1938 FIFA World Cup qualification

Qualification rounds for the 1938 FIFA World Cup 1938 FIFA World Cup Qualification 16 June 1937 – 1 May 1938 37 3 22 96 LVA Fricis KaņepsHUN 1920 Gyula Zsengellér(5 goals each) 1934 1950 A total of 37 teams (including the late application of Argentina) 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. Due to the Spanish Civil War, Spain's application was initially suspended and eventually rejected. The remaining teams were divided into groups based on geographical considerations, as follows:https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4629831w/f5.item L'Auto 15 March 1937 Voici la composition des groupes pour la Coupe du Monde 1938 fr Paris, France gallica.bnf.fr Europe and the Near East: 11 places, contested by 23 teams (including Egypt and Mandatory Palestine) divided into eight groups. The Americas: 2 places, contested by 9 teams. 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. 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 The groups had different rules, as follows: Europe and the Near East Group 1 had 4 teams. The teams played against each other once. The group winner and runner-up would qualify. Each team had two home games, except for Estonia who had none. Group 2 Group 2 had originally 3 teams (Norway, Poland, Ireland), 2 to qualify. Group 3 had originally 3 teams (Yugoslavia, Romania, Egypt), 1 to qualify. The groups were rearranged after complains of the Romanian and Yugoslav Federations judging the allocation unfair. https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k46298789/f5.item L'Auto 30 April 1937 Le Comité d'urgence de la F.I.F.A. s'occupera de l'organisation de la Coupe du monde fr Paris, France gallica.bnf.fr had 4 teams. The teams played two separate play-offs on a home-and-away basis. The winners of each play-off would qualify. Groups 3, 4 and 6 had 2 teams each. In Group 3 and Group 6 the teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. In Group 4, the teams played one match on a neutral ground with the winner to qualify. Groups 5 and 7 had 3 teams each. The strongest team of each group was seeded. There would be two rounds of play: First Round: 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 at home. The winner would qualify. Group 8 had 3 teams. The teams played against each other once. The group winner and runner-up would qualify. Americas North America had only one team. The United States would play a play-off with the winner of the Central America for one spot in the competition. Central America had 6 teams (including Colombia). The winner of the qualifying round would play a play-off with the North America for one spot in the competition. South America had only one team. Brazil received a bye Brazil had originally to compete with the United States and the winner of the Central American qualifying round, 3 teams for two spots. They received a bye later on. https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4630042d/f5.item L'Auto 14 October 1937 Et Bien! et l'Argentine? fr Paris, France gallica.bnf.fr and qualified directly to the final competition. Eastern Asia Eastern Asia had 2 teams. The winner of the play-off would qualify. Format update after Argentina's application Argentina submitted a late request to FIFA to take part to the World Cup in October 1937. In regard of the prestige of the team, the application was accepted.https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k46300677/f5.item L'Auto 8 November 1937 Le Comité exécutif de la F.I.F.A. accepte l'engagement de l'Argentine fr Paris, France gallica.bnf.fr The qualification format was rearrangedhttps://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4636068h/f5.item L'Auto 9 January 1938 La Coupe du Monde commencera les 4 et 5 juin fr Paris, France gallica.bnf.fr taking also in account the withdrawal of Japan.https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4636069x/f5.item