1954 FIFA World Cup qualification


A total of 39 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.
The remaining 37 teams were divided into 13 groups, based on geographical considerations, as follows:
Rejected: Iceland, Bolivia, Cuba and Costa Rica
Withdrawals: Poland, Republic of China, Peru

From the remaining 34 teams, were qualified without playing any qualifying match: Hungary
A total of 33 teams played at least one qualifying match. A total of 57 qualifying matches were played, and 208 goals were scored.
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
14310123+97
2411248−43
3402249−52

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West Germany qualified.

Group 2

Pos.Team
14310116+57
2411298+13
34022713−62

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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
13300114+76
231118803
3310247−32
4301259−41

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England and Scotland qualified.

Group 4

Pos.Team
14400204+168
2420286+24
34004119−180

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France qualified.

Group 5

Pos.Team
1211091+83
2201119−81

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Austria qualified.

Group 6

Pos.Team
1210142+22
1210124−22

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Spain and Turkey finished level on points, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would qualify.
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. Therefore, Turkey qualified. This was the first time Spain failed to qualify for the final tournament.

Group 7

Since FIFA rejected the entry of and withdrew, the Group was scratched and Hungary qualified automatically.

Group 8

Pos.Team
1431051+47
242025504
3401337−41

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

Group 9

Pos.Team
1220072+54
2200227−50

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Italy qualified.

Group 10

Pos.Team
1440040+48
2420232+14
3400405−50

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Yugoslavia qualified.

Group 11

FIFA rejected the entry of.
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Brazil qualified. This was the first time they had to play qualifying matches.

Group 12

FIFA rejected the entries of and.
Pos.Team
14400191+188
2420279−24
34004218−160

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Mexico qualified.

Group 13

FIFA rejected the entries of and.
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South Korea qualified.

Qualified teams

TeamDate of qualificationFinals appearanceStreakLast appearance
29 November 19533rd11938
8 October 19534th11938
21 March 19545th51950
25 October 19533rd11938
11 November 19532nd21950
25 November 19534th11938
3rd11938
24 January 19544th41950
14 March 19541st1—
14 January 19543rd21950
31 March 19541st1—
22 July 19464th41950
17 March 19541st1—
16 July 19503rd21950
28 March 19543rd11938
28 March 19543rd21950

– qualified automatically as hosts
– qualified automatically as defending champions
– qualified automatically because Poland withdrew

Goalscorers

;6 goals
;5 goals
;4 goals
;3 goals
;2 goals
;1 goal
;1 own goal