1954 FIFA World Cup qualification

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1954 FIFA World Cup Qualification
Tournament details
Teams37 (from 3 confederations)
Tournament statistics
Matches played57
Goals scored208 (3.65 per match)
Top scorer(s)West Germany Max Morlock (6 goals)
1950
1958

A total of 37 teams entered the 1954 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for a total of 16 spots in the final tournament. Switzerland, as the hosts, and Uruguay, as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 14 spots open for competition.

37 teams were divided into 13 groups, based on geographical considerations, as follows:

  • Groups 1 to 10 – Europe: 11 places, contested by 27 teams (including Egypt and Israel).
  • Group 11 and 12 –
    The Americas
    : 2 places, contested by 7 teams.
  • Group 13 – Asia: 1 place, contested by 3 teams.

A total of 33 teams played at least one qualifying match. A total of 57 qualifying matches were played, and 208 goals were scored (an average of 3.65 per match).

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

Groups

The 13 groups had different rules, as follows:

  • Groups 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, and 10 had 3 teams each. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners would qualify.
  • Groups 5, 6 and 9 had 2 teams each. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners would qualify.
  • Group 3 had 4 teams. The teams played against each other once. The group winner and runner-up would qualify.
  • Group 11 had 4 teams. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winner would qualify.
  • Group 12 had 3 teams. The teams played against each other twice. The group winner would qualify.
  • Group 13 had 3 teams. After Republic of China withdrew before the matches began, the remaining 2 teams played against each other twice. The group winner would qualify.

Group 1

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  West Germany 4 3 1 0 12 3 +9 7
2  Saar 4 1 1 2 4 8 −4 3
3  Norway 4 0 2 2 4 9 −5 2
Norway 2–3 Saar
Thoresen 3'
Dahlen
15'
Report Binkert 16'
Otto 30'
Siedl 55'
Bislett Stadion, Oslo, Norway
Attendance: 21,000
Referee: J. Bronkhorst (Netherlands
)


West Germany 3–0 Saar
Morlock 13', 50'
Schade 70'
Report
Neckarstadion, Stuttgart, West Germany
Attendance: 48,000
Referee: Karel van der Meer (Netherlands
)



Saar 1–3 West Germany
Martin 68' (pen.) Report Morlock 36', 48'
Schäfer 84'
Saarland
Attendance: 53,000
Referee: J. Bronkhorst (Netherlands
)

West Germany qualified.

Group 2

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Belgium 4 3 1 0 11 6 +5 7
2  Sweden 4 1 1 2 9 8 +1 3
3  Finland 4 0 2 2 7 13 −6 2
Finland 2–4 Belgium
Lehtovirta 49', 75' Report Coppens 4', 26', 83'
Anoul 9'
Attendance: 2,377
Referee: Helge (Denmark)

Sweden 2–3 Belgium
Bengtsson 20'
Selmosson 26'
Report Anoul 28'
Straetmans 37'
Lemberechts 40'
Råsunda Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden
Attendance: 34,029
Referee: Mowat (Scotland
)

Finland 3–3 Sweden
Lehtovirta 63'
Lahtinen 67'
Rikberg 70'
Report
Persson
23'
Norway
)



Belgium qualified. This was the first time Sweden failed to qualify.

Group 3

This group was also the 1953–54 British Home Championship.

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  England 3 3 0 0 11 4 +7 6
2  Scotland 3 1 1 1 8 8 0 3
3  Northern Ireland 3 1 0 2 4 7 −3 2
4  Wales 3 0 1 2 5 9 −4 1
Northern Ireland 1–3 Scotland
Lockhart 72' (pen.) Report Fleming 47', 69'
Henderson 89'

Wales 1–4 England
Allchurch 22' Report Wilshaw 45', 49'
Lofthouse 52', 53'
Attendance: 61,000
Referee: Charles Faultless (Scotland)

Scotland 3–3 Wales
Reilly
58'
Report Charles 49', 88'
Allchurch 73'
Attendance: 71,413
Referee: Thomas Mitchell (Northern Ireland)

England 3–1 Northern Ireland
Hassall 10', 60'
Lofthouse 75'
Report McMorran 54'
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Robert Smith (Wales)

Wales 1–2 Northern Ireland
Charles 80' Report McParland 1', 52'
Attendance: 32,817
Referee: Charles Faultless (Scotland)

Scotland 2–4 England
Brown 7'
Ormond 89'
Report Broadis 13'
Nicholls 50'
Allen 68'
Mullen 83'
Attendance: 134,544
Referee: Thomas Mitchell (Northern Ireland)

England and Scotland qualified.

