PARIS, Dec 11 FIFA president Joao Havelange denied here on Sunday the *c-i eptance of UE-

FA s proposal* for World Cup qualifying in Europe was a political failure by the world governing body reports Reu ter.

Earlier. FIFA revealed Europe* 49 countries would be split into nine groups with a further qualifying round, and not seven groups of seven a<1 vacated by FIFA.

rim neither a winner nor a loser." said Havelange al a press conference at the Carrousel du Louvre He added the World Cup Organising Committee had no criticism of UEFA's plan and It was therefore taken on board.

However some observers may see it as a coup lor UEFA president Lennart Johansson of Sweden, who was being the nine group system Early last month. Johansson threw down a challenge to Brazilian Havelange s 20-year reign at the head of 'vorld football

The 66-year-old Johans son said that Europe needed ■ voice at the top and that he had been asked by UEFAs execu'ive body to be the man

UEFAs system comprised five groups of four teams and four groups of six The group winners and the best second-placed team qualify while the other eight group runners-up would play off for the four remaining places

UEFA's system involves 264 matches FIFAs 294 bu more importantly, ihe calllire of opposition changes for Ihe top teams

Seven teams would have been seeded under FIFAs system and under current world rankings they would have been Germany Spain Italy Russia. Norway Denmark and Holland UEFAs system will include Sweden and Romania as seeds

Under FIFA s system Ger many would have had the likes of Holland England

Finland. Croatia. Wales and Armenia as opponent*.

UEFA'* system will now give them the calibre of Romania. Turkey. Northern Ireland. Albania and the Faroe Island*.

Either case the Dayton peace agreement allows Bosnia-Herzegovina to make their World Cup debut. However. if by cruel luck they are drawn against the Serb* of former Yugoslavia they have no choice but to play or withdraw.

FIFA confirmed Croatia. Slovenia, and Macedonia would play their first ever World Cup qu.ililying with Bosnia-Herzegovina being officially accepted on Monday to play their fir*t ever competition

Yugoslavia of course, have played many limes.

Croatis and Slovenia did have national football associations between 1940 and 1944. but there were no World Cup matchea during these years.

Africa has the next contingent biggest of qualifiers

with five places. Cameroon. Nigeria and Egypt were given first round byes and will be joined by 17 first round survivors in five groups of four. The group winner* qualify for France.

Nine South-American countrie* play a round-robin championship and the top four team* Join Brazil, who qualify automatically as champion*. in the final*.

Canada. Costa Rica. United States. Honduras. Mexico and Salvador, plu* three Central American and three Caribbean qualifier*, will be aplit into three groupa in the CONCACAF zone. The top two Irom each group will play a final round to decide which three qualify for 1998.

For the first time in Aaia. the team* will not be divided Into eaat and weat but all drawn together into 10 groupa. The winners will split into two groupa of five each and the top two from ea< h group will conteat the Aslan final* in a neutral coun •ry

The beat three of theae four will qualify for France and the fourth will play off against the Oceania winner

Australia and New Zealand will be seeded In the Oceania /one and the remaining eight iearn* drawn into each group The eventual winner of a playoff between the top team in each group will play off home and away againat the fourth-beat Aalan team for a place in the 1998 final*

Thia ia one stage leaa than Australia had to take to try to qualify for USA 94 In 1993 they had play-offs against firat Canada, the second beat team from CONCACAF. and then againat the fourth-best South American team

Diego Maradona made one of hia many comebacks to lead Argentina to a lucky win tn Bueno* Aires

Altogether the 171 countries will plav more than 700 matchea to qualify for France where for the firat Ume there will be 32 countries.