A total of 34 teams entered the qualification rounds of the

1950 FIFA World Cup The 1950 FIFA World Cup was the fourth edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football championship for senior men's national teams and held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July 1950. The planned 1942 and 1946 World Cups were ...

, 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 Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

). *Groups 7 to 9 –

The Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America, North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. ...

: ''6 places'', contested by 10 teams. *Group 10 – Asia: ''1 place'', contested by 4 teams. However, due to the withdrawals of India, Scotland and Turkey 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.

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 final round directly. The 2 unseeded teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The winner would advance to 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.

Group 1

---- ---- ---- ---- ---- England qualified. Scotland also qualified, but declined to participate.

Group 2

First round

Syria withdrew, and remaining match was not played. Turkey advanced to the Final Round.

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.

Group 3

First round

---- Yugoslavia advanced to the Final Round.

Final round

---- ''France 2–2 Yugoslavia on aggregate, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would qualify.'' Yugoslavia qualified while France were also offered a place by FIFA. France initially accepted, but later declined.

Group 4

First round

---- Switzerland advanced to the Final Round.

Final round

Belgium withdrew, so Switzerland qualified automatically.

Group 5

---- ---- ---- Sweden qualified. Finland withdrew before the group was completed. Ireland (FAI) were subsequently invited to enter competition but declined the opportunity because of travelling costs. Sweden beat Finland 8–1 on 2 October 1949 in Malmö. However, FIFA's website does not include this match in the list of matches or in the group standings. RSSSF's website lists the match with the note "Sweden played B-team", and does not provide group standings.

Group 6

---- Spain qualified. Portugal were also invited to take part but they declined.

Group 7

Argentina withdrew, so Bolivia and Chile qualified automatically.

Group 8

Ecuador and Peru withdrew, so Uruguay and Paraguay qualified automatically.

Group 9

---- ---- ---- ---- ---- Mexico and the United States qualified.

Group 10

Burma, Indonesia and the Philippines all withdrew before the draw, so India qualified automatically. But India later also withdrew "because of the expense of travelling such a long way to play," and the

AIFF Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF) is an audio file format standard used for storing sound data for personal computers and other electronic audio devices. The format was developed by Apple Inc. in 1988 based on Electronic Arts' Interchange File ...

wanted to concentrate on the 1952 Olympics. Although according to some reports, it was caused by a FIFA ruling that players were not allowed to play barefoot.WM 1950 , Brasilien , sportschau.de
FIFA decided not to invite anyone else, leaving the World Cup three teams short.

Qualified teams

Qualification for the 1950 FIFA World Cup

*, and withdrew after qualifying. *(H) – qualified automatically as hosts *(C) – qualified automatically as defending champions

Goalscorers

;4 goals * Jack Rowley *

Horacio Casarín Horacio Casarín Garcilazo (25 May 1918 – 10 April 2005) was a Mexican professional football player and coach who established himself as one of his country's most popular sports figures in the 1940s and 1950s. A symbol for Atlante, the team ...

* Luis de la Fuente *

Željko Čajkovski Željko Čajkovski (5 May 1925 – 11 November 2016) was a Croatian Association football, football player and coach, who played as a Forward (association football), forward. He was born in Zagreb, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. Biography ...

;3 goals * Jackie Milburn * Stan Mortensen * Sammy Smyth * Con Martin * Henry Morris * Telmo Zarra * Karl-Erik Palmér *

Jacques Fatton Jacques Fatton (19 December 1925 – 26 July 2011) was a Swiss footballer. Career Fatton, who was born in Exincourt, France, was capped 53 times and scored 28 goals for the Switzerland national football team. He played in two FIFA World Cups, ...

Fahrettin Cansever Fahrettin Cansever (1 January 1930 – 1 June 1987) was a Turkish international association football player and manager. Career International career On 20 November 1949, Turkey played the qualifying encounter against Syria national football team, ...

Stjepan Bobek Stjepan Bobek (; 3 December 1923 – 22 August 2010) was a Croatian and Yugoslav professional football striker and later football manager. Usually a forward or attacking midfielder, Bobek was renowned for his technique, vision and goalscoring ...

Milutin Pajević Milutin "Mišo" Pajević (Cyrillic: Милутин Мишо Пajeвић; 11 November 1920 – 28 December 1992) was a Montenegrin football player and manager. Also known as Miloš Pajević, he had three caps for the Yugoslavia national team and p ...

;2 goals *

Stan Pearson Stanley Clare Pearson (11 January 1919 – 20 February 1997) was an English footballer. Born in Salford, Lancashire, Pearson was signed by Manchester United as an amateur in December 1935 and turned professional in May 1937. His first senior ga ...

Henri Baillot Henri Baillot (13 December 1924 – 9 November 2000) was a French footballer. He played in eight matches for the France national football team from 1948 to 1950. He was also named in France's squad for the Group 3 qualification tournament f ...

