International soccer (football) question

[Gert T]

I was wondering with the World Cup about two years away, when does qualifying for the World Cup start? As a jingoistic soccer fan (actually I would watch more if I could get it.), I have a few questions:

 

1. Qualifying comes from different regions?

The Americas

Europe

Africa

Asia/Australia/Oceania countries

 

2. Does FIFA take the same amount of teams each year from each region?

 

3. Since the host country is now the only one to automatically qualify would they add an extra European berth this year since Germany is the host?

 

4. Does qualifying usually take place during the off-season for the major leagues?

 

5. Didn't Ireland play Iran in 2001-2002 for a wild card berth into the World Cup? How do they determine who plays in those match-ups.

 

 

 

Thanks for the help.

[monkey]

1 - The regions are as follows

 

Europe 14 spots (including Germany I believe)

S America 4.5

N America 3.5

Africa 5

Oceania 4.5

Asia 0.5

 

(.5 means a playoff space against a different federation)

 

2 - see answer to question 1

 

3 - Europe has fewer teams this time as the lesser regions have had extra playoff spaces.

 

4 - Qualifying in Europe (and most of the rest of the world) takes place during the domestic season with certain weekends set aside for international games.

 

5 - FIFA in consultaion with it the nations decide how many places are available to each area and who plays off against whom.

[razazteca]

Did'nt the USA team already lose their chance to play in the World Cup already?

[Gert T]

Did'nt the USA team already lose their chance to play in the World Cup already?

I believe they lost their chance to play in the '04 Olympics.