Already Qualified
A grand total of 32 national teams will be competing in South Africa come next summer. Below are those countries who have already qualified.
Hosts: South Africa
Africa: Ghana; Ivory Coast
Totals: 5 qualification spots/2 qualified
Asia: Australia; Japan; North Korea; South Korea
Totals: 4 qualification spots/ 4 qualified
Europe: Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Serbia, Spain
Totals: 13 qualification spots/7 qualified
Note: In addition to the 9 group winners, the top 8 runners-up (in this case, the second-place teams from Groups 1-8) will compete in a play-off to determine the 4 sides that will join the top sides in South Africa.
North America: Mexico, USA
Totals: 3-4 qualification spots/2 qualified
Note: The fourth place team from CONCACAF (N. Am.) will meet the fifth-place team from CONMEBOL (S. Am.) to determine which association will get an extra entrant in WC2010.
South America: Brazil, Chile, Paraguay
Totals: 4-5 qualification spots/3 qualified
Wednesday's What to Watch For
Europe: Breaking Down It Down Group by Group....
Group 1: Sweden v. Albania and Portugal v. Malta
Denmark has already qualified, leaving Portugal (on 16 points) and Sweden (on 15 points) to vie for the play-off spot. It should be noted that Portugal will be without their talismanic captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who limped off their 3-0 win over Hungary on Saturday with a recurrence of his ankle injury.
Group 2: Switzerland v. Israel and Greece v. Luxembourg
This is a group where everything is still in play. Switzerland (on 20 points) requires only a tie to assure qualification in the top spot. However, should Switzerland lose to Israel, the Swiss run the risk of slipping into second place, if Greece, 5-2 winners at the weekend, can pull out another win against Luxembourg. Israel (on 15 points) have an outside chance at a play-off spot, should they manage to beat Switzerland, and if Greece (on 17 points) does not get a result on Wednesday.
Group 3: San Marino v. Slovenia and Poland v. Slovakia
Slovakia (on 19 points) is guaranteed of at least a play-off spot, though they can take the group with a win in their game against Poland. Though, should the Polish thwart them, Slovenia (on 17 points) could overtake them at the top of the group, with a win against minnows San Marino.
Group 4: Nada!
Germany (on 25 points) and Russia (on 21 points) have already locked up the first and second spots.
Group 5: Nada again!
Spain (on 27 points) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (on 19 points) have already locked up the first and second spots.
Group 6: Andorra v. Ukraine and Kazakhstan v. Croatia
England (on 24 points) have already earned automatic qualification. Ukraine (on 18 points) is in poll position to take the play-off spot with win against bottom-side Andorra, who have yet to earn a solitary point in any of their previous 9 matches. Should the unthinkable happen (a.k.a. Ukraine failing to capitalize), Croatia (on 17 points) could overtake them and surge to second-place.
Group 7: Nothin' Doin' Here...
Serbia (on 22 points) have won the group; following their win against the Faroe Islands, France (on 18 points) has made it to the play-offs.
Group 8: ...Or Here...
Italy (on 21 points) is top in this group, and the Republic of Ireland (on 17 points) have assured themselves of a place in the play-offs.
Group 9:...Or Here.
Actually, there won't be any games in this group to watch, even if you wanted to! The Netherlands (on 24 points, after 8 rounds) have qualified and none of the other sides in the group accumulated enough points to even qualify them for one of the eight play-off spots.
North America: United States v. Costa Rica
Costa Rica (on 15 points) faces an American side (on 19 points) that is not only leading the groups, but also has just come off a hard-fought 3-2 win against Honduras. Costa Rica will need a win to assure their hold on the last automatic qualification spot, but the US will be keen not to reliquish first place to their arch-rivals Mexico. Breathing down their necks will be Honduras (on 13 points), which will take on El Salvador, hoping a win will allow them to leap-frog Costa Rica into third place.
South America: Uruguay v. Argentina
Argentina (on 25 points, +2 GD) and Uruguay (on 24 points, +9 GD) are in for a battle royal for the last automatic qualification spot. Maradona's side will be buoyed by a famous 2-1 win against Peru, but will face a formidable Uruguayan side that will be betting on its chances on taking advantage of a perennially inconsistent Argentine side.
