FIFA, the world soccer ruling body, said on Sunday that a record total of 198 countries and regions have entered the preliminary draw for the 2002 World Cup.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Afghanistan, Niger, Burundi and Papua New Guinea decided to skip the premier soccer event, to be co-hosted by Japan and South Korea.

The DPR Korea's decision ended speculation that it might share some World Cup games and send a joint team with South Korea, said Lennert Johansson, FIFA's chief for organizing World Cup competitions.

There were 174 countries that went through the qualifying rounds for the World Cup in France in 1998.

The preliminary draw for the 2002 event is also slated on Tuesday in Tokyo with title holding France and the two hosts qualifying directly for the final round.

Europe will provide at least 13 other qualifiers from 50 nations which will be split into nine groups, with the winners going through.

Playoffs between eight runners-up will determine four others with another runner-up facing an Asian team in a playoff.

Asia will provide two or three qualifiers, plus Japan and South Korea.

The South American nations will not be included in the draw, since they play a league system with the top four qualifying directly and the fifth facing a team from Oceania in a playoff.

Africa will provide five qualifiers, coming through two rounds of group qualifications.

The most complicated system involves the CONCACAF grouping, with the United States, Mexico, Jamaica and Costa Rica not entering the qualifications until the semifinal round. (Xinhua)