The 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification competition was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC (Asia), CAF (Africa), CONCACAF (North, Central America and Caribbean), CONMEBOL (South America), OFC (Oceania), and UEFA (Europe) — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament. 199 teams entered the tournament qualification rounds, competing for 32 spots in the final tournament. South Korea and Japan, as the co-hosts, and France, as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 29 spots open for competition.
Qualified teams
TeamMethod ofqualification Date ofqualification FinalsappearanceLastappearance ConsecutivefinalsappearancesPrevious bestperformance FIFA rankingat start of event Hosts 31 May 1996 2nd 1998 2 Group stage (1998) 32 Hosts 31 May 1996 6th 1998 5 Group stage (1954, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998) 40 Defending Champions 12 July 1998 11th 1998 2 Winners (1998) 1 CAF final round group A winners 1 July 2001 5th 1998 4 Quarter-finals (1990) 17 CAF final round group E winners 1 July 2001 2nd 1998 2 Group stage (1998) 37 CAF final round group D winners 15 July 2001 3rd 1998 2 Group stage (1978, 1998) 31 CAF final round group C winners 21 July 2001 1st — 1 — 42 CAF final round group B winners 29 July 2001 3rd 1998 3 Round of 16 (1994, 1998) 27 CONMEBOL winners 15 August 2001 13th 1998 8 Winners (1978, 1986) 3 UEFA Group 5 winners 1 September 2001 6th 1986 1 Third place (1974, 1982) 38 UEFA Group 4 winners 5 September 2001 10th 1994 1 Runners-up (1958) 19 UEFA Group 7 winners 5 September 2001 11th 1998 7 Fourth place (1950) 8 CONCACAF final round winners 5 September 2001 2nd 1990 1 Round of 16 (1990) 29 UEFA Group 1 winners 6 October 2001 9th 1994 1 Fourth place (1966) 28 UEFA Group 2 winners 6 October 2001 3rd 1986 1 Third place (1966) 5 UEFA Group 3 winners 6 October 2001 3rd 1998 2 Quarter-finals (1998) 20 UEFA Group 6 winners 6 October 2001 2nd 1998 2 Third place (1998) 21 UEFA Group 8 winners 6 October 2001 15th 1998 11 Winners (1934, 1938, 1982) 6 UEFA Group 9 winners 6 October 2001 11th 1998 2 Winners (1966) 12 AFC second round Group B winners 7 October 2001 1st — 1 — 50 CONCACAF final round runners-up7 October 2001 7th 1998 4 Third place (1930) 13 AFC second round Group A winners21 October 2001 3rd 1998 3 Round of 16 (1994) 34 CONMEBOL runners-up7 November 2001 1st — 1 — 36 CONMEBOL 4th place8 November 2001 6th 1998 2 Round of 16 (1986, 1998) 18 CONCACAF final round 3rd place11 November 2001 12th 1998 3 Quarter-finals (1970, 1986) 7 UEFA play-off winners14 November 2001 11th 1998 6 Fourth place (1986) 23 UEFA play-off winners14 November 2001 15th 1998 12 Winners (1954, 1974, 1990) 11 UEFA play-off winners14 November 2001 1st — 1 — 25 UEFA play-off winners14 November 2001 2nd 1954 1 Group stage (1954) 22CONMEBOL 3rd place14 November 2001 17th 1998 17 Winners (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994) 2 UEFA-AFC play-off winners15 November 2001 3rd 1994 1 Quarter-finals (1990) 15CONMEBOL v OFC play-off winners25 November 2001 10th 1990 1 Winners (1930, 1950) 24 1Includes 10 appearances by DFB representing West Germany between 1954 and 1990. Excludes 1 appearance by DVF representing East Germany between 1954 and 1990.
2Includes appearances by USSR.
Qualification process The 32 spots available in the 2002 World Cup would be distributed among the continental zones as follows: Europe (UEFA): 14.5 places, 1 of them went to automatic qualifier France, while the other 13.5 places were contested by 50 teams. The winner of the 0.5 place would advance to the intercontinental play-offs (against a team from AFC) South America (CONMEBOL): 4.5 places, contested by 10 teams. The winner of the 0.5 place would advance to the intercontinental play-offs (against a team from OFC). North, Central America and Caribbean (CONCACAF): 3 places, contested by 35 teams. Africa (CAF): 5 places, contested by 51 teams. Asia (AFC): 4.5 places, 2 of them went to automatic qualifiers South Korea and Japan, while the other 2.5 places were contested by 40 teams. The winner of the 0.5 place would advance to the intercontinental play-offs (against a team from UEFA). Oceania (OFC): 0.5 place, contested by 10 teams. The winner of the 0.5 place would advance to the intercontinental play-offs (against a team from CONMEBOL).
A total of 193 teams played at least one qualifying match. A total of 777 qualifying matches were played, and 2452 goals were scored (an average of 3.17 per match).
Summary of qualification ConfederationAvailable slots in finalsTeams startedTeams eliminatedTeams qualifiedQualifying start dateQualifying end dateAFC2+2 or 3+239+2372+224 November 200015 November 2001CAF5504557 April 200029 July 2001CONCACAF3343134 March 200011 November 2001CONMEBOL4 or 5105528 March 200025 November 2001OFC0 or 1101007 April 200125 November 2001UEFA13+1 or 14+150+13614+116 August 200015 November 2001Total29+3193+316429+34 March 200025 November 2001
Confederation qualification
AFC
The Asian Football Confederation was allocated four and half qualifying berths for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, South Korea and Japan, the co-hosts, qualified automatically, leaving two and half spots open for competition between 40 teams.
