indeed for Bermuda.

In fact, the North, Central American and Caribbean region (CONCACAF) has the most convoluted qualifying competition in the tournament.

The first three rounds are simple enough to comprehend -- straight knockout ties played on a home-and-away basis.

Bermuda should manage to complete the elimination of the British Virgin Islands on Sunday and that would earn them a second-round tie against Antigua.

Antigua were the first team in the Caribbean Zone through to the second round, as their scheduled opponents Guyana were banned from the tournament following irregularities over an election.

Success over Antigua, a country Bermuda beat in their 1992 run, would give the national team two chances to reach the the second phase.

In the third round, Bermuda would be most likely to face either St. Vincent or St. Kitts & Nevis. Defeat would mean a second chance against the runner-up from the central American qualifying group A against either El Salvador, Guatemala or Belize.

Another victory and it would be down to the serious business of the group stage -- or `Super 12' -- for Bermuda.

Depending on which of the four-team groups they were drawn into, Bermuda would then come up against either Mexico, the United States or Jamaica -- the top seeds in each group based on their performances in 1998 qualifying.

The top two countries in each group will then progress to the final group of six, from which the top three will progress to the World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea.

Got all that? Potential opponent: US striker Eric Wynalda, who could be gunning for goals against Bermuda if the Island team reach the `Super 12' stage.

SOCCER SOC