1954 FIFA World Cup qualification

A total of 39 (not counted Iceland, Bolivia, Cuba and Costa Rica) 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.

1954 FIFA World Cup Qualification
Tournament details
Dates9 May 1953 – 4 April 1954
Teams39 (not counted Iceland, Bolivia, Cuba and Costa Rica) (from 4 confederations)
Tournament statistics
Matches played57
Goals scored208 (3.65 per match)
Top scorer Max Morlock (6 goals)
1950
1958

The remaining 37 teams were divided into 13 groups, based on geographical considerations, as follows:

  • Groups 1 to 10 – Europe: 11 places, contested by 27 (not counted Iceland) teams (including Egypt and Israel).
  • Group 11 and 12 – The Americas: 2 places, contested by 7 (not counted Bolivia, Cuba and Costa Rica) teams.
  • Group 13 – Asia: 1 place, contested by 3 teams.

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 (an average of 3.65 per match).

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 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  West Germany 4 3 1 0 12 3 +9 7
2  Saar 4 1 1 2 4 8 −4 3
3  Norway 4 0 2 2 4 9 −5 2
Norway 2–3 Saar
Thoresen 3'
Dahlen 15'
Report Binkert 16'
Otto 30'
Siedl 55'
Bislett Stadion, Oslo, Norway
Attendance: 21,000
Referee: J. Bronkhorst (Netherlands)

Norway 1–1 West Germany
Hennum 41' Report F. Walter 44'
Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway
Attendance: 32,266
Referee: W. B. Aussum (Netherlands)

West Germany 3–0 Saar
Morlock 13', 50'
Schade 70'
Report
Neckarstadion, Stuttgart, West Germany
Attendance: 48,000
Referee: Karel van der Meer (Netherlands)

Saar 0–0 Norway
Report
Ludwigsparkstadion, Saarbrücken, Saarland
Attendance: 42,000
Referee: Leo Horn (Netherlands)

West Germany 5–1 Norway
Morlock 27', 63'
O. Walter 69'
F. Walter 80'
Rahn 88'
Report Nordahl 26'
Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, West Germany
Attendance: 76,000
Referee: Arthur Luty (England)

Saar 1–3 West Germany
Martin 68' (pen.) Report Morlock 36', 48'
Schäfer 84'
Ludwigsparkstadion, Saarbrücken, Saarland
Attendance: 53,000
Referee: J. Bronkhorst (Netherlands)

West Germany qualified.

Group 2

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Belgium 4 3 1 0 11 6 +5 7
2  Sweden 4 1 1 2 9 8 +1 3
3  Finland 4 0 2 2 7 13 −6 2
Finland 2–4 Belgium
Lehtovirta 49', 75' Report Coppens 4', 26', 83'
Anoul 9'
Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland
Attendance: 2,377
Referee: Helge (Denmark)

Sweden 2–3 Belgium
Bengtsson 20'
Selmosson 26'
Report Anoul 28'
Straetmans 37'
Lemberechts 40'
Råsunda Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden
Attendance: 34,029
Referee: Mowat (Scotland)

Finland 3–3 Sweden
Lehtovirta 63'
Lahtinen 67'
Rikberg 70'
Report Sandell 9', 71'
Persson 23'
Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland
Attendance: 13,849
Referee: Baalstad (Norway)

Sweden 4–0 Finland
Sandberg 22'
Sandell 24', 61'
Sandin 56'
Report
Råsunda Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden
Attendance: 27,138
Referee: Asmussen (Denmark)

Belgium 2–2 Finland
Bollen 25', 75' Report Lahtinen 83'
Vaihela 90'
Heysel Stadion, Brussels, Belgium
Attendance: 13,804
Referee: Baumberger (Switzerland)

Belgium 2–0 Sweden
Coppens 23'
Mees 49'
Report
Heysel Stadion, Brussels, Belgium
Attendance: 31,563
Referee: Schipper (Netherlands)

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 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  England 3 3 0 0 11 4 +7 6
2  Scotland 3 1 1 1 8 8 0 3
3  Northern Ireland 3 1 0 2 4 7 −3 2
4  Wales 3 0 1 2 5 9 −4 1
Northern Ireland 1–3 Scotland
Lockhart 72' (pen.) Report Fleming 47', 69'
Henderson 89'
Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Attendance: 58,248
Referee: Arthur Edward Ellis (England)

Wales 1–4 England
Allchurch 22' Report Wilshaw 45', 49'
Lofthouse 52', 53'
Ninian Park, Cardiff, Wales
Attendance: 61,000
Referee: Charles Faultless (Scotland)

Scotland 3–3 Wales
Brown 19'
Johnstone 42'
Reilly 58'
Report Charles 49', 88'
Allchurch 73'
Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland
Attendance: 71,413
Referee: Thomas Mitchell (Northern Ireland)

England 3–1 Northern Ireland
Hassall 10', 60'
Lofthouse 75'
Report McMorran 54'
Goodison Park, Liverpool, England
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Robert Smith (Wales)

Wales 1–2 Northern Ireland
Charles 80' Report McParland 1', 52'
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, Wales
Attendance: 32,817
Referee: Charles Faultless (Scotland)

Scotland 2–4 England
Brown 7'
Ormond 89'
Report Broadis 13'
Nicholls 50'
Allen 68'
Mullen 83'
Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland
Attendance: 134,544
Referee: Thomas Mitchell (Northern Ireland)

England and Scotland qualified.