Myanmar withdrew from the tournament after being placed in group 2 but before any matches had been played, therefore reducing the group to three teams.
Afghanistan, Bhutan and North Korea chose not to participate.
Asia's two remaining automatic qualifying berths were taken by Saudi Arabia and China. Iran lost their AFC–UEFA playoff against the Republic of Ireland.
There were three rounds of play: First round: The 39 teams were divided into nine groups of four teams each, and one group of three teams. The teams played against each other twice, except in group 2, where the teams played against each other once. The group winners advanced to the final round. Second round: The ten group winners from the first round were divided into two groups of five teams. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners qualified directly to the World Cup. The runners-up advanced to the AFC play-off. Play-off: The two group runners-up from the second round played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The winner advanced to the UEFA–AFC inter-confederation play-off.
Final positions (second round)
Group AGroup B
AFC play-off
CAF
The Confederation of African Football was allocated five qualifying berths for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. 51 teams entered the qualification process.
Burundi withdrew before the draw was made, while Niger chose not to participate.
Guinea were disqualified from the competition during the final round for government interference with its national association, resulting in their results obtained in the final round being annulled.
Africa's five automatic qualifying berths were taken by Cameroon, Senegal, Tunisia, South Africa, and Nigeria.
There were two rounds of play: First round: The 50 teams were divided into five pools of ten teams each. In each pool, the 10 teams were paired up to play knockout matches on a home-and-away basis. The winners advanced to the second round. Second round: The 25 teams were divided into five groups of five teams each. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners qualified.
Final positions (second round)
Group AGroup BGroup CGroup DGroup E
CONCACAF
A total of 35 CONCACAF teams entered the competition. Guyana were suspended by FIFA before playing, leaving 34 nations in the race. Mexico, USA, Jamaica and Costa Rica, the four highest-ranked teams according to FIFA, received byes and advanced to the semi-finals, while Canada advanced to the play-offs . The remaining teams were divided into zones, based on geographical locations, as follows: Caribbean Zone: The 24 teams were divided into groups of eight teams each. The teams played in a three-round knockout tournament. The winners would advance to the semi-finals, while the runners-up would advance to the play-offs. Central American Zone: The six teams are divided into groups of three teams each. The teams played against each other. The winners of the group would advance to the semi-finals, while the runners-up would advance to the play-offs. Play-offs: the six teams were paired up to play knockout matches on a home-and-away basis. A team from North or Central America would play against a team from the Caribbean, and the winners would advance to the semi-finals. Semi-finals: the 12 teams were divided into three groups of four teams each. They played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners and runners-up would advance to the final round. Final round: the six teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The top three teams would qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
LegendCountries that qualified for the 2002 World Cup
Final positions (final round)
CONMEBOL
A total of 10 CONMEBOL teams entered the competition. competing for four and half places in the final tournament.
The 10 teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The top 4 teams qualified. The 5th-placed team advanced to the CONMEBOL / OFC Intercontinental play-off.
LegendCountries that qualified for the 2002 World Cup
Final positions
OFC
A total of 10 teams entered the competition. competing for a half place in the final tournament.
Papua New Guinea chose not to participate.
There would be two rounds of play: First round: The 10 teams were divided into two groups of five teams each. The teams played against each other once. The group winners would advance to the second round. Second round: The two teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The winner would advance to the CONMEBOL/OFC inter-continental play-off.
Australia's 31–0 win over American Samoa established a World Cup record for the highest margin of victory in a qualifying match.
Final positions (second round)
UEFA
The European section acted as qualifiers for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, for national teams which are members of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Apart from France, who qualified automatically as holders, a total of thirteen and half slots in the final tournament were available for UEFA teams.
The 50 teams were divided into nine groups, five groups of six teams and four groups of five teams. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners would qualify. Among the runners-up, the runner-up of Group 2 was drawn randomly to advance to the UEFA–AFC Intercontinental play-off. The other runners-up would advance to the UEFA play-offs.
In the play-offs, the eight teams were paired up to play knockout matches on a home-and-away basis. The four aggregate winners qualified. The qualifying process started on 2 September 2000, after UEFA Euro 2000, and ended on 14 November 2001.
The Netherlands and Romania both failed to qualify for the tournament for the first time since 1986, the former finishing third in Group 2 behind Portugal and Republic of Ireland and the latter suffering a shock loss to Slovenia in the play-offs.
LegendCountries that qualified for the 2002 World CupCountries that advanced to the Play-offsCountries that advanced to the inter-confederation play-off
Final positions (first round)
Group 1Group 2Group 3Team1023102010191014107100Team102410241020108108100Team10221020101710131011101Group 4Group 5Group 6Team102610211017107106105Team1021101710151010109105Team8188178158481Group 7Group 8Group 9Team8208158128880Team8208168108882Team8178178128783
Play-offs
Inter-confederation play-offs
There were two scheduled inter-confederation playoffs to determine the final two qualification spots to the finals. The first legs were played on 10 and 20 November 2001, and the second legs were played on 15 and 25 November 2001.
UEFA v AFC
OFC v CONMEBOL
Top goalscorers