Group 4

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  France 4 4 0 0 20 4 +16 8
2  Republic of Ireland 4 2 0 2 8 6 +2 4
3  Luxembourg 4 0 0 4 1 19 −18 0
Luxembourg 1–6 France
Kohn 6' Report Piantoni 5'
Kopa 10'
Cicci 41'
Glovacki 44'
Kargu 73'
Flamion 88'
Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Referee: Dörflinger (Switzerland
)



France 1–0 Republic of Ireland
Piantoni 73' Report
Referee: Van Nuffel (Belgium)

France 8–0 Luxembourg
Desgranges 2', 88'
Vincent 6', 10'
Fontaine 21', 75', 80'
Foix 57'
Report
Referee: Roeykens (Belgium)

Luxembourg 0–1 Republic of Ireland
Report Cummins 67'
Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Referee: Ausum (Netherlands
)

France qualified.

Group 5

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Austria 2 1 1 0 9 1 +8 3
2  Portugal 2 0 1 1 1 9 −8 1
Austria 9–1 Portugal
Ocwirk 13'
Probst 14', 19', 31', 59', 70'
Happel 68' (pen.)
Wagner 83'
Dienst 87'
Report Águas 60'
Praterstadion, Vienna, Austria
Referee: Bauwens (Belgium
)

Austria qualified.

Group 6

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Spain 2 1 0 1 4 2 +2 2
 Turkey 2 1 0 1 2 4 −2 2
Spain 4–1 Turkey
Venancio 13'
Gaínza 48'
González 49'
Alsua 65'
Report Recep 31'

Turkey 1–0 Spain
Burhan 16' Report

Spain and Turkey finished level on points, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would qualify.

Turkey 2–2 (a.e.t.) Spain
Burhan 25'
Suat 64'
Report Artetxe 11'
Escudero 78'
Referee: Bernardi (Italy)

Luigi Franco Gemma, a 14-year-old Italian boy whose father worked at the stadium, picked Turkey's name from the lots with his eyes blindfolded.[1][2] Since the 1970 FIFA World Cup finals, goal difference has been used as a tiebreaker for future qualifying rounds. Had those rules been in place, Spain would have qualified, and Turkey would have been eliminated. This is the first time Spain failed to qualify. Therefore, Turkey qualified. This was the only time winner of aggregate score failed to qualify.

Group 7

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Hungary Qualified
 Poland Withdrew
 Iceland Entry rejected

Poland withdrew and Iceland had their entry rejected so Hungary qualified automatically.

Group 8

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Czechoslovakia 4 3 1 0 5 1 +4 7
2  Romania 4 2 0 2 5 5 0 4
3  Bulgaria 4 0 1 3 3 7 −4 1
Czechoslovakia 2–0 Romania
Pažický 54'
Vlk 63'
Report
Strahov Stadium, Prague, Czechoslovakia
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Pósa (Hungary
)

Romania 3–1 Bulgaria
Pecsovszky 20', 30'
Ene 82'
Report Tashkov 53'
East Germany
)


Bulgaria 1–2 Romania
Kolev 28' Report Serfözö 27'
Călinoiu 52'
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Dorogi (Hungary)

Romania 0–1 Czechoslovakia
Report Šafránek 38' (pen.)
23 August,
East Germany
)

Czechoslovakia 0–0 Bulgaria
Report
Soviet Union
)

Czechoslovakia qualified. This was the first time Romania failed to qualify.

Group 9

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Italy 2 2 0 0 7 2 +5 4
2  Egypt 2 0 0 2 2 7 −5 0
Egypt 1–2 Italy
Ad-Diba 33' Frignani 62'
Muccinelli 79'
Al Ahly Stadium, Cairo, Egypt
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: Steiner (Austria
)

Italy qualified.

Group 10

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Yugoslavia 4 4 0 0 4 0 +4 8
2  Greece 4 2 0 2 3 2 +1 4
3  Israel 4 0 0 4 0 5 −5 0
Yugoslavia 1–0 Greece
Matošić 71' Report
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Steiner (Austria)

Greece 1–0 Israel
Bembis
52'
Report
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: Massai (Italy)

Yugoslavia 1–0 Israel
Milutinović 3' Report
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Alsteen (Belgium)

Israel 0–2 Greece
Report
Kamaras
83'
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Buchmüller (Switzerland)

Israel 0–1 Yugoslavia
Report Zebec 80'
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Leafe (England)

Greece 0–1 Yugoslavia
Report Veselinović 50'
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Rufli (Switzerland)

Yugoslavia qualified.

