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.
Tournament details | |
---|---|
Dates | 2 June 1949 - 15 April 1950 |
Teams | 34 (from 3 confederations) |
Tournament statistics | |
Matches played | 26 |
Goals scored | 121 (4.65 per match) |
Top scorer(s) | Jack Rowley Horacio Casarín Luis de la Fuente Željko Čajkovski (4 goals each) |
The remaining 32 teams were divided into 10 groups, based on geographical considerations, as follows:
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.
The 10 groups had different rules, as follows:
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 | Morris 2', 70', 88' Waddell 5', 31' (pen.) Steel 23' Reilly 24' Mason 80' |
England | 9–2 | Ireland (IFA) |
---|---|---|
Rowley 6', 47', 56', 58' Froggatt 25' Mortensen 35', 50' Pearson 33', 68' |
Report | Smyth 55' Brennan 75' |
Wales | 0–0 | Ireland (IFA) |
---|---|---|
Report |
England qualified. Scotland also qualified, but declined to participate.
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 |
Syria withdrew, and remaining match was not played.
Turkey advanced to the 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.
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 |
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.
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' |
France 2–2 Yugoslavia on aggregate, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would qualify.
Yugoslavia | 3–2 (a.e.t.) | France |
---|---|---|
Mihajlović 12', 84' (pen.) Že. Čajkovski 114' |
Report | Walter 13' Luciano 83' |
Yugoslavia qualified while France were also offered a place by FIFA. France initially accepted, but later declined.
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' |
Luxembourg | 2–3 | Switzerland |
---|---|---|
Muller 3' Kremer 38' |
Report | Maillard 1' Friedländer 59' Fatton 75' |
Switzerland advanced to the Final Round.
Pos | Team | Pld | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|
— | Switzerland | 0 | 0 | Qualified |
— | Belgium | 0 | 0 | Withdrew |
Belgium withdrew, so Switzerland qualified automatically.
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 |
Ireland (FAI) | 3–0 | Finland |
---|---|---|
Gavin 35' Martin 44' (pen.), 68' |
Report |
Finland | 1–1 | Ireland (FAI) |
---|---|---|
Vaihela 89' | Report | Farrell 65' |
Ireland (FAI) | 1–3 | Sweden |
---|---|---|
Martin 61' (pen.) | Report | Palmér 4', 40', 68' |
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]
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 qualified. Portugal were also invited to take part but they declined.
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.
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.
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 | Flores 20' Luna 30' de la Fuente 37', 55', 58' Septién 85' |
Mexico | 2–0 | Cuba |
---|---|---|
Luna 26' Casarín 57' |
Report |
Cuba | 1–1 | United States |
---|---|---|
Gómez 28' | Report | Wallace 23' |
Mexico | 6–2 | United States |
---|---|---|
Ortiz 14' Casarín 23', 41', 76' de la Fuente 47' Ochoa 89' |
Report | Souza 52' Wattman 90' |
Mexico | 3–0 | Cuba |
---|---|---|
Naranjo 44', 88' Flores 58' |
Report |
Mexico and the United States qualified.
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.
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 |