Oceania will be guaranteed direct entry to FIFA's Club World Cup despite losing Australia to the Asian confederation and being represented by a predominantly amateur team.

A meeting of FIFA's executive committee decided against forcing the Oceania champion into another playoff for a place at the December tournament, Oceania Football Confederation president Reynald Temarri told The Associated Press on Sunday.

A formal announcement was expected Monday, ending speculation that Oceania champion Auckland City would have to play off against the Japanese J-League champion for its place in the six-team format.

"I proposed that we go straight to Japan, rather than have a playoff, and my colleagues agreed," Temarri said. "Now it's our duty to be ready."

New Zealand team Auckland City won the Oceania qualifying tournament last month and will join the Asian, African and CONCACAF champions in the opening round.

The winners of that group progress to the semifinals, joining seeded South American and European teams, while first round losers play off for fifth and sixth places, a match won last year by Australia's Sydney FC.

Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona will represent Europe in 2006.

"It's impossible for us to play first against the European champion _ there's a process," said Temarri, addressing a question about the vast difference between the respective clubs. "First of all, we have to play against the champions of Asia or Africa.

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