Australia have been drawn against reigning world champions and five-time winners Brazil for next year’s FIFA World Cup following the draw ceremony held in Leipzig, Germany. The Socceroos will also have to take on Croatia and Japan in Group F of the 32-nation tournament.
Australia will make it’s first appearance at a FIFA World Cup in 32 years when it takes the field against Japan on June 12 in Kaiserslautern.
The Socceroos will then take on Brazil six days later in Munich before completing their group matches against Croatia on June 22 in Stuttgart.
The full Group F draw is:
Australia v Japan
Monday 12 June
Fritz Walter-Stadion, Kaiserslautern
(Brazil v Croatia, June 13, Berlin)
Australia v Brazil
Sunday 18 June
FIFA World Cup Stadium, Munich
(Japan v Croatia, June 18, Nuremberg)
Australia v Croatia
Thursday 22 June
Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion, Stuttgart
(Japan v Brazil, June 22, Dortmund)
Brazil are the only nation to compete at every FIFA World Cup winning the tournament in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002. Australia and Brazil have played on six occasions with the Qantas Socceroos achieving it’s only victory the last time the two nations met – a 1-0 win at the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup third place play-off match in Seoul, Korea.
Croatia and Japan both made their FIFA World Cup finals debut at France ’98 with the Croatians finishing in third place.
The FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 will commence on June 9 in Munich with the opening match between host-nation Germany and Costa Rica, and conclude with the final in Berlin on July 9.
Full draw
Group A
Germany
Costa Rica
Poland
Ecuador
Group B
England
Paraguay
Trinidad & Tobago
Sweden
Group C
Argentina
Cote de Ivoire
Serbia & Montenegro
Netherlands
Group D
Mexico
Iran
Angola
Portugal
Group E
Italy
Ghana
United States
Czech Republic
Group F
Brazil
Australia
Croatia
Japan
Group G
France
Switzerland
Korea Republic
Togo
Group H
Spain
Ukraine
Tunisia
Saudi Arabia
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And for all the news, reviews and updates check out the official website of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, www.fifaworldcup.com