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Record field for 2010

South Africa has made history with more than 204 countries registering to take part in the 19th 2010 World Cup preliminary draw.

South Africa has made history with more than 204 countries registering to take part in the 19th 2010 World Cup preliminary draw.

They include hosts South Africa and Montenegro, who are expected to be granted full Fifa membership at a Fifa congress next month.

According to Fifa, the countries that did not register are Philippines, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam and Laos. The previous record in preliminary rounds was in 2002 when 193 countries took part.

A total of 199 countries registered for that event which was co-hosted by Asian countries South Korea and Japan. Germany, hosts of the 2006 World Cup, had 192 countries competing. France had 168 in 1998 and the US 130 in 1994.

The qualifiers kick off on August 25 in the Oceania Football Confederation. The confederation will use the South Pacific Games to decide their winner. - Ramatsiyi Moholoa

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