 The AFC published information in their calendar suggesting qualifiers would start on 8 October 2010 with the first leg of first round ties.Therefore, for the 2010 finals, FIFA advised the AFC that 2014 qualifiers could not begin until after mid-2011.On 13 August 2010 the AFC announced a format for the qualifiers that was identical to the 2010 format even though the final number of qualifiers had not been determined.