Qualifiers
South American Zone
Oceanian Zone
African Zone
51 teams, 5 places
A preliminary round comprising two two-legged ties (Madagascar vs. Comores and Sierra Leone vs. Guinea-Bissau) and a one-off match (Djibouti vs. Somalia) will be held in October and November 2007 to reduce the field to 48 entrants. These matches will be played by the six African teams ranked lowest in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking of July 2007, with the first leg matches taking place on the weekend of 13 October 2007 and the return legs plus Djibouti and Somalia's one-off meeting falling on the weekend of 17 November 2007. The teams will then be drawn into qualifying groups at a ceremony to be held in Durban on 25 November.
A preliminary round comprising two two-legged ties (Madagascar vs. Comores and Sierra Leone vs. Guinea-Bissau) and a one-off match (Djibouti vs. Somalia) will be held in October and November 2007 to reduce the field to 48 entrants. These matches will be played by the six African teams ranked lowest in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking of July 2007, with the first leg matches taking place on the weekend of 13 October 2007 and the return legs plus Djibouti and Somalia's one-off meeting falling on the weekend of 17 November 2007. The teams will then be drawn into qualifying groups at a ceremony to be held in Durban on 25 November.
African Zone - Competiton FormatAsian Zone
43 teams, 4.5 places
A first preliminary round encompassing all AFC nations save for Australia, Korea Republic, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Iran will start in October 2007. On 6 August 2007, AFC held the draw for the first preliminary round's 19 matches as well as for the matches of the subsequent round, taking into account the teams' respective rankings. As Guam have withdrawn from the competition, Indonesia have received a bye.
A first preliminary round encompassing all AFC nations save for Australia, Korea Republic, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Iran will start in October 2007. On 6 August 2007, AFC held the draw for the first preliminary round's 19 matches as well as for the matches of the subsequent round, taking into account the teams' respective rankings. As Guam have withdrawn from the competition, Indonesia have received a bye.
European Zone
53 teams, 13 places
The European qualifiers get underway in August 2008, after UEFA EURO 2008, with teams playing each other home and away in groups to be drawn at the November ceremony in Durban.
The European qualifiers get underway in August 2008, after UEFA EURO 2008, with teams playing each other home and away in groups to be drawn at the November ceremony in Durban.
North, Central American and Caribbean Zone
35 teams, 3.5 places
All CONCACAF's member associations have entered the qualifying competition, which starts in February 2008. Three sides will qualify by right for South Africa 2010, with a fourth team going into a play-off with the fifth-place finisher in the CONMEBOL zone.
All CONCACAF's member associations have entered the qualifying competition, which starts in February 2008. Three sides will qualify by right for South Africa 2010, with a fourth team going into a play-off with the fifth-place finisher in the CONMEBOL zone.
South Africa (RSA)