Pretoria - With nearly a year before the kick-off to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, four major teams have successfully qualified for the world class tournament.
The Netherlands, Japan, Korea Republic and Australia are the first teams to qualify for the tournament after performing superbly in their respective 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying groups.
Australia qualified after a goalless draw against Qatar in Doha on Saturday in an Asian 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying match for an unassailable position in Group 1 for one of the two 2010 qualifying spots up for grabs in the group.
2010 FIFA World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC) Chief Executive Officer, Danny Jordaan has congratulated Australia for qualifying for Africa's first FIFA World Cup.
"After doing extremely well in Germany 2006, the Socceroos (as Australian the soccer team is known) have now qualified for back-to-back FIFA World Cups and we look forward to welcoming them to our country next year," Dr Jordaan said.
He said the Australian sporting teams and fans were familiar visitors to South African shores, as the country had strong sporting links and had hosted regular touring Australian rugby and cricket national and provincial teams.
"We've had the Aussies in South Africa for rugby and cricket World Cups before, but to have the Socceroos here next June for the FIFA World Cup will be very special," he added.
As Australia's qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup looked more and more certain, Australian fans have been snapping up tickets for next year's tournament.
Australian residents have already successfully applied for 27 139 tickets for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in the first ticketing sales phase for the tournament.
Dr Jordaan said he is certain that Australia will have even more fans in South Africa than the large numbers which travelled to Germany.
"There are also a high number of expatriate South Africans living in Australia, many of whom will surely use the opportunity to come home. They will have two teams to follow next year.
Still in the Asian Zone, Japan sealed their tickets first by after beating Uzbekistan 1-0 and confirmed their presence at a seventh consecutive FIFA World Cup while Korea played a goalless draw with Iran.
Meanwhile, in the European Zone, the Netherlands were the first to qualify for the 19th edition of world football's showpiece event after defeating Iceland 2-1 on Saturday.
Dr Jordaan said the Netherlands, Japan, Korea Republic and Australia are big teams on and off the field and their qualification will begin to shape the great atmosphere South Africa envisages for the event.
"The Dutch, clearly from a football point of view, have some of the most exciting players in the world.
"And off the field, Dutch fans dressed in their sea of orange are synonymous with bringing their special energy to any major event in the world. We're looking forward to welcoming these exciting teams and their supporters," said Dr Jordaan.
