World_Cup_Qualifier

FIFA World Cup qualification

FIFA World Cup qualification

Selection process for World Cup competition

"World Cup qualification" redirects here. For other uses, see World Cup qualification (disambiguation).

The FIFA World Cup qualification is a set of competitive matches that a national association football team plays in order to qualify for one of the available berths at the final tournament of the men's FIFA World Cup.

Quick Facts Founded, Region ...

Qualifying tournaments are held within the six FIFA continental zones, each organized by their respective confederations: AFC (Asia), CAF (Africa), CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean), CONMEBOL (South America), OFC (Oceania), and UEFA (Europe). For each World Cup, FIFA decides the number of places in the finals allocated to each of the zones, based on the numbers and relative strengths of the confederations' teams.

As a courtesy, the host receives an automatic berth selection, as has happened with the immediate past tournament winner during much of the competition's history. All other finalists are determined on a standalone qualifying round achievement without regard to previous achievements.

History

The berths for the inaugural 1930 tournament were filled by invitation only. The 1934 one was the first one to have an actual qualifying phase. The first ever World Cup qualifying match was played on 11 June 1933, when Sweden defeated Estonia 6–2 in Stockholm, and the first goal was scored 7 minutes into the game, with some sources[1] attributing it to Swedish captain Knut Kroon while others[which?] credit it as an own goal by the Estonian goalkeeper Evald Tipner.

The number of teams entering qualification stages has increased steadily, and in response the final tournament has also been expanded (having 16 teams until 1978, then 24 between 1982 and 1994, then 32 between 1998 and 2022, and finally 48 from 2026 onwards). While the format of the qualifying tournaments has evolved, teams have always been grouped into zones which have remained relatively unchanged and roughly correspond to the continents. The teams from each zone compete for a fixed number of berths for the zone, with a limited number of places being awarded to winners of intercontinental play-offs.

Qualification berths by continent

The table below lists the numbers of berths allocated by FIFA for each continent in each tournament. It also shows the total number of teams that entered and played in every qualification cycle.

In the table, "H" denotes an automatic spot for the host, "C" denotes an automatic spot for the defending champion, and "inv" indicates the number of teams that were invited in 1930. Places in intercontinental play-offs are represented as fractions, as follows:

  • 0.5 – a place in a direct play-off
  • 0.25 – a place in a semi-final play-off (where the winner would then face yet another team for a spot in the finals)
  • 1⁄3 – a place in a play-off tournament where two out of six teams would qualify
More information Europe, Africa ...
More information Europe, Africa ...
Notes
  1. Berths were given by invitation only.
  2. Actually the berths were taken by 10 European teams and no African or Asian ones. After Israel won the African/Asian zone without playing due to withdrawals of other teams, a special play-off was arranged between them and a European team, Wales, and was won by the latter.
  3. None entered.
  4. No teams from the region were members of FIFA before 1950.
  5. Austria withdrew after having qualified.
  6. India, Scotland and Turkey withdrew after having qualified. France initially accepted to participate as a replacement but then withdrew as well.
  7. Includes all teams that entered qualification, even if they withdrew or were excluded afterwards, or qualified by walkover. Does not include pre-determined automatic qualifiers.
  8. Only includes teams that played at least one qualifying match that was not annulled.
  9. Including host South Africa and non-FIFA member Tuvalu, which participated because other tournaments also served as World Cup qualifiers.
  10. Including host Qatar, which participated because another tournament also served as World Cup qualifiers.

First appearance in qualification by team

Only teams that played at least one match are considered for first appearance. Teams that withdrew before the qualification, or that qualified to the World Cup by walkover due to other teams' withdrawals, are not considered.

