MySQL :: MySQL 5.0 Reference Manual :: 13.2.8.2 JOIN Syntax
You can emulate FULL OUTER JOIN using UNION (from MySQL 4.0.0 on): with two tables t1, t2: SELECT * FROM t1 LEFT JOIN t2 ON t1.id = t2.id UNION SELECT * FROM t1 RIGHT JOIN t2 ON t1.id = t2.id with three tables t1, t2, t3: SELECT * FROM t1 ......