What If World Cup Qualification Ended Today?

The race for South Africa is heading down the final stretch and with the end of each round of fixtures comes the inevitable relief of those nations whose qualification has been secured. Notwithstanding the final set of group stage qualifying fixtures to be played, below are the winners and losers if the road to World Cup 2010 ended today:

Still a couple of summer holidays up for grabs

South America (4; top placed in group) – Brazil, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina

With Uruguay and Ecuador breathing down their neck, Maradona’s Argentina face a crunch tie in Montevideo in front of 73,000 baying Uruguayans, that will determine if Aguero and Co. seal 4^th place and grace next summer’s showpiece.

North, Central America and Caribbean (3; top placed in group) – USA, Mexico, Costa Rica

Costa Rica sit the prettier on points but Honduras aren’t out of it yet. Costa Rica face the trickier final fixture against group leaders USA and if Honduras can bag the points against goal-shy El Salvador they may just feel they can leapfrog their rivals.

Playoff (1; 5^th place CONMEBOL v. 4^th place CONCACAF) – Uruguay v. Honduras

ASIA (4; top placed from Asia) –  Australia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea

Done and dusted. These four nations have been qualified for nearly 4 months. Bahrain won the battle of the two 3^rd place teams from each group, beating Saudi Arabia for the opportunity to meet football heavyweights New Zealand for a place at the Finals.

Playoffs (1; Winner of 3^rd place Asia Group 1 v. 3^rd place Asia Group 2 against Oceania Winner) Bahrain v. New Zealand

Africa (6; hosts + five group winners from Africa) – South Africa, Cameroon, Tunisia, Algeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana

Cameroon stand closest to the precipice with only a single point standing between them and second place Gabon. A World Cup without Messi, Ronaldo and Eto’o would be a travesty – we don’t care what Sepp Blatter says. Tunisia and Algeria also face nervy finishes with second place teams Nigeria and Egypt still in with a shout.

Europe (9; group winners) – Denmark, Switzerland, Slovakia, Germany, Spain, England, Serbia, Netherlands, Italy

Thinking of someone? Ribery for France? Ronaldo for Portugal? Arshavin for Russia? See Playoffs. Of the 9 group winners guaranteed qualification, two slots remain unconfirmed. With Slovakia leading the chase in Group 3 and Switzerland nearly over the finish line in Group 2, don’t rule out Greece or Slovenia making a late rush for glory.

Playoffs (4; eight best 2^nd placed teams in two-leg playoff) - Republic of Ireland, France, Ukraine, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Russia, Slovenia, Greece, Portugal

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Spare a thought for some of the more notable absentees (although many could still make the play-offs):  Czech Republic, Turkey, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria,Norway, Nigeria, Egypt, Colombia

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Red = Already booked their flight to South Africa – regardless of remaining results.

Pink = Qualification on tender hooks – work to be done in final fixture.

Blue = Skating on thin ice – play-off drama awaits.