1938 FIFA World Cup qualification
A total of 37 teams entered the 1938 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for a total of 16 spots in the final tournament. For the first time the title holders and the host country were given automatic qualification. Therefore, France, as the hosts, and Italy, as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 14 spots open for competition.
Tournament details | |
---|---|
Teams | 37 (from 3 confederations) |
Tournament statistics | |
Matches played | 22 |
Goals scored | 96 (4.36 per match) |
Top scorer(s) | ![]() ![]() (5 goals each) |
Due to the Spanish Civil War, Spain withdrew from the competition. The remaining 34 teams were divided into 12 groups, based on geographical considerations, as follows:
- Groups 1 to 9 - Europe: 11 places, contested by 23 teams (including Egypt and Palestine).
- Groups 10 and 11 - The Americas: 2 places, contested by 9 teams.
- Group 12 - Asia: 1 place, contested by 2 teams.
However, due to the withdrawal of Austria after qualifying (they had been annexed by Germany), only 15 teams actually competed in the final tournament. FIFA did not offer participation to the runner-up of the group that Austria had played in, Latvia.
A total of 21 teams played at least one qualifying match. A total of 22 qualifying matches were played, and 96 goals were scored (an average of 4.36 per match).
Format
The 12 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, 4, 5 and 7 had 2 teams each. The teams, except in Group 5, played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners would qualify. In Group 5, Switzerland and Portugal were to play only one match on a neutral ground with the winner to qualify.
- Groups 6 and 8 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 remaining 2 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 at home. The winner would qualify.
- Group 9 had 3 teams. The teams played against each other once. The group winner and runner-up would qualify.
- Group 10 had 2 teams. The group winner would qualify.
- Group 11 had 7 teams. The group winner would qualify.
- Group 12 had 2 teams. The group winner would qualify.
Key:
- Teams highlighted in green qualified for the finals.
- Teams highlighted in Orange qualified for the final phase of their group.
Group 1
Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 11.0 | 6 |
2 | ![]() |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 1.57 | 4 |
3 | ![]() |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 0.36 | 2 |
4 | ![]() |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0.00 | 0 |
16 June 1937 | Sweden ![]() | 4 – 0 | ![]() | Stockholm, Sweden |
Bunke ![]() Persson ![]() Svanström ![]() |
Report | Stadium: Solna Råsunda Stadion Attendance: 19,544 Referee: Kolbjørn Daehlen (Norway) |
20 June 1937 | Sweden ![]() | 7 – 2 | ![]() | Stockholm, Sweden |
Josefsson ![]() Bunke ![]() Jonasson ![]() Wetterström ![]() |
Report | Siimenson ![]() Uukkivi ![]() |
Stadium: Solna Råsunda Stadion Attendance: 18,270 Referee: Otto Remke (Denmark) |
29 June 1937 | Finland ![]() | 0 – 2 | ![]() | Helsinki, Finland |
Report | Lehner ![]() Urban ![]() |
Stadium: Pallokenttä Attendance: 6,619 Referee: Otto Remke (Denmark) |
19 August 1937 | Finland ![]() | 0 – 1 | ![]() | Turku, Finland |
Report | Kuremaa ![]() |
Stadium: Urheilupuisto Attendance: 4,797 Referee: Ivan Eklind (Sweden) |
29 August 1937 | Germany ![]() | 4 – 1 | ![]() | Königsberg, Germany |
Lehner ![]() Gauchel ![]() |
Report | Siimenson ![]() |
Stadium: Horst-Wessel Stadion Attendance: 18,000 Referee: Bruno Pfützner (Czechoslovakia) |
21 November 1937 | Germany ![]() | 5 – 0 | ![]() | Hamburg, Germany |
Siffling ![]() Szepan ![]() Schön ![]() |
Report | Stadium: Altonaer Stadion Attendance: 51,000 Referee: Bruno Pfützner (Czechoslovakia) |
Germany and Sweden qualified.
Group 2
Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1.20 | 3 |
2 | ![]() |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0.83 | 1 |
10 October 1937 | Norway ![]() | 3 – 2 | ![]() | Oslo, Norway |
Kvammen ![]() Martinsen ![]() |
Report | Geoghegan ![]() Dunne ![]() |
Stadium: Ullevaal Stadion Attendance: 19,000 Referee: Peco Bauwens (Germany) |
7 November 1937 | Irish Free State ![]() | 3 – 3 | ![]() | Dublin, Irish Free State |
Dunne ![]() O'Flanagan ![]() Duggan ![]() |
Report | Kvammen ![]() Martinsen ![]() |
Stadium: Dalymount Park Attendance: 27,000 Referee: Thomas Gibbs (England) |
Norway qualified.