Group 4

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  France 4 4 0 0 20 4 +16 8
2  Republic of Ireland 4 2 0 2 8 6 +2 4
3  Luxembourg 4 0 0 4 1 19 −18 0
Luxembourg 1–6 France
Kohn 6' Report Piantoni 5'
Kopa 10'
Cicci 41'
Glovacki 44'
Kargu 73'
Flamion 88'
Stade Municipal, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Referee: Dörflinger (Switzerland)

Republic of Ireland 3–5 France
Ryan 58' (pen.)
Walsh 83'
O'Farrell 88'
Report Glovacki 23'
Penverne 40'
Ujlaki 50', 69'
Flamion 72'
Dalymount Park, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Referee: Franken (Belgium)

Republic of Ireland 4–0 Luxembourg
Fitzsimons 14', 83'
Ryan 48' (pen.)
Eglington 59'
Report
Dalymount Park, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Referee: Bond (England)

France 1–0 Republic of Ireland
Piantoni 73' Report
Parc des Princes, Paris, France
Referee: Van Nuffel (Belgium)

France 8–0 Luxembourg
Desgranges 2', 88'
Vincent 6', 10'
Fontaine 21', 75', 80'
Foix 57'
Report
Parc des Princes, Paris, France
Referee: Roeykens (Belgium)

Luxembourg 0–1 Republic of Ireland
Report Cummins 67'
Stade Municipal, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Referee: Ausum (Netherlands)

France qualified.

Group 5

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Austria 2 1 1 0 9 1 +8 3
2  Portugal 2 0 1 1 1 9 −8 1
Austria 9–1 Portugal
Ocwirk 13'
Probst 14', 19', 31', 59', 70'
Happel 68' (pen.)
Wagner 83'
Dienst 87'
Report Águas 60'
Praterstadion, Vienna, Austria
Referee: Bauwens (Belgium)

Portugal 0–0 Austria
Report
Estádio Nacional, Lisbon, Portugal
Referee: Harzic (France)

Austria qualified.

Group 6

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Spain 2 1 0 1 4 2 +2 2
 Turkey 2 1 0 1 2 4 −2 2
Spain 4–1 Turkey
Venancio 13'
Gaínza 48'
González 49'
Alsua 65'
Report Recep 31'
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid, Spain
Referee: Vincentini (France)

Turkey 1–0 Spain
Burhan 16' Report
Mithat Paşa Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey
Referee: Schmetzer (West Germany)

Spain and Turkey finished level on points, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would qualify.

Turkey 2–2 (a.e.t.) Spain
Burhan 25'
Suat 64'
Report Artetxe 11'
Escudero 78'
Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy
Referee: Bernardi (Italy)

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  Iceland and  Poland withdrew, the Group was scratched and Hungary qualified automatically.

Group 8

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Czechoslovakia 4 3 1 0 5 1 +4 7
2  Romania 4 2 0 2 5 5 0 4
3  Bulgaria 4 0 1 3 3 7 −4 1
Czechoslovakia 2–0 Romania
Pažický 54'
Vlk 63'
Report
Strahov Stadium, Prague, Czechoslovakia
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Pósa (Hungary)

Romania 3–1 Bulgaria
Pecsovszky 20', 30'
Ene 82'
Report Tashkov 53'
23 August Stadium, Bucharest, Romania
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: Schulz (East Germany)

Bulgaria 1–2 Czechoslovakia
Bozhkov 55' (pen.) Report Vlk 5', 40'
Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Aleksandrowicz (Poland)

Bulgaria 1–2 Romania
Kolev 28' Report Serfözö 27'
Călinoiu 52'
Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Dorogi (Hungary)

Romania 0–1 Czechoslovakia
Report Šafránek 38' (pen.)
23 August, Bucharest, Romania
Attendance: 90,000
Referee: Schulz (East Germany)

Czechoslovakia 0–0 Bulgaria
Report
Tehelne Pole, Bratislava, Czechoslovakia
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Chkhatarashvili (Soviet Union)

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

Group 9

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Italy 2 2 0 0 7 2 +5 4
2  Egypt 2 0 0 2 2 7 −5 0
Egypt 1–2 Italy
Ad-Diba 33' Frignani 62'
Muccinelli 79'
Al Ahly Stadium, Cairo, Egypt
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: Steiner (Austria)

Italy 5–1 Egypt
Pandolfini 1'
Frignani 62'
Boniperti 65', 86'
Ricagni 84'
El-Hamouly 32'
Milan Municipality Stadium, Milan, Italy
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Horn (Netherlands)

Italy qualified.