L'Auto 10 January 1938 La F.I.F.A. a terminé le calendrier de la Coupe du Monde fr Paris, France gallica.bnf.fr Two intercontinental play-offs were established. Play-off 1 to be played between the United States and the Dutch East Indies in Rotterdam, 29 May 1938.https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k46361149/f5.item L'Auto 24 February 1938 Où en est la composition de la compétition propre... fr Paris, France gallica.bnf.fr Play-off 2 to be played between Argentina and the winner of the Central America qualifying round in Bordeaux, 29 May 1938. Key: Teams highlighted in green qualified for the finals. Teams highlighted in Orange qualified for the final phase of their group. Groups Group 1 1938 FIFA World Cup qualification Group 1 main WDL yes complete GER SWE EST FIN 3 0 0 11 1 2 0 1 11 7 1 0 2 4 11 0 0 3 0 7 GER 1935 SWE EST FIN 2 Q KO KO green1 Final tournament 16 June 1937 SWE Report 4–0 FIN Bunke 60 82Persson 65Svanström 68 Stockholm, Sweden Solna Råsunda Stadion 19,554 Kolbjørn Daehlen (Norway) 20 June 1937 SWE Report 7–2 EST Josefsson 7 41Bunke 40Jonasson 49 pen.Wetterström 73 77 84 Siimenson 2Uukkivi 3 Stockholm, Sweden Solna Råsunda Stadion 18,171 Otto Remke (Denmark) 29 June 1937 FIN Report 0–2 GER 1935 Lehner 6Urban 60 Helsinki, Finland Pallokenttä 6,519 Otto Remke (Denmark) 19 August 1937 FIN Report 0–1 EST Kuremaa 56 Turku, Finland Urheilupuisto 4,797 Ivan Eklind (Sweden) 29 August 1937 GER 1935 Report 4–1 EST Lehner 50 65Gauchel 53 86 Siimenson 34 Königsberg,Match originally scheduled in Tallinn, it was played in Germany after request of the Estonian Federation. Germany Horst-Wessel Stadion 15,000 Bruno Pfützner (Czechoslovakia) 21 November 1937 GER 1935 Report 5–0 SWE Siffling 2 57Szepan 8Schön 48 63 Hamburg, Germany Altonaer Stadion 55,000 Bruno Pfützner (Czechoslovakia) Germany and Sweden qualified. Group 2a 1938 FIFA World Cup qualification Group 2a RankTeamPld Matches playedW Matches wonD Matches drawnL Matches lostGF Goals forGA Goals againstGAv Goal averagePts PointsQualification1NOR2110651.203Final Tournament2IRL Irish Free State2011560.831 10 October 1937 NOR Report 3–2 IRL Irish Free State Kvammen 30 64Martinsen 78 Geoghegan 37Dunne 49 Oslo, Norway Ullevaal Stadion 20,000 Peco Bauwens (Germany) 7 November 1937 IRL Irish Free State Report 3–3 NOR Dunne 10O'Flanagan 62Duggan 88 Kvammen 16 33Martinsen 49 Dublin, Irish Free State Dalymount Park 27,000 Thomas Gibbs (England) Norway qualified. Group 2b 1938 FIFA World Cup qualification Group 2b RankTeamPld Matches playedW Matches wonD Matches drawnL Matches lostGF Goals forGA Goals againstGAv Goal averagePts PointsQualification1POL 19282101414.002Final Tournament2Kingdom of Yugoslavia2101140.252 10 October 1937 POL 1928 Report 4–0 Kingdom of Yugoslavia Piątek 3 20Wostal 59Wilimowski 78 Warsaw, Poland Stadion Wojska Polskiego 30,000 Lucien Leclercq (France) 3 April 1938 Kingdom of Yugoslavia Report 1–0 POL 1928 Marjanović 65 Belgrade, Yugoslavia Stadion BSK 25,000 Rinaldo Barlassina (Italy) Poland finished above Yugoslavia on goal average, and thus qualified. Group 3 RankTeamPld Matches playedW Matches wonD Matches drawnL Matches lostGF Goals forGA Goals againstGD Goal differencePts PointsQualification—RomaniaqualifiedFinal Tournament—EGY 1922withdrew FIFA fixed the dates for the play-off: the first leg to be played in Cairo on 17 December 1937 (about two weeks after the end of Ramadan), the second leg to be played in Bucharest on 17 April 1938. https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4630090g/f5.item L'Auto 1 December 1937 Le premier match Roumanie-Egypte est fixé au 17 décembre fr Paris, France gallica.bnf.fr Egypt did not accept the first leg date and this refusal was considered as a withdrawal from the competition. https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4630097c/f5.item L'Auto 8 December 1937 Carence de l'Egypte fr Paris, France