WORLDSCENE/Paddy Agnew: So, you fancy watching some genuine World Cup football action this week? No problem - from Buenos Aires to Nairobi, passing via Guangzhou and on to Dammam, there is plenty of it.
For our money, however, the outstanding tie among the 41 qualifiers being played this week comes today in Qatar when Iraq entertain Palestine at the neutral venue of Doha. Given ongoing events in both Palestine and Iraq, one could be forgiven for suggesting both teams will have other concerns on their minds when they take to the field.
Iraq produced a fairy-tale story when the side originally put together by former East German coach Bernd Stange went all the way to the semi-final stages of the Athens Olympics competition this summer, before losing to mighty Italy.
Currently trailing Uzbekistan in their Asian Group Two, neither Iraq nor Palestine, however, look to have much chance of qualifying for Germany 2006.
For them, just being there today will matter. Indeed, one might suggest for the Palestinians, "just getting there" is all that matters. After all, the movements of several squad members are subject to all the travel restrictions imposed by Israel on Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
When team captain Saeb Jundiya leaves his Gaza home for training, it is routine business for him to be searched by Israeli soldiers on his way to the training ground. When striker Ziad Al Kourd returned from a September qualifier against Uzbekistan, he found his house in the Gaza Strip town of Deir al-Balah had been demolished. The Israeli military has since deemed Al Kourd a security threat and banned him from travelling.
Made up of local Palestinians and of players of Palestinian ancestry who play with clubs in Kuwait, Lebanon, Indonesia and the US, and supported by Palestinian businessmen, Palestine was first recognised by FIFA in 1998. For obvious security reasons, all their "home" qualifying games are played at the neutral venue of Qatar.
On a more mainstream footballing note and with a view to Germany 2006, Argentina versus Venezuela in Buenos Aires, and Ecuador versus Brazil in Quito, are clearly serious propositions since they could see a change around at the top of the all-inclusive South American table.
Brazil are the current leaders, just one point clear of Argentina with Paraguay (away to Uruguay) three points further back in third and with Ecuador yet another three points behind in joint fourth (with Chile).
Likewise, there are one or two games in Europe worthy of attention. For example, can the reigning European champions Greece, with one defeat and two draws under their belts since Portugal 2004, finally get back onto the winning path against little Kazakhstan? At the moment, the Greeks are second last in European Group Two, six points behind leaders Ukraine and four points behind second placed Turkey.
Incidentally, Turkey and Ukraine meet in Istanbul in yet another qualifier which could see a turnaround at the top.
Belgium versus Serbia and Montenegro in Brussels is another game that merits attention if only because the Belgians, currently second last in the group, cannot afford a slip-up against the surprise group leaders. At the moment, the Belgians have just one point, six behind Serbia, and have only San Marino below them in the table.
Other European games include Cyprus versus Israel in Nicosia, of obvious importance to Ireland, and a real David and Goliath encounter when the Netherlands travel to Barcelona to play little Andorra.
As often on these occasions, the only real issue at stake will concern the number of goals scored by the Dutch who, remember, find themselves in a very tough Group One that features two outstanding East European teams in Romania and the Czech Republic.
Finally, for climatic reasons, the game we would really like to attend is the clash between Trinidad and Tobago and St Vincent Grenadines in Port of Spain. We cannot vouch for the quality of the football, but the atmosphere seems certain to be good, certainly rather more cheerful than in Doha.
