1978 FIFA World Cup qualification#UEFA .2F CONMEBOL Intercontinental Play-off
{{Infobox International Football Competition
| tourney_name = 1978 FIFA World Cup Qualification
| year =
| alt =
| caption =
| dates = {{nowrap|7 March 1976 – 11 December 1977}}
| num_teams = 107
| confederations = 6
| matches = 252
| goals = 723
| attendance =
| top_scorer = {{fbicon|ITA|1946}} Roberto Bettega {{nowrap|(9 goals)}}
| prevseason = 1974
| nextseason = 1982
}}
A total of 107 teams entered the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, which began with the preliminary qualification draw on 20 November 1975 at Guatemala City. Argentina, as the hosts, and West Germany, as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 14 spots open for competition.
The 16 places would be distributed among the continental zones as follows:
- Europe (UEFA): 9 or 10 places. One place went to automatic qualifier West Germany, while nine places were contested by 31 teams. The team coming ninth in qualifying would advance to the intercontinental play-offs against a team from CONMEBOL.
- South America (CONMEBOL): 3 or 4 places. One place automatically went to host nation Argentina, while the other three places were contested by nine teams. The team coming third in qualifying would advance to the intercontinental play-offs (against a team from UEFA).
- North, Central America and Caribbean (CONCACAF): 1 place, contested by 16 teams.
- Africa (CAF): 1 place, contested by 26 teams.
- Asia (AFC) and Oceania (OFC): 1 place, contested by 22 teams.
A total of 95 teams played at least one qualifying match. A total of 252 qualifying matches were played, and 723 goals were scored (an average of 2.87 per match).
Confederation qualification
=AFC and OFC=
{{main|1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)}}
:Iran qualified.
=CAF=
{{main|1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)}}
:Tunisia qualified.
=CONCACAF=
{{main|1977 CONCACAF Championship}}
:Mexico qualified.
=CONMEBOL=
{{main|1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)}}
==First round==
===Group 1===
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | |||||||
| width=30|Rank
!width=165 style="text-align:left;"|Team !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pld|Matches played}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|W|Matches won}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|D|Matches drawn}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|L|Matches lost}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|GD|Goal difference}} | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="background:#ffebad;"
|1 |style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|BRA|1968}} |6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | +7 |
| 2
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|PAR|1954}} |4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 3
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|COL}} |2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | −7 |
===Group 2===
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | |||||||
| width=30|Rank
!width=165 style="text-align:left;"|Team !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pld|Matches played}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|W|Matches won}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|D|Matches drawn}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|L|Matches lost}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|GD|Goal difference}} | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="background:#ffebad;"
|1 |style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|BOL}} |7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | +5 |
| 2
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|URU}} |4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 |
| 3
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|VEN|1954}} |1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | −6 |
===Group 3===
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | |||||||
| width=30|Rank
!width=165 style="text-align:left;"|Team !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pld|Matches played}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|W|Matches won}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|D|Matches drawn}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|L|Matches lost}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|GD|Goal difference}} | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="background:#ffebad;"
|1 |style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|PER}} |6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 2 | +6 |
| 2
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|CHI}} |5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 |
| 3
|style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|ECU}} |1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 9 | −8 |
==Final round==
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | |||||||
| width=30|Rank
!width=165 style="text-align:left;"|Team !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pts|Points}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|Pld|Matches played}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|W|Matches won}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|D|Matches drawn}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|L|Matches lost}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}} !width=20|{{Tooltip|GD|Goal difference}} | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="background:#ccffcc;"
|1 |style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|BRA|1968}} |4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | +9 |
| style="background:#ccffcc;"
|2 |style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|PER}} |2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | +4 |
| style="background:#ffebad;"
|3 |style="text-align:left;"|{{Fb|BOL}} |0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | −13 |
Brazil and Peru qualified.
Bolivia advanced to the inter-confederation play-offs.
