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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.

1938 FIFA World Cup Qualification
Tournament details
Dates16 June 1937 – 1 May 1938
Teams37 (from 3 confederations)
Tournament statistics
Matches played22
Goals scored96 (4.36 per match)
Top scorer(s)Latvia Fricis Kaņeps
Hungary Gyula Zsengellér
(5 goals each)
← 1934
1950 →

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

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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.

Groups

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Group 1

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Main article: 1938 FIFA World Cup qualification Group 1
Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1   Germany 3 3 0 0 11 1 11.0 6
2   Sweden 3 2 0 1 11 7 1.57 4
3   Estonia 3 1 0 2 4 11 0.36 2
4   Finland 3 0 0 3 0 7 0.00 0
Sweden  4–0  Finland
Bunke   60', 82'
Persson   65'
Svanström   68'		 Report
Attendance: 19,554
Sweden  7–2  Estonia
Josefsson   7', 41'
Bunke   40'
Jonasson   49' (pen.)
Wetterström   73', 77', 84'		 Report Siimenson   2'
Uukkivi   3'
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Otto Remke (Denmark)
Finland  0–2  Germany
Report Lehner   26'
Urban   38'
Attendance: 6,519
Referee: Otto Remke (Denmark)
Finland  0–1  Estonia
Report Kuremaa   56'
Attendance: 4,797
Referee: Ivan Eklind (Sweden)
Germany  4–1  Estonia
Lehner   50', 65'
Gauchel   53', 86'		 Report Siimenson   34'
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Bruno Pfützner (Czechoslovakia)
Germany  5–0  Sweden
Siffling   2', 57'
Szepan   8'
Schön   48', 63'		 Report
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Bruno Pfützner (Czechoslovakia)

Germany and Sweden qualified.

Group 2

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Main article: 1938 FIFA World Cup qualification Group 2
Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1   Norway 2 1 1 0 6 5 1.20 3
2   Irish Free State 2 0 1 1 5 6 0.83 1
Norway  3–2  Irish Free State
Kvammen   30', 64'
Martinsen   78'		 Report Geoghegan   37'
Dunne   49'
Attendance: 20,000
Irish Free State  3–3  Norway
Dunne   10'
O'Flanagan   62'
Duggan   88'		 Report Kvammen   16', 33'
Martinsen   49'
Attendance: 27,000

Norway qualified.

Group 3

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Main article: 1938 FIFA World Cup qualification Group 3
Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1   Poland 2 1 0 1 4 1 4.00 2
2   Yugoslavia 2 1 0 1 1 4 0.25 2
Poland  4–0  Yugoslavia
Piątek   3', 20'
Wostal   59'
Wilimowski   78'		 Report
Attendance: 30,000
Yugoslavia  1–0  Poland
Marjanović   61' Report
Attendance: 25,000

Poland finished above Yugoslavia on goal average, and thus qualified.

Group 4

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Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
—   Romania qualified
—   Egypt withdrew

Egypt were to play Romania on 17 December 1937. However, Egypt withdrew from the competition after Egyptian officials objected to playing on this date since it was in the holy month of Ramadan. Therefore, Romania qualified after Egypt invited Austrian club side First Vienna to play the friendly match against the national team.[1]

Group 5

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Main article: 1938 FIFA World Cup qualification Group 5
Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1    Switzerland 1 1 0 0 2 1 2.00 2
2   Portugal 1 0 0 1 1 2 0.50 0
Switzerland  2–1  Portugal
Aeby   24'
Amado   29'		 Report Peyroteo   72' (pen.)
Attendance: 20,000

Switzerland qualified.

Group 6

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Main article: 1938 FIFA World Cup qualification Group 6

First round

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Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1   Greece 2 2 0 0 4 1 4.00 4
2   Mandatory Palestine 2 0 0 2 1 4 0.25 0
Mandatory Palestine  1–3  Greece
Neufeld   36' Report Vikelidis   15', 30'
Migiakis   73'
Attendance: 5,000
Greece  1–0  Mandatory Palestine
Vikelidis   88' (pen.) Report
Attendance: 12,000

Greece qualified for the final round.

Final round

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Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1   Hungary 1 1 0 0 11 1 11.0 2
2   Greece 1 0 0 1 1 11 0.09 0
Hungary  11–1  Greece
Zsengellér   15', 23' (pen.), 25', 65', 81'
Titkos   18', 75'
Vincze   26'
Nemes   34', 40', 52'		 Report Makris   89'
Attendance: 14,000

Hungary qualified.

Group 7

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Main article: 1938 FIFA World Cup qualification Group 7
Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1   Czechoslovakia 2 1 1 0 7 1 7.00 3
2   Bulgaria 2 0 1 1 1 7 0.14 1
Bulgaria  1–1  Czechoslovakia
Pachedzhiev   89' (pen.) Report Ríha   44'
Attendance: 12,000
Czechoslovakia  6–0  Bulgaria
Šimůnek   21', 79', 89'
Nejedlý   57', 77'
Ludl   73'		 Report
Attendance: 31,458

Czechoslovakia qualified.

Group 8

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First round

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Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1   Latvia 2 2 0 0 9 3 3.00 4
2   Lithuania 2 0 0 2 3 9 0.33 0
Latvia  4–2  Lithuania
Kaņeps   19', 52', 83'
Vestermans   50'		 Report Gudelis   79'
Paulionis   90'
Attendance: 10,000
Lithuania  1–5  Latvia
Paulionis   72' Report Kaņeps   4', 45' (pen.)
Borduško   11', 30'
Vestermans   67'
Attendance: 8,000

Latvia qualified for the final round.

Final round

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Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1   Austria 1 1 0 0 2 1 2.00 2
2   Latvia 1 0 0 1 1 2 0.50 0
Austria  2–1  Latvia
Jerusalem   15'
Binder   33'		 Report Vestermans   6'
Attendance: 16,000

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

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Pos. Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1   Netherlands 2 1 1 0 5 1 5.00 3
2   Belgium 2 1 1 0 4 3 1.33 3
3   Luxembourg 2 0 0 2 2 7 0.29 0
Netherlands  4–0  Luxembourg
Smit   29'
de Boer   68', 78', 82'		 Report
Attendance: 40,000
Luxembourg  2–3  Belgium
Libar   4'
Kemp   33'		 Report Voorhoof   19'
Braine   55'
de Vries   59'
Attendance: 12,500
Belgium  1–1  Netherlands
Isemborghs   53' Report van Spaandonck   37'
Attendance: 47,660
Referee: Arthur Jewell (England)

Netherlands and Belgium qualified.

Group 10

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Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1   Brazil Bye
2   Argentina Withdrew

Argentina withdrew, so Brazil qualified automatically.

Group 11

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First round

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Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1   Cuba Bye
2   Costa Rica Withdrew
  Dutch Guiana
  El Salvador
  Colombia
  Mexico
  United States

Costa Rica, Dutch Guiana, El Salvador, Mexico, Colombia and the United States all withdrew, so Cuba qualified automatically for the second round.

Second round

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All other teams than Cuba had withdrawn from competition, so thus qualified automatically for the finals.

Group 12

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Rank Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
1   Dutch East Indies Qualified
2   Japan Withdrew

Japan withdrew, so the Dutch East Indies qualified automatically.

Qualified teams

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FIFA World Cup qualification 1938
 
Qualifying countries
Team Finals Appearance Streak Last Appearance
  Austria 2nd 2 1934
  Belgium 3rd 3 1934
  Brazil 3rd 3 1934
  Cuba 1st 1 —
  Czechoslovakia 2nd 2 1934
  Dutch East Indies 1st 1 —
  France (H) 3rd 3 1934
  Germany 2nd 2 1934
  Hungary 2nd 2 1934
  Italy (C) 2nd 2 1934
  Netherlands 2nd 2 1934
  Norway 1st 1 —
  Poland 1st 1 —
  Romania 3rd 3 1934
  Sweden 2nd 2 1934
   Switzerland 2nd 2 1934
  •   Austria withdrew after qualifying due to the Anschluss.
  • (H) – qualified automatically as hosts
  • (C) – qualified automatically as defending champions

Goalscorers

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5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal

Notes

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  • 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,[citation needed] 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.[citation needed]. Brazil and Cuba were the only countries from the Americas to enter qualification and thus qualified for the World Cup by default.

References

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  1. ^ Dietschy, Paul (6 June 2013). "Making football global? FIFA, Europe, and the non-European football world, 1912–74". Journal of Global History. 8 (2): 288. doi:10.1017/S1740022813000223. S2CID 162747279.
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