So after 833 matches involving 204 teams spread across more than two years it all comes down to this: the final World Cup qualifiers, the last chance saloon.

26 of the 32 spots available at the finals in South Africa next summer have been decided, leaving six remaining with 12 teams still in the mix, taking part in six massive winner-takes-all encounters to have any footie fan salivating.

There's some big names desperate to avoid the embarrassment of missing the finals, there's some young nations desperate to put themselves on the footballing map with qualification, so sit back and enjoy this last World Cup ordeuve before the main course gets underway next June.

France (1) v Republic of Ireland (0): This is the big one, made all the spicier by Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra allegedly insulting the Irish nation after Nicolas Anelka's deflected goal gave Les Bleus the edge in the tie.

Ireland will need to inflict upon France a first home World Cup defeat since 1993 but with Robbie Keane and Co fired up and ready to give their all for 90 minutes, Thierry Henry and friends better be on their guard.

France have not missed the World Cup since 1994 but that failure had a disastrous effect on the generation of Cantona and Ginola and the Stade de France faithful will be desperate to avoid a repeat, with eccentric joke of a coach Raymond Domenech firmly in the firing line should they fail.

Bosnia-Herzegovina (0) v Portugal (1): Portugal may boast the reigning World and European Footballer of the Year in Cristiano Ronaldo but they are in dire danger of missing out on the World Cup, something the tournament's sponsors will be desperate to avoid.

They may have edged the first leg in Lisbon but with no Ronaldo and a shaky and unsettled team they are ripe for the picking as they enter the cauldron of Zenica and a Bosnian team exhibiting all the outrageous technical ability expected from a former Yugoslav republic.

The Bosnians are desperate to reach their first ever tournament since gaining independence in 1993 and they boast some of the continent's finest attacking talent to see them through, foremost amongst them the deadly Werder Bremen pair of creator Zvjezdan Misimovic and executioner Edin Dzeko.

Slovenia (1) v Russia (2): Russia are another big name whose qualification is far from secure going into their final game. Guus Hiddink's side may have shone all qualifying, almost edging out Germany for an automatic spot, but they can't count their chickens just yet, holding the slenderest of leads over Slovenia.

Everton winger Diniyar Bilyaletdinov's double in the first leg looked to have all but secured qualification but a late Nejc Pecnik effort gave Slovenia the all-important away goal, meaning they will qualify with a 1-0 win in Maribor.

Neither side have reached the finals since 2002 and so both will be desperate for victory. Could Andrey Arshavin, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Co join the list of World Cup absentees?

Ukraine (0) v Greece (0): There's all still to play for in Donetsk, with the first clash between these two finishing scoreless, though the Ukrainians will now be favourites to advance given home advantage.

However, the away goals rule means that the Euro 2004 champions would qualify with a score draw and in Theofanis Gekas, with nine goals already in qualifying, they have a potent attacking spearhead to complement their well-drilled defence.

Algeria v Egypt: Probably the biggest grudge match in Africa, this is arguably the pick of all the qualifiers, the play-off in Sudan brought about courtesy of Egypt's controversial 2-0 win in Cairo on Saturday, which left both teams with identical records.

There is plenty of bad blood in this fixture, much of it dating back to 1989, when the Pharaohs shocked Algeria with victory to claim a World Cup place sparking rioting in which the Egypt team doctor lost an eye.

The roles were reversed this time, with the Desert Foxes now the firm underdogs and complaining bitterly that Saturday's match went ahead despite several of their players carrying head injuries after being pelted with stones.

The Algerian fans responded by trashing Egyptian businesses in Algiers and in the grudge match in Khartoum sparks are likely to fly on and off the pitch.

Uruguay (1) v Costa Rica (0): Time difference means the winner of this match will be the final side to qualify, a scenario Uruguay are well used to after doing so in 2002 before losing to Australia in a similar play-off for 2006.

Now Diego Lugano's first-leg winner has put the Celeste firmly in the driving seat and the Ticos will have their work cut out to get back into the tie in the imposing cauldron of the Centenario.