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Asia gets 4.5 slots for 2014 World Cup

(Agencies/chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-03-04 10:48

ZURICH - Four Asian teams are guaranteed to qualify for their slots in Brazil in 2014 and the fifth-placed team will strive for qualification as it was in 2010.

FIFA decided Thursday that its six continents will keep the same number of qualifying places for the 2014 World Cup as they had in 2010.

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Africa will have five qualifiers advancing to Brazil, while four South American teams are guaranteed to qualify in addition to the host - and possibly a sixth through the playoffs. Europe keeps its 13-team allocation. Africa had six teams in 2010 as South Africa qualified as the host.

However, an open draw will decide the playoff round matchups instead of the prearranged pairings that counted against North and Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF) last time.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter said the executive committee rejected CONCACAF's request for a fourth guaranteed slot of the 31 available to join host Brazil.

"It's impossible to make always everybody happy. If we look at the sporting results of the World Cup in 2010 there was no reason to change anything," Blatter said.

Asian delegate Worawi Makudi of Thailand said his region had "gone along with the majority" to back the plan.

Qualification for the 2010 World Cup pitted South America's fifth-placed team against CONCACAF's fourth-place side in a two-leg playoff to decide the last country booking their ticket to South Africa.

It meant eventual semifinalist Uruguay eliminated Costa Rica - an outcome CONCACAF leaders wanted to avoid repeating.

"CONCACAF was not so eager to play again in a playoff with (South America)," Blatter said. "That's why it has been decided there shall be a draw."

The playoffs will feature South American federation CONMEBOL's fifth-placed team, CONCACAF's fourth-placed, Asia's fifth-placed and Oceania's qualification winner. For 2010, New Zealand eliminated Bahrain in a playoff.

"The possibility of something unprecedented has taken place in the history of the confederation of South American football - the chance that six teams from our region can classify for the World Cup," said CONMEBOL President Nicolas Leoz.

The draw will be made in Brazil in July to determine the playoff pairings by confederation, FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke said.

Valcke said a host city was yet to be determined for the main qualification draw on July 30.

FIFA and the Brazilian organizing committee also do not know which city will host the opening match in June 2014, which was intended for Sao Paulo.

City officials and the Corinthians club hope its upgraded 65,000-capacity stadium will be ready on time and approved.

"The decision of the stadium is a sporting decision and not a political decision," Blatter said.