1950 FIFA World Cup qualification
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A total of 34 teams entered the 1950 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, 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.
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, 8 and 9 - The Americas: 6 places, contested by 10 teams.
- Group 10 - Asia: 1 place, contested by 4 teams.
However, due to the withdrawals of 
Scotland, 
Turkey and 
India 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.
Contents |
[edit] 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:
- First Round: The seeded team received a bye and advanced to the Final Round directly. The unseeded 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 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.
[edit] Group 1
| October 1, 1949 | Ireland (IFA)  |
2–8 | Scotland |
Windsor Park, Belfast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Smyth  |
Morris Waddell Steel Reilly Mason |
| October 15, 1949 | Wales  |
1–4 |  England |
Ninian Park, Cardiff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Griffiths |
Milburn Mortensen |
| November 9, 1949 | Scotland |
2–0 | Wales |
Hampden Park, Glasgow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McPhail Linwood |
| November 16, 1949 | England |
9–2 | Ireland (IFA) |
Maine Road, Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rowley Mortensen Pearson Froggatt |
Smyth Brennan |
| March 8, 1950 | Wales |
0–0 | Ireland (IFA) |
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 25, 1950 | Scotland |
0–1 | England |
Hampden Park, Glasgow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bentley |
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | England |
6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 3 |
| 2 | Scotland |
4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 3 |
| 3= | Ireland (IFA) |
1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 17 |
| 3= | Wales |
1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
England qualified. Scotland also qualified, but declined to travel.
[edit] Group 2
[edit] First round
November 20, 1949, Ankara, Turkey - Turkey 7 - 0 
Syria
Syria withdrew, and remaining match was not played.
Turkey advanced to the Final Round.
[edit] Final round
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.
[edit] Group 3
[edit] First round
August 21, 1949, Belgrade, Yugoslavia - 
Yugoslavia 6 - 0 
Israel
September 18, 1949, Tel Aviv, Israel - Israel 2 - 5 Yugoslavia
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yugoslavia |
4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 |
| 2 | Israel |
0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 11 |
Yugoslavia advanced to the Final Round.
[edit] Final round
October 9, 1949, Belgrade, Yugoslavia - Yugoslavia 1 - 1 
France
October 30, 1949, Colombes, France - France 1 - 1 Yugoslavia
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1= | France |
2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 1= | Yugoslavia |
2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
France and Yugoslavia finished level on points, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would qualify.
December 11, 1949, Florence, Italy - Yugoslavia 3 - 2 (aet) France
Yugoslavia qualified while France were also offered a place by FIFA. They initially accepted, but later declined.
[edit] Group 4
[edit] First round
June 26, 1949, Zurich, Switzerland - 
Switzerland 5 - 2 
Luxembourg
September 18, 1949, Luxembourg, Luxembourg - Luxembourg 2 - 3 Switzerland
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland |
4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 4 |
| 2 | Luxembourg |
0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
Switzerland advanced to the Final Round.
[edit] Final round
Belgium withdrew, so Switzerland qualified automatically.
[edit] Group 5
| June 2, 1949 |
Sweden  |
3–1 |  Ireland (FAI) |
Råsunda Stadion, Stockholm, Sweden Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Baert (Belgium) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson 17' (pen.) Jeppson 37'Liedholm 69' |
(Report) | Walsh 9' |
| September 8, 1949 |
Ireland (FAI) |
3–0 |  Finland |
Dalymount Park, Dublin, Ireland Attendance: 22,479 Referee: Evans (England) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gavin 35' Martin 44' (pen.) 68' |
(Report) |
| October 9, 1949 |
Ireland (FAI |
1–1 | Finland |
Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland Attendance: 13,000 Referee: Bronkhorst (Netherlands) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farrell 65' |
(Report) | Vaihela 89' |
| November 13, 1949 |
Ireland (FAI) |
1–3 | Sweden |
Dalymount Park, Dublin, Ireland Attendance: 41,031 Referee: Ling (England) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin 61' (pen.) |
(Report) | Palmer 4' 40' 68' |
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sweden |
4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| 2 | Ireland (FAI) |
3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 |
| 3 | Finland |
1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Sweden qualified. Finland withdrew before the group was completed. Ireland were subsequently invited to enter competition but declined the opportunity [1].