More information Year, Debuting teams ...
Teams' entries before their actual debuts in qualification
  1. Participated in the 1930 World Cup by invitation.
  2. Withdrew from the 1934 qualification before playing.
  3. Participated in the 1930 World Cup by invitation. Qualified by walkover for the 1934 and 1938 finals. Qualified automatically for the 1950 World Cup as host.
  4. Participated in the 1930 World Cup by invitation. Withdrew from the 1934 qualification before playing. Qualified by walkover for the 1950 finals.
  5. Participated in the 1930 World Cup by invitation. Qualified by walkover for the 1950 finals.
  6. Withdrew from the 1938 qualification before playing.
  7. Participated in the 1930 World Cup by invitation. Qualified by walkover for the 1934 finals. Withdrew from the 1938 and 1950 qualifications before playing.
  8. Participated in the 1930 World Cup by invitation. Withdrew from the 1934, 1950, and 1954 qualifications before playing.
  9. Participated in the 1930 World Cup as host. Qualified by walkover for the 1950 finals. Qualified automatically for the 1954 finals as defending champion.
  10. Qualified by walkover for the 1938 finals (entered as the  Dutch East Indies). Withdrew from the 1950 qualification before playing.
  11. Withdrew from the 1958 qualification before playing.
  12. Withdrew from the 1950 qualification before playing.
  13. Withdrew from the 1966 qualification before playing.
  14. Withdrew from the 1954 and 1958 qualifications before playing.
  15. Withdrew from the 1974 qualification before playing (entered as the  Malagasy Republic).
  16. Qualified by walkover for the 1950 finals, and subsequently withdrew from participation. Withdrew from the 1974 qualification before playing.
  17. Withdrew from the 1978 qualification before playing.
  18. Withdrew from the 1986 qualification before playing.
  19. Withdrew from the 1966 and 1974 qualifications before playing.
  20. Withdrew during the 1986 qualification and had all its matches of that campaign annulled.
  21. Withdrew from the 1974 and 1978 qualifications before playing (entered in 1974 as  Ceylon).
  22. Withdrew from the 1994 qualification before playing.
  23. Withdrew from the 1990 qualification before playing.
  24. Withdrew from the 1950 and 1974 qualifications before playing.
  25. Withdrew from the 1998 qualification before playing.
  26. Withdrew from the 1978 qualification before playing. Was disqualified from the 1982 qualification before playing.
  27. Withdrew from the 1966, 1994 and 1998 qualifications before playing.
  28. Withdrew from the 1950, 1994, and 2002 qualifications before playing (entered in 1950 as  Burma).
  29. Withdrew from the 2010 qualification before playing.
Successor and renamed teams
  1. The Czechoslovakia team was officially renamed as the Representation of Czechs and Slovaks during the 1994 qualification and was then succeeded by the Czech Republic from the 1998 qualification.
  2. Germany was succeeded from the 1954 qualification by West Germany, which in turn was succeeded by the reunified Germany from the 1994 qualification.
  3. The Irish Free State was succeeded in the 1950 qualification by Ireland, which became officially known as the Republic of Ireland from the 1954 qualification.
  4. Yugoslavia was succeeded from the 1998 qualification by FR Yugoslavia, which was renamed as Serbia and Montenegro for the 2006 qualification and was then succeeded by Serbia from the 2010 qualification.
  5. Mandatory Palestine was succeeded by Israel from the 1950 qualification.
  6. Egypt was later succeeded by the  United Arab Republic, a political union with Syria, which entered the 1962 qualification, but withdrew before playing. Then Egypt continued independently but retained the name "United Arab Republic", under which it entered the 1966 qualification and also withdrew before playing. It was renamed back as "Egypt" from the 1974 qualification.
  7. Ireland was succeeded by Northern Ireland from the 1954 qualification.
  8. The Soviet Union was succeeded by Russia from the 1994 qualification.
  9. The Territory of Curaçao was succeeded from the 1962 qualification by the Netherlands Antilles, which in turn was succeeded by Curaçao from the 2014 qualification.
  10. Dutch Guiana was succeeded by Suriname from the 1978 qualification.
  11. Rhodesia was succeeded by Zimbabwe from the 1982 qualification.
  12. South Vietnam was succeeded by Vietnam from the 1994 qualification.
  13. Dahomey was renamed as Benin from the 1986 qualification.
  14. Zaire was renamed as DR Congo during the 1998 qualification.
  15. The Republic of China became officially known as Chinese Taipei from the 1982 qualification.
  16. Upper Volta was renamed as Burkina Faso from the 1990 qualification.
  17. North Yemen was succeeded by Yemen from the 1994 qualification.
  18. Swaziland was renamed as Eswatini from the 2022 qualification.
  19. Macedonia was renamed as North Macedonia from the 2022 qualification.
  20. Western Samoa was renamed as Samoa from the 2002 qualification.
Other notes
  1. [N 1]
    Italy had to qualify for the 1934 tournament despite being the host.
  2. [N 2]
    Tuvalu, a non-FIFA member, formally could not enter the 2010 World Cup, but the team participated in the 2007 South Pacific Games which doubled as a stage of the qualification for that World Cup, and the team's results did count in determining advancement from that stage.

Overview of teams' participations

The below table shows how every team has participated in each World Cup qualification.

