At the 2006 FIFA World Cup 32 national teams can participate. To enter all countries had to qualify themselves in their own continent. The exception to this was automatically qualified as host nation Germany that was.
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Qualification[Edit][]
[1][2]Continental confederations
Before the start of the final tournament qualification rounds were organized by continent, according to a formula that by the continental football confederations was determined. By continent was assigned the following number of places:
- Europe - UEFA: 51 teams represent by the fight for 13 spots, the organising country Germany occupies the 14th place
- Africa - CAF: 51 teams, 5 places
- South America - CONMEBOL: 10 teams, 4.5 places
- Asia - AFC: 39 teams, 4.5 places
- Northand Central America and the Caribbean - CONCACAF: 34 teams, 3.5 places
- Oceania - OFC: 12 teams, 0.5 places
Half places mean that a one-game tiebreaker between countries of two different continents. The number 5 of South America plays against the No. 1 of Oceania for 1 place in the final round. Analogue plays the number 4 of North America against the number 5 of Asia.
For the first time was the outgoing champion, in this case Brazil, not automatically posted for the World Cup. Host country Germany retained the automatic qualifying place. In 1934 took over outgoing championUruguay not part and had to play a qualification host country Italy , but by 1938 to 2002 were both the outgoing champion automatically qualified as the host country for participation.
One was originally in the distribution of the places going to one fixed place Ocenania instead of the half place. This idea was, however, considered beneficial for Australia , as the country was by far the nation's strength from his region, and thus almost certainly could be of participation. In June 2003, it was then back on the decision by the place to divide between Oceania and South America.
The draw for five of the six qualification tournaments took place on 5 december 2003 in Frankfurt. For South America had to be kept, since all countries no trekking there in a single set of fighting for qualification. The first qualifying matches were played on 6 september 2003.
Qualifying countries[Edit][]
| Country | Number of participations | Current number of
entries in a row |
Previous participation |
|---|---|---|---|
| [3] | 1st | 1 | - |
| [4] | 14th | 9 | 2002 |
| [5] | 2nd | 1 | 1974 |
| [6] | 18th | 18 | 2002 |
| [7] | 3rd | 2 | 2002 |
| [8]
Germany (g) |
16th(1) | 14(1) | 2002 |
| [9] | 2nd | 2 | 2002 |
| [10] | 12th | 3 | 2002 |
| [11] | 12th | 3 | 2002 |
| [12] | 1st | 1 | - |
| [13] | 3rd | 1 | 1998 |
| [14] | 16th | 12 | 2002 |
| [15] | 1st | 1 | - |
| [16] | 3rd | 3 | 2002 |
| [17] | 3rd(2) | 3 | 2002 |
| [18] | 13th | 4 | 2002 |
| [19] | 8th | 1 | 1998 |
| [20] | 1st(3) | 1 | -(3) |
| [21] | 7th | 3 | 2002 |
| [22] | 7th | 2 | 2002 |
| [23] | 4th | 2 | 2002 |
| [24] | 4th | 4 | 2002 |
| [25] | 2nd(4) | 1 | 1998 |
| [26] | 12th | 8 | 2002 |
| [27] | 1st | 1 | - |
| [28] | 1st | 1 | - |
| [29] | 1st(5) | 1 | -(5) |
| [30] | 4th | 3 | 2002 |
| [31] | 8th | 5 | 2002 |
| [32] | 7th | 6 | 2002 |
| [33] | 11th | 2 | 2002 |
| [34] | 8th | 1 | 1994 |
(g)-automatically qualified as host nation
1 Including 10 participations of the DFB for West Germany between 1954 and 1990.2 Participations of Yugoslavia exclusively for the split of the country.3 Excluding participations of the Soviet Union for the split.4 Participations of Yugoslavia exclusively for the split of the country. When this be counted there, this is the 10th participation. This is also the first participation since the name of the country changed from Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to Serbia and Montenegro.5 Excluding participations of Czecho-Slovakia. When this be counted there, this is the 9th participation and was their previous participation in 1990.==Continental qualification tournaments[Edit]==
Europe (UEFA)[Edit][]
On behalf of the European Football Association UEFA did 51 countries participate in the qualifying rounds for 13 qualifying places. These were divided into 3 groups of 7 countries and five groups of 6 countries. The 14th place went straight to host country Germany. In each group played each country against any other country from the Group twice, once at home and once. The eight group winners are qualified for the World Cup, along with the two best numbers two. The six other songs play two play-offs on home and away basis. The three winners of these duels will qualify as well.
The European preliminaries lasted until 12 October 2005. Netherlands sat in Group 1 with the Czech Republic, Romania, Finland, Macedonia, Armenia and Andorra. On 8 October 2005 Netherlands secured a place in the actual WORLD CUP by the away match against Czech Republic 2-0 to win. Belgium sat in Group 7 with Spain, Lithuania, Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and San Marino. On 8 October 2005 Belgium lost the match against Spain with 0-2, with which the opportunity for Belgium to qualify was lost.
