 In 2003 and 2007 , the qualifying format allowed for eight of the twenty available positions to be filled by automatic qualification , as the eight quarter finalists of the previous tournament enter its successor . The remaining twelve positions were filled by continental qualifying tournaments . Positions were filled by three teams from the Americas , one from Asia , one from Africa , three from Europe and two from Oceania . Another two places were allocated for repechage . The first repechage place was determined by a match between the runners @-@ up from the Africa and Europe qualifying tournaments , with that winner then playing the Americas runner @-@ up to determine the place . The second repechage position was determined between the runners @-@ up from the Asia and Oceania qualifiers . 
