We meet again - Jamaica vs USA in World Cup qualifying

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP):

Jamaica's Reggae Boyz were drawn with the United States (US) in CONCACAF qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. With qualifying expected to start next summer, the other two teams in Group A will come from preliminary qualifying matches, which start later this year and include Haiti, Guatemala, the US Virgin Islands and five other nations.

Mexico are in Group B with Costa Rica, while Cuba and Honduras are in Group C. All three group winners and runners-up will advance to a final qualifying round, beginning February 2013.

World champions Spain were drawn with 1998 winners France, Georgia, Belarus and Finland in qualifying for the 2014 tournament.

Officially kicking off proceedings for what will be the first World Cup in Brazil in 64 years, the draw pitted England with 2012 European Championship co-hosts Ukraine and Poland in Group H.

Italy will meet Denmark and the Czech Republic in Group B, while Germany faces Sweden, Austria and Ireland in Group C.

The draw in Rio de Janeiro determined the path of 166 teams in their bid to qualify for the tournament in three years' time. It was the first major World Cup event in Brazil since the South American nation was awarded the competition in 2007. As host, Brazil are the only nation that doesn't have to qualify.

'Happy to be back in Brazil'

"We are happy to be back in Brazil," FIFA President Sepp Blatter said.

Fifty-three European nations were divided into nine groups, with the winners automatically qualifying and the eight best group runners-up advancing to a play-off.

The Netherlands, last year's runner-up in South Africa, were drawn in Group D with Turkey, Hungary and Romania, while Portugal will have to face Russia and Israel in Group F.

In Asia, Japan will face Uzbekistan, Syria and North Korea in Group C, while Australia will play Saudi Arabia, Oman and Thailand in Group D.

Iran, Bahrain and Qatar were drawn in the same Group E, along with Indonesia, while China are in Group A with Iraq, Jordan and Singapore.

The African teams were divided into 10 groups for qualifiers beginning in November. South Africa, last year's World Cup host, was drawn in Group A along with Botswana. Ghana, the best African team last year, is in Group D with Zambia and Sudan.

South America was not included in the draw because the continent's nine teams will be placed in a single group. They will play each other twice, home and away, with the top four finishers securing a World Cup spot. The fifth-place team will advance to an intercontinental play-off against a team from Asia. The other play-off will pit teams from CONCACAF and Oceania.

Jamaica's coach Theodore Whitmore.