대한민국!