2010 Football / Soccer World Cup - South Africa information dedicated to England and all football fans worldwide

The Oceania Football Confederation qualification process will consist of three phases. New Zealand will be handed a bye to the second round. Oceania is the only continent not awarded any automatic places in the World Cup finals. The top team from Oceania must play in a play-off with the 5th placed team from Asia.   

Following Australia's defection to the Asian Confederation, the Oceania World Cup qualifying process has been tweaked. For the first time the first phase will begin at the 2007 South Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa with the football tournament doubling as an OFC preliminary World Cup qualifying competition. The gold, silver and bronze medallists will qualify for the second phase. The South Pacific Games will run from 25th August to September 7th.

Oceania 2010 World Cup qualifying Round 1

The 10 competing nations in the first qualifying phase at the South Pacific Games are split into two pools of five teams.

Pool A: Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Tuvalu*

Pool B: Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, American Samoa

* Tuvalu are not members of FIFA and will be ineligible to compete further should they qualify.

For a full timetable of the 2007 South Pacific Games World Cup and 2008 OFC cup qualifying tournament click here

The three medallists will join New Zealand in a home and away round-robin tournament on FIFA match dates in 2007 and 2008. The draw for the second phase of Oceania World Cup qualification was announced on 9th August 2007.

The winner of this final group will be crowned OFC Nations Cup champions and secure qualification for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.

Oceania World Cup qualifying Round 2

Previously, OFC's qualifier has been required to play-off against the 5th placed team in CONMEBOL (South America). This time around the play-off will be against the 5th place team from Asia.

OFC Official Site