Group 10

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Yugoslavia 4 4 0 0 4 0 +4 8
2  Greece 4 2 0 2 3 2 +1 4
3  Israel 4 0 0 4 0 5 −5 0
Yugoslavia 1–0 Greece
Matošić 71' Report
Stadion JNA, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Steiner (Austria)

Greece 1–0 Israel
Bembis 52' Report
Leoforos Alexandras Stadium, Athens, Greece
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: Massai (Italy)

Yugoslavia 1–0 Israel
Milutinović 3' Report
Stadion Gradski Park, Skopje, Yugoslavia
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Alsteen (Belgium)

Israel 0–2 Greece
Report Kokkinakis 61'
Kamaras 83'
Ramat Gan Stadium, Ramat Gan, Israel
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Buchmüller (Switzerland)

Israel 0–1 Yugoslavia
Report Zebec 80'
Ramat Gan Stadium, Ramat Gan, Israel
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Leafe (England)

Greece 0–1 Yugoslavia
Report Veselinović 50'
Leoforos Alexandras Stadium, Athens, Greece
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Rufli (Switzerland)

Yugoslavia qualified.

Group 11

FIFA rejected the entry of  Bolivia.

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Brazil 4 4 0 0 8 1 +7 8
2  Paraguay 4 2 0 2 8 6 +2 4
3  Chile 4 0 0 4 1 10 −9 0
 Peru Withdrew
Paraguay 4–0 Chile
Lugo 30'
J. Parodi 52'
Hermosilla 70'
S. Parodi 79'
Referee: Steiner (Austria)

Chile 1–3 Paraguay
Robledo 16' Lugo 17', 63'
J. Parodi 84'
Referee: Vincentini (France)

Chile 0–2 Brazil
Baltazar 38', 63'
Referee: Vincentini (France)

Paraguay 0–1 Brazil
Baltazar 52'
Referee: Steiner (Austria)

Brazil 1–0 Chile
Baltazar 35'
Referee: Steiner (Austria)

Brazil 4–1 Paraguay
Botelho 60', 85'
Baltazar 62'
Maurinho 90'
Martínez 75'
Referee: Vincentini (France)

Brazil qualified. This was the first time they had to play qualifying matches.

Group 12

FIFA rejected the entries of  Costa Rica and  Cuba.

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Mexico 4 4 0 0 19 1 +18 8
2  United States 4 2 0 2 7 9 −2 4
3  Haiti 4 0 0 4 2 18 −16 0
Mexico 8–0 Haiti
Balcázar 23', 26', 76'
Gómez 27'
Tellez 34'
Arnauda 38', 69', 85'
Referee: Crawford (England)

Haiti 0–4 Mexico
Ávalos 6'
Lamadrid 15', 59'
Balcázar 65'
Referee: Van Rosberg (Netherlands Antilles)

Mexico 4–0 United States
Balcázar 5'
Scheppel 16' (o.g.)
Lamadrid 47'
Naranjo 63'
Referee: Sunderland (England)

Mexico 3–1 United States
A. Torres 60', 89'
Lamadrid 82'
Looby 6'
Referee: Best (United States)

Haiti 2–3 United States
Ellie 60' (pen.), 89' Casey 20'
Chacurian 42'
Looby 83'
Referee: Van Rosberg (Netherlands Antilles)

Haiti 0–3 United States
Looby 22', 65'
Mendoza 31'
Referee: Van Rosberg (Netherlands Antilles)

Mexico qualified.

Group 13

FIFA rejected the entries of  India and  Vietnam.

Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  South Korea 2 1 1 0 7 3 +4 3
2  Japan 2 0 1 1 3 7 −4 1
 Republic of China Withdrew
Japan 1–5 South Korea
Naganuma 16' Chung Nam-sik 22', 83'
Choi Kwang-suk 34'
Choi Chung-min 68', 87'
Meiji Jingu Gaien Stadium, Tokyo, Japan
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Haran (Hong Kong)

South Korea 2–2 Japan
Chung Nam-sik 20'
Choi Chung-min 43'
Iwatani 17', 61'
Meiji Jingu Gaien Stadium, Tokyo, Japan
Attendance: 13,000
Referee: Haran (Hong Kong)

South Korea qualified.

