2010 FIFA World Cup qualification scored over 852 matches, scoring on average 2.74 per match. At the close of entries on 15 March 2007, 204 football associations had entered the preliminary competition: 203 out of the 207 FIFA members at that time (including the host nation, South Africa, as the qualification procedure in Africa also acted as the qualification for the 2010 African Cup of Nations) and the Montenegro team, which later became FIFA's 208th member. The final number of teams entered breaks the previous record of 199 entrants set during the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Four FIFA members (all from the AFC) failed to
Australia 2022 FIFA World Cup bid by Frank Lowy, Ben Buckley, Quentin Bryce and Elle Macpherson. However, due to controversies of Qatar hosting, Australia's bid is possible if FIFA decides to strip Qatar's 2022 hosting rights. Football Federation Australia first confirmed in November 2007 that Australia would bid to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup. After FIFA in December 2008 announced they would be accepting bids for both the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup, Australia, in February 2009, registered their intention to bid with FIFA for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The bid was officially launched on 14 June 2009 at Parliament House in Canberra.