World Cup 2010

I figured I would start this with 23 of the 32 spots filled as of today.

Who's in:
Africa
South Africa (host)
Cameroon
Ghana
Ivory Coast
Nigeria
(Egypt-Algeria playoff for the last spot is Wednesday in Sudan.)

Asia
Australia
Japan
North Korea
South Korea
(Bahrain beat Saudi Arabia in the playoff; lost to New Zealand.)

Concacaf
Honduras
Mexico
United States
(Costa Rica goes to playoff on Nov. 14 & 18)

Conmebol
Argentina
Brazil
Chile
Paraguay
(Uruguay goes to playoff Nov. 14 & 18)

Oceania
New Zealand

UEFA
Denmark
Ing-er-land
Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Serbia
Slovakia
Spain
Switzerland

Playoffs on Nov. 14/18:
Ireland vs. France
IRL 0-1 FRA
Portugal vs. Bosnia-Herzegovenia
POR 1-0 BIH
Russia vs. Slovenia
RUS 2-1 SLO
Greece vs. Ukraine
GRE 0-0 UKR
First team listed is at home the first leg.

Playoffs: Bahrain 0-0 New Zealand in BHR. New Zealand 1-0 Bahrain in NZL. New Zealand 1-0 aggregate.
Costa Rica 0-1 Uruguay in CRC. Second leg 11/18 in Uruguay.

Not to be nit-picky, but... well, nevermind, it is to be nit-picky. I can't help myself. South Africa is also in because it's the host country.

Haha, well you do have a point, they did qualify 5 1/2 years ago...

PurplePrideTrumpet wrote:South Africa (host)

Well of course they are.

Predictions on which four of the European runner-ups get in? I'm guessing Russia, Portugal and France. And Ireland.

What? No Croatia? Where am I going to get my checkerboard uni fix?

PurplePrideTrumpet wrote:I figured I would start this with 23 of the 32 spots filled after today. Who's in:

Conmebol
Argentina

never doubted it for minute

up7587 wrote:Predictions on which four of the European runner-ups get in? I'm guessing Russia, Portugal and France. And Ireland.

Well those 4 definitely are strong possibilities, but it's hard to predict who the play-in matchups will be... Ireland could very well play france, or something along those lines...

No no no... you heard it here first: Slovenia!

I was in Ljubljana when the qualified for the 2002 Cup... fun times to be had with thousands of celebrating Slovenes!

Actually, Bosnia-Herzegovina seems to be a team of destiny - wouldn't surprise me at all to see them win a playoff since they have had such a Cinderella run to even qualify.

I guess what I'm saying is... never bet against the Balkans. Just don't do it!

And forget that only 5 years ago, the Greeks took Euro 04...

But Stoney I'm sad your precious Lokomotiva didn't make it...

I'll miss the helmet of Petr Cech:


And the stunning mane of Pavel Nedved:

(and yes I am a ware that he retired from national team duty a few years back)

Meanwhile Christine Ronaldo and Portugal just barely squeak in. Life's not fair.

The draw for the UEFA playoffs will be Monday.

I know, I know... my poor fatherland.

Don't worry though... the Czechs will rise again!!!

PurplePrideTrumpet wrote:Meanwhile Christine Ronaldo and Portugal just barely squeak in. Life's not fair.

The draw for the UEFA playoffs will be Monday.

I try not to be a spelling nag, but isn't it Christine Sinclair and Cristiano Ronaldo?

Well you might have a point, calling Ronnie by Sinclair's first name would be quite the compliment....

It is sad that we have no Bulgaria though, I would have rather liked to see if Victor Krum, er, I mean Dimitar Berbatov could carry on the legend of Stoichkov and Letchkov... Speaking of, one of my favorite header goals of all time NOT by Zidane:

Stonehouse wrote:I know, I know... my poor fatherland.

Don't worry though... the Czechs will rise again!!!

Are you Czech too? I'm bummed about the Czech Republic not getting in as well...land of my great grandparents. I guess I can go be miserable with some Kolach and my Pilsner Urquell for a day or two.