1974 FIFA World Cup qualification


99 teams entered the 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for 16 places in the final tournament. West Germany, as the hosts, and Brazil, as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 14 spots open for competition.
The 16 spots available in the 1974 World Cup would be distributed among the continental zones as follows:
  • Europe : 9.5 places, 1 of them went to automatic qualifier West Germany, while the other 8.5 places were contested by 32 teams. The winner of the 0.5 place would advance to the Intercontinental Play-offs.
  • South America : 3.5 places, 1 of them went to automatic qualifier Brazil, while the other 2.5 places were contested by 9 teams. The winner of the 0.5 place would advance to the Intercontinental Play-offs.
  • North, Central America and Caribbean : 1 place, contested by 14 teams.
  • Africa : 1 place, contested by 24 teams.
  • Asia and Oceania : 1 place, contested by 18 teams.
90 teams played at least one qualifying match. 226 qualifying matches were played, and 620 goals were scored.

Inter-confederation play-offs: UEFA v CONMEBOL

The teams would play against each other on a home-and-away basis, with the winner qualifying to the finals.
The second leg was scratched as the Soviet Union were disqualified after they refused to travel to Santiago for the return leg due to the 1973 Chilean coup d'état and the executions of left-wing prisoners in the Santiago stadium. The match did "go ahead" with the eleven Chilean players facing zero Soviet players before thousands of bemused spectators, and half a dozen Chilean players slowly passed the ball to each other in mock play until the captain walked the ball into the net.


Qualified teams

The following 16 teams qualified for the 1974 FIFA World Cup:
TeamDate of qualificationFinals appearanceStreakLast appearance
7 October 19736th11966
13 November 19731st1—
21 June 197010th101970
14 November 19734th41970
21 November 19735th11966
13 November 19731st1—
14 December 19731st1—
20 October 19738th41970
18 November 19733rd11938
17 October 19732nd11938
26 September 19733rd11958
27 November 19736th21970
8 July 19737th41970
6 July 19668th61970
13 February 19746th11962
9 December 19731st1—

Goalscorers

;12 goals
;11 goals
;7 goals
;6 goals
;5 goals
;4 goals
;3 goals
;2 goals
;1 goal
;1 own goal