The seeding for the Third round of qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup/Nations Cup qualifying campaign is out and there are hardly any surprises. The top five countries in the continent, according to recent FIFA rankings, are listed as the top seeds...

Spokesman for the Continent's football soccer house CAF, Sherif Ahmed revealed that the basis for the stratification was solely based on the current FIFA rankings and nothing else, contrary to earlier reports that the global rankings would make up just a third of the criteria.

The draws for the third stage will see the top seeds each heading a group to be composed of four teams each. The winner of each group will qualify automatically for the 2010 World Cup alongside hosts South Africa.

For the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola earlier in 2010, no fewer than three of the four sides in each group will qualify for the continental tournament, making fifteen teams (plus hosts Angola.)

Seedings for the third and final round of Qualifiers:

First seeds Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Cameroon.

Second seeds Morocco, Tunisia, Mali, Algeria, Guinea.

Third seeds Burkina Faso, Gabon, Zambia, Kenya, Benin.

Fourth seeds Rwanda, Togo, Mozambique, Sudan, Malawi.