Yehoshua Glazer Yehoshua Glazer ( he, יהושע גלזר, 29 December 1927 – 29 December 2018) was an Israeli footballer who played for Maccabi Tel Aviv and for the Israel national football team his entire career. Honours *Israeli Premier League (6): **1946� ...

Antonio Flores Antonio González Flores (14 November 1961 – 30 May 1995) was a Spanish singer-songwriter and actor. He was Romani on his father's side and maternal grandmother side. Antonio is known for his pop rock style of singing. His songs, which he ...

* Luis Luna * José Naranjo * William Waddell * René Maillard *

Pete Matevich Pete Matevich is an American former soccer player who earned four caps, scoring two goals, as a member of the U.S. national team in 1949. Professional career Matevich was a member of the Chicago Maroons of the North American Soccer Football Lea ...

* John Souza * Frank Wallace *

Prvoslav Mihajlović Prvoslav Mihajlović ( sr-cyr, Првослав Михајловић; 13 April 1921 – 28 June 1978) was a Serbian- Yugoslav footballer and head coach. Biography On the national level he played for Yugoslavia national team (13 matches/6 goals ...

* Marko Valok ;1 goal *

Jacinto Barquín Jacinto Barquín Rivero (3 September 1915 – unknown) was a Cuban footballer. International career 1938 World Cup He represented Cuba at the 1938 FIFA World Cup in France. In three matches, Barquín won once, drew once and lost once. 1950 Worl ...

* José Gómez *

Santiago Veiga Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile as well as one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is the center of Chile's most densely populated region, the Santiago Metropolitan Region, whose ...

* Roy Bentley * Jack Froggatt *

Jorma Vaihela Jorma Johan Sigurd Vaihela (30 September 1925 – 9 February 2006) was a Finnish international footballer who played as an inside forward. Club career Born in Raahe, Vaihela played club football in Finland for TuTo, PoPa and RU-38, and in Swed ...

Jean Luciano Jean Luciano (2 January 1921 – 7 July 1997) was a French football player and manager who played as a midfielder. He coached OGC Nice, Sporting CP, Vitória S.C., SC Toulon, AS Monaco FC and Gazélec Ajaccio Gazélec Football Club Aja ...

Marius Walter Marius Walter (Maik Walter né Marian Walter, 5 May 1925 – 2 February 2020) was a French footballer of Polish descents. He played in two matches for the France national football team in 1949 and 1950. He was also named in France's squad for th ...

* Bobby Brennan * Peter Farrell * Johnny Gavin *

Davy Walsh David Joseph Walsh (28 April 1923 – 14 March 2016), commonly referred to as Davy Walsh or Dave Walsh, was an Irish footballer who played as a centre forward for, among others, Linfield, West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa. Walsh was a dual ...

Jim Kremer Jim Kremer (18 January 1918 – 24 July 2000) was a Luxembourgian footballer. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1948 Summer Olympics The 1948 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XIV Olympiad and also known as London ...

* Armand Müller *

Michel Reuter Michel Reuter (24 November 1929 – 6 October 2008) was a Luxembourgian footballer. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics ( fi, Kesäolympialaiset 1952; sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1952 ...

Camille Wagner Camille Wagner (13 April 1925 – 7 February 2014) was a Luxembourgian footballer. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1952 Summer Olympics The 1952 Summer Olympics ( fi, Kesäolympialaiset 1952; sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1952) ...

* Mario Ochoa * Héctor Ortiz *

Carlos Septién Carlos Septién González (18 January 1923 – 1978) was a Mexican football forward who played for Mexico in the 1950 and 1954 FIFA World Cups. He also played for Real Club España and Jaibos Tampico Madero. Septién played for Mexico at ...

* Fernando Cabrita * António

Jesus Correia António Jesus Correia, ComIH (3 April 1924 – 30 November 2003) was a Portuguese football and roller hockey (quad) player, competing as a forward in the former sport and amassing Primeira Liga totals of 159 games and 128 goals over the cour ...

José Travassos José António Barreto Travassos (22 February 1926 – 12 February 2002) was a Portuguese Association football, footballer who played as a Forward (association football), forward. Club career Born in Lisbon, Travassos joined Sporting CP in 1946 ...

Alec Linwood Alexander Bryce Linwood (13 March 1920 – 26 October 2003) was a Scottish association football, footballer who played for St Mirren F.C., St Mirren, Middlesbrough F.C., Middlesbrough, Hibernian F.C., Hibernian, Clyde F.C., Clyde, Greenock Morto ...

* Jimmy Mason * John McPhail *

Lawrie Reilly Lawrance Reilly (28 October 1928 – 22 July 2013) was a Scottish footballer. He was one of the " Famous Five", the Hibernian forward line during the late 1940s and early 1950s, along with Bobby Johnstone, Gordon Smith, Eddie Turnbull, and W ...

