Reuters Forecasts the Top Seeds

“South Korea is the second seed.”

Reuters forecasted South Korea will receive the second seed in FIFA’s grouping lottery for the 2006 Germany World Cup main round that will be held on December 10 at 4:15 a.m. at the Neue Messe Convention Center in Leipzig, Germany.

Reuters reported on the atmosphere at the German World Cup Organization Committee that is facing the grouping lottery in five days. Based on its own assessment standards, Reuters sees the previous winner Brazil, Italy, France, Argentina, Spain, Mexico, England, and the host nation Germany to be the eight top seeds.

South Korea is anticipated to receive a second seed along with Holland, the U.S., the Czech Republic, Croatia, Japan, Sweden, and Paraguay.

The third group includes Ecuador, Switzerland, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Poland, Iran, Costa Rica, and Portugal. The fourth seed will probably include Ukraine, Serbia-Montenegro, Côte d`Ivoire, Australia, Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Togo, and Angola.

This assessment is based on FIFA rankings and past World Cup scores. FIFA is yet to disclose the exact standard on which they will assign the top seed. Only thing clear so far is that the Germany, the host nation, will receive the first seed and be placed in Group A.

Jong-Koo Yang yjongk@donga.com