Spain, who are also the European champions, were the last name drawn in the European qualifying zone and the last of the 166 countries to be allocated a place in the 107-minute globally televised event in a windswept auditorium at Rio's glamouros Marina da Gloria.
High winds buffeted the temporary building before the draw started, causing slight damage to the roof, but inside stars of showbiz and football were unaffected with Pele given a huge welcome when he was introduced to the audience.
Pele, who won three World Cups with Brazil, took no formal part in the proceedings but another former Brazil striker Ronaldo, the World Cup's record scorer with 15 goals, drew Spain's name out to place them alongside Belarus, Georgia and Finland in the five-team Group I.
French coach Laurent Blanc, in Rio unlike Spain boss Vicente del Bosque, said afterwards: "We had to face one of the top seeds, and we got the biggest because we are somehow in the second group of seeds. We should have been in the first group - and now we have drawn the best team of the last World Cup, but then, you have no choice."
Montenegro, who are also in England's group for the Euro 2012 qualifiers, were placed in the same group as tiny San Marino.
Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk told reporters: "Our group has three really big football nations, Romania, Hungary and Turkey. I think Turkey are the highest ranked at the moment, they will be the most difficult opponents. We played a friendly against them recently and won 1-0 but it was a very hard game."
