The Asian Football Confederation is unhappy about a decision by FIFA - international football's ruling body - to limit the number of Asian countries that can qualify for the competition to two.

The quota for the 1998 World Cup in France was three countries with a play-off place for a possible fourth.

FIFA's decision would mean that in future, 43 countries will have to fight for just two places. With Japan and South Korea automatically qualifying as hosts, that means all other Asian nations would effectively be excluded for 2002.

50% of sponsors are from Asia

A special meeting of the confederation's 17-member executive committee will be held in Bangkok on Tuesday to discuss a possible boycott.

Olympic Council of Asia president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah said: "We will boycott the World Cup unless FIFA changes their mind."

"We think it's not fair. We had three and a half chances at the last World Cup and now they're offering two. We have 50 percent of the World Cup sponsors from our region."

Japan and South Korea will almost certainly not boycott their own event - a problem that Sheikh Al-Sabah, who is also president of Kuwait's football association, fully recognises.