1966 FIFA World Cup qualification

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1966 FIFA World Cup qualification
Tournament details
Dates24 May 1964 – 29 December 1965
Teams74 (from 5 confederations)
Tournament statistics
Matches played127
Goals scored393 (3.09 per match)
Top scorer(s) Flag of Portugal.svg Eusébio (9 goals)
← 1962
1970 →

The 1966 FIFA World Cup qualification was a series of tournaments organised by the five FIFA confederations. The 1966 FIFA World Cup featured 16 teams with one place reserved for the host nation, England, and one reserved for defending champions Brazil. The remaining 14 places were determined by a qualification process in which the other 72 entered teams, from the five FIFA confederations, competed. UEFA, CONCACAF and CONMEBOL qualification was determined within the confederations, whilst AFC and CAF teams (alongside Australia) competed for one place at the tournament.

Contents

Of these 72 teams, 51 competed, while Guatemala, Congo-Brazzaville and the Philippines had their entries rejected.

In the Africa/Asia/Oceania zone:

The first qualification match, between Netherlands and Albania, was played on 24 May 1964 and the first goal in qualification was a penalty, scored by Dutch defender Daan Schrijvers. Qualification ended on 29 December 1965, when Bulgaria eliminated Belgium in a group tiebreaker to become the final qualifier for the World Cup.

There were 393 goals scored over 127 games, for an average of 3.09 goals per game and 51 teams played in qualification. [1]

Qualified teams

.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{} Country qualified for World Cup Country failed to qualify Country did not enter World Cup Country not a FIFA member 1966 world cup qualification.png
  Country qualified for World Cup
  Country failed to qualify
  Country did not enter World Cup
  Country not a FIFA member

[1]

TeamMethod of
qualification		Date of
qualification		Finals
appearance		StreakPrevious best
performance
Flag of England.svg  England Hosts22 August 19605th5Quarter-finals (1954, 1962)
Flag of Brazil (1960-1968).svg  Brazil Defending champions17 June 19628th8Winners (1958, 1962)
Flag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg  Mexico CONCACAF final round winners16 May 19656th5Group stage (1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962)
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay CONMEBOL Group 1 winners13 June 19655th2Winners (1930, 1950)
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina CONMEBOL Group 3 winners22 August 19655th3Runners-up (1930)
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary UEFA Group 6 winners9 October 19656th4Runners-up (1938, 1954)
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile CONMEBOL Group 2 winners [lower-alpha 1] 12 October 19654th2Third place (1962)
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union UEFA Group 7 winners17 October 19653rd3Quarter-finals (1958, 1962)
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal UEFA Group 4 winners31 October 19651st1–
Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg  France UEFA Group 3 winners6 November 19656th1Third place (1958)
Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg  Spain UEFA Group 9 winners [lower-alpha 1] 10 November 19654th2Fourth place (1950)
Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany UEFA Group 2 winners14 November 19656th4Winners (1954)
Flag of North Korea (1948-1992).svg  North Korea Asia / Oceania first round winners [lower-alpha 2] 24 November 19651st1–
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland UEFA Group 5 winners24 November 19656th2Quarter-finals (1934, 1938, 1954)
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy UEFA Group 8 winners7 December 19656th2Winners (1934, 1938)
Flag of Bulgaria (1948-1967).svg  Bulgaria UEFA Group 1 winners [lower-alpha 1] 29 December 19652nd2Group stage (1962)
  1. 1 2 3 Group ended with two teams tied on points, meaning a play-off was required.
  2. ↑ Due to the withdrawal of all CAF nations, the final round was scratched and North Korea qualified.

Qualification process

The 16 spots available in the 1966 World Cup were distributed among the continental zones as follows:

UEFA, CONMEBOL and CONCACAF had a guaranteed number of places, whereas the CAF and AFC had to contest a play-off to determine which confederation would be represented.

After the first round of 1966 FIFA World Cup finals, the percentage of teams from each confederation that passed through to the quarter-finals was as follows: [2]

Summary of qualification

FIFAmembers.png
ConfederationTeams startedTeams that secured qualificationTeams that were eliminatedTotal places in finalsQualifying start dateQualifying end date
AFC, CAF and Oceania 21120121 November 196524 November 1965
CONCACAF 1019116 January 196522 May 1965
CONMEBOL 9+13+163+116 May 196512 October 1965
UEFA [lower-alpha 1] 32+19+1239+124 May 196429 December 1965
Total72+214+25814+224 May 196429 December 1965
  1. ↑ Syria and Israel, although members of AFC, competed in European qualification.

Tiebreakers

For FIFA World Cup qualifying stages using a league format, the method used for separating teams level on points was the same for all Confederations. If teams were even on points at the end of group play, the tied teams played a play-off at a neutral ground.

Confederation qualification

AFC, CAF and Oceania

21 teams – Australia, three teams from AFC and 17 teams from CAF – applied to take part in qualification, but the entries of Congo-Brazzaville and the Philippines were rejected.

South Africa, who had been expelled from CAF in 1958 due to the country's apartheid policies, [3] [1] were placed with the Asian and Oceanian teams. [1] Also, Australia were not a member of a confederation at the time (the OFC was not founded until 1966).

The qualification process began with four national teams split between two sections for qualification: Israel and Syria competed in European qualification for geographical reasons, whilst North Korea and South Korea were in a group with Australia and South Africa. The winner of this group would then go on to play the three group winners from the second round of CAF qualifiers.

