The Final 16 Matches on the Road to South Africa

World Cup qualification is back on the agenda this weekend as 18 teams from around the globe battle it out for the remaining 9 places. With 23 nations already qualified for next summer’s tournament, here’s how things stack up in the final 16 matches on the road to South Africa:

What: European playoffs

How: 8 teams clash over two-legs with 4 teams advancing to Finals.

Who: Greece, Ukraine, Portugal, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Republic of Ireland, France, Russia, Slovenia.

When: First leg, Saturday 14 November. Second leg, Wednesday 18 November.

Where: First leg – Greece v Ukraine (Athens), Portugal v Bosnia-Hercegovina (Lisbon), Republic of Ireland v France (Dublin), Russia v Slovenia (Moscow).

Second leg – Ukraine v Greece (Donetsk), Bosnia-Hercegovina v Portugal (Zenica), France v Republic of Ireland (St. Denis), Slovenia v Russia (Maribor).

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What: Oceania/ Asia playoff

How: 2 teams clash over two-legs with winner advancing to Finals; 0-0 first leg in Bahrain.

Who: New Zealand and Bahrain.

When: Second leg, Wednesday 18 November.

Where: New Zealand v Bahrain (Wellington).

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What: North, Central America, Caribbean / South America playoff

How: 2 teams clash over two-legs with winner advancing to Finals.

Who: Costa Rica and Uruguay.

When: First leg, Saturday 14 November. Second leg, Wednesday 18 November.

Where: First leg – Costa Rica v Uruguay (San Jose). Second leg – Uruguay v Costa Rica (Montevideo).

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What: Africa group matches (final fixtures)

How: 5 Group winners advance to Finals; Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana already qualified. 1 from 2 teams in each Group A, B and C advance to Finals.

Who: Group A (pts) – Cameroon (10), Gabon (9). Group B – Tunisia (11), Nigeria (9). Group C – Algeria (13), Egypt (10).

When: Saturday 14 November.

Where: Group A – Last placed Morocco host Cameroon in Fes with the teams previously tying in Yaounde, Cameroon. 3^rd placed Togo host Gabon in Lome who thrashed them 3-0 in Libreville, Gabon.

Group B – 3^rd placed Mozambique host Tunisia in Maputo with Tunisians convincing running out 2-0 winners in Rades, Tunisia. Last placed Kenya host Nigeria in Nairobi who beat them 3-0 in Abjua, Nigeria.

Group C – Egypt host Algeria in Cairo with the Algerians previously winning 3-1 in Blida, Algeria. (group leaders Algeria hold a superior goal difference: plus 7 to Egypt’s plus 3.)

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Teams already qualified for World Cup 2010:

Europe: England, Spain, Germany, Denmark, Serbia, Italy, Switzerland

North, Central America, Caribbean: United States, Mexico, Honduras

Africa: South Africa, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire

South America: Paraguay, Brazil, Chile, Argentina

Asia: Japan, Australia, Korea Republic, Korea DPR