Pretoria — Brazil, the FIFA Confederations Cup champions, have qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Currently the number one ranked team in the world, Brazil qualified after defeating Argentina 3-1 in Saturday night's FIFA World Cup qualifier.

This guaranteed them a top four finish in the Conmebol standings. The top four teams qualify for the World Cup, while the fifth placed team enters a home-and-away playoff with the fourth placed team from the North, Central America and Caribbean zone

The 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee (OC) has congratulated the Brazilians on being the first south American country to qualify for the World Cup.

"You cannot host a World Cup without Brazil," said Organising Committee Chief Executive Officer, Danny Jordaan.

"The kings of football already wowed South Africa earlier this year when they won their third Confederations Cup title, and we look forward to seeing if they can repeat that performance and add a record sixth World Cup trophy to their name next year," he said.

Brazil has won five World Cups to date and is the only country in the world to have qualified for every FIFA World Cup.

"Brazil are the hosts of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and it will be great to have them here so that we can formally hand over the baton to them come 12 July 2010," said Jordaan.