However, South Africa was disqualified after being suspended by FIFA, and all 15 members of CAF withdrew in protest after FIFA, citing competitive and logistical issues, confirmed that there would be no direct qualification for an African team. Less than three weeks before the tournament, South Korea were forced to withdraw due to logistical difficulties after the tournament was moved from Japan to Cambodia. [1] [4]

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
1Flag of North Korea (1948-1992).svg  North Korea 220092+74
2Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 200229−70
—Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa (D)0–––––—0
—Flag of South Korea (1949-1984).svg  South Korea (W)0–––––—0
Source: [ citation needed ]
(D) Disqualified; (W) Withdrew

African boycott

Qualification for the 15 remaining African teams saw them sorted into six groups: three groups of two and three groups of three.

The winners of these groups were then to play a two-legged tie in the following combinations: Group 1 winners v Group 5 winners, Group 2 winners v Group 4 winners and Group 3 winners v Group 6 winners, with the winners advancing to play in the final group with each other and the winner of the Asia/Oceania group. [3] [1] [4]

However, these African nations were aggrieved that their second-round winners would be required to enter a final round against the winners of the Asia/Oceania group in order to qualify for the final tournament. These nations demanded that Africa be represented in the tournament, and also objected to the readmission of South Africa to FIFA.

Due to pressure from the African nations and CAF, South Africa was suspended again on 21 September 1964, and were subsequently disqualified. However, after FIFA declined to change the qualifying format or the allocation of places, citing competitive and logistical issues, all fifteen African teams immediately withdrew in protest: subsequently, CAF informed FIFA that they would refuse to participate in qualifying for 1970 unless at least one African team had an automatic place in the World Cup.

In 1968, FIFA unanimously voted to grant an automatic place for CAF from the 1970 World Cup onwards. [3]

CONCACAF

10 teams initially entered, but the entry of Guatemala was rejected. [1]

The remaining nine teams were placed in to three groups of three, with the winner of each group proceeding to a final group. The winner of this group would go on to the final tournament. [5]

Legend
Country that directly qualified for the 1966 World Cup
Final positions (final round)
TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
Flag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg  Mexico 4310122+107
Flag of Costa Rica.svg  Costa Rica 412182+64
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 4013319−161
Source: [ citation needed ]

CONMEBOL

As Brazil has already qualified as reigning champions, the remaining nine CONMEBOL teams were split into three groups of 3, playing each other twice (home and away). The top team from each group qualified. [6]

Legend
Countries that directly qualified for the 1966 World Cup
Countries that took part in a group play-off

Final positions (group stage)

Group 1
RankTeamPtsPldWDL
1Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 84400
2Flag of Peru (state).svg  Peru 44202
3Flag of Venezuela (1954-2006).svg  Venezuela 04004
 Group 2
RankTeamPtsPldWDL
1=Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 54211
1=Flag of Ecuador.svg  Ecuador 54211
3Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 24103
 Group 3
RankTeamPtsPldWDL
1Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 74310
2Flag of Paraguay (1954-1988).svg  Paraguay 34112
3Flag of Bolivia.svg  Bolivia 24103

In Group B, Chile and Ecuador finished level on points, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would qualify. Chile won the match to win the group.

UEFA

England qualified automatically as hosts and a further 30 European teams took part in qualification. They were joined by Israel and Syria, although Syria then withdrew in support of the African teams. The teams were divided into 9 groups - four groups of 3 and five groups of 4. Syria's withdrawal meant that group 9 only contained two teams. [7]

Legend
Countries that directly qualified for the 1966 World Cup
Countries that took part in a group play-off

Final positions (group stage)

Group 1
RankTeamPtsPldWDL
1=Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 64301
1=Flag of Bulgaria (1948-1967).svg  Bulgaria 64301
3Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 04004
 Group 2
RankTeamPtsPldWDL
1Flag of Germany.svg  West Germany 74310
2Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 54211
3Flag of Cyprus (1960-2006).svg  Cyprus 04004
 Group 3
RankTeamPtsPldWDL
1Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg  France 106501
2Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 76312
3Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia 76312
4Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg 06006
Group 4
RankTeamPtsPldWDL
1Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 96411
2Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia 76312
3Flag of Romania (1965-1989).svg  Romania 66303
4Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 26105
 Group 5
RankTeamPtsPldWDL
1Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 96411
2Ulster Banner.svg  Northern Ireland 86321
3Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 66222
4Flag of Albania (1946-1992).svg  Albania 16015
 Group 6
RankTeamPtsPldWDL
1Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 74310
2Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany 44121
3Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 14013
Group 7
RankTeamPtsPldWDL
1Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 106501
2Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 66303
3Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg  Greece 56213
4Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 36114
 Group 8
RankTeamPtsPldWDL
1Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 96411
2Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland 76312
3Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland 66222
4Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 26105
 Group 9
RankTeamPtsPldWDL
1=Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg  Spain 22101
1=Flag of Ireland.svg  Republic of Ireland 22101
— Flag of Syria (1963-1972).svg Syria withdrew

In Group 1, Belgium and Bulgaria finished level on points, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would qualify. Bulgaria won the match 2–1.

In Group 9, the Republic of Ireland and Spain finished level on points, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would qualify. Spain won the match 1–0.

Goalscorers

7 goals
6 goals
5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
1 own goal

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "History of the FIFA World Cup Preliminary Competition (by year)" (PDF). FIFA.com. 27 July 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  2. ↑ "1966 FIFA World Cup England". FIFA.com. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 "How Africa boycotted the 1966 World Cup". BBC News. 11 July 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Miscellaneous Qualifiers for the World Cup 1966". Score Shelf. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  5. ↑ "CONCACAF Qualifiers for the World Cup 1966". Score Shelf. Archived from the original on 13 July 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  6. ↑ "CONMEBOL Qualifiers for the World Cup 1966". Score Shelf. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  7. ↑ "UEFA Qualifiers for the World Cup 1966". Score Shelf. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
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