Group 11

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Brazil 4 4 0 0 8 1 +7 8
2  Paraguay 4 2 0 2 8 6 +2 4
3  Chile 4 0 0 4 1 10 −9 0
 Peru Withdrew
 Bolivia Entry rejected


Paraguay 4–0 Chile
Lugo 30'
J. Parodi 52'
Hermosilla 70'
S. Parodi 79'
Referee: Steiner (Austria)

Chile 1–3 Paraguay
Robledo 16' Lugo 17', 63'
J. Parodi 84'
Referee: Vincentini (France)

Chile 0–2 Brazil
Baltazar 38', 63'
Referee: Vincentini (France)

Paraguay 0–1 Brazil
Baltazar 52'
Referee: Steiner (Austria)

Brazil 1–0 Chile
Baltazar 35'
Referee: Steiner (Austria)

Brazil 4–1 Paraguay
Botelho 60', 85'
Baltazar 62'
Maurinho
90'
Martínez 75'
Referee: Vincentini (France)

Brazil qualified. Despite having participated in every World Cup, this was the first time they played qualifying matches.

Group 12

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Mexico 4 4 0 0 19 1 +18 8
2  United States 4 2 0 2 7 9 −2 4
3  Haiti 4 0 0 4 2 18 −16 0
4  Costa Rica Entry rejected
5  Cuba Entry rejected


Mexico 8–0 Haiti
Balcázar 23', 26', 76'
Gómez 27'
Tellez 34'
Arnauda 38', 69', 85'
Referee: Crawford (England)

Haiti 0–4 Mexico
Ávalos 6'
Lamadrid 15', 59'
Balcázar 65'
Referee: Van Rosberg (
Netherlands Antilles
)

Mexico 4–0 United States
Scheppel 16' (o.g.)
Lamadrid 47'
Naranjo
63'
Referee: Sunderland (England)

Mexico 3–1 United States
A. Torres 60', 89'
Lamadrid 82'
Looby 6'
Referee: Best (United States)

Haiti 2–3 United States
Ellie 60' (pen.), 89' Casey 20'
Chacurian 42'
Looby 83'
Referee: Van Rosberg (
Netherlands Antilles
)

Haiti 0–3 United States
Looby 22', 65'
Mendoza 31'
Referee: Van Rosberg (
Netherlands Antilles
)

Mexico qualified.

Group 13

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  South Korea 2 1 1 0 7 3 +4 3
2  Japan 2 0 1 1 3 7 −4 1
3  Republic of China Withdrew
4  India Entry rejected
5  
Vietnam
Entry rejected


Japan 1–5 South Korea
Naganuma 16' Chung Nam-sik 22', 83'
Choi Kwang-suk 34'
Choi Chung-min 68', 87'
Hong Kong
)

South Korea 2–2 Japan
Chung Nam-sik 20'
Choi Chung-min 43'
Iwatani 17', 61'
Hong Kong
)

South Korea qualified.

Qualified teams

FIFA World Cup qualification 1954
Qualifying countries
Team Date of qualification Finals appearance Streak Last appearance
 Austria 29 November 1953 3rd 1 1938
 Belgium 8 October 1953 4th 1 1938
 Brazil 21 March 1954 5th 5 1950
 Czechoslovakia 25 October 1953 3rd 1 1938
 England 11 November 1953 2nd 2 1950
 France 25 November 1953 4th 1 1938
 Hungary (w) 3rd 1 1938
 Italy 24 January 1954 4th 4 1950
 South Korea 14 March 1954 1st 1
 Mexico 14 January 1954 3rd 2 1950
 Scotland 31 March 1954 1st 1
  Switzerland (h) 22 July 1946 4th 4 1950
 Turkey 17 March 1954 1st 1
 Uruguay (c) 16 July 1950 3rd 2 1950
 West Germany 28 March 1954 3rd 1 1938
 Yugoslavia 28 March 1954 3rd 2 1950

(h) – qualified automatically as hosts

(c) – qualified automatically as defending champions

(w) – qualified automatically because Poland withdrew

Goalscorers

6 goals
5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
1 own goal
  • William Scheppel (playing against Mexico
    )

Notes

References

  1. ^ "Play-off history provides no clues for Spain". FIFA. 20 Oct 2005. Archived from the original on 21 October 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  2. ^ Rogers, Iain (27 March 2009). "Don't mention the draw!". Reuters. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  3. ^ "History of the FIFA World Cup Preliminary Competition (by year)" (PDF). FIFA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 July 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.

External links