FIFA World Cup 2014 Asian qualifiers

Kuala Lumpur: AFC has announced the format of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers. FIFA will invite entries from interested AFC Member Associations early next year and depending on the number of entries Round One will have home-and-away format on June 29, 2011, and July 3, 2011.

The format of the qualifiers remains the same like 2010 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers. The winners from Round One will progress to the second round which will also have a home-and-away format on July 23, 2011, and July 28, 2011.

Twenty teams, including the winners of the second round, will be divided into five groups of four teams each. The winners and runners-up from each group will advance to the fourth round after playing in a home-and-away format.

Ten teams in the fourth round will be divided into two groups of five and top two teams from each group will qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This round will have a home-and-away format.

Third-best teams from Round 4 will play home-and-away in Round 5 and the winner will qualify for a Round 6 playoff against a team from another continent to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.

MATCH DAYS

Round 1
MD1: June 29, 2011
MD2: July 3, 2011

Round 2
MD1: July 23, 2011
MD2: July 28, 2011

Round 3
MD1: September 2, 2011
MD2: September 6, 2011
MD3: October 11, 2011
MD4: November 11, 2011
MD5: November 15, 2011
MD6: February 29, 2012

Round 4
MD1: June 3, 2012
MD2: June 8, 2012
MD3: June 12, 2012
MD4: September 11, 2012
MD5: October 16, 2012
MD6: November 14, 2012
MD7: March 26, 2013
MD8: June 4, 2013
MD9: June 11, 2013
MD10: June 18, 2013

Round 5
MD1: September 6, 2013
MD2: September 10, 2013

Round 6
MD1: October 15, 2013
MD2: November 19, 2013

Eligible participants

* Australia * South Korea * Japan
* North Korea * Bahrain * Saudi Arabia
* Iran * Qatar * Uzbekistan
* United Arab Emirates * Syria * Oman
* Jordan * Iraq * China PR * Singapore
* Kuwait * Thailand * Turkmenistan
* Lebanon * Yemen * Tajikistan
* Hong Kong * Indonesia * Kyrgyzstan
* Maldives * India * Malaysia
* Bangladesh * Pakistan * Afghanistan
* Cambodia * Nepal * Sri Lanka * Vietnam
* Mongolia * Palestine * Timor-Leste * Macau
* Chinese Taipei * Myanmar * Bhutan
* Brunei * Guam * Laos * Philippines