Durban: Politics and football will mix in qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, which can't make FIFA happy.
South and North Korea will meet in Asian qualifying for the tournament, and the United States could face Cuba in the CONCACAF semi-finals.
England were drawn with Croatia, who had stopped them from qualifying for the European Championship earlier in the week.
The qualifying draw for the 2010 World Cup on Sunday began the countdown to the event in South Africa, the first World Cup to be held in Africa.
The highlights of the Asian leg of the draw was the meeting of North and South Korea and Australia's first group opponents since moving from Oceania.
The two Koreas fought the 1950-53 Korean War that ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, which means that the sides are still technically at war.
Their relations have warmed significantly since the first-ever summit in 2000, although the reconciliation process has often been overshadowed by the standoff over the North's nuclear weapons programmes.
Australia, who lost to Italy on a disputed penalty in the second round of last year's World Cup, switched from Oceania to get a better chance of qualifying. The socceroos will face China, Iraq and Qatar.
The other groups are: Japan, Bahrain, Oman and Thailand; Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Lebanon, Singapore; and Iran, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Syria.
The Americans have a first-round bye before they play the winner of an opening-round series between Barbados and Dominica. The US team will be heavily favoured to make the semi-finals, where the Cubans could be waiting. Cuba will play the winner of the Aruba-Antigua and Barbuda opening series.
Cuba and the United States have not met in World Cup qualifying since 1949 in Mexico, when the Americans won one and drew another to advance to the tournament in Brazil.
Mexico head CONCACAF Group Two and will play the winner of Belize vs St Kitts and Nevis in the second round.
South American qualifying has already started, with the teams having played four rounds of matches.
When Croatia were drawn into England's Group 6 in Europe, there were applause in the auditorium. And gasps.
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"Everyone in Croatia was saying 'Give us England again,' but I wanted to avoid England," said Croatia coach Slaven Bilic, who masterminded his team's home and away victories over the English in Euros 2008 qualifying.
"It is a very, very hard draw because they are by far the best team from the second pot. The only team I wanted to avoid was England. We are not afraid of them, but they have got a terrific team and brilliant players. They should jell and they are going to jell."
The other teams in World Cup Group 6 are Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Andorra. Ukraine were in the 2006 tournament and made the quarter-finals.
Italy, who won their fourth world title last year, were satisfied by the sight of Bulgaria, Ireland, Cyprus, Georgia and newcomer Montenegro in their qualifying group. None of those teams has ever made it to a major championship game.
"Bulgaria, Ireland, Georgia and Montenegro are countries that do not have a great football tradition, but they are difficult teams," Italy coach Roberto Donadoni said.
"On paper, Bulgaria could be the one that competes with us for qualification. Like all countries from the former Yugoslavia, Montenegro is a stubborn team. Let's not even talk about Ireland. We are familiar with Georgia, having faced them in qualifying for the European Championship."
Three-time World Cup winner Germany have Russia, Finland and Wales as their toughest opponents, and there are relatively easy tasks for Spain and the Netherlands, who also will be among the main contenders from Europe.
France, a World Cup winner in 1998 and runner-up to Italy last year, are in probably the toughest European group, with Romania and Serbia to deal with.
Only the winners of each of the nine European groups are guaranteed spots in the finals. The eight best runners-up will move on to playoffs for the other four spots.
Jean-Pierre Escalettes, president of the French Football Federation, was satisfied with the outcome.
"It's never easy, but it could have been worse," he said. "Romania is solid, Serbia is solid. Austria, you never know what they are capable of doing. We will do everything to finish first."
Greece, who defend their European title next year, must play Israel, Switzerland, Moldova, Latvia and Luxembourg in Group 2.
Host South Africa don't have to qualify, but were still in the draw because it doubles as qualifying for the African Cup of Nations, which takes place in Ghana next year.
Five African group winners will advance to the championship.
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