The 14 qualifying countries are:
- [36] Germany (automatically as host nation))
- [37] Netherlands (winner qualification group 1)
- [38] Ukraine (winner qualification group 2)
- [39] Portugal (winner qualification group 3)
- [40] France (winner qualification group 4)
- [41] Italy (winner qualification group 5)
- [42] England (winner qualification group 6)
- [43] Serbia and Montenegro (winner qualification group 7)
- [44] Croatia (winner qualification group 8)
- [45] Poland (best number two (Group 6))
- [46] Sweden (best number two (Group 8))
- [47] Switzerland (won the play off against Turkey)
- [48] Spain (won the play off against Slovakia)
- [49] Czech Republic (won the play off against Norway)
Africa (CAF)[Edit][]
On behalf of the African Federation CAF did 51 countries participated in the qualification round for 5 seats available. This heat tournament consisted of two parts. First play 42 countries in 21 couples against each other (home and away), the 21 winners advance to the second round. In this second round are that winners plus the 9 remaining countries, which were placed automatically for that round. To hear the five African countries that automatically placed participants at the 2002 World Cup plus the four highest ranked African teams of the FIFA world rankings. These 30 countries played in the second round in five groups of six countries. The five group winners qualified for the World Cup.
Qualified countries:
- [51] Togo (winner qualification group 1)
- [52] Ghana (winner qualification group 2)
- [53] Ivory Coast (winner qualification group 3)
- [54] Angola (winner qualification group 4)
- [55] Tunisia (winner qualification group 5)
Asia (AFC)[Edit][]
On behalf of the AFC Asian bond did 39 countries take part in the qualifying rounds, 4.5 places. This time, the qualifying part three laps. In first round competed 14 countries (the 26th to 39th with the AFC-country on the FIFA world rankings) in an out of-and thuisduels. The 7 winners advanced to the second round. Guam and Nepal withdrew for the matches back, making the best loser Laos also by if (Laos once played right, while the other losers lost both games). In the second round competed 32 countries, the 25 highest from the rankings plus the seven from the first round, in eight groups of four on home and away basis. The eight group winners advanced to the third round. That round consisted of two groups of four countries. Each team played against the other countries of his group home and away. The numbers 1 and 2 from each group qualified for the World Cup. the two numbers 3 played a play-off in a home and away match. The winner of this played against the No. 4 from North and Central America and the Caribbean for another qualifying place.
Qualified countries:
- [57] Saudi Arabia (Group A)
- [58] South-Korea (Group A)
- [59] Iran (Group B)
- [60] Japan (Group B)
The fifth place was decided in a game against Trinidad and Tobago from North and Central America and the Caribbean, but this didn't go to Asia:
North and Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF)[Edit][]
On behalf of the bond to the 34 countries did CONCACAF qualifying rounds for 3.5 places. The qualifying tournament was played in three rounds. All countries did In the first round, they were divided into 2 groups of 10 groups of three countries and two countries. In the groups with two countries played a home and away match and the winner went through to the next round. Team played In the first two groups with three countries (provided by the lot) home and away against each other, the winner of that played against the third country. The winner of those games advanced to the second round. In that second round 12 countries were divided into three groups of four teams that played against each other home and away. The numbers 1 and 2 from each group went through to the third round. In the last round played the six remaining countries in one group a home and away game against any other country from the group. The numbers 1, 2 and 3 qualified for the World Cup, the number four still played against the fifth country from Asia.
Aruba in the first round was disabled by Suriname, which in turn was eliminated because it is not won by Guatemala. The Netherlands Antilles were too strong for Antigua and Barbuda but could not on Honduras, also against in the first round.
Qualified countries are:
- [63] United States
- [64] Mexico
- [65] Costa Rica
- [66] Trinidad and Tobago (after play-offs with Bahrain)
Oceania (OFC)[Edit][]
On behalf of the bond to the OFC did 12 countries qualifying rounds for half a place. The qualifications consisted of three rounds. Australia and New Zealand were allowed to skip the first round. The other ten countries were split into two groups of five countries, in which each country only played once against each other. The numbers 1 and 2 of both groups went on to the second round. In those rounds played as six countries against each other, in a single group, which each country only once against every other team. The numbers 1 and 2 from this round went through to round three, in which these two countries a playoff play against each other in a home and away match. The winner of this was, however, not yet qualified, but had to against the fifth team from South America qualifying enforce it.
Qualified:
South America (CONMEBOL)[Edit][]
On behalf of the South American Federation CONMEBOL did ten countries take part in the qualifying rounds for four places. In this qualifying tournament in one group to the ten countries, performed in a regular competition where each country home and away play against each other. So each country played 18 games. The four highest ranked countries qualified for the World Cup finals. The number five had to go into a playoff against the winner from Oceania to qualify to play.
Qualified countries:
For the fifth place against Australia from Oceania had to be played, this extra place was not, however, taken by South America: