Asian champions Japan are No. 1 in the rankings for the region's 2014 World Cup qualifiers first-round draw taking place on March 30, the Asian Football Confederation announced on its official website Tuesday.
The rankings are based on the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa as well as the Asian qualifying rounds for the main tournament. The final number of entries will be confirmed later by world soccer's governing body FIFA, the AFC said.
Japan, who reached the second round of the World Cup for the first time on foreign soil last summer, were followed in second place by South Korea, who also made the knockout phase in South Africa.
Australia and DPR Korea, the two other Asian teams which played in the 2010 World Cup, and Bahrain round off the top five.
