Over 300 million television spectators tuned in to watch who their teams would be playing against in the World Cup in Germany in around six months time.
There were a couple of reasons why Leipzig was chosen as the venue for the draw. In 1900 the German football association, the DFB, was founded in Leipzig.
And Leipzig of course played an essential role in the process of German reunification as one of the main centres of the peaceful resistance to the regime of the former GDR
The 32 qualified teams were divided into 8 groups
and there can be no complaints from hosts Germany
they will be very relieved with their draw
they have drawn Ecuador, Poland and Costa Rica
England, too can be reasonably pleased with their group.
They will play Sweden,Paraguay and Trinidad Tobago.
The group of death is definitely groupC with Argentina paired with the Netherlands, Ivory Coast and Serbia Montenegro.
In group D Mexico have been drawn against Angola, Portugal and Iran .
Group E is another tough one with Italy drawing Ghana, the Czech Republic and the US.
World Champions Brazil face Australia, Croatia and Japan
whilst in group C the 1998 world cup winners France take on Togo, Switzerland and South Korea. Finally in group H Spain will play Tunisia, Ukraine and Saudi Arabia.
With me in the studio is my colleague William de Bordes of Newslink Africa of Deutsche Welle.
So, German football fans heave a sigh of relief....they have avoided their arch-rivals Holland in the World Cup draw and
will fancy their chances of qualifying for the ssecond round after drawing Ecuador, Costa Rica and Poland.