The US's 2010 World Cup Qualification draw

The 2010 World Cup qualifying draw is over and the US men now know just what their opposition looks like as they will need to survive three rounds of play to make it to the finals in South Africa.

The first round match will take place in June of 2008 as they will face either Barbados or Dominica (these two play a home-home series earlier in the year to decide who will advance). If the US makes it out of that home-home series, they will enter into a four-team group in the semifinals.

The dates of the semifinal matches are 20 Aug, 6 Sept, 10 Sept, 11 Oct, 15 Oct and 19 Nov. The top two teams from each of the three semifinal groups (6 in total) will advance to the final round.

The six teams will place each other twice with the top three teams advancing to the 2010 World Cup and the fourth team playing a home-home playoff against the fifth team from South America.

Here are the dates for the final round (all in 2009): 11 Feb, 28 March, 1 April, 6 June, 10 June, 19 Aug, 5 Sept, 9 Sept, 10 Oct and 14 Oct.

Due to finishing in the top three spots in Concacaf, the USA, Mexico and Canada cannot face each other till the final round of qualification.

As far as who the US will play in their first match, chances are it will be Barbados.