There will be 53 European nations competing for 13 places in the World Cup to be held in South Africa.
The games will start in September 2008 and nine clubs will qualify directly whilst the best eight second-placed teams with be involved in home and away play offs for the remaining four places.
UEFA President Michel Platini said:
It's a good compromise solution, because I wasn't really happy with the format for the last qualifying competition with groups of seven and eight teams," said U.Group 1Portugal
Sweden
Denmark
Hungary
Albania
Malta
Group 2Greece
Israel
Switzerland
Moldova
Latvia
Luxembourg
Group 3Czech Republic
Poland
Northern Ireland
Slovakia
Slovenia
San Marino
Group 4Germany
Russia
Finland
Wales
Azerbaijan
Liechtenstein
Group 5Spain
Turkey
Belgium
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Armenia
Estonia
Group 6Croatia
England
Ukraine
Belarus
Kazakhstan
Andorra
Group 7France
Romania
Serbia
Lithuania
Austria
Faroe Islands
Group 8Italy
Bulgaria
Republic of Ireland
Cyprus
Georgia
Montenegro
Group 9Netherlands
Scotland
Norway
Macedonia
Iceland