The group leaders on the Central American stage do not have a game to play in June so there is a great chance for all the other nations to draw themselves back into the competition.

With the top three teams all guaranteed a place in South Africa for the 2010 World Cup and the fourth placed team venturing into a play-off tie against a South American side, there is a lot to play for this month with respect to making it to the next World Cup.

The major talking point in this section will be if Honduras can upset the odds and qualify for their first World Cup since Spain in 1982. Over two and a half decades have passed since the Hondurans were present at the biggest spectacle in the world and although they gave a fairly good account of themselves in that tournament, they will be itching to return to the major stage.

Mexico have struggled in the competition so far, leading to the removal of big name boss Sven Goran Erikkson in an attempt to place their campaign back on track. With each team having a number of games to play, no one will be considering themselves in or out at this early stage.

El Salvador and Trinidad and Tobago know if they don’t win their next few games that they won’t be going anywhere next summer. As the points difference is so tight, five points splitting top and bottom with seven rounds of matches still to be played, it would be a brave or silly man to confidently predict what will happen in this group.

That said, the USA are well placed to continue their run of strong, if unspectacular performances at the World Cup, and will be looking to guarantee their qualification before a potentially tricky final day tie against Costa Rica.

The Costa Ricans are no strangers to World Cup history after shocking Scotland at Italia ’90 but they have failed to live up to the promise that they showed in that match. They too will be fancying their chances of finishing within the top three and ensuring their national team is present at the party in South Africa.

While the playoff entrants of the Asian groups know they will be playing off against New Zealand to clinch a spot in South Africa, the play off entrants from North and Central America will be facing South American opposition. Again, it is far too early to predict who will end up in that spot.

With a number of nations now confirming their attendance at the World Cup through steady performances in the qualification process, the fact that some continents and groups have a long way to go before anything is confirmed will ensure that football fans retain an interest in the qualifiers.

Looking forward to the party is one thing but putting up with all the trials and tribulations that come with qualifying in the first place is just as important to fans and players alike.