Key

  • golden background = successful qualifying campaign
  • grey background = did not take part in qualifying
  • bold red typeface = participated in the final tournament
Q Qualified
w Qualified, then withdrew from the finals (Austria in 1938, and Scotland and Turkey in 1950)
n Did not qualify
w Withdrew during qualifying
d Was disqualified during qualifying
H Qualified automatically as host but took part in qualifiers as they doubled as another tournament (South Africa in 2010 and Qatar in 2022)
\ Was not a FIFA member but took part in qualifiers as they doubled as another tournament (Tuvalu in 2010)
b Received bye to the finals
B Received bye to the finals, then withdrew (India in 1950)
H Qualified automatically as host
C Qualified automatically as reigning champion
i Was invited to the finals (all finalists in 1930 except Uruguay)
w Entered but withdrew before playing, or withdrew during qualifying and had all matches annulled
d Entered but was disqualified before playing, or was disqualified during qualifying and had all matches annulled
s Was suspended from entering, or had entry rejected
— Did not enter despite being a FIFA member
Was not a FIFA member
More information Team, Current confederation ...
Non-participating incarnations
  1. Known as the  Khmer Republic in 1974, and then as  Kampuchea until 1990.
  2. Known as  Congo-Kinshasa until 1970.
  3. Entered in 1962 as the  United Arab Republic representing a political union with Syria. After that continued independently but retained the name "United Arab Republic" until 1970.
  4. Entered as the  Dutch East Indies in 1938.
  5. Known as the  Malagasy Republic until 1974.
  6. Preceded by  Malaya until 1962.
  7. Known as  Burma until 1990.
  8. Known as  Ceylon until 1974.
Continental allocations
  1. Africa and Asia had a joint zone in 1934 and 1958. Africa, Asia and Oceania had a joint zone in 1966. Asia and Oceania had a joint zone in 1970–1982.
  2. Entered the Oceanian zone in 1986–2006.
  3. Entered the Oceanian zone in 1986–1990.
  4. Entered the North and Central American zone in 1938.
  5. Entered the African/Asian zone in 1958.
  6. Participated in the European zone.
  7. Entered the European zone in 1938 and 1954.
  8. Entered the European zone in 1962.
  9. Entered the African/Asian zone in 1934 and 1958, the Asian/Oceanian zone in 1970–1978, and the Oceanian zone in 1986–1990.
  10. Entered the Asian zone in 1998–2002.
  11. Participated in the Asian zone.
  12. Entered the European zone in 1950 and 1966.
  13. Entered the African/Asian zone in 1934 and 1958.
  14. Entered the Asian/Oceanian zone in 1970.

Overall team records

The below table compares the overall records of all teams that have participated in qualification. Teams are ordered by points using the three points for a win system, then by goal difference, and then by goals scored. Note that this order does not represent any official rankings, and qualification tournaments are not direct competitions among all teams.

The "Qualifying attempts" column counts qualifying campaigns where the team played at least one match that was not annulled. An attempt is treated as "successful" if the team gained the right to participate in the finals, even if it did not appear there eventually.

As per statistical convention in football, goals scored during extra time are counted towards matches' scorelines and outcomes, while goals scored during penalty shoot-outs are not. Annulled matches are not counted; for matches that were annulled and then replayed, only the replays are counted. For matches where the scorelines were awarded, the awarded scorelines, and not the original ones (if any), are counted.

Ecuador was deducted 3 points in the 2026 qualifying, which is reflected in the table.

More information Key ...

Teams in bold are currently participating or are yet to start in the 2026 qualification. The table is updated to the matches played in March 2024.

More information No., Team ...

Qualification tournament rules

Qualification tournaments generally consist of a number of stages, made up of groups or knock-out ties.

Groups

In all group tournaments, three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. FIFA has set the order of the tie-breakers for teams that finish level on points:

  1. goal difference in all group matches
  2. greater number of goals scored in all group matches

Where teams are still not able to be separated, the following tie-breakers are used:

  1. greater number of points obtained in matches between the tied teams
  2. goal difference in matches between the tied teams
  3. greater number of goals scored in matches between the tied teams
  4. goals scored away from home in matches between the tied teams, if the tie is only between two teams

Where teams are still equal, then a play-off on neutral ground, with extra time and penalties if necessary will be played if FIFA deems such a play-off able to be fitted within the coordinated international match calendar. If this is not deemed feasible, then the result will be determined by fair play points and then the drawing of lots.

Note that this order of tie-breaker application has not always been applied. While it was used in the 2010 qualifiers, the qualification for the 2006 World Cup used the head-to-head comparison prior to goal difference (although this system was – where applicable – used in the 2006 finals themselves). If these rules had applied in 2006, then Nigeria would have qualified rather than Angola.

Home-and-away ties

Most knock-out qualifiers (such as the inter-confederation play-offs and many preliminary ties) are played over two legs. The team that scores a greater aggregate number of goals qualifies. Away goals rule applies. If these rules fail to determine the winner, extra time and penalty shootouts are used.

Occasionally – usually when one entrant lacks adequate facilities to host international matches – ties are played over a single leg, in which case matches level after 90 minutes will go to extra time and then to a penalty shootout if required.

Alternatively, "home" matches can be played in neutral countries, or occasionally one team will host both matches. In the latter case the visiting team will still be considered as the "home" team for one of the legs – which may determine which side advances under the away goals rule, as occurred in CONCACAF qualification in 2010.

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "Sweden vs Estonia, 11 June 1933, World Cup qualification". eu-football.info. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
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