gallica.bnf.fr Group 4 1938 FIFA World Cup qualification Group 5 RankTeamPld Matches playedW Matches wonD Matches drawnL Matches lostGF Goals forGA Goals againstGAv Goal averagePts PointsQualification1SUI1100212.002Final Tournament2POR1001120.500 1 May 1938 SUI Report 2–1 POR G. Aeby 24Amadò 29 Peyroteo 72 Milan, Italy Stadio Civico Arena 20,000 Francesco Mattea (Italy) Switzerland qualified. Group 5 1938 FIFA World Cup qualification Group 6 First round RankTeamPld Matches playedW Matches wonD Matches drawnL Matches lostGF Goals forGA Goals againstGAv Goal averagePts Points1GRE old2200414.0042PAL Mandatory Palestine2002140.250 22 January 1938 PAL Mandatory Palestine https://web.archive.org/web/20150927025945/http://www.scoreshelf.com/gjbb/en/Israel/1938fwcISR_v_GRC 1–3 Greece old Neufeld 21 Vikelidis 3 10Migiakis 51 Tel Aviv Maccabiah Stadium 5,000 Mohammed Youssef (Egypt) 20 February 1938 GRE old Report 1–0 PAL Mandatory Palestine Vikelidis 88 Athens Stadio Leoforos Alexandras 12,000 Mika Popovic (Yugoslavia) Greece qualified for the final round. Final round RankTeamPld Matches playedW Matches wonD Matches drawnL Matches lostGF Goals forGA Goals againstGAv Goal averagePts PointsQualification1HUN 1920110011111.02Final Tournament2GRE old10011110.090 25 March 1938 HUN 1920 Report 11–1 GRE old Zsengellér 15 23 pen. 25 65 85Titkos 18 82Vincze 30Nemes 37 40 52 Makris 89 Budapest, Hungary Hungária 14,000 Denis Xifando (Romania) Hungary qualified. Group 6 1938 FIFA World Cup qualification Group 7 RankTeamPld Matches playedW Matches wonD Matches drawnL Matches lostGF Goals forGA Goals againstGAv Goal averagePts PointsQualification1TCH2110717.003Final Tournament2BUL2011170.141 7 November 1937 BUL Report 1–1 TCH Pachedzhiev 89 pen. Říha 44 Sofia, Bulgaria Junak Stadion 12,000 Rinaldo Barlassina (Italy) 24 April 1938 TCH Report 6–0 BUL Šimůnek 21 79 89Nejedlý 57 77Ludl 73 Prague, Czechoslovakia AC Sparta Stadion 31,458 Pál von Hertzka (Hungary) Czechoslovakia qualified. Group 7 First round RankTeamPld Matches playedW Matches wonD Matches drawnL Matches lostGF Goals forGA Goals againstGAv Goal averagePts Points1LVA2200933.0042LIT 19182002390.330 29 July 1937 LVA Report 4–2 LIT 1918 Kaņeps 19 52Vestermans 50Borduško 83 Gudelis 79Paulionis 90 Riga, Latvia ASK stadions 10,000 Gustav Krist (Czechoslovakia) 3 September 1937 LIT 1918 Report 1–5 LVA Paulionis 72 Kaņeps 4 45 pen.Borduško 11 30Vestermans 67 Kaunas, Lithuania Valstybinis stadionas 8,000 Hans Frankenstein (Austria) Latvia qualified for the final round. Final round RankTeamPld Matches playedW Matches wonD Matches drawnL Matches lostGF Goals forGA Goals againstGAv Goal averagePts PointsQualification1AUT1100212.002Final Tournament2LVA1001120.500 5 October 1937 AUT Report 2–1 LVA Jerusalem 15Binder 33 Vestermans 6 Vienna, Austria Stadion Prater 16,000 Pál von Hercka (Hungary) Austria qualified, but in March 1938 the country was annexed by Nazi Germany during the Anschluss, and ceased to exist. 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 8 Pos.TeamPld Matches playedW Matches wonD Matches drawnL Matches lostGF Goals forGA Goals againstGAv Goal averagePts PointsQualification1NED2110515.003Final Tournament2BEL2110431.333Final Tournament3LUX2002270.290 28 November 1937 NED Report 4–0 LUX Smit 29de Boer 68 78 87 Rotterdam, Netherlands Stadion Feyenoord 40,000 Karl Weingarter (Austria) 13 March 1938 LUX Report 2–3 BEL Libar 4Kemp 33 Voorhoof 19Braine 55de Vries 59 Luxembourg, Luxembourg Stade Municipal 12,500 Georges Capdeville (France) 3 April 1938 BEL Report 1–1 NED Isemborghs 53 van Spaandonck 37 Antwerp, Belgium Bosuil Stadion 47,660 Arthur Jewell (England) Netherlands and Belgium qualified. North America RankTeamPld Matches playedW Matches wonD Matches drawnL Matches lostGF Goals forGA Goals againstGAv Goal averagePts Points1USA 1912To intercontinental play-off The United States had originally to play against