The United States will know its possible opponents when the World Cup 2006 draw is held Friday in Frankfurt, Germany.
U.S. women's national team star Brandi Chastain is among the soccer celebrities who will assist in the draw.
The 2006 World Cup will kick off June 9, 2006, in Munich, and the final is set for July 9, 2006, in Berlin's Olympic Stadium, which is being renovated.
U.S. television for World Cup draw
Galavision — EAST FEED, Friday, 4 pm ET, 1 pm PT. (All DirecTV and DISH Network subscribers receive Galavision EAST FEED regardless of area.)
Galavision — WEST FEED, Friday, 4 pm PT.
Qualifying format
CONCACAF (3 or 4 teams to qualify)
— Member associations: 35
— Entrants: 34 — Puerto Rico did not enter
— Entrants in Friday's draw: 34
Top seeds:
Mexico
USA
Costa Rica
Format:
FIRST ROUND
The 12 teams that reached the semifinal round of the 2002 World Cup qualify have first-round byes, along with Belize and Nicaragua, the two remaining teams from Central America.
The other 20 teams — 18 from the Caribbean and Bermuda and Bahamas from North America — will be paired off and meet in playoffs.
SECOND ROUND
The 12 teams that reached the semifinal round of the 2002 World Cup will be paired against the winners of the 10 first-round series, Belize and Nicaragua.
SEMIFINAL
At the draw, three groups will be drawn from three pots, dividing the eventual winners of the 12 second-round series, based on the respective strength of the seeded teams.
POT A — Mexico, USA, Costa Rica (CONCACAF's three 2002 World Cup finalists).
POT B — Honduras, Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica (the other team three teams that reached the final round 2002 World Cup qualifying in
CONCACAF).
POT C — Barbados, Canada, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, St. Vincent & Grenadines (the other six teams that reached the semifinal round 2002 World Cup qualifying in CONCACAF).
FINAL
The top two teams in each semifinal group will meet in league play. The top three teams qualify for the World Cup; the fourth-place team advances to the intercontinental playoffs against the winner of an Asia playoff between the third-place teams in its two final-round groups.
EUROPE (14 teams to qualify)
— Member associations: 52
— Entrants: 51 — Germany qualify automatically as hosts
— Entrants in Friday's draw: 51
Top seeds:
France
Portugal
Sweden
Czech Republic
Spain
Italy
England
Turkey
Format:
The 51 teams will be divided into eight groups, three with seven teams and five consist with six. The eight group winners and two best runners-up qualify for the World Cup. The other six runners-up will be paired off and meet in playoffs to determine the other three World Cup finalists.
AFRICA (5 teams to qualify)
— Member associations: 52.
— Entrants: 51 — Djibouti did not enter. Central African Republic entered then withdrew.
— Entrants in Friday's draw: 30
Top seeds:
Senegal
South Africa
Cameroon
Nigeria
Tunisia
Format:
The 30 teams will be placed into five groups of six teams. The five group winners qualify.
ASIA (4 or 5 teams to qualify)
— Member associations: 44
— Entrants: 39 — Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Philippines did not enter. Myanmar ineligible. Nepal and Guam withdrew.
— Entrants in Friday's draw: 32
Top seeds:
South Korea
Japan
China
Saudi Arabia
Iran
United Arab Emirates
Bahrain
Uzbekistan
Format:
The 32 teams will be divided into eighth groups of four. The eight group winners go into a final round of two groups of four teams. The top two in each third round group qualify for the World Cup. The two third-place team meet in a playoff. The winner of that playoff goes into intercontinental playoffs against the No. 4 team in CONCACAF.
OCEANIA (0 or 1 team to qualify)
— Member associations: 11
— Entrants: 12 (New Caledonia, who are not full members of FIFA, enter as Oceania qualifying matches are also being used for the Oceania championship)
— Entrants in Friday's draw: 10 (Australia and New Zealand join the preliminary tournament at the next stage)
Top seeds:
Australia
New Zealand
Format:
A preliminary competition with two groups of five produces one final group of six teams, the stage at which Australia and New Zealand enter. The top two teams playoff home and away. The winner meets South America's No. 5 team in the intercontinental playoffs.
SOUTH AMERICA (4 or 5 teams qualify)
— Member associations: 10
— Entrants: 10
— There is no draw — South American qualifying began on Sept. 6 2003)
Format:
One group of 10 teams. The top four qualify, the fifth-place team meets the Oceania champion in the intercontinental playoffs.