Photo: © 2010 AAP/JULIAN SMITH

It’s the first time both teams have qualified, thanks to Australia's recent moved from Oceania to the Asian confederation.

Australia found qualifying for the World Cup from Oceania to be one of the hardest and most heartbreaking tasks in international football.

The Socceroos would kick world record scores against tiny Pacific nations only to fail against big-name, match-hardened opposition in cut-throat, intercontinental play-offs.

While Australia held their nerve last time around, that long history of falling at the final hurdle prompted their conderation switch.

New Zealand has seized the opportunity to be the ocean continent's top dog, and is in the World Cup for the first time since 1982.

But it's unlikely the fierce trans-Tasman rivalry will make it to the world's biggest stage.

The veteran Socceroos face one of the tournament's toughest fixtures, while the All Whites will be, after the host nation, the second lowest ranked team there.