The five African countries that qualified for the last World Cup are all still in contention for a return at the 2014 finals as the continent's final round playoffs begin at the weekend.
Algeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria all participated at the 2010 finals and have advanced as group winners to the five playoff matches that will determine Africa's representatives for next year's tournament in Brazil.
Hosts South Africa were a sixth representative from the continent in 2010 but have been eliminated from the 2014 race.
Reigning African champions Nigeria and the top-ranked Ivory Coast start as overwhelming favourites but the others need to get through testing contests if they are to repeat their qualification of four years ago.
Nigeria play away against Ethiopia on Sunday in the first leg of their tie, with home advantage to follow in November.
The Ivorians meet fellow west Africans Senegal in a repeat of last year's African Nations Cup qualification playoff, which was never concluded after the second leg in Dakar was abandoned following a stadium riot when Senegal fell behind.
The two protagonists clash again in Abidjan on Saturday and will play their second leg tie in neutral Morocco next month due to a ban on Senegal's home stadium.
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