=UEFA=
{{main|1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)}}
| valign=top
!align="center"|Group 1 !align="center"|Group 2 !align="center"|Group 3 |
| valign=top
|align="left"|{{:1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 1|only_pld_pts=y|show_matches=n}} |align="left"|{{:1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 2|only_pld_pts=y|show_matches=n}} |align="left"|{{:1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 3|only_pld_pts=y|show_matches=n}} |
| valign=top
!align="center"|Group 4 !align="center"|Group 5 !align="center"|Group 6 |
| valign=top
|align="left"|{{:1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 4|only_pld_pts=y|show_matches=n}} |align="left"|{{:1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 5|only_pld_pts=y|show_matches=n}} |align="left"|{{:1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 6|only_pld_pts=y|show_matches=n}} |
| valign=top
!align="center"|Group 7 !align="center"|Group 8 !align="center"|Group 9 |
| valign=top
|align="left"|{{:1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 7|only_pld_pts=y|show_matches=n}} |align="left"|{{:1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 8|only_pld_pts=y|show_matches=n}} |align="left"|{{:1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 9|only_pld_pts=y|show_matches=n}} |
Hungary advanced to the UEFA–CONMEBOL play-off.
Inter-confederation play-offs: UEFA v CONMEBOL
Qualified teams
Image:1978_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification.png
The following 16 teams qualified for the 1978 FIFA World Cup:
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;" | |||
| width=220|Team
!width=120|Date of qualification !width=80|Finals appearance !width=50|Streak !width=80|Last appearance | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|ARG|alt}} (hosts)
|6 July 1966 | 7th | 2 | 1974 |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|AUT}}
|30 October 1977 | 4th | 1 | 1958 |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|BRA|1968}}
|14 July 1977 | 11th | 11 | 1974 |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|FRA}}
|16 November 1977 | 7th | 1 | 1966 |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|HUN}}
|30 November 1977 | 7th | 1 | 1966 |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|IRN|1964}}
|25 November 1977 | 1st | 1 | — |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|ITA}}
|3 December 1977 | 9th | 5 | 1974 |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|MEX}}
|19 October 1977 | 8th | 1 | 1970 |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|NED}}
|26 October 1977 | 4th | 2 | 1974 |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|PER}}
|17 July 1977 | 3rd | 1 | 1970 |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|POL}}
|21 September 1977 | 3rd | 2 | 1974 |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|SCO}}
|12 October 1977 | 4th | 2 | 1974 |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|ESP|1977}}
|30 November 1977 | 5th | 1 | 1966 |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|SWE}}
|30 October 1977 | 7th | 3 | 1974 |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|TUN|1959}}
|11 December 1977 | 1st | 1 | — |
| style="text-align:left;"|{{fb|FRG}} (defending champions)
|7 July 1974 | 9th | 7 | 1974 |
Top goalscorers
;9 goals
- {{flagicon|ITA}} Roberto Bettega
;7 goals
- {{flagicon|AUT}} Hans Krankl
- {{flagicon|El Salvador}} Luis Ramírez Zapata
- {{flagicon|HAI|1964}} Emmanuel Sanon
- {{flagicon|NZL}} Keith Nelson
;6 goals
- {{flagicon|AUS}} John Kosmina
- {{flagicon|AUS}} Peter Ollerton
- {{flagicon|EGY|1972}} Mahmoud El Khatib
- {{flagicon|GUA}} Óscar Enrique Sánchez
- {{flagicon|HAI|1964}} Leintz Domingue
- {{flagicon|KUW}} Faisal Al-Dakhil
- {{flagicon|MEX}} Víctor Rangel
Notes
- For the first time, over 100 teams entered qualification for the World Cup.
- Statistically, this was the most difficult World Cup to qualify for. Taking the two automatic places into account, and excluding twelve teams who withdrew before playing, 95 teams competed for the remaining 14 places (14.7%). The number of spots was increased to 24 for the next World Cup.
- Tunisia's victory over Morocco on penalties was the first penalty shootout in World Cup qualification matches.
External links
- [http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/p/pwc/q/1978.html FIFA World Cup Official Site - 1978 World Cup Qualification]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160625100456/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/78q.html RSSSF - 1978 World Cup Qualification]
{{1978 FIFA World Cup qualification}}
{{FIFA World Cup qualification}}
{{1977 in Japanese football}}