COUNTING DOWN

It's down to the "2s" in our World Cup Countdown ...

222 days to the Opening Ceremony of South Africa 2010...

The tournament kicks off on Friday, June 11...

34 days to the World Cup Finals draw...

Friday, December 4...

LATEST NEWS

Germany will play Argentina on March 3 next year as part of their build up to the World Cup. The sides met in the quarter-final in 2006 when Germany, the hosts, progressed to the last four on penalties after a 1-1 draw. The two nations also contested the World Cup Final in consecutive tournaments - 1986 and 1990 - winning once each.

WORLD CUP LATEST

South Africa have re-appointed Carlos Alberto Parreira as coach of the national team following the end of fellow Brazilian Joel Santana's reign last Monday.

Parreira won the World Cup as coach of Brazil at USA 94 and now has a contract to lead the host nation through to the end of next summer's global showpiece.

South Africa have lost eight of their last nine games, and Parreira's first game of his second stint in charge will be a friendly against Japan on November 14.

WHO IS GOING TO BE THERE: THE QUALIFIED COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD

South America

Brazil
Paraguay
Chile
Argentina


North/Central America and Caribbean

Honduras
Mexico
USA


Asia

Australia
Japan
North Korea
South Korea


Africa

South Africa
Ivory Coast
Ghana


Europe

Denmark
Germany
Holland
England
Italy
Serbia
Spain
Slovakia
Switzerland


New Zealand/Bahrain
Uruguay/Costa Rica
Portugal/Bosnia
Ireland/France
Greece/Ukraine
Russia/Slovenia
Algeria/Egypt
Tunisia/Nigeria
Cameroon/Gabon

233 DAYS TO GO TO THE BIG KICK-OFF

World Cup Countdown...

45 days to the Draw on December 4th in Cape Town..

233 days to the Opening Ceremony of World Cup South Africa 2010..

263 days to the World Cup Final in Johannesburg..

EUROPEAN PLAY-OFF DRAW

The draw for the European World Cup play-offs took place at FIFA headquarters in Zurich a few minutes ago. The four winners of the two-legged ties, to be played on the 14th and 18th November, will claim the remaining four European places at next summer's World Cup. The draw resulted in the following pairings:

Republic of Ireland v France

Portugal v Bosnia-Herzegovina

Greece v Ukraine

Russia v Slovenia

WHO HAS QUALIFIED FOR THE WORLD CUP?

Everything is taking shape nicely for the World Cup next summer.

The Finals will take place between June 11 and July 11, and the following teams have qualified to take part:

South Africa
Brazil
Chile
Paraguay
Australia
Japan
South Korea
North Korea
Ghana
Ivory Coast
Denmark
Switzerland
Slovakia
Germany
Spain
England
Serbia
Italy
Holland
USA
Mexico
Honduras

WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION: OVERVIEW OF CURRENT SCENARIO

ALREADY QUALIFIED...

South Africa (Hosts)
Brazil
Paraguay
Chile
England
Holland
Spain
Italy (Holders)
Germany
Denmark
Serbia
United States
Mexico
Ghana
Ivory Coast
Australia
Japan
South Korea
North Korea

LIKELY TO QUALIFY...

Switzerland
Slovakia
Cameroon
Algeria
Tunisia
Honduras
Argentina

ALREADY IN PLAY-OFFS...

Russia
Bosnia-Herzogovina
France
Ireland
New Zealand
Bahrain

LIKELY TO MAKE PLAY-OFFS...

Portugal
Greece
Slovenia
Ukraine
Costa Rica
Uruguay

OUTSIDE CHANCE...

Sweden
Hungary
Israel
Latvia
Czech Republic
Northern Ireland
Croatia
Norway
Gabon
Egypt
Nigeria
Ecuador

THE NINETEEN QUALIFIERS SO FAR

SOUTH AMERICA

Brazil
Paraguay
Chile

AFRICA

South Africa (Hosts)
Ghana
Ivory Coast

EUROPE

Denmark
Germany
Spain
England
Serbia
Italy
Holland

ASIA

Australia
Japan
North Korea
South Korea

NORTH/CENTRAL AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

USA
Mexico