Two African teams pull out of 2012 World Cup qualifying
ZURICH, Switzerland: Sao Tome and Principe and the Central African
Republic have pulled out of the qualifying competition for the 2010 World
Cup.
FIFA said Friday the two countries decided not to enter the first African
qualifying round for the tournament. They had been scheduled to meet over
two legs to determine which team would gain a berth in the next round.
The matches were scheduled Oct. 13-14 and Nov. 17.
FIFA did not explain why the teams withdrew, saying only that "their
respective national associations announced on 31 August 2007 that they
would not be entering the preliminary competition."
In all, 50 African teams are now vying for five spots in the World Cup.
South Africa qualifies automatically as host for the 32-team tournament.
The first-round knockout matches now are: Madagascar vs. Comoros; Sierra
Leone vs. Guinea Bissau; and Djibouti vs. Somalia.
Winners will gain a berth in the second African qualification round. The
best 20 teams in that round will be drawn in five qualification groups,
the winner of each securing a spot in the World Cup.
FIFA said it has given Swaziland and Seychelles byes to the second round
in order to keep the same format.
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