Union of European Football Associations (UEFA)

• Nine groups of five or six teams each.
• The 9 group winners will directly qualify.

• The nine UEFA runners-up will be put into one pot. Four European play-off pairings (home-and-away) will be drawn. The winners qualify for the World Cup Korea/Japan 2002.
  
• The remaining UEFA runner-up will contest the play-offs (home-and-away) against the third-placed AFC team. The winner will qualify for the World Cup Korea/Japan 2002.