1986 FIFA World Cup qualification
121 teams entered the 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for 24 places in the final tournament. Mexico, as the hosts, and Italy, as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 22 spots open for competition. The draw took place on 7 December 1983 in Zürich, Switzerland.
The 24 spots available in the 1986 World Cup would be distributed among the continental zones as follows:
- Europe : 13.5 places, 1 of them went to automatic qualifier Italy, while the other 12.5 places were contested by 32 teams. The winner of the 0.5 place would advance to the intercontinental play-offs.
- South America : 4 places, contested by 10 teams.
- North, Central America, and Caribbean : 2 places, 1 of them went to automatic qualifier Mexico, while the other place was contested by 17 teams.
- Africa : 2 places, contested by 29 teams.
- Asia : 2 places, contested by 27 teams.
- Oceania : 0.5 place, contested by 4 teams. The winner of the 0.5 place would advance to the intercontinental play-offs.
Inter-confederation play-offs: UEFA v OFC
The two teams would play against each other on a home-and-away basis. The winner qualified for the 1986 FIFA World Cup.Qualified teams
The following 24 teams qualified for the 1986 FIFA World Cup:| Team | Date of qualification | Finals appearance | Streak | Last appearance |
| 18 October 1985 | 2nd | 2 | 1982 | |
| 30 June 1985 | 9th | 4 | 1982 | |
| 20 November 1985 | 7th | 2 | 1982 | |
| 23 June 1985 | 13th | 13 | 1982 | |
| 28 September 1985 | 5th | 1 | 1974 | |
| 14 September 1985 | 1st | 1 | — | |
| 13 November 1985 | 1st | 1 | — | |
| 16 October 1985 | 8th | 2 | 1982 | |
| 16 November 1985 | 9th | 3 | 1982 | |
| 17 April 1985 | 9th | 3 | 1982 | |
| 29 November 1985 | 1st | 1 | — | |
| 11 July 1982 | 11th | 7 | 1982 | |
| 3 November 1985 | 2nd | 1 | 1954 | |
| 20 May 1983 | 9th | 1 | 1978 | |
| 18 October 1985 | 2nd | 1 | 1970 | |
| 13 November 1985 | 3rd | 2 | 1982 | |
| 17 November 1985 | 4th | 1 | 1958 | |
| 11 September 1985 | 5th | 4 | 1982 | |
| 16 October 1985 | 2nd | 1 | 1966 | |
| 4 December 1985 | 6th | 4 | 1982 | |
| 25 September 1985 | 7th | 3 | 1982 | |
| 7 April 1985 | 8th | 1 | 1974 | |
| 30 October 1985 | 6th | 2 | 1982 | |
| 25 September 1985 | 11th | 9 | 1982 |
– qualified automatically as hosts
– qualified automatically as defending champions
Top goalscorers
;8 goals;7 goals
- Jorge Orlando Aravena Plaza
- Lau Wing-Yip
;5 goals