Group 3
Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4.00 | 2 |
2 | ![]() |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0.25 | 2 |
10 October 1937 | Poland ![]() | 4 – 0 | ![]() | Warsaw, Poland |
Piatek ![]() Wostal ![]() Wilimowski ![]() |
Report | Stadium: Stadion Wojska Polskiego Attendance: 30,000 Referee: Lucien Leclercq (France) |
3 April 1938 | Yugoslavia ![]() | 1 – 0 | ![]() | Belgrade, Yugoslavia |
Marjanović ![]() |
Report | Stadium: Stadion BSK Attendance: 26,000 Referee: Rinadlo Barlassina (Italy) |
Poland finished above Yugoslavia on goal average, and thus qualified.
Group 4
Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
— | ![]() |
qualified | |||||||
— | ![]() |
withdrew |
Egypt were to play Romania on 17 December 1937, but Egypt refused to play Romania during the Ramadan month, with Egyptian officials arguing that it was "impossible" to play football during that time period.
After Egyptian officials invited Austrian club side First Vienna FC to Egypt to participate in a friendly game against the national team during the holy month, Egypt were withdrawn by FIFA, and Romania qualified automatically.[1]
Group 5
Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2.00 | 2 |
2 | ![]() |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.50 | 0 |
1 May 1938 | Switzerland ![]() | 2 – 1 | ![]() | Milan, Italy |
Aeby ![]() Amado ![]() |
Report | Peyroteo ![]() |
Stadium: Stadio Civico Arena Attendance: 16,000 Referee: Francesco Mattea (Italy) |
Switzerland qualified.
Group 6
First round
Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4.00 | 4 |
2 | ![]() |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0.25 | 0 |
22 January 1938 | Palestine, British Mandate ![]() | 1 – 3 | ![]() | Tel-Aviv, Palestine/Eretz Israel |
Neufeld ![]() |
Report | Vikelidis ![]() Migiakis ![]() |
Stadium: Maccabiah Stadium Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Mohammed Youssef (Egypt) |
20 February 1938 | Greece ![]() | 1 – 0 | ![]() | Athens, Greece |
Vikelidis ![]() |
Report | Stadium: Stadio Leoforos Alexandras Attendance: 12,000 Referee: Mika Popovic (Yugoslavia) |
Greece qualified for the final round.
Final round
Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 11.0 | 2 |
2 | ![]() |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0.09 | 0 |
25 March 1938 | Hungary ![]() | 11 – 1 | ![]() | Budapest, Hungary |
Zsengellér ![]() Titkos ![]() Vincze ![]() Nemes ![]() |
Report | Makris ![]() |
Stadium: Hungária Attendance: 12,000 Referee: Denis Xifando (Romania) |
Hungary qualified.
Group 7
Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 7.00 | 3 |
2 | ![]() |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0.14 | 1 |
7 November 1937 | Bulgaria ![]() | 1 – 1 | ![]() | Sofia, Bulgaria |
Panchediev ![]() |
Report | Ríha ![]() |
Stadium: Junak Stadion Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Rinaldo Barlassina (Italy) |
24 April 1938 | Czechoslovakia ![]() | 6 – 0 | ![]() | Prague, Czechoslovakia |
Šimůnek ![]() Nejedlý ![]() Ludl ![]() |
Report | Stadium: AC Sparta Stadion Attendance: 28,000 Referee: Pál von Hertzka (Hungary) |
Czechoslovakia qualified.
Group 8
First round
Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 3.00 | 4 |
2 | ![]() |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 0.33 | 0 |
29 July 1937 | Latvia ![]() | 4 – 2 | ![]() | Riga, Latvia |
Kaņeps ![]() Vestermans ![]() |
Report | Gudelis ![]() Paulionis ![]() |
Stadium: ASK stadions Attendance: 10,000 Referee: Gustav Krist (Czechoslovakia) |
3 September 1937 | Lithuania ![]() | 1 – 5 | ![]() | Kaunas, Lithuania |
Paulionis ![]() |
Report | Kaņeps ![]() Borduško ![]() Vestermans ![]() |
Stadium: Valstybinis stadionas Attendance: 10,000 Referee: Hans Frankenstein (Austria) |
Latvia qualified for the final round.