* Billy Steel * Estanislau Basora *

Agustín Gaínza Agustín Gaínza Vicandi (28 May 1922 – 6 January 1995) was a Spanish football forward and manager. Club career Nicknamed ''Piru'', Gaínza's entire career was spent with Athletic Bilbao. Born in Basauri, Biscay, he made his official debut a ...

Luis Molowny Luis Molowny Arbelo (12 May 1925 – 12 February 2010) was a Spanish football midfielder and coach. He amassed La Liga totals of 175 matches and 90 goals during 12 seasons, with Real Madrid and Las Palmas. He went on to work as a manager with th ...

* José Luis Panizo *

Sune Anderson Sune may refer to: * Lalah Sune, a fictional character in ''Mobile Suit Gundam'' * ''Sune'' (book series), a Swedish children's book series * Sune (''Forgotten Realms''), a fictional deity in ''Forgotten Realms'' * Sune (name), a given name Se ...

* Hasse Jeppson * Nils Liedholm *

Kiki Antenen Kiki or Ki Ki may refer to: Places * Ki Ki, South Australia, Australia, a village * Ki Ki, Iran, a village * Kiai, Iran, a village also known as Kiki * Kiki, Łask County, Poland, a village * Kiki, Poddębice County, Poland, a village * Kiki ...

Robert Ballaman Robert Ballaman (21 June 1926 – 5 September 2011) was a Swiss footballer who played as a centre forward. Career Born in Reconvilier, Ballaman began playing football with FC Reconvilier at age 15. in 1946, he joined FC Biel-Bienne, where he wo ...

Hans-Peter Friedländer Hans-Peter Friedländer (6 November 1920 – July 1999) immigrated with his family to Switzerland at the age of five years. He was active as a Swiss people, Swiss association football, football Forward (association football), forward who played f ...

* Walter Bahr *

Ben Wattman Benjamin "Ben" Wattman is an American former soccer player who earned two caps, scoring one goal, with the U.S. national team in 1949. Wattman earned his first caps in a 6–0 loss to Mexico on September 4, 1949. Fourteen days later, he earned ...

Bülent Eken Bülent Eken (26 October 1923 – 25 July 2016) was a Turkish footballer and coach. He played most of his career at Galatasaray SK, but also played for Salernitana and Palermo in Italy. After his career he became a manager and he coached in Ital ...

Erol Keskin Erol Keskin (2 March 1927 – 1 October 2016) was a Turkish football forward who played for Turkey in the 1948 Summer Olympics and 1954 FIFA World Cup The 1954 FIFA World Cup was the fifth edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial inter ...

Gündüz Kılıç "Baba" Gündüz Kılıç (29 October 1918 – 17 May 1980) was a Turkish football player and coach. He was Ali Kılıç's son and Altemur Kılıç's brother. Biography Born in 1918 in Istanbul, Gündüz Kılıç attended Galatasaray Lycee an ...

* Lefter Kücükandonyadis *

Mal Griffiths William Maldwyn "Mal" Griffiths (8 March 1919 – 5 April 1969) was a Welsh footballer who played as an outside right for Leicester City and Wales. Born in Merthyr Tydfil, Griffiths started out in local football before signing for Arsenal. Afte ...

Zlatko Čajkovski Zlatko "Čik" Čajkovski (24 November 1923 – 27 July 1998) was a Croatian and Yugoslavian football player and coach. His brother, Željko Čajkovski, was a footballer as well. Normally a defensive midfielder, Čajkovski was renowned for hi ...

* Božidar Senčar

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 IFA or Ifa may refer to: Organisations Economics * Independent financial adviser, a type of financial services professional in the UK * Index Fund Advisors * Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, representing actuaries in the UK * Institute of Act ...

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 Reginald Alphonso Ryan (30 October 1925 – 13 February 1997), also referred to as Paddy Ryan, was an Irish footballer who played for West Bromwich Albion, Derby County and Coventry City. Ryan was also a dual international, playing for both I ...

and Con Martin – actually played for both the FAI XI and the IFA XI in these qualifying rounds.

FIFA FIFA (; stands for ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' ( French), meaning International Association Football Federation ) is the international governing body of association football, beach football and futsal. It was found ...

intervened, after complaints from the FAI, pp. 50. 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. * Burma, the Philippines and Indonesia all withdrew, so India qualified automatically. However, India withdrew later because of "disagreements over team selection and insufficient practice time.". India had never been able to qualify for the World Cup before and have never been able to do since then, which means they are the only team to have qualified for the World Cup and that never played a World Cup match. * Germany and

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

were both banned because of their actions during World War II, Italy, despite originally being a member of the Axis powers, was allowed to participate because its government was overthrown in 1943 and the new government sided with the Allies.

References

External links

FIFA World Cup Official Site – 1950 World Cup Qualification

All World Cup – 1950 World Cup Qualification
{{DEFAULTSORT:1950 Fifa World Cup Qualification FIFA World Cup qualification