the winner of the Central America zone for one spot in the final competition. After the application of Argentina, FIFA changed the opponent of the play-off, that would be now played in Europe. The opponent would be the Dutch East Indies. Central America RankTeamPld Matches playedW Matches wonD Matches drawnL Matches lostGF Goals forGA Goals againstGAv Goal averagePts Points1CUB 1902To intercontinental play-off2COLWithdrewCRC 1906NGY 1954 Dutch GuianaSLVMEX 1934 The winner of the Central America zone had originally to play against the United States for one spot in the final competition. After the application of Argentina, FIFA changed the opponent of the play-off, that would be now played in Europe. The opponent would be Argentina. The course of the Central America qualifying round was quite chaotic and involved several changes of format. In the initial configuration the First Round was composed of two groups, one to be played in Barranquilla, Colombia, involving Colombia, Cuba and the Dutch Guiana,https://prensacr.info/data/5d83057f0ddacf4070841875?search%5Bmetadatum_years%5D%5B%5D=1938&search%5Bmetadatum_years%5D%5B%5D=1937&search%5Bsort_by%5D=date_asc&search%5Btext%5D=fifa La Prensa Libre 11 November 1937 Cuba pedirá que sea en Panamá la eliminación del Caribe para la copa del Mundo es San José, Costa Rica prensacr.info the second to be played in San José, Costa Rica, involving Costa Rica, El Salvador and Mexico. The winners would advance to the Final Round. In January 1938 México withdrew from the competition protesting against the late inclusion of Argentina in the qualifying process.https://prensacr.info/data/5d8309780ddacf4070841b2d?page=2&search%5Bmetadatum_years%5D%5B%5D=1938&search%5Bmetadatum_years%5D%5B%5D=1937&search%5Bsort_by%5D=date_asc&search%5Btext%5D=fifa La Prensa Libre 24 January 1938 México se retira debido a la disposición de la Fifa de que el vencedor en Centroamérica juegue contra la Argentina es San José, Costa Rica prensacr.info The Dutch Guiana withdrew too. In March 1938 the First Round was still to be played, the fixtures being Colombia-El Salvador and Cuba-Costa Rica.https://prensacr.info/data/5d830bd50ddacf4070841cc4?page=2&search%5Bmetadatum_years%5D%5B%5D=1938&search%5Bmetadatum_years%5D%5B%5D=1937&search%5Bsort_by%5D=date_asc&search%5Btext%5D=fifa La Prensa Libre 12 March 1938 Definitivamente Costa Rica irá a Cuba a jugar la Copa del Mundo es San José, Costa Rica prensacr.info Eventually, Colombia, Costa Rica and El Salvador all withdrew so Cuba emerged as the winner of the group.https://prensacr.info/data/5d830cfd0ddacf4070841d74?page=2&search%5Bmetadatum_years%5D%5B%5D=1938&search%5Bmetadatum_years%5D%5B%5D=1937&search%5Bsort_by%5D=date_asc&search%5Btext%5D=fifa La Prensa Libre 31 March 1938 Fracasada la serie de fútbol por la Copa del Mundo es San José, Costa Rica prensacr.info No match was played in the Central America zone. South America RankTeamPld Matches playedW Matches wonD Matches drawnL Matches lostGF Goals forGA Goals againstGAv Goal averagePts PointsQualification1BRA 1889ByeFinal Tournament2ARGTo intercontinental play-off Brazil was originally the only South American team participating in the World Cup, with Colombia included in the Central America zone. Thus Brazil received a bye to take part to the final competition in France. Later on Argentina applied to FIFA. Argentina was admitted to play an intercontinental play-off against the winner of the Central America zone for one spot in the final competition. East Asia main WDL yes complete INH JPN 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 INH JPN 1870 Q yellow1 Advance to intercontinental play-offs black1 Withdrew AQ WD The Dutch East Indies and Japan had originally to play for one spot in the competition. Japan withdrew as a result of the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War and, after the application of Argentina, FIFA assigned the Dutch