Australia host Qatar in Melbourne on Wednesday in a group that also includes China and Asia Cup holders Iraq.

In what promises to be an arduous campaign, with the Socceroos set to play in 14 qualification matches across Asia if they are to reach the World Cup finals, new Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek has indicated he will look to rely on his Europe-based players.

With those players having to endure a 48-hour round trip just to play in 'home' matches, the cost of the qualification is set to far outstrip the costs associated with previous campaigns, when local-based players were relied upon to ensure the team's progress from the Oceania qualifiers.

The Australian Football Federation (FFA) have already shown their desire to back Verbeek and spend money to ensure their players are in peak condition, flying all their Europe-based players back for the game against Qatar in first class with their own physiotherapist.

FFA head of high performance John Boultbee admitted there were no "low-cost fixtures" for the Socceroos, but insisted the move to Asia provided greater scope for money-making with the Telstra Dome set to be sold out for tonight's match.

Boultbee said: "The majority of our senior Socceroos are in Europe, but none of our matches are in Europe - there are no low-cost fixtures. Home games are very expensive to us.

"It's home games where you can fill a stadium that are key.

"To make money from a friendly you need to have a really high-profile opponent - but World Cup qualifiers are immediately more attractive."

The match against Qatar will be Verbeek's first in charge of the Socceroos and already he has created a stir after he claimed training with a European club was better than playing in the local A-League.

Veteran Queensland Roar defender Craig Moore is set to be the only A-League player to make the starting XI - in what is expected to be his international swansong - with the remainder of the team likely to be made up of overseas players.

One notable absentee from their European contingent will be Liverpool's Harry Kewell, who was not asked to travel to Australia. However, the team will be boosted by the likes of Tim Cahill, Lucas Neill, Scott McDonald and Brett Emerton who is set to win his 62nd cap to make him the fifth-most capped Socceroo.

Qatar coach Jorge Fossati, who was the coach of the Uruguayan team that lost to Australia in a penalty shoot-out to reach the 2006 World Cup finals, faces a problem up front with his first-choice strike duo sidelined for the match.

Uruguay-born forward Sebastian Soria Quintana is suspended while Hussein Yasser will miss be missing through injury.