S Africa hails Brazil's qualification for World Cup finals

JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- The 2010 FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee South Africa (OC) congratulated Brazil for being the first South American country to qualify for the World Cup finals next year.

"You cannot host a World Cup without Brazil. 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," said OC CEO Danny Jordaan.

Brazil, who are topping FIFA world ranking, crushed Argentina 3-1 on Saturday night to guarantee a top four finish in the Conmebol standings.

The top four teams qualify for the World Cup finals directly and the fifth placed team enters a home-and-away playoff with the fourth placed team from North, Central America & Caribbean.

Brazil is the most successful football team of all time, having won five World Cups to date, and is the only country 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 on 12 July 2010," said Jordaan.