1950 FIFA World Cup qualification

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1950 FIFA World Cup Qualification
Tournament details
Dates2 June 1949 - 15 April 1950
Teams34 (from 3 confederations)
Tournament statistics
Matches played26
Goals scored121 (4.65 per match)
Top scorer(s)
Luis de la Fuente
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Željko Čajkovski
(4 goals each)
1938

A total of 34 teams entered the qualification rounds of the 1950 FIFA World Cup, competing for a total of 16 spots in the final tournament. Brazil, as the hosts, and Italy, as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 14 spots open for competition.

The remaining 32 teams were divided into 10 groups, based on geographical considerations, as follows:

  • Groups 1 to 6 – Europe: 7 places, contested by 18 teams (including Israel and Syria).
  • Groups 7 to 9 –
    The Americas
    : 6 places, contested by 10 teams.
  • Group 10 – Asia: 1 place, contested by 4 teams.

However, due to the withdrawals of India, Scotland and Turkey after qualifying, only 13 teams actually competed in the final tournament.

A total of 19 teams played at least one qualifying match. A total of 26 qualifying matches were played, and 121 goals were scored (an average of 4.65 per match).

Listed below are the dates and results of the qualification rounds.

Groups

The 10 groups had different rules, as follows:

  • Group 1 had 4 teams. The teams played against each other once. The group winner and runner-up would qualify.
  • Groups 2, 3 and 4 had 3 teams each. The strongest team of each group was seeded. There would be two rounds of play:
    • First Round: The seeded team received a bye and advanced to final round directly. The 2 unseeded teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The winner would advance to final round.
    • Final Round: The seeded team played against the winner of the First Round on a home-and-away basis. The winner would qualify.
  • Group 5 had 3 teams. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winner would qualify.
  • Group 6 had 2 teams. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winner would qualify.
  • Group 7 had 3 teams. The group winner and runner-up would qualify.
  • Group 8 had 4 teams. The group winner and runner-up would qualify.
  • Group 9 had 3 teams. The teams played against each other twice. The group winner and runner-up would qualify.
  • Group 10 had 4 teams. The group winner would qualify.

Group 1

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  England 3 3 0 0 14 3 +11 6
2  Scotland 3 2 0 1 10 3 +7 4
3=  Wales 3 0 1 2 1 6 −5 1
3=  Ireland (IFA) 3 0 1 2 4 17 −13 1
Ireland (IFA) 2–8 Scotland
Smyth
50', 59'
Report
Reilly 24'
Mason
80'

Wales 1–4 England
Griffiths 80' Report Mortensen 22'
Milburn 29', 34', 66'
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: Jack Mowat (Scotland)

Scotland 2–0 Wales
Linwood
78'
Report
Attendance: 73,782
Referee: S.K. Law (England)

England 9–2 Ireland (IFA)
Rowley 6', 47', 56', 58'
Froggatt 25'
Mortensen 35', 50'
Pearson 33', 68'
Report
Smyth 55'
Brennan
75'
Mervyn Griffiths (Wales
)


England qualified. Scotland also qualified, but declined to participate.

Group 2

First round

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Turkey 1 1 0 0 7 0 +7 2
2  Syria 1 0 0 1 0 7 −7 0
Turkey 7–0 Syria
Cansever 12', 16', 87'
Eken 44'
Kücükandonyadis 66'
Keskin 67'
Kilic
72'
Report
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Antonio Gamba (Italy)

Syria withdrew, and remaining match was not played.

Turkey advanced to the Final Round.

Final round

Pos Team Pld Pts Qualification
 Turkey 0 0 Qualified, later withdrew
 Austria 0 0 Withdrew

Austria withdrew, so Turkey qualified automatically. But Turkey later also withdrew, and FIFA offered the place to Portugal, the runner-up of Group 6, but they declined. FIFA decided not to allow anyone else to qualify, leaving the World Cup two teams short.

Group 3

First round

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Yugoslavia 2 2 0 0 11 2 +9 4
2  Israel 2 0 0 2 2 11 −9 0
Yugoslavia 6–0 Israel
Pajević 12', 19', 26'
Senčar 44'
Že. Čajkovski 63'
Bobek 83' (pen.)
Report
Attendance: 35,000

Israel 2–5 Yugoslavia
Glazer 65', 76' Report Valok 19', 64'
Bobek 20'
Zl. Čajkovski 41'
Že. Čajkovski 82'

Yugoslavia advanced to the Final Round.

Final round

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  France 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 2
1  Yugoslavia 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 2
Yugoslavia 1–1 France
Že. Čajkovski 36' Report Baillot 55'

France 1–1 Yugoslavia
Baillot 8' Report Bobek 44'
Stade Olympique de Colombes, Paris, France
Attendance: 53,569
)

France 2–2 Yugoslavia on aggregate, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would qualify.

Yugoslavia qualified while France were also offered a place by FIFA. France initially accepted, but later declined.

Group 4

First round

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1   Switzerland 2 2 0 0 8 4 +4 4
2  Luxembourg 2 0 0 2 4 8 −4 0
Switzerland 5–2 Luxembourg
Maillard 20'
Fatton 30', 41'
Ballaman 48'
Antenen 59'
Report Wagner 3'
Reuter 88'
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Charles Delasalle (France)

Luxembourg 2–3  Switzerland
Muller 3'
Kremer
38'
Report Maillard 1'
Friedländer 59'
Fatton 75'
Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Pierre Theunen (Belgium
)

Switzerland advanced to the Final Round.

