WC contenders hope for seeds of success
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
JOHANNESBURG, Dec 1 (AFP): The next defining moment on the road to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa arrives Wednesday morning when the seeds will be announced at a Cape Town media conference.
There are 32 qualifiers led by defending champions Italy and officials from world football governing body FIFA are tasked with separating them into four pots of eight.
International rankings, World Cup records and geography are among issues that could be considered ahead of an announcement that can severely raise or lower the chances of a contender.
A complication is that only Europe, which provides 13 qualifiers, can have two teams from the same continent in a group for the June 11-July 11 world football showpiece.
And while the leading football nations are supposed to occupy the first pot, South Africa are certain to be among them despite being the lowest ranked at 86 of the finalists.
This is because Bafana Bafana (The Boys) as hosts automatically secure a place beside international giants like Brazil, World Cup winners a record five times, Italy, Germany and on-song England and Spain.
FIFA insiders suggest Argentina could be among the elite despite securing a ticket to South Africa only in the final round of regional qualifiers by grinding a solitary-goal away victory over Uruguay.
That would leave one top-pot place vacant with France, champions and runners-up in the last three tournaments, Netherlands and Portugal likely contenders.
Another pot is set to be filled exclusively by European teams with two of the above trio joining Denmark, Greece, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland.
There are 32 qualifiers led by defending champions Italy and officials from world football governing body FIFA are tasked with separating them into four pots of eight.
International rankings, World Cup records and geography are among issues that could be considered ahead of an announcement that can severely raise or lower the chances of a contender.
A complication is that only Europe, which provides 13 qualifiers, can have two teams from the same continent in a group for the June 11-July 11 world football showpiece.
And while the leading football nations are supposed to occupy the first pot, South Africa are certain to be among them despite being the lowest ranked at 86 of the finalists.
This is because Bafana Bafana (The Boys) as hosts automatically secure a place beside international giants like Brazil, World Cup winners a record five times, Italy, Germany and on-song England and Spain.
FIFA insiders suggest Argentina could be among the elite despite securing a ticket to South Africa only in the final round of regional qualifiers by grinding a solitary-goal away victory over Uruguay.
That would leave one top-pot place vacant with France, champions and runners-up in the last three tournaments, Netherlands and Portugal likely contenders.
Another pot is set to be filled exclusively by European teams with two of the above trio joining Denmark, Greece, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland.