1950 FIFA World Cup qualification

A total of 34 teams entered the qualification rounds of the 1950 FIFA World Cup, competing for a total of 16 spots in the final tournament. Brazil, as the hosts, and Italy, as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 14 spots open for competition.

1950 FIFA World Cup Qualification
Tournament details
Teams34 (from 3 confederations)
Tournament statistics
Matches played26
Goals scored121 (4.65 per match)
Top scorer(s) Jack Rowley
Horacio Casarín
Luis de la Fuente
Željko Čajkovski
(4 goals each)

The remaining 32 teams were divided into 10 groups, based on geographical considerations, as follows:

  • Groups 1 to 6 – Europe: 7 places, contested by 18 teams (including Israel and Syria).
  • Groups 7 to 9 – The Americas: 6 places, contested by 10 teams.
  • Group 10 – Asia: 1 place, contested by 4 teams.

However, due to the withdrawals of India, Scotland and Turkey after qualifying, only 13 teams actually competed in the final tournament.

A total of 19 teams played at least one qualifying match. A total of 26 qualifying matches were played, and 121 goals were scored (an average of 4.65 per match).

Listed below are the dates and results of the qualification rounds.

Groups

The 10 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 and 4 had 3 teams each. The strongest team of each group was seeded. There would be two rounds of play:
    • Final Round: The seeded team played against the winner of the First Round on a home-and-away basis. The winner would qualify.
  • Group 5 had 3 teams. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winner would qualify.
  • Group 6 had 2 teams. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winner would qualify.
  • Group 7 had 3 teams. The group winner and runner-up would qualify.
  • Group 8 had 4 teams. The group winner and runner-up would qualify.
  • Group 9 had 3 teams. The teams played against each other twice. The group winner and runner-up would qualify.
  • Group 10 had 4 teams. The group winner would qualify.

Group 1
See also: 1949–50 British Home Championship
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  England 3 3 0 0 14 3 +11 6
2  Scotland 3 2 0 1 10 3 +7 4
3=  Wales 3 0 1 2 1 6 −5 1
3=  Ireland (IFA) 3 0 1 2 4 17 −13 1
Source:
1 October 1949 Ireland (IFA)  2–8  Scotland Belfast, Northern Ireland
Smyth  50', 59' Report Morris  2', 70', 88'
Waddell  5', 31' (pen.)
Steel  23'
Reilly  24'
Mason  80'		 Stadium: Windsor Park
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Reginald Mortimer (England)
15 October 1949 Wales  1–4  England Cardiff, Wales
Griffiths  80' Report Mortensen  22'
Milburn  29', 34', 66'		 Stadium: Ninian Park
Attendance: 61,079
Referee: Jack Mowat (Scotland)
9 November 1949 Scotland  2–0  Wales Glasgow, Scotland
McPhail  25'
Linwood  78'		 Report Stadium: Hampden Park
Attendance: 73,782
Referee: S.K. Law (England)
16 November 1949 England  9–2  Ireland (IFA) Manchester, England
Rowley  6', 47', 56', 58'
Froggatt  25'
Mortensen  35', 50'
Pearson  33', 68'		 Report Smyth  55'
Brennan  75'		 Stadium: Maine Road
Attendance: 69,742
Referee: Mervyn Griffiths (Wales)
8 March 1950 Wales  0–0  Ireland (IFA) Wrexham, Wales
Report Stadium: Racecourse Ground
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Reginald Leafe (England)
15 April 1950 Scotland  0–1  England Glasgow, Scotland
Report Bentley  64' Stadium: Hampden Park
Attendance: 133,300
Referee: Reginald Leafe (England)

England qualified. Scotland also qualified, but declined to participate.

Group 2

First round
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Turkey 1 1 0 0 7 0 +7 2
2  Syria 1 0 0 1 0 7 −7 0
Source:
20 November 1949 Turkey  7–0  Syria Ankara, Turkey
Cansever  12', 16', 87'
Eken  44'
Kücükandonyadis  66'
Keskin  67'
Kilic  72'		 Stadium: 19 Mayıs Stadium
Referee: Antonio Gamba (Italy)

Syria withdrew, and remaining match was not played.

Turkey advanced to the Final Round.

Final round
Pos Team Pld Pts Qualification
—  Turkey 0 0 Qualified, later withdrew
—  Austria 0 0 Withdrew
Source:

Austria withdrew, so Turkey qualified automatically. But Turkey later also withdrew, and FIFA offered the place to Portugal, the runner-up of Group 6, but they declined. FIFA decided not to allow anyone else to qualify, leaving the World Cup two teams short.

Group 3

First round
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Yugoslavia 2 2 0 0 11 2 +9 4
2  Israel 2 0 0 2 2 11 −9 0
Source:
21 August 1949 Yugoslavia  6–0  Israel Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Pajević  12', 19', 26'
Senčar  44'
Že. Čajkovski  63'
Bobek  83' (pen.)		 Report Stadium: JNA Stadion
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Giovanni Galeati (Italy)
18 September 1949 Israel  2–5  Yugoslavia Tel Aviv, Israel
Glazer  65', 76' Report Valok  19', 64'
Bobek  20'
Zl. Čajkovski  41'
Že. Čajkovski  82'		 Stadium: Maccabiah Stadium
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Yosef Kinstlich (Cyprus)

Yugoslavia advanced to the Final Round.

Final round
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  France 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 2
1  Yugoslavia 2 0 2 0 2 2 0 2
Source:
9 October 1949 Yugoslavia  1–1  France Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Že. Čajkovski  36' Report Baillot  55' Stadium: JNA Stadion
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Karel van der Meer (Netherlands)
30 October 1949 France  1–1  Yugoslavia Paris, France
Baillot  8' Report Bobek  44' Stadium: Stade Olympique de Colombes
Attendance: 53,569
Referee: Giovanni Galeati (Italy)

France 2–2 Yugoslavia on aggregate, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would qualify.

11 December 1949 Yugoslavia  3–2 (a.e.t.)  France Florence, Italy
Mihajlović  12', 84' (pen.)
Že. Čajkovski  114'		 Report Walter  13'
Luciano  83'		 Stadium: Stadio Giovanni Berta
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Giovanni Galeati (Italy)

Yugoslavia qualified while France were also offered a place by FIFA. France initially accepted, but later declined.

Group 4

First round
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1   Switzerland 2 2 0 0 8 4 +4 4
2  Luxembourg 2 0 0 2 4 8 −4 0
Source:
26 June 1949 Switzerland   5–2  Luxembourg Zürich, Switzerland
Maillard  20'
Fatton  30', 41'
Ballaman  48'
Antenen  59'		 Report Wagner  3'
Reuter  88'		 Stadium: Hardturm
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Charles Delasalle (France)
18 September 1949 Luxembourg  2–3   Switzerland Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Muller  3'
Kremer  38'		 Report Maillard  1'
Friedländer  59'
Fatton  75'		 Stadium: Stade Municipal
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Pierre Theunen (Belgium)

Switzerland advanced to the Final Round.

Final round
Pos Team Pld Pts Qualification
—   Switzerland 0 0 Qualified
—  Belgium 0 0 Withdrew
Source:

Belgium withdrew, so Switzerland qualified automatically.

Group 5
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Sweden 2 2 0 0 6 2 +4 4
2  Ireland (FAI) 4 1 1 2 6 7 −1 3
3  Finland 2 0 1 1 1 4 −3 1
Source:
2 June 1949 Sweden  3–1  Ireland (FAI) Stockholm, Sweden
Anderson  17' (pen.)
Jeppson  37'
Liedholm  69'		 Report Walsh  9' Stadium: Råsunda Stadion
Attendance: 38,000
Referee: Louis Baert (Belgium)
8 September 1949 Ireland (FAI)  3–0  Finland Dublin, Ireland
Gavin  35'
Martin  44' (pen.), 68'		 Report Stadium: Dalymount Park
Attendance: 22,479
Referee: W.H.E. Evan (England)
9 October 1949 Finland  1–1  Ireland (FAI) Helsinki, Finland
Vaihela  89' Report Farrell  65' Stadium: Olympiastadion
Attendance: 13,000
Referee: Johan Bronkhorst (Netherlands)
13 November 1949 Ireland (FAI) 1–3  Sweden Dublin, Ireland
Martin  61' (pen.) Report Palmér  4', 40', 68' Stadium: Dalymount Park
Attendance: 41,031
Referee: William Ling (England)

Sweden qualified. Finland withdrew before the group was completed. Ireland (FAI) were subsequently invited to enter competition but declined the opportunity because of traveling costs.[1]

Sweden beat Finland 8–1 on 2 October 1949 in Malmö.[2] However, FIFA's website does not include this match in the list of matches or in the group standings.[3] RSSSF's website lists the match with the note "Sweden played B-team", and does not provide group standings.[4]

Group 6
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Spain 2 1 1 0 7 3 +4 3
2  Portugal 2 0 1 1 3 7 −4 1
Source:
2 April 1950 Spain  5–1  Portugal Madrid, Spain
Zarra  11', 58'
Basora  13'
Panizo  15'
Molowny  65'		 Report Cabrita  36' Stadium: Estadio Nuevo Chamartín
Attendance: 80,000
Referee: Reg Leafe (England)
9 April 1950 Portugal  2–2  Spain Lisbon, Portugal
Travassos  51'
Correia  53'		 Report Zarra  24'
Gaínza  82'		 Stadium: Jamor
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Jack Mowat (Scotland)

Spain qualified. Portugal were also invited to take part but they declined.

Group 7
Pos Team Pld Pts Qualification
1  Bolivia 0 0 Qualified
1  Chile 0 0
3  Argentina 0 0 Withdrew
Source:

Argentina withdrew, so Bolivia and Chile qualified automatically.

Group 8
Pos Team Pld Pts Qualification
1  Uruguay 0 0 Qualified
1  Paraguay 0 0
3  Ecuador 0 0 Withdrew
3  Peru 0 0
Source:

Ecuador and Peru withdrew, so Uruguay and Paraguay qualified automatically.

Group 9
See also: 1949 NAFC Championship
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1  Mexico 4 4 0 0 17 2 +15 8
2  United States 4 1 1 2 8 15 −7 3
3  Cuba 4 0 1 3 3 11 −8 1
Source:
4 September 1949 United States  0–6  Mexico Mexico City, Mexico
Flores  20'
Luna  30'
de la Fuente  37', 55', 58'
Septién  85'		 Stadium: Estadio de los Deportes
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: José Tapia (Cuba)
11 September 1949 Mexico  2–0  Cuba Mexico City, Mexico
Luna  26'
Casarín  57'		 Stadium: Estadio de los Deportes
Referee: Prudencio García (United States)
14 September 1949 Cuba  1–1  United States Mexico City, Mexico
Gómez  28' Wallace  23' Stadium: Estadio de los Deportes
Attendance: 8,000
18 September 1949 Mexico  6–2  United States Mexico City, Mexico
Ortiz  14'
Casarín  23', 41', 76'
de la Fuente  47'
Ochoa  89'		 Souza  52'
Wattman  90'		 Stadium: Estadio de los Deportes
Attendance: 54,500
Referee: José Tapia (Cuba)
21 September 1949 United States  5–2  Cuba Mexico City, Mexico
Bahr  16'
Souza  23'
Matevich  30', 35'
Wallace  48'		 Barquín  42'
Veiga  50'		 Stadium: Estadio de los Deportes
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: José Tapia (Cuba)
25 September 1949 Mexico  3–0  Cuba Mexico City, Mexico
Naranjo  44', 88'
Flores  58'		 Stadium: Estadio de los Deportes
Referee: Prudencio García (United States)

Mexico and the United States qualified.

Group 10
Pos Team Pld Pts Qualification
1  India 0 0 Qualified, later withdrew
1  Burma 0 0 Withdrew
3  Indonesia 0 0
3  Philippines 0 0
Source: rsssf.com

Burma, Indonesia and the Philippines all withdrew before the draw, so India qualified automatically. But India later also withdrew "because of the expense of traveling such a long way to play,"[5] and the AIFF wanted to concentrate on the 1952 Olympics.[6] Although according to some reports, it was caused by a FIFA ruling that players were not allowed to play barefoot.[7] FIFA decided not to invite anyone else, leaving the World Cup three teams short.

Qualified teams
FIFA World Cup qualification 1950
Participating countries after 3 of the 16 qualifying countries withdrew.
Team Finals appearance Streak Last appearance
 Bolivia 2nd11930
 Brazil (H) 4th41938
 Chile 2nd11930
 England 1st1–
 India 1st1–
 Italy (c) 3rd31938
 Mexico 2nd11930
 Paraguay 2nd11930
 Spain 2nd11934
 Scotland 1st1–
 Sweden 3rd31938
  Switzerland 3rd31938
 Turkey 1st1–
 United States 3rd11934
 Uruguay 2nd11930
 Yugoslavia 2nd11930
  •  India,  Scotland and  Turkey withdrew after qualifying.
  • (H) – qualified automatically as hosts
  • (c) – qualified automatically as defending champions

6 of the 13 teams subsequently failed to qualify for the 1954 finals: Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Spain, Sweden and United States.

Goalscorers
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal

Notes
  • At the start of 1950 there were, in effect, two Ireland teams, chosen by two rival associations. Both associations, the Northern Ireland-based IFA and the Republic of Ireland-based FAI claimed jurisdiction over the whole of Ireland and selected players from the whole island. As a result, several notable Irish players from this era played for both teams. Four players – Tom Aherne, Reg Ryan, Davy Walsh and Con Martin – actually played for both the FAI XI and the IFA XI in these qualifying rounds. FIFA intervened, after complaints from the FAI,[8] and subsequently restricted players' eligibility based on the political border. In 1953 FIFA ruled neither team could be referred to as Ireland, decreeing that the FAI team be officially designated as the Republic of Ireland, while the IFA team was to become Northern Ireland.
  • For the third qualifying tournament in a row, the South American teams qualified automatically after withdrawals. In Group 7, Bolivia and Chile did play two matches between them, but they were not classified as official World Cup qualifiers by FIFA.
  • Burma, the Philippines and Indonesia all withdrew, so India qualified automatically. However, India withdrew later because of "disagreements over team selection and insufficient practice time.". India had never been able to qualify for the World Cup before and have never been able to do since then, which means they are the only team to have qualified for the World Cup and that never played a World Cup match.
  • Germany and Japan were both banned because of their actions during World War II, Italy, despite originally being a member of the Axis powers, was allowed to participate because it changed sides in 1943.

References
  1. Invitation to World Cup turned down www.independent.ie, February 22, 2004
  2. "WORLD CUP 1950". allworldcup.narod.ru. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  3. "1950 FIFA World Cup Brazil ™ - Groups". FIFA.com. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  4. "World Cup 1950 Qualifying". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  5. "World Cup: US v England match recalls 1950 upset". BBC. 2 June 2010.
  6. Cronin, Brian (19 July 2011). "Did India withdraw from the 1950 World Cup because they were not allowed to play barefoot?". Los Angeles Times.
  8. Ryan, Sean (1997). The Boys in Green: the FAI international story. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 1-85158-939-2. pp. 50.
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