Final round

Pos Team Pld Pts Qualification
  Switzerland 0 0 Qualified
 Belgium 0 0 Withdrew

Belgium withdrew, so Switzerland qualified automatically.

Group 5

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Sweden 2 2 0 0 6 2 +4 4
2  Ireland (FAI) 4 1 1 2 6 7 −1 3
3  Finland 2 0 1 1 1 4 −3 1
Sweden 3–1 Ireland (FAI)
Andersson 17' (pen.)
Jeppson 37'
Liedholm 69'
Report Walsh 9'
Råsunda Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden
Attendance: 36,200
)


Finland 1–1 Ireland (FAI)
Vaihela 89' Report Farrell 65'

Ireland (FAI) Republic of Ireland1–3 Sweden
Martin 61' (pen.) Report Palmér 4', 40', 68'
Attendance: 43,000

Sweden qualified. Finland withdrew before the group was completed. Ireland (FAI) were subsequently invited to enter competition but declined the opportunity because of travelling costs.[1]

Sweden beat Finland 8–1 on 2 October 1949 in Malmö.[2] However, FIFA's website does not include this match in the list of matches or in the group standings.[3] RSSSF's website lists the match with the note "Sweden played B-team", and does not provide group standings.[4]

Group 6

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Spain 2 1 1 0 7 3 +4 3
2  Portugal 2 0 1 1 3 7 −4 1
Spain 5–1 Portugal
Zarra 11', 58'
Basora 13'
Panizo 15'
Molowny 65'
Report Cabrita 36'
Attendance: 80,000
Referee: Reg Leafe (England)

Portugal 2–2 Spain
Travassos 51'
Correia 53'
Report Zarra 24'
Gaínza 82'
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Jack Mowat (Scotland)

Spain qualified. Portugal were also invited to take part but they declined.

Group 7

Pos Team Pld Pts Qualification
1  Bolivia 0 0 Qualified
1  Chile 0 0
3  Argentina 0 0 Withdrew

Argentina withdrew, so Bolivia and Chile qualified automatically.

Group 8

Pos Team Pld Pts Qualification
1  Uruguay 0 0 Qualified
1  Paraguay 0 0
3  Ecuador 0 0 Withdrew
3  Peru 0 0

Ecuador and Peru withdrew, so Uruguay and Paraguay qualified automatically.

Group 9

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Mexico 4 4 0 0 17 2 +15 8
2  United States 4 1 1 2 8 15 −7 3
3  Cuba 4 0 1 3 3 11 −8 1
United States 0–6 Mexico
Report
Septién
85'
Cuba
)

Mexico 2–0 Cuba
Luna 26'
Casarín 57'
Report
Estadio de los Deportes, Mexico City, Mexico
Attendance: 60,000
)


Mexico 6–2 United States
de la Fuente 47'
Ochoa
89'
Report Souza 52'
Wattman 90'
Cuba
)

United States 5–2 Cuba
Bahr 16'
Souza 23'
Matevich 30', 35'
Wallace 48'
Report Barquín 42'
Veiga 50'
Cuba
)

Mexico and the United States qualified.

Group 10

Pos Team Pld Pts Qualification
1  India 0 0 Qualified
3  Burma 0 0 Withdrew
3  Indonesia 0 0
3  Philippines 0 0

Burma, Indonesia and the Philippines all withdrew before the draw, so India qualified automatically. But India later also withdrew "because of the expense of travelling such a long way to play,"[5] and the AIFF wanted to concentrate on the 1952 Olympics.[6] Although according to some reports, it was caused by a FIFA ruling that players were not allowed to play barefoot.[7] FIFA decided not to invite anyone else, leaving the World Cup three teams short.

Qualified teams

FIFA World Cup qualification 1950
Participating countries after 3 of the 16 qualifying countries withdrew.
Team Finals appearance Streak Last appearance
 Bolivia 2nd 1 1930
 Brazil (H) 4th 4 1938
 Chile 2nd 1 1930
 England 1st 1
 India 1st 1
 Italy (c) 3rd 3 1938
 Mexico 2nd 1 1930
 Paraguay 2nd 1 1930
 Spain 2nd 1 1934
 Scotland 1st 1
 Sweden 3rd 3 1938
  Switzerland 3rd 3 1938
 Turkey 1st 1
 United States 3rd 1 1934
 Uruguay 2nd 1 1930
 Yugoslavia 2nd 1 1930
  •  India,  Scotland and  Turkey withdrew after qualifying.
  • (H) – qualified automatically as hosts
  • (c) – qualified automatically as defending champions

Goalscorers

4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal

Notes

References

  1. ^ Invitation to World Cup turned down Archived 30 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine www.independent.ie, February 22, 2004
  2. ^ "WORLD CUP 1950". allworldcup.narod.ru. Archived from the original on 10 October 2006. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  3. ^ "1950 FIFA World Cup Brazil - Groups". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on September 8, 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  4. ^ "World Cup 1950 Qualifying". RSSSF. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  5. ^ "World Cup: US v England match recalls 1950 upset". BBC. 2 June 2010. Archived from the original on 23 September 2013.
  6. ^ Cronin, Brian (19 July 2011). "Did India withdraw from the 1950 World Cup because they were not allowed to play barefoot?". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011.
  7. ^ WM 1950 | Brasilien | sportschau.de Archived 10 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  8. . pp. 50.

External links