1938 FIFA World Cup qualification

1938 FIFA World Cup Qualification
Tournament details
Teams 37 (from 3 confederations)
Tournament statistics
Matches played 22
Goals scored 96 (4.36 per match)
Top scorer(s) Latvia Fricis Kaņeps
Hungary Gyula Zsengellér
(5 goals each)

A total of 37 teams entered the 1938 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for a total of 16 spots in the final tournament. For the first time the title holders and the host country were given automatic qualification. Therefore, France, as the hosts, and Italy, as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 14 spots open for competition.

Due to the Spanish Civil War, Spain withdrew from the competition. The remaining 34 teams were divided into 12 groups, based on geographical considerations, as follows:

  • Groups 1 to 9 - Europe: 11 places, contested by 23 teams (including Egypt and Palestine).
  • Groups 10 and 11 - The Americas: 2 places, contested by 9 teams.
  • Group 12 - Asia: 1 place, contested by 2 teams.

However, due to the withdrawal of Austria after qualifying (they had been annexed by Germany), only 15 teams actually competed in the final tournament. FIFA did not offer participation to the runner-up of the group that Austria had played in, Latvia.

A total of 21 teams played at least one qualifying match. A total of 22 qualifying matches were played, and 96 goals were scored (an average of 4.36 per match).

Format

The 12 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, 4, 5 and 7 had 2 teams each. The teams, except in Group 5, played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners would qualify. In Group 5, Switzerland and Portugal were to play only one match on a neutral ground with the winner to qualify.
  • Groups 6 and 8 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 the Final Round directly. The remaining 2 teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The winner would advance to the Final Round.
    • Final Round: The seeded team played against the winner of the First Round at home. The winner would qualify.
  • Group 9 had 3 teams. The teams played against each other once. The group winner and runner-up would qualify.
  • Group 10 had 2 teams. The group winner would qualify.
  • Group 11 had 7 teams. The group winner would qualify.
  • Group 12 had 2 teams. The group winner would qualify.

Key:

  • Teams highlighted in green qualified for the finals.
  • Teams highlighted in Orange qualified for the final phase of their group.

Group 1

Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1  Germany 330011111.06
2  Sweden 32011171.574
3  Estonia 31024110.362
4  Finland 3003070.000

Germany and Sweden qualified.

Group 2

Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1  Norway 2110651.203
2  Irish Free State 2011560.831

Norway qualified.

Group 3

Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1  Poland 2101414.002
2  Yugoslavia 2101140.252

Poland finished above Yugoslavia on goal average, and thus qualified.

Group 4

Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
—  Romania qualified
—  Egypt withdrew

Egypt were to play Romania on 17 December 1937, but Egypt refused to play Romania during the Ramadan month, with Egyptian officials arguing that it was "impossible" to play football during that time period.
After Egyptian officials invited Austrian club side First Vienna FC to Egypt to participate in a friendly game against the national team during the holy month, Egypt were withdrawn by FIFA, and Romania qualified automatically.[1]

Group 5

Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1   Switzerland 1100212.002
2  Portugal 1001120.500

Switzerland qualified.

Group 6

First round

Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1  Greece 2200414.004
2  Palestine, British Mandate 2002140.250

Greece qualified for the final round.

Final round

Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1  Hungary 110011111.02
2  Greece 10011110.090

Hungary qualified.

Group 7

Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1  Czechoslovakia 2110717.003
2  Bulgaria 2011170.141

Czechoslovakia qualified.

Group 8

First round

Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1  Latvia 2200933.004
2  Lithuania 2002390.330

Latvia qualified for the final round.

Final round

Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1  Austria 1100212.002
2  Latvia 1001120.500

Austria qualified, but was later incorporated by Germany during the Anschluss. FIFA offered the place to England (winner of the 1937–38 British Home Championship), who had opted not to enter the competition, but they declined the offer; FIFA decided not to allow anyone else to qualify, leaving the World Cup one team short.

Group 9

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1  Netherlands 2110515.003
2  Belgium 2110431.333
3  Luxembourg 2002270.290

Netherlands and Belgium qualified.

Group 10

Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1  Brazil Bye
2  Argentina Withdrew

Argentina withdrew, so Brazil qualified automatically.

Group 11

First round

Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1  Cuba Bye
2  Costa Rica Withdrew
 Dutch Guiana
 El Salvador
 Colombia
 Mexico
 United States

Costa Rica, Dutch Guiana, El Salvador, Mexico, Colombia and the United States all withdrew, so Cuba qualified automatically.

Group 12

Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1  Dutch East Indies Bye
2  Japan Withdrew

Japan withdrew, so Dutch East Indies qualified automatically.

Qualified teams

FIFA World Cup qualification 1938
Qualifying countries
Team Finals Appearance Streak Last Appearance
 Austria 2nd21934
 Belgium 3rd31934
 Brazil 3rd31934
 Cuba 1st1–
 Czechoslovakia 2nd21934
 Dutch East Indies 1st1–
 France (h) 3rd31934
 Germany 2nd21934
 Hungary 2nd21934
 Italy (c) 2nd21934
 Netherlands 2nd21934
 Norway 1st1–
 Poland 1st1–
 Romania 3rd31934
 Sweden 2nd21934
  Switzerland 2nd21934
  •  Austria withdrew after qualifying due to the Anschluss.
  • (h) - qualified automatically as hosts
  • (c) - qualified automatically as defending champions

11 of the 15 teams subsequently failed to qualify for the 1950 finals: Belgium, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Dutch East Indies, France, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Romania.

Goalscorers

5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal

Notes

References

  1. ↑ Dietschy, Paul (6 June 2013). "Making football global? FIFA, Europe, and the non-European football world, 1912–74". Journal of Global History. 8 (02): 288. doi:10.1017/S1740022813000223.
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