The Draw: What to expect

A record 195 countries will take part in the draw which will be held in Tokyo's International Forum.

The draw will start at 7 p.m. local time (10 a.m.) and will last 90 minutes.

Asia will be drawn first then Oceania, South America, North America and the Caribbean and Africa.

Europe will be the final confederation to be drawn, starting at 11.02 a.m.

Europe's 50 teams will be drawn into nine groups - four of five and five of six - from five pots lettered A to E.

Pot A contains the nine top seeds continuing down to Pot E, which holds the 14 lowest.

It is possible that Ireland could end up in a group including all their close neighbours as England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are all seeded separately.

The draw will allocate the lowest seeds first.

Around 4,500 guests will watch the draw and Japanese television company NHK will broadcast the ceremony around the world.

Only five of FIFA's 203 members are not taking part - Afghanistan, North Korea, Burundi, Niger and Papua New Guinea.

France's World Cup-winning coach Aime Jacquet and former Mexico striker Hugo Sanchez are expected to assist Michel Zen-Ruffinen (FIFA general secretary) with the draw.

The Master of Ceremony duties will be shared by Japan's answer to Bryan Dobson, Norio Fukutome and singer/actress Hikaru Nishida.