[edit] Group 6
| April 2, 1950 |
Spain  |
5–1 | Portugal |
Nuevo Charmartin, Madrid, Spain Attendance: ??,??? Referee: Reg Leafe (England) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zarra 11' 58' Basora 13'Panizo 15'Molowny 65' |
(Report) | Sabrita 36' |
| April 9, 1950 |
Portugal |
2–2 | Spain |
Jamor, Lisbon, Portugal Referee: Jack Mowat (Scotland) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travassos 51' Correia 53' |
(Report) | Zarra 24' Gaínza 82' |
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain |
3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 |
| 2 | Portugal |
1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
Spain qualified. Portugal were also invited to take part but they declined.
[edit] Group 7
Argentina withdrew, so 
Chile and 
Bolivia qualified automatically.
[edit] Group 8
Peru and 
Ecuador both withdrew, so 
Uruguay and 
Paraguay qualified automatically.
[edit] Group 9
| September 4, 1949 |
 United States |
0-6 |  Mexico |
Estadío de los Deportes Attendance: 60,000 Referee: José Tapia (Cuba) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Report) | Flores 20' Luna 30'de la Fuente 37' 55' 58'Septien 85' |
| September 11, 1949 |
Mexico |
2-0 |  Cuba |
Mexico City Attendance: Referee: Prudencio García (USA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luna 26' Casarín 57' |
(Report) |
| September 14, 1949 |
Cuba |
1-1 | United States |
Estadío de los Deportes Attendance: 8,000 Referee: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gómez 28' |
(Report) | Wallace 23’ |
| September 18, 1949 |
Mexico |
6-2 | United States |
Estadío de los Deportes Attendance: 54,500 Referee: José Tapia (Cuba) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ortiz 14' Casarín 23' 41' 76'de la Fuente 47'Ochoa 89' |
(Report) | Souza 52' Wattman 90' |
| September 21, 1949 |
United States |
5-2 | Cuba |
Estadío de los Deportes Attendance: 60,000 Referee: José Tapia (Cuba) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bahr 16' Souza 23'Matevich 30' 35'Wallace 48' |
(Report) | Barquin 42' Veiga 50' |
| September 25, 1949 |
Mexico |
3-0 | Cuba |
Estadío de los Deportes Attendance: Referee: Prudencio García (USA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naranjo 44' 88' Flores 58' |
(Report) |
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Mexico |
8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 |
| 2 |  United States |
3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 15 |
| 3 | Cuba |
1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 11 |
Mexico and USA qualified.
[edit] Group 10
Burma, 
Philippines and 
Indonesia all withdrew, so India qualified automatically. But India later also withdrew after a FIFA ruling that players were not allowed to play barefoot, and FIFA decided not to invite anyone else, leaving the World Cup three teams short.
[edit] Qualified teams
| Team | Finals Appearance | Streak | Last Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bolivia |
2nd | 1 | 1930 |
| Brazil (h) |
4th | 4 | 1938 |
| Chile |
2nd | 1 | 1930 |
| England |
1st | 1 | - |
| India |
1st | 1 | - |
| Italy (c) |
3rd | 3 | 1938 |
| Mexico |
2nd | 1 | 1930 |
| Paraguay |
2nd | 1 | 1930 |
| Spain |
2nd | 1 | 1934 |
| Scotland |
1st | 1 | - |
| Sweden |
3rd | 3 | 1938 |
| Switzerland |
3rd | 3 | 1938 |
| Turkey |
1st | 1 | - |
| United States |
3rd | 1 | 1934 |
| Uruguay |
2nd | 1 | 1930 |
| Yugoslavia |
2nd | 1 | 1930 |
(h) - qualified automatically as hosts
(c) - qualified automatically as defending champions
[edit] 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, 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.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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