List of qualified teams (in chronological order)

List of qualified teams (6 out of 32)
Following teams have qualified as of 17 June 2009, in chronological order:

South Africa
Date of qualification: 15 May 2004
Qualified as: Host
Previous Best Performance: Group stage (1998, 2002)
Current FIFA Ranking (June 2009): 72

Japan
Date of qualification: 6 June 2009
Qualified as: AFC Fourth Round Group A Runner-up
Previous Best Performance: Round of 16 (2002)
Current FIFA Ranking (June 2009): 31

Australia
Date of qualification: 6 June 2009
Qualified as: AFC Fourth Round Group A Winner
Previous Best Performance: Round of 16 (2006)
Current FIFA Ranking (June 2009): 29

Korea Republic
Date of qualification: 6 June 2009
Qualified as: AFC Fourth Round Group B Winner
Previous Best Performance: Fourth (2002)
Current FIFA Ranking (June 2009): 46

Netherlands
Date of qualification: 6 June 2009
Qualified as: UEFA Group 9 Winner
Previous Best Performance: Runner-up (1974, 1978)
Current FIFA Ranking (June 2009): 2

Korea DPR
Date of qualification: 17 June 2009
Qualified as: AFC Fourth Round Group B Runner-up
Previous Best Performance: Quarterfinals (1966)
Current FIFA Ranking (June 2009): 106

Previous World Cups and Winners

Previous World Cups and Winners:

Germany 2006:
Winner: Italy
Runners-Up: France
Third: Germany

Korea - Japan 2002:
Winner: Brazil
Runners-Up: Germany
Third: Turkey

France 1998:
Winner: France
Runners-Up: Brazil
Third: Croatia

USA 1994:
Winner: Brazil
Runners-Up: Italy
Third: Sweden

Italy 1990:
Winner: Germany FR
Runners-Up: Argentina
Third: Italy

Mexico 1986:
Winner: Argentina
Runners-Up: Germany FR
Third: France

Spain 1982:
Winner: Italy
Runners-Up: Germany FR
Third: Poland

Argentina 1978:
Winner: Argentina
Runners-Up: Netherlands
Third: Brazil

Germany 1974:
Winner: Germany FR
Runners-Up: Netherlands
Third: Poland

Mexico 1970:
Winner: Brazil
Runners-Up: Italy
Third: Germany FR

England 1966:
Winner: England
Runners-Up: Germany FR
Third: Portugal

Chile 1962:
Winner: Brazil
Runners-Up: Czechoslovakia
Third: Chile

Sweden 1958:
Winner: Brazil
Runners-Up: Sweden
Third: France

Switzerland 1954:
Winner: Germany FR
Runners-Up: Hungary
Third: Austria

Brazil 1950:
Winner: Uruguay
Runners-Up: Brazil
Third: Sweden

France 1938:
Winner: Italy
Runners-Up: Hungary
Third: Brazil

Italy 1934:
Winner: Italy
Runners-Up: Czechoslovakia
Third: Germany

Uruguay 1930:
Winner: Uruguay
Runners-Up: Argentina
Third: USA