Following the draw for the South Africa 2010 preliminary competition, FIFA has confirmed the dates and format of the qualifying match days for each of the 12 groups in the African continent, Observer Sports understands.

The Gambia Scorpions who have been pitted in Group 6 with Senegal, Liberia, and Algeria, will have their first taste of the qualifiers on May 31, 2008, when they travel to Monrovia, Liberia.

Just a week later, the Scorpions will host, in Banjul, the Terenga Lions of Senegal in what many pundits are seeing as no ordinary match.

The Gambia’s third fixture, scheduled between 13-14-15 weekend of June 2008, will see them host another old foe, Algeria, in another crunch cracker in Banjul.

The Gambia’s last qualifier fixture is an away tie to bitter rivals, Senegal, in early October 2008. The fixture is a chance for the Scorpions to avenge the bitter 1-3 defeat by the Terenga Lions in the 2003 World Cup qualifiers.

The winners of each group will qualify for the next round, along with the eight best second-placed sides.

The order of the criteria for separating the sides is as follows: points, goal difference, and goals scored. If any two teams still cannot be separated, a play-off will take place on  November 19, 2008 to decide the winner. The 2010 World Cup qualifier will double as qualifier for the 2010 Nations Cup finals in Angola.

Group 6 Fixtures
30-31 May - 1 June 2008
Senegal v Algeria
Liberia v Gambia

6-7-8 June 2008
Algeria v Liberia
Gambia V Senegal

13-14-15 June 2008
Gambia v Algeria
Liberia v Senegal

20-21-22 June 2008
Algeria v Gambia
Senegal v Liberia

10-11-12 October 2008
Liberia v Algeria
Senegal v Gambia