1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)

Listed below are the dates and results for the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the European zone (UEFA) in association football. For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification.

A total of 32 UEFA teams entered the competition. The European zone was allocated 9.5 places (out of 16) in the final tournament. West Germany, the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 8.5 spots open for competition between 31 teams.

The 31 teams were divided into 9 groups of 3 or 4 teams each (five groups with 3 teams and four groups with 4 teams). The teams would play against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners would qualify, with the worst recorded group winner would advance to the UEFA / CONMEBOL Intercontinental Play-off.

Summary

Below is a table containing all nine qualifying groups. Teams that qualified and secured a place in the final tournament are highlighted in green, while teams who were eliminated are highlighted in red. The team that secured a place in the UEFA / CONMEBOL Intercontinental Play-off is highlighted in blue. Teams are ordered by final group position.

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6 Group 7 Group 8 Group 9
 Poland  Italy  Austria  Netherlands  France  Sweden  Scotland  Spain  Hungary
 Portugal
 Denmark
 Cyprus		  England
 Finland
 Luxembourg		  East Germany
 Turkey
 Malta		  Belgium
 Northern Ireland
 Iceland		  Bulgaria
 Republic of Ireland		  Norway
  Switzerland		  Czechoslovakia
 Wales		  Romania
 Yugoslavia		  Soviet Union
 Greece

Key:

Group 1

Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Poland 116510174+13
2  Portugal 96411126+6
3  Denmark 462041412+2
4  Cyprus 06006324−21

Poland qualified.

Group 2

Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Italy 106501184+14
2  England 106501154+11
3  Finland 462041116−5
4  Luxembourg 06006222−20

Italy qualified.

Group 3

Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Austria 106420142+12
2  East Germany 96330154+11
3  Turkey 5621395+4
4  Malta 06006027−27

Austria qualified.

Group 4

Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Netherlands 116510113+8
2  Belgium 6630376+1
3  Northern Ireland 5621376+1
4  Iceland 26105212−10

Netherlands qualified.

Group 5

Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  France 5421174+3
2  Bulgaria 4412156−1
3  Republic of Ireland 3411224−2
—  Albania Withdrew

France qualified.

Group 6

Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Sweden 6430174+3
2  Norway 4420234−1
3   Switzerland 2410335−2

Sweden qualified.

Group 7

Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Scotland 6430163+3
2  Czechoslovakia 4420246−2
3  Wales 2410334−1

Scotland qualified.

Group 8

Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Spain 6430141+3
2  Romania 4420278−1
3  Yugoslavia 2410368−2

Spain qualified.

Group 9

Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Hungary 5421164+2
2  Soviet Union 4420253+2
3  Greece 3411226−4

Hungary advanced to the UEFA / CONMEBOL Intercontinental Play-off. This is the first time the USSR failed to qualify. The previous absences of the Soviet team at World Cup were all due to them not participating in the qualification.

Inter-confederation play-offs

Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Hungary  9–2  Bolivia 6–0 3–2

Goalscorers

9 goals
7 goals
5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
1 own goal

See also

References

  1. ↑ This match was played on neutral ground (Anfield) instead of in Wales because of crowd trouble at a European Championship quarter final match at Ninian Park between Wales and Yugoslavia the previous year.
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