Final round
Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2.00 | 2 |
2 | ![]() |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.50 | 0 |
5 October 1937 | Austria ![]() | 2 – 1 | ![]() | Vienna, Austria |
Jerusalem ![]() Binder ![]() |
Report | Vestermans ![]() |
Stadium: Stadion Prater Attendance: 16,000 Referee: Pál von Hercka (Hungary) |
Austria qualified, but was later incorporated by Germany during the Anschluss. FIFA offered the place to England (winner of the 1937–38 British Home Championship), who had opted not to enter the competition, but they declined the offer; FIFA decided not to allow anyone else to qualify, leaving the World Cup one team short.
Group 9
Pos. | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5.00 | 3 |
2 | ![]() |
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1.33 | 3 |
3 | ![]() |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 0.29 | 0 |
28 November 1937 | Netherlands ![]() | 4 – 0 | ![]() | Rotterdam, Netherlands |
Smit ![]() de Boer ![]() |
Report | Stadium: Stadion Feyenoord Attendance: 40,000 Referee: Karl Weingarter (Austria) |
13 March 1938 | Luxembourg ![]() | 2 – 3 | ![]() | Luxembourg, Luxembourg |
Libar ![]() Kemp ![]() |
Report | Voorhoof ![]() Braine ![]() de Vries ![]() |
Stadium: Stade Municipal Attendance: 11,200 Referee: Georges Capdeville (France) |
3 April 1938 | Belgium ![]() | 1 – 1 | ![]() | Antwerp, Belgium |
Isemborghs ![]() |
Report | van Spaandonck ![]() |
Stadium: Bosuil Stadion Attendance: 47,660 Referee: Arthur Jewell (England) |
Netherlands and Belgium qualified.
Group 10
Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Bye | |||||||
2 | ![]() |
Withdrew |
Argentina withdrew, so Brazil qualified automatically.
Group 11
First round
Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Bye | |||||||
2 | ![]() |
Withdrew | |||||||
![]() | |||||||||
![]() | |||||||||
![]() | |||||||||
![]() | |||||||||
![]() |
Costa Rica, Dutch Guiana, El Salvador, Mexico, Colombia and the United States all withdrew, so Cuba qualified automatically.
Group 12
Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
Bye | |||||||
2 | ![]() |
Withdrew |
Japan withdrew, so Dutch East Indies qualified automatically.
Qualified teams
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Team | Finals Appearance | Streak | Last Appearance |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
2nd | 2 | 1934 |
![]() |
3rd | 3 | 1934 |
![]() |
3rd | 3 | 1934 |
![]() |
1st | 1 | – |
![]() |
2nd | 2 | 1934 |
![]() |
1st | 1 | – |
![]() |
3rd | 3 | 1934 |
![]() |
2nd | 2 | 1934 |
![]() |
2nd | 2 | 1934 |
![]() |
2nd | 2 | 1934 |
![]() |
2nd | 2 | 1934 |
![]() |
1st | 1 | – |
![]() |
1st | 1 | – |
![]() |
3rd | 3 | 1934 |
![]() |
2nd | 2 | 1934 |
![]() |
2nd | 2 | 1934 |
Austria withdrew after qualifying due to the Anschluss.- (h) - qualified automatically as hosts
- (c) - qualified automatically as defending champions
11 of the 15 teams subsequently failed to qualify for the 1950 finals: Belgium, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Dutch East Indies, France, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Romania.
Goalscorers
- 5 goals
- 4 goals
- 3 goals
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- 2 goals
|
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- 1 goal
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Notes
- It was originally intended that the World Cup would be held alternately between the continents of South America and Europe. However Jules Rimet, the creator of the World Cup, convinced FIFA to hold the competition in France, his home country. Because of this controversial move, many American countries, including Argentina (the most likely hosts if the event was held in South America), Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Dutch Guiana, Uruguay, and the United States, all withdrew or refused to enter.. Brazil and Cuba were the only countries from the Americas to enter qualification and thus qualified for the World Cup by default.
References
- Dietschy, Paul (6 June 2013). "Making football global? FIFA, Europe, and the non-European football world, 1912–74". Journal of Global History. 8 (02): 288. doi:10.1017/S1740022813000223.