Every FIFA World Cup has seen a few countries being first time participants: Spain'82:Kuwait,Honduras,Algeria,Cameroon and New Zealand Mexico'86: Denmark,Iraq and Canada Italy'90:Costa Rica,United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Ireland USA'94:Nigeria,Saudi Arabia and Greece France'98:Croatia,Jamaica,Japan and South Africa Korea/Japan'02:Slovenia,China,Ecuador and Senegal Germany'06:Trinidad & Tobago,Togo,Angola,Ghana,Ivory Coast and Ukraine South Africa'10: .... One of my picks for a country to qualify for it's first World Cup finals out of UEFA is Finland.They have been getting good results lately but have been in difficult qualifying groups(World Cup '06 and Euro'08) which is probably the reason why they failed in the last few years.If they can avoid a very difficult group they satnd a chance.My other pick is Bosnia and maybe also Latvia Out of the 10 countries who are part of CONMEBOL,only Venezuela as never qualified for a FIFA World Cup,they have made some progress lately defeating Ecuador in Quito and playing well at the Copa America that they hosted.I truly hope the can make it! Panama and Guatemala are the only two who have never qualified that have some realistic chances to do so out of CONCACAF.One of the two but I highly doubt that both will. From Africa,I really don't know!I heard that Mali can be one of them and I also heard that Zamibia is not bad either.Maybe Guinea too... Out of Asia,Uzebkistan can make probably make it along with a Gulf nation like maybe Jordan or Oman. OFC.....Tonga???... What are YOUR picks???
The U-20 team was good, but it'll be a few more years if ever before Gambia are good enough at the senior level to compete for world cup qualification
I dare a risky prediction and say if there are newbies, they will come from Europe, and this might be the first WC without first time participants. in CONCACAF, every team with remote chances to qualify already qualified at least once (though I wouldn't have given Trinidad & Tobago a remote chance last time around ^^) Venezuela has an outsiders chance, but I think Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay are all stronger. Africa tended to be unpredictable in the recent past, but I think all the strongest nts already participated in a world cup. In Asia I think Japan, S Korea, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Iran, Iraq are the most likely nations to qualify, at best outsiders chances for Uzbekistan. Oceania will most likely lose its spot to Asia. Europe is pretty tight, I think, depending on the draws Finland, Bosnia and Slovakia are possible first timers.
Yeah I forgot about Slovakia recently.Maybe it's because their heavy lost to Wales in Bratislava...I remember they almost qualified for the World Cup through a playoff spot if I recall...shame!
I will come back with some predictions after Durban on Sunday As for Asia the only team with a real chance (bearing in mind this is pre Durban) is Uzbekistan.
Oceania have NEVER had a spot at any FIFA WC Finals tournament. They have ALWAYS had to share a 1/4 or a 1/2 spot with all of the other FIFA Confederations, since their (stupid - by FIFA) inception.
With "Oceania will most likely lose its spot to Asia" I obviously meant that they will probably lose the relegation with the 5th team from Asia.
And how will Oceania THEN have a qualification route to the FIFA WC Finals, if they can't play off with some-one?
Venezuela is at the bottom of South American qualifying after 3 matches. New Zealand is the only Oceana team with a chance to qualify, and they been there before. Uzbekistan, Bahrain, and Guatemala are the only newbies I see.
Actually, Venezuela are in 7th, one point out of 5th, and have played two of their three games on the road. They've won in Ecuador and now they get Bolivia at home, a game they should win. I'm not saying their going to qualify, but they're not last in the table, and they certainly shouldn't be counted out yet.
The most likely new teams are Uzbekistan and someone out of Africa. I'd say the most likely there would be Zambia, Mali, Guinea, or Sudan. If I had to predict it now, I'd guess for only one new team in 2010.
Ecuador is!This is the second CONMEBOL league table that Richard Paez is part of as coach of the Venezuelan national team.Venezuela only improved under his reign.Look at how many goals they have conceeded so far:3......After playing Ecuador in Quito,losing to Argentina in Marcaibo and losing to Colombia in Colombia.Before that,they could hardly win a match and were the whipping boys.....Just ask other CONMEBOL teams if they still take Venezuela lightly!
Observations: In your list above, there haven't been fewer than three new participants. The most recent cup saw the most new participants -- six, with four of them from Africa. Most of those teams came pretty much out of nowhere as far as I'm concerned. A lot of folks are predicting one or none this time around. But history seems to suggest that there will be at least three new teams. With both Guinea and Mali toward the top of the FIFA rankings in CAF, they look like good bets to get out of the second round of CAF qualifying. Everything will depend on which group they end up in after that. And, as shown by last year, anything can happen in Africa. Except for last year, there's an Asian team every tournament listed above. Bahrian and Uzbekistan are the top two newbies on that list. A lot of people have picked them, and they're a pretty reasonable pick. But it's going to be a little tougher with Australia now in the mix. CONCACAF has regularly contributed a newbie as well, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Panama or Guatemala get in this time. Hell, I wasn't expecting Trinidad in '06. And don't expect them back. And Europe has contributed one newbie regularly as well. I'd love to see Finland make it. There are a few others I'd like to see. But with Euro' 08 turning out to have all the usual suspects in it, I'm thinking that Europe may be done with Cinderellas this time around. I believe Israel is the highest ranked UEFA team that hasn't been to the World Cup. They're one team that has been on the edge of things, playing a strong spoiler, for a number of years now. I'd love to see them finally make it in. Despite the security headaches, especially if they were drawn in the same group as Iran. Venezuela's like Israel this time around. Someone to watch out for, but not good enough. And as far as Oceania goes, give it up guys. Well past time to merge with Asia. Be like the Caribbean teams in CONCACAF. So, my carefully considered picks: Mali, Guinea, Uzbekistan, Panama
I would absolutely love to see Uzbekistan qualify as my wife is from there and maybe I could get her to watch a game or two. Mali are a good bet from Africa too. With Wanchope's retirement.. I don't think Costa Rica are going to be as good as they've been for the last couple of qualifiers... so that leaves the door open for Canada, Honduras, or maybe even a newbe.. like Guatemala or Panama to qualify. Me thinks... Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Mali, Panama
Israel was among the participants for the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. I believe that knowing the issue between Israel and Iran.FIFA would put them in seperate groups,and,also,two groups who don't happen to be connected directly for the round of 16.FIFA wouldmake sure that these two can't meet before the semis at least I believe but I might be wrong...
touchy touchy. I think he meant they would lose THE MATCH(ES) to the Asian team, not lose the half spot altogether