Liedjes Voetbal Steekspel 2001

This was the sixteenth Liedjes Voetbal Steekspel to be held. It took place around two years after the previous World Cup in 1999.

European Qualifiers were decided by the format of the Euro 1998 tournament. There are 16 qualifying spots up for grabs in this tournament. Other qualification rounds would be interlocked. Asia and Africa would hold similar style but smaller tournaments where the top 4 of the final stage had a chance at going through to the World Cup. The top 3 automatically qualify from each, but the fourth placers would compete in a playoff to decide the 7th spot in the World Cup. The North American and South American tournaments reflected this qualification method. North America was guaranteed 2 spots, with South America guaranteed 5 spots. The 3rd and 6th spots respectively would play in a playoff to decide the final 8th share spot between them. The final qualifier to the World Cup is the host nation which was Argentina.

There were no major boycotts of the tournament.

won the hosting rights to the 2001 contest in the 1993 vote. The final would be held in the largest city, Paris. Other bids included:
 * , with the final in Berlin
 * , with the final in Rome
 * , with the final in Rio de Janeiro
 * , with the final in Pretoria
 * , with the final in Shanghai

Host City Playoff
Because France automatically qualifies as a host, and qualified in it's own right in the European Championships 2000, there was an extra spot in Europe. It was decided that all third place teams in the second-to-last round who received 4 points would qualify for a final round robin. Of countries that fulfilled this prerequisite, four countries were in the round robin.

=World Cup 1997=