Qualified teams

Team Date of qualification Finals appearance Streak Last appearance
 Austria 29 November 1953 3rd 1 1938
 Belgium 8 October 1953 4th 1 1938
 Brazil 21 March 1954 5th 5 1950
 Czechoslovakia 25 October 1953 3rd 1 1938
 England 11 November 1953 2nd 2 1950
 France 25 November 1953 4th 1 1938
 Hungary (w) 3rd 1 1938
 Italy 24 January 1954 4th 4 1950
 South Korea 14 March 1954 1st 1
 Mexico 14 January 1954 3rd 2 1950
 Scotland 31 March 1954 1st 1
  Switzerland (h) 22 July 1946 4th 4 1950
 Turkey 17 March 1954 1st 1
 Uruguay (c) 16 July 1950 3rd 2 1950
 West Germany 28 March 1954 3rd 1 1938
 Yugoslavia 28 March 1954 3rd 2 1950

(h) – qualified automatically as hosts

(c) – qualified automatically as defending champions

(w) – qualified automatically because Poland withdrew

Goalscorers

6 goals
  • Max Morlock
5 goals
  • Erich Probst
  • Baltazar
  • Tomás Balcázar
4 goals
  • Henri Coppens
  • José Luis Lamadrid
  • Nils-Åke Sandell
  • Bill Looby
3 goals
  • František Vlk
  • Nat Lofthouse
  • Kalevi Lehtovirta
  • Just Fontaine
  • Pedro Arnauda
  • Manuel Lugo
  • Choi Chung-min
  • Chung Nam-sik
  • John Charles
2 goals
  • Léopold Anoul
  • Mathieu Bollen
  • Júlio Botelho
  • Harold Hassall
  • Dennis Wilshaw
  • Olavi Lahtinen
  • Jean Desgranges
  • Pierre Flamion
  • Léon Glovacki
  • Roger Piantoni
  • Joseph Ujlaki
  • Jean Vincent
  • Gerard Ellie
  • Arthur Fitzsimons
  • Reg Ryan
  • Giampiero Boniperti
  • Amleto Frignani
  • Toshio Iwatani
  • Alfredo Torres
  • Peter McParland
  • José Parodi
  • József Pecsovszky
  • Allan Brown
  • Charlie Fleming
  • Burhan Sargın
  • Ivor Allchurch
  • Fritz Walter
1 goal
  • Robert Dienst
  • Ernst Happel
  • Ernst Ocwirk
  • Theodor Wagner
  • Victor Lemberechts
  • Victor Mees
  • Jean-Louis Straetmans
  • Maurinho
  • Stefan Bozhkov
  • Ivan Kolev
  • Dobromir Tashkov
  • Ted Robledo
  • Emil Pažický
  • František Šafránek
  • Ad-Diba
  • Alaa El-Hamouly
  • Ronnie Allen
  • Ivor Broadis
  • Jimmy Mullen
  • Johnny Nicholls
  • Nils Rikberg
  • Jorma Vaihela
  • Raymond Cicci
  • Jacques Foix
  • Édouard Kargu
  • Raymond Kopa
  • Armand Penverne
  • Thanasis Bembis
  • Georgios Kamaras
  • Dimitris Kokkinakis
  • George Cummins
  • Tommy Eglington
  • Frank O'Farrell
  • Davy Walsh
  • Ermes Muccinelli
  • Egisto Pandolfini
  • Eduardo Ricagni
  • Ken Naganuma
  • Antoine Kohn
  • Rafael Ávalos
  • Gregorio Gómez
  • José Naranjo
  • Nicolás Tellez
  • Norman Lockhart
  • Eddie McMorran
  • Knut Dahlen
  • Harald Hennum
  • Hans Nordahl
  • Gunnar Thoresen
  • Ireneo Hermosilla
  • Eulogio Martínez
  • Silvio Parodi
  • José Águas
  • Valeriu Călinoiu
  • Alexandru Ene
  • Gavril Serfözö
  • Herbert Binkert
  • Herbert Martin
  • Werner Otto
  • Gerhard Siedl
  • Jackie Henderson
  • Bobby Johnstone
  • Willie Ormond
  • Lawrence Reilly
  • Choi Kwang-suk
  • Rafael Alsua
  • José Artetxe
  • Adrián Escudero
  • Agustín Gaínza
  • Miguel González
  • Venancio García
  • Bengt Berndtsson
  • Hans Persson
  • Gösta Sandberg
  • Herbert Sandin
  • Arne Selmosson
  • Recep Adanır
  • Suat Mamat
  • Cornelius Casey
  • Efrain Chacurian
  • Ruben Mendoza
  • Helmut Rahn
  • Horst Schade
  • Hans Schäfer
  • Ottmar Walter
  • Frane Matošić
  • Miloš Milutinović
  • Todor Veselinović
  • Branko Zebec
1 own goal
  • William Scheppel (playing against Mexico)

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