The eight group winners and two best runners-up qualify automatically for the 2006 finals in Germany. The six other runners-up will play off for three further places. Teams finishing level on points will be divided first by their head-to-head records.

GROUP ONE
The Netherlands and Czech Republic are divided by a point and the pressure is on the Czechs to keep it that way as both teams play twice.

The Dutch, top on 22 points, should move to 28 after visiting Armenia on Saturday and hosting Andorra on Wednesday.

The Czech Republic, who scored 14 goals in their last two qualifiers, have 21 points but face a much stiffer examination travelling to Romania on Saturday before hosting Armenia.

Romania are third with 19 points, but from two more games than the top two, and victory on Saturday will give them a chance of snatching second place.

The group still looks set to be decided in its penultimate round on October 8 when the Czechs host the Dutch looking for revenge for their 2-0 defeat in the teams' first qualifier a year ago.

GROUP TWO
Ukraine are within touching distance of their first major tournament finals and can make sure with victory in Georgia on Saturday.

They are on 23 points and, with a seven-point advantage over second-placed Turkey, would still get through with two draws in their remaining games -- as long as one of them was against the Turks at home next Wednesday.

However, a defeat in Georgia would transform the Turkey clash from a celebration into another nervous night where a defeat could still leave everything hanging on their final game at home to Albania next month.

It is unlikely to come to that, though, and having missed out on two previous World Cups and a European championship in playoffs the whole country will be desperate to get the job done over the next week.

Old rivals Turkey and Greece look set to battle it out for second. The Turks, on 16 points, have a tough programme as they host Denmark, buoyed by their 4-1 friendly thrashing of England and still in the hunt on 12 points, before the trip to Kiev.

European champions Greece, on 15, do not play on Saturday but visit point-less Kazakhstan on Wednesday.

GROUP THREE
Portugal are in pole position on 20 points and should extend their total to 23 against Luxembourg in Faro before travelling to Russia.

The Russians are third on 15 points and also have an easy-looking home game, against Liechtenstein, to warm up. Slovakia are between the two on 18 points, from a game more, and play only once, away to Latvia, who are also still in with an outside chance on 14.

GROUP FOUR
Positions in this tightest of the European groups with four teams very much in contention could remain the same after a fascinating set of fixtures.

Ireland have 13 points from seven games, Switzerland 12 from six, Israel 11 from seven and France 10 from six.

The first of two showdowns is in Basel on Saturday when Switzerland play Israel, after which the Swiss visit Cyprus and Israel, seeking to make the finals for the first time since 1970, go to the Faroe Islands.

The second big clash comes in Dublin on Wednesday when Ireland play France, by which time the 1998 world champions should have joined their hosts on 13 points after beating the Faroes in Lens and in the process boosting their paltry tally of five goals.

GROUP FIVE
Italy's relatively untroubled progress should continue, though they may have to work a little in back-to-back away games in Scotland and Belarus.

The Italians have 13 points to the nine of Norway and Slovenia and seven of Belarus, all from six games.

Slovenia host Norway on Saturday in a game that could go a long way to deciding who makes the playoffs. On Wednesday, Slovenia should win in Moldova while the Norwegians host the Scots.

GROUP SIX
England's chances of automatic qualification will be helped or hindered in a neighbourly double-header with visits to Wales and Northern Ireland.

Two wins are expected, despite the guarantee of the local rivals raising their games, as England keep up the pressure on Poland, who lead the group with 18 points from seven games to England's 16 from six.

Poland host third-placed Austria, who have 11 points, and then Wales when two wins will keep them on course for a probable final round decider against England in Manchester on October 12.

GROUP SEVEN
Spain are making heavy weather of qualifying for once but they will be able to breathe easier if they can beat Serbia & Montenegro in Madrid on Wednesday.

It will not be easy, however. Serbia & Montenegro are the only team in world qualifying yet to concede a goal and could go into Wednesday's match top of the group on 15 points from seven games after Saturday's home match with Lithuania.

Spain, not playing on Saturday, have 13 points from seven games, with Lithuania, who host Bosnia on Wednesday, still in the hunt on nine from six.

Bosnia (seven points) host Belgium (eight) on Saturday with a decisive result needed to keep both sides' slim playoff hopes alive.

GROUP EIGHT
Croatia will hope to edge clearer of Sweden with visits to group lightweights Iceland and Malta while the Swedes host Bulgaria before travelling to Hungary.

Croatia have 16 points, one ahead of Sweden. Both teams have played six games and, whatever the outcome of the next two rounds, the group winner will probably be decided on October 8 when the top two meet in Zagreb.