Oceania gets World Cup spot

Oceania will have a direct qualification place for the 2006 World Cup, a Fifa spokesman has confirmed.

Before past finals the winners of the Oceania qualification group have had to play-off to reach the tournament proper.

The last time a team from the region qualified for the World Cup finals was New Zealand in 1982.

The decision came during a Fifa executive committee in Madrid on Tuesday.

There are two extra places are up for grabs at the 2006 finals, with Germany the only guaranteed participant as solo hosts.