The dates for the Asian qualifiers for both Brazil and the 2012 London Olympics were set at an executive committee meeting at the headquarters of the Asian Football Confederation in Kuala Lumpur.

Japan, who surpassed expectations by reaching the second round of this summer's World Cup finals in South Africa, will join the qualifying competition for Brazil in the third round getting underway on Sept. 2, while the final round will start on June 3, 2012, and wrap up on June 18 the following year.

Asia is expected to retain its 4.5 berths for the 2014 World Cup, although the number has yet to be finalized.

Twenty teams will be divided into five groups in the third round of qualifying, with the top two advancing to the final phase, which will see 10 teams split into two groups.

The top two teams from each of the final groups automatically qualify for the World Cup with the third-placed teams entering a playoff.

Asia has 3.5 berths for the London Olympics, with Japan starting their qualifying campaign in the second round starting in June 2011. The final round will take place between Sept. 21 and March 14, 2012.