The South American World Cup qualifying competition for 2010 got under way at the weekend.

As in the previous two campaigns, the region’s 10 teams have been lumped together in the same group and will play 18 matches each in a contest lasting exactly two years.
 
The European clubs, who employ nearly all the top South American players, say that is too long and forces the players to make too many transatlantic journeys. The pressure was so intense that FIFA nearly forced the South Americans to change the format three years ago.
 
In fact, over the next two years the South American national sides will play fewer competitive internationals than their top European counterparts.
 
The European teams are still involved in the qualifiers for Euro 2008 (the Copa America does not have a qualifying tournament) and will play three or four qualifiers each between now and the end of November.
 
Those who qualify will then play between three and six matches at the finals. 
 
The European World Cup qualifiers will then kick into gear in Sept. 2008, with 12 games per side on average, meaning that over the next two years they could play as many as 22 games, four more than in South America.
 
In the old days, the South American teams were divided into groups of three or four which meant that the smaller nations such as Ecuador, Bolivia and Venezuela played two competitive internationals in quick succession, then had to wait years for another game.
 
Now, they are in action regularly and reaping the benefits. Ecuador, who had never played at a World Cup finals until 2002, have qualified for the last two. Venezuela, who won two World Cup qualifiers between 1965 and 1997, have won five in each of the last two campaigns.
 
The World Cup qualifiers are the only chance the South American public gets to see its top players in action in their backyard. Forcing them to cut back would be another blow to football in South America, which has already lost the battle for its best players to the financial might of European clubs.

Brian Homewood, Rio de Janeiro

PHOTO: Brazil’s Kaka in training at Teresopolis Oct 10 REUTERS/Sergio Moraes