1950 FIFA World Cup qualification


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.
  • 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.
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 the final round directly. The 2 unseeded 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 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

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

Group 2

First round

Syria withdrew after the first match, and the remaining match was not played.
Turkey advanced to the Final Round.

Final round

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

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Yugoslavia advanced to the Final Round.

Final round

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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

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Switzerland advanced to the Final Round.

Final round

Belgium withdrew, so Switzerland qualified automatically.

Group 5

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Sweden qualified. Finland withdrew before the group was completed. Ireland were subsequently invited to enter competition but declined the opportunity because of travelling costs.
Sweden beat Finland 8–1 on 2 October 1949 in Malmö. However, FIFA's website does not include this match in the list of matches or in the group standings. RSSSF's website lists the match with the note "Sweden played B-team", and does not provide group standings.

Group 6

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

Group 7

Argentina withdrew, so Bolivia and Chile qualified automatically.

Group 8

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

Group 9

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Mexico and the United States qualified.

Group 10

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," and the AIFF wanted to concentrate on the 1952 Olympics. Although according to some reports, it was caused by a FIFA ruling that players were not allowed to play barefoot. FIFA decided not to invite anyone else, leaving the World Cup three teams short.

Qualified teams

TeamFinals appearanceStreakLast appearance
2nd11930
'4th41938
2nd11930
1st1—
1st1—
'3rd31938
2nd11930
2nd11930
2nd11934
1st1—
3rd31938
3rd31938
1st1—
3rd11934
2nd11930
2nd11930

  • , and withdrew after qualifying.
  • ' – qualified automatically as hosts
  • ' – qualified automatically as defending champions

Goalscorers

;4 goals
;3 goals
;2 goals
;1 goal