East Indies to a different play-off, that would be now played in Europe. The opponent would be the United States. Intercontinental play-offs Two intercontinental play-offs were established by FIFA after the application of Argentina to the competition. They were meant to be played in Europe about one week before the start of the World Cup as an anticipation of the proper competition. Eventually, none of these play-offs was played. Play-off 1 main WDL yes complete DEI USA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 INH USA 1912 Q green1 Final Tournament black1 Withdrew AQ WD The play-off had to be played in Rotterdam on 29 May 1938 between the United States and the Dutch East Indies. The United States withdrew from the competition in April 1938https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4635098b/f1.item L'Auto 27 April 1938 Les Yankees feront défaut... fr Paris, France gallica.bnf.fr thus allowing the Dutch East Indies to qualify without playing a single match. Play-off 2 main WDL yes complete CUB ARG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 CUB 1902 ARG Q green1 Final Tournament black1 Withdrew AQ WD The play-off had to be played in Bordeaux on 29 May 1938 between Argentina and the winner of the Central America zone. Argentina withdrew from the competitionhttps://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4636145v/f1.item L'Auto 27 March 1938 Pas d'argent! Pas de Coupe du Monde pour l'Argentine!... fr Paris, France gallica.bnf.fr for disagreements between the National Federation and the local clubs. Cuba, who emerged as the winner of Central America zone, qualified to the World Cup without playing a single match. Qualified teams thumb|500px|1938 FIFA World Cup qualified teams thumb|500px|Qualifying countries TeamFinals appearanceStreakLast appearanceAUT2nd21934BEL3rd31934BRA 18893rd31934CUB 19021st1—TCH2nd21934DEI1st1—FRA (H)3rd31934GER 19352nd21934HUN 19202nd21934ITA 1861 (C)2nd21934NED2nd21934NOR1st1—POL 19281st1—ROU3rd31934SWE2nd21934SUI2nd21934 AUT withdrew after qualifying due to the Anschluss. (H) – qualified automatically as hosts (C) – qualified automatically as defending champions Goalscorers 5 goals 20em yes HUN 1920 Gyula Zsengellér LVA Fricis Kaņeps 4 goals 20em yes NOR Reidar Kvammen 3 goals 20em yes TCH Ladislav Šimůnek GER 1935 Ernst Lehner GRE old Kleanthis Vikelidis HUN 1920 József Nemes LVA Iļja Vestermans NED Piet de Boer SWE Lennart Bunke SWE Gustav Wetterström 2 goals 20em yes TCH Oldřich Nejedlý EST Georg Siimenson GER 1935 Josef Gauchel GER 1935 Helmut Schön GER 1935 Otto Siffling HUN 1920 Pál Titkos Irish Free State Jimmy Dunne LVA Vaclavs Borduško LIT Jonas Paulionis NOR Alf Martinsen POL Leonard Piontek SWE Gustaf Josefsson 1 goal 20em yes AUT Franz Binder AUT Camillo Jerusalem BEL Raymond Braine BEL Hendrik Isemborghs BEL Bernard Voorhoof BEL François Devries BUL Georgi Pachedzhiev TCH Josef Ludl TCH Jan Říha EST Richard Kuremaa EST Heinrich Uukkivi GER 1935 Fritz Szepan GER 1935 Adolf Urban GRE old Lefteris Makris GRE old Antonis Migiakis HUN 1920 Jenő Vincze Irish Free State Harry Duggan Irish Free State Matty Geoghegan Irish Free State Kevin O'Flanagan LIT Juozas Gudelis LUX Gusty Kemp LUX Camille Libar PAL football Peri Neufeld NED Kick Smit NED Henk van Spaandonck POL Ernst Wilimowski POL Jerzy Wostal POR Fernando Peyroteo SWE Sven Jonasson SWE Erik Persson SWE Kurt Svanström SUI Georges Aeby SUI Lauro Amadò Kingdom of Yugoslavia Blagoje Marjanović Notes 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,November 2013 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.November 2013. Brazil and Cuba were the only countries from the Americas to enter qualification and thus qualified for the World Cup by default. References External links FIFA World Cup Official Site - 1938 World Cup Qualification RSSSF - 1938 World Cup Qualification Qualification Category:FIFA World Cup qualification