2010 FIFA World Cup qualification the finals, with CONCACAF's fourth-place team facing CONMEBOL's fifth-placed team, and AFC's fifth-placed team facing the winner of the OFC. As the host nation, South Africa qualified automatically. As in 2006, the current cup holders – Italy – did not qualify automatically. For FIFA World Cup qualifying stages the method used for separating teams level on points is the same for all Confederations, as decided by FIFA itself. If teams were even on points at the end of group play, the tied teams would be ranked by: This is a change from 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification, where results between
2002 FIFA World Cup Group A 2002 FIFA World Cup Group A The 2002 FIFA World Cup featured 32 teams divided into eight lettered groups. Group A comprised 1998 winners, France, two-time winners Uruguay, Denmark and FIFA World Cup debutants Senegal. The group's first match was played on 31 May 2002, and the last matches on 11 June 2002. From the outset, it was apparent that the group would not pan out as expected, as Senegal beat France 1–0 in the opening match of the tournament. France followed this with a goalless draw against Uruguay, in a match in which their star striker, Thierry Henry was