Key Dates in Countdown to 2010

Some dates you may want to note in counting down the days until the 2010 World Cup kicks off. Mark your calendar, and all.

One date we won't list, because it passed two days ago, is Aug. 14. That marked 300 days left till the first match of the 2010 South Africa -- featuring South Africa and an as-yet-to-be-identified opponent in the opening match of the tournament.

Some other important dates:

Sept. 5: On this date, 34 qualifying matches are scheduled.

Sept. 6: Six qualifying matches, all in Africa.

Sept. 9: 35 qualifying matches.

Oct. 10: 37 qualifying matches, the most hectic day on the qualifier schedule. Among the 37 is the first half of the New Zealand-vs.-Asia No. 5 home-and-home playoff.

Oct. 11: Three qualifying matches, all in Africa.

Oct. 13: Five qualifying matches, all in South America. Four World Cup-bound teams will be known by the end of the day.

Oct. 14: 27 qualifying matches, including the final matches in UEFA and Concacaf; we will know which three Concacaf teams have clinched berths, as well as nine UEFA group champions.

Oct. 19: The draw for the eight second-place teams out of UEFA qualifying that will have home-and-home playoffs to determine the final four European teams in the World Cup.

Nov. 13: 200 days to kickoff of the 2010 World Cup.

Nov. 14: 16 qualifying matches, 10 in Africa that will complete qualifying and give us five teams headed for South Africa; the second half of the New Zealand-vs.-Asia No. 5 home-and-home playoffs, which gives us another World Cup team; four among UEFA second-place teams involved in part one of the home-and-home playoffs for a berth; and the first half of the home-and-home between the Concacaf No. 4 and the South American No. 5.

Nov. 18: Five qualifiers, four of them from the second leg of the UEFA home-and-home playoffs to identify the final four European nations advancing to South Africa; and the second half of the home-and-home between the Concacaf No. 4 and South America No. 5. At the end of this day, all 32 teams involved in the 2010 World Cup should be known.

Dec. 4: World Cup draw in Cape Town, South Africa. Groups identified, game schedules set.

March 3: 100 days to kickoff of the 2010 World Cup.

May 15, 2010: World Cup rosters for each of the 32 qualified nations must be set.

June 11, 2010: Game 1 of the 2010 World Cup, in Johannesburg, South Africa.
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