2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification Listed below are the dates and results for the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for Asia. 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 3 teams. Afghanistan, Bhutan and North Korea chose not to participate. Asia's two
2026 FIFA World Cup bids Council went back and forth between 2013 and 2017 on limitations within hosting rotation based on the continental confederations. Originally, it was set that bids to be host would not be allowed from countries belonging to confederations that hosted the two preceding tournaments. It was temporarily changed to only prohibit countries belonging to the confederation that hosted the previous World Cup from bidding to host the following tournament, before the rule was changed back to its prior state of two World Cups. However, the FIFA Council did make an exception to potentially grant eligibility to member associations of the confederation