A grand total of 32 national teams will be competing in South Africa come next summer. Below are those countries who have already qualified.
Hosts: South Africa
Africa: Ghana; Ivory Coast
Totals: 5 qualification spots/2 qualified
Asia: Australia; Japan; North Korea; South Korea
Totals: 4 qualification spots/ 4 qualified
Europe: Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Netherlands, Serbia, Spain
Totals: 13 qualification spots/7 qualified
Note: In addition to the 9 group winners, the top 8 runners-up (in this case, the second-place teams from Groups 1-8) will compete in a play-off to determine the 4 sides that will join the top sides in South Africa.
North America: Mexico, USA
Totals: 3-4 qualification spots/2 qualified
Note: The fourth place team from CONCACAF (N. Am.) will meet the fifth-place team from CONMEBOL (S. Am.) to determine which association will get an extra entrant in WC2010.
South America: Brazil, Chile, Paraguay
Totals: 4-5 qualification spots/3 qualified
Wednesday's What to Watch For
Europe: Breaking Down It Down Group by Group....
Group 1: Sweden v. Albania and Portugal v. Malta
Denmark has already qualified, leaving Portugal (on 16 points) and Sweden (on 15 points) to vie for the play-off spot. It should be noted that Portugal will be without their talismanic captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who limped off their 3-0 win over Hungary on Saturday with a recurrence of his ankle injury.
Group 2: Switzerland v. Israel and Greece v. Luxembourg
This is a group where everything is still in play. Switzerland (on 20 points) requires only a tie to assure qualification in the top spot. However, should Switzerland lose to Israel, the Swiss run the risk of slipping into second place, if Greece, 5-2 winners at the weekend, can pull out another win against Luxembourg. Israel (on 15 points) have an outside chance at a play-off spot, should they manage to beat Switzerland, and if Greece (on 17 points) does not get a result on Wednesday.
Group 3: San Marino v. Slovenia and Poland v. Slovakia
Slovakia (on 19 points) is guaranteed of at least a play-off spot, though they can take the group with a win in their game against Poland. Though, should the Polish thwart them, Slovenia (on 17 points) could overtake them at the top of the group, with a win against minnows San Marino.
Group 4: Nada!
Germany (on 25 points) and Russia (on 21 points) have already locked up the first and second spots.
Group 5: Nada again!
Spain (on 27 points) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (on 19 points) have already locked up the first and second spots.
Group 6: Andorra v. Ukraine and Kazakhstan v. Croatia
England (on 24 points) have already earned automatic qualification. Ukraine (on 18 points) is in poll position to take the play-off spot with win against bottom-side Andorra, who have yet to earn a solitary point in any of their previous 9 matches. Should the unthinkable happen (a.k.a. Ukraine failing to capitalize), Croatia (on 17 points) could overtake them and surge to second-place.
Group 7: Nothin' Doin' Here...
Serbia (on 22 points) have won the group; following their win against the Faroe Islands, France (on 18 points) has made it to the play-offs.
Group 8: ...Or Here...
Italy (on 21 points) is top in this group, and the Republic of Ireland (on 17 points) have assured themselves of a place in the play-offs.
Group 9:...Or Here.
Actually, there won't be any games in this group to watch, even if you wanted to! The Netherlands (on 24 points, after 8 rounds) have qualified and none of the other sides in the group accumulated enough points to even qualify them for one of the eight play-off spots.
North America: United States v. Costa Rica
Costa Rica (on 15 points) faces an American side (on 19 points) that is not only leading the groups, but also has just come off a hard-fought 3-2 win against Honduras. Costa Rica will need a win to assure their hold on the last automatic qualification spot, but the US will be keen not to reliquish first place to their arch-rivals Mexico. Breathing down their necks will be Honduras (on 13 points), which will take on El Salvador, hoping a win will allow them to leap-frog Costa Rica into third place.
South America: Uruguay v. Argentina
Argentina (on 25 points, +2 GD) and Uruguay (on 24 points, +9 GD) are in for a battle royal for the last automatic qualification spot. Maradona's side will be buoyed by a famous 2-1 win against Peru, but will face a formidable Uruguayan side that will be betting on its chances on taking advantage of a perennially inconsistent Argentine side.
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