(Fifa.com) - Korea DPR’s preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ were given a welcome boost by victory in the ninth edition of the International Friendship Football Tournament, which was held in Qatar between 27 December 2009 and 2 January 2010.

The Chollima began the four-team round-robin tournament with a hard-fought 1-0 win over African side Mali, courtesy of a goal from Hong Yong-Jo. The North Koreans then claimed a single-goal victory against the host nation in their second match thanks to a strike from Choe Chol-Man. Their six-point tally was enough to see them subsequently crowned competition champions despite a 1-0 reverse by Iran in their final encounter.

This success is sure to spur on Kim Jong-Hun’s charges ahead of South Africa 2010, which will be Korea DPR’s second-ever appearance at the showpiece finals. Drawn in a fearsome-looking Group G alongside five-time world champions Brazil, European heavyweights Portugal and African powerhouses Côte d’Ivoire, the Chollima kick off their campaign against Dunga’s Seleção on 15 June in Johannesburg. Read More>>>.

(AFP/Fifa.com) - Fabio Capello's England squad will travel to Austria for a training camp at altitude prior to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, the camp's organiser said Tuesday. "We have organised the camp in conjunction with the English Football Federation (FA)," said Nikolaus Pichler, a representative of the IFCS company which organises training camps for professional teams in the region of Styria.

"The team manager Fabio Capello will be there with the team in Irdning, which he is already familiar with. He has already visited here with other teams, such as AS Roma and Real Madrid." The exact dates of England's stay will be announced soon, added Pichler, who said he is negotiating with two other national teams interested in setting up camp in Styria.

Serbia and Korea Republic have already booked stays for the end of May/beginning of June while Germany and the Netherlands are said to be considering the option. England, who won their sole FIFA World Cup in 1966, face the United States, Algeria and Slovenia in Group C in the opening round. Seven of South Africa's 10 finals stadiums - including the venue for the final, Soccer City in Johannesburg - are at altitude. This has prompted many teams to prepare their players properly for the demands of several thousand feet above sea level.

(PA/Fifa.com) - Australia's second string get a chance to impress coach Pim Verbeek in tomorrow's AFC Asian Cup qualifier in Kuwait with a place at next year's finals within touching distance. With the game falling outside of FIFA's international calendar, Verbeek is left with only Craig Moore and Luke Wilkshire who are considered regulars. He does welcome eight overseas-based players but the likes of Mark Schwarzer and Tim Cahill who featured in November's back-to-back wins over Oman are absent.

Australia are currently level on points with Kuwait at the top of Group B with two games remaining and Oman three points adrift in third. Oman travel to Jakarta to face Indonesia, who are a further point off the pace, with both teams needing a win to keep their hopes alive. "The game against Kuwait is not an official FIFA date so you have to request the players from the clubs," said Verbeek. "We only need one victory to qualify for the finals, but the game against Kuwait will be a very difficult game. Kuwait are an organised and unpredictable side and they are a strong team as they showed in Canberra in the first game." Australia have been placed in Group D of World Cup 2010 with Germany, Serbia and Ghana. Read More>>>.

(PA/Fifa.com) - Germany coach Joachim Low is set to make an exception to his policy of only choosing players who are in form and playing regularly for their club, by naming Lukas Podolski in his 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ squad.

With five months to go before the 49-year-old must make his selections, he recently declared that he would not be repeating the mistake of calling up players merely on past reputation, and added that he expects to find 23 hungry and motivated players during the second half of the 2009/10 season. However, Podolski, who has so far failed to live up to his own glittering reputation since rejoining Cologne last summer, appears to have been given special dispensation even if he does not start finding the back of the net with regularity.

The former Bayern Munich forward has scored 37 times in 69 games for Germany, but he has managed to find the back of the net only once since joining his hometown club in July. Nevertheless, Low has declined the notion of Podolski losing his place in the Germany set-up should he fail to up the ante in 2010.

Germany is in Group D for World Cup 2010 along with Australia, Serbia and Ghana. Read More>>>.

Germany World Cup 2010 coach Joachim Low is letting possible members of his World Cup 2010 squad know that in order to make the team, they will have to be regular first team players for their respective clubs. He made a reference to the mistake he made in selecting his EURO 2008 squad when he selected an injured player to the team. The player in question was Christoph Metzelder, who failed to make any impact for the team.

Low stated: "I won't call up anybody who has not been playing regularly for their side in the months building up to the tournament," he said. "That is something I have learned from EURO 2008. This is going to be a World Cup which will be played at a very high pace." (Fifa.com).

The coach plans to consider fringe players and make sure he submits the best 23-man squad for South Africa 2010. The squad submission is due on June 5. The team will get together in May for a training camp in Italy before flying to South Africa. Germany is in Group D along with Australia, Serbia and Ghana for the 2010 World Cup.

England World Cup 2010 coach Fabio Capello is expected to be with the team for the long term, up until after the EURO 2012 tournament.

Reports suggest that the Italian plans to remain with the team even after South Africa 2010 and see them through to the European Championships in 2012. This view was shared by English FA boss Ian Watmore, who expects Capello to stay put. "Reports linking Roy Hodgson or any manager with the England job post the World Cup are just not true," said Watmore. "We expect Fabio Capello to remain in the post for the duration of his contract, which runs through to the summer of 2012. Fabio Capello has also made it clear that he expects to continue in the role after the World Cup and throughout the [UEFA] Euro 2012 campaign."

England is in Group C for the 2010 World Cup along with the United States, Algeria and Slovenia. Capello is looking to make history by becoming the first foreign coach to lead an English team to World Cup glory.

England’s favourite son, David Beckham is relishing the chance of representing his country at the 2010 Fifa World Cup in South Africa. If he makes England’s team for World Cup 2010, it will be his fourth trip to the finals after featuring in ’98 in France, 2002 in Japan/Korea and 2006 in Germany.

Beckham is poised to be on this year’s squad as he dreams of this once in a lifetime opportunity to play in Africa’s first World Cup. He was given a boost of making the team recently when head coach Fabio Capello said: "Of course he will be included, if he plays [for AC Milan] and is well physically,” he said. “I don't look at ages. I look at skill and Beckham has a lot. He's serious, a real professional and he's really dedicated to making the World Cup squad."

In a recent interview with Fifa, when asked what it means to play in a World Cup, Beckham said: “It’s the biggest footballing competition in the world, so any player who is lucky enough to be part of a World Cup knows how special it really is. I’ve been lucky to have played in three and hopefully I’ll be luckier still to play in a fourth. It really is an incredible feeling.” I

t will be a great opportunity to see Beckham in South Africa 2010 as one of the game’s great ambassadors. England is in Group C with the United States, Algeria and Slovenia.