Tournament Structure
There were three rounds of play:
- First Stage: The 40 teams were divided into 10 groups of 4 teams each. The teams played against each other twice, except in Group 2, where the teams played against each other once. The group winners would advance to the Final Round.
- Second Stage: The 10 teams were divided into 2 groups of 5 teams. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners would qualify. The runners-up would advance to the AFC Play-off.
- Play-off: The 2 teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The winner would advance to the UEFA/AFC Intercontinental Play-off.
Read more about this topic: 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualification (AFC)
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