AUCKLAND – Further to its decision on 16 March confirming the qualifying path the Oceania Football Confederation will be taking to the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, the OFC Executive Committee yesterday agreed on the dates for the Stage Two Preliminary Competition home and away series playoff.
The chosen playoff FIFA fixed double-dates are as follows:
2004: 4/8 September.
2005: 26/30 March, 4/8 June, 3/7 September, 12/16 November.
The abovementioned dates are subject to change depending on if the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2005 will be held.
All six teams in Stage Two of the Preliminary Competition will play home and away matches on each of the abovementioned dates. Each team will therefore play a total of five home and five away matches.
Australia and New Zealand are the seeded teams for Stage Two with the other four teams to be decided at a Stage One Preliminary Competition to be held in mid-2004. The dates for this competition have yet to be confirmed.