There will be no Brazil or Croatia. But World Cup opponent Japan does loom large as Australia is introduced to the Asian Football Confederation at Wednesday's 2007 Asian Cup draw.

While there is little chance of it generating the same fever pitch as last month's World Cup event in Leipzig, the draw in Kuala Lumpur will play a major part in the Socceroos' Germany 2006 preparations.

As well as deciding the six groups of four for Asian Cup qualifying, the draw will also determine the Socceroos' first two opponents in its build up to the World Cup in June.

Seeded 24th and placed in the lowest pot for the draw, AFC newcomer Australia will face the top seed in its group when qualifying kicks off on February 22.

Asian champion Japan has been ranked No.1 for the tournament and tossed in the top pot - pot A - meaning the Socceroos could face their World Cup group rival less than five months out from their clash at Kaiserslautern.

Fellow World Cup qualifier Iran, as well as China, Bahrain, Uzbekistan and Jordan have also been placed in pot A.

South Korea, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are in pot B, while the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Singapore and Hong Kong are in pot C.

The Socceroos will play a team from pot C in their second qualifying match at home on March 1.

While the Socceroos may get an early look at the Japanese, it will be a far from full strength Australian outfit taking the pitch in late February.

The date is not listed on world governing body FIFA's international match calendar and as such clubs are not entitled to their release players for international duty, meaning most of the Socceroos' European stars will be unavailable.

A bunch of Socceroos contenders in the A-League may also be unavailable as the fixture falls in the middle of the competition's finals.

Coach Guus Hiddink has already been ruled absent for the clash because of club commitments with Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, leaving assistant Graham Arnold in charge, aided by new coaching recruit Johan Neeskens.

Doubt also lingers over which players will be available for the March 1 game in Australia. While a FIFA friendly date, clubs have only to release their players for 48 hours, making it virtually impossible for European players to travel to Australia and back to their club in time.

The Socceroos will play up to six warm-up matches before the World Cup, where they have been drawn in group F with Brazil, Croatia and Japan.

Further Asian Cup qualifiers are scheduled for August, September, October and November.

The top two from each of the six groups will qualify for the 2007 Asian Cup finals, which is being co-hosted by Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.

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