1934 FIFA World Cup qualification

The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the first World Cup where the teams had to qualify, since the first edition in 1930 had no qualification rounds (the participating teams were invited by FIFA). This time, a total of 32 teams entered the competition, so FIFA had to organize qualification (or preliminary) rounds to reduce the field to 16 teams for the final tournament. Even Italy, the host of the World Cup, had to qualify (the only time the hosts had to qualify, and one of only two times the hosts have ever taken part in the qualification process^[1]), while the defending champions Uruguay refused to participate and defend their title because many European nations declined to take part in the 1930 World Cup held in Uruguay.

The 32 teams were divided into 12 groups, based on geographical considerations, as follows:

Groups 1 to 8 - Europe: 12 places, contested by 21 teams.
Groups 9, 10 and 11 - Americas: 3 places, contested by 8 teams.
Group 12 - Africa and Asia: 1 place, contested by 3 teams (including Turkey).

A total of 27 teams played at least one qualifying match. A total of 27 qualifying matches were played, and 141 goals were scored (an average of 5.22 per match).

Listed below are the dates and results of the qualification rounds.

Format

The 12 groups had different rules, as follows:

Group 1 had 3 teams. The teams played against each other once. The group winner would qualify.
Groups 2, 3 and 5 had 2 teams each. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners would qualify.
Group 4 had 3 teams. The teams played against each other twice. The group winner and runner-up would qualify.
Groups 6, 7 and 8 had 3 teams each. The teams played against each other once. The group winners and runners-up would qualify.
Groups 9 and 10 had 2 teams each. The group winners would qualify.
Group 11 had 4 teams. There would be three rounds of play:
- First Round: Haiti played against Cuba in three matches at home. The winner would advance to the Second Round.
- Second Round: Mexico played against the winner of the First Round in three matches at home. The winner would advance to the Final Round.
- Final Round: USA played against the winner of the Second Round in a single match on neutral ground. The winner would qualify.
Group 12 had 3 teams. After Turkey withdrew before the matches began, the remaining 2 teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winner would qualify.

Group 1

Rank	Team	Pts	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GAv
1	Sweden	4	2	2	0	8	2	4.00
2	Lithuania	0	1	0	1	0	2	0.00
3	Estonia	0	1	0	1	2	6	0.33

11 June 1933	Sweden	6 – 2	Estonia	Stockholm, Sweden
	Kroon 7' L. Bunke 10' Ericsson 13' 70' T. Bunke 43' Andersson 79' (pen)	(Report)	Kass 47' Kuremaa 61'	Stadium: Stockholms Olympiastadion Attendance: 8,123 Referee: Reidar Randers-Johansen (Norway)

29 June 1933	Lithuania	0 – 2	Sweden	Kaunas, Lithuania
		(Report)	Hansson 55', 65'	Stadium: Kariuomenės Stadionas Attendance: 6,000 Referee: August Silber (Estonia)

Estonia v Lithuania was not played, since neither team could qualify with a win.

Sweden qualified.

Group 2

Rank	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv
1	Spain	4	2	2	0	0	11	1	11.0
2	Portugal	0	2	0	0	2	1	11	0.09

11 March 1934	Spain	9 – 0	Portugal	Madrid, Spain
	González 3' Lángara 13', 14' (pen.), 46', 71', 85' Regueiro 65', 70' Ventolrà 68'	(Report)		Stadium: Estadio Chamartín Attendance: 50,000 Referee: Raphael van Praag (Belgium)

18 March 1934	Portugal	1 – 2	Spain	Lisbon, Portugal
	Silva 10'	(Report)	Lángara 12', 25'	Stadium: Estádio do Lumiar Attendance: 35,000 Referee: Raphael van Praag (Belgium)

Spain qualified.

Group 3

Rank	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv
1	Italy	2	1	1	0	0	4	0	∞
2	Greece	0	1	0	0	1	0	4	0.00

25 March 1934	Italy	4 – 0	Greece	Milan, Italy
	Guarisi 40' Meazza 44', 71' Ferrari 69'	(Report)		Stadium: San Siro Attendance: 20,000 Referee: René Mercet (Switzerland)

Italy qualified, as Greece withdrew after the first match.

Group 4

Rank	Team	Pts	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GAv
1	Hungary	4	2	2	0	8	2	4.00
2	Austria	2	1	1	0	6	1	6.00
3	Bulgaria	0	3	0	3	3	14	0.21

25 March 1934	Bulgaria	1 – 4	Hungary	Sofia, Bulgaria
	Baikushev 27'	(Report)	Sarosi 29' Szabó 61' (pen.) Toldi 88' Markos 89'	Stadium: A.S. 23 Stadium Attendance: 10,000 Referee: Denis Xifandu (Romania)

25 April 1934	Austria	6 – 1	Bulgaria	Vienna, Austria
	Horvath 19', 22', 33' Zischek 59' Viertl 62' Sindelar 67'	(Report)	Lozanov 66'	Stadium: Praterstadion Attendance: 25,000 Referee: František Cejnar (Czechoslovakia)

29 April 1934	Hungary	4 – 1	Bulgaria	Budapest, Hungary
	Szabó 9', 58' Solti 60', 73'	(Report)	Todorov 61'	Stadium: Hungária-körút Attendance: 10,000 Referee: Hans Frankenstein (Austria)

Bulgaria withdrew, and the remaining matches were not played since Hungary and Austria were already assured of the top two spots.

Hungary and Austria qualified.

Group 5

Rank	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv
1	Czechoslovakia	4	2	2	0	0	4	1	4.00
2	Poland	0	2	0	0	2	1	4	0.25

15 October 1933	Poland	1 – 2	Czechoslovakia	Warsaw, Poland
	Martyna 52' (pen)	(report)	Silný 37' Pelcher 78'	Stadium: Stadion Legli Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Denis Xifandu (Romania)

15 October 1933

Czechoslovakia

2 – 0

Poland

Prague, Czechoslovakia

Poland withdrew after first match.

Czechoslovakia qualified.

Group 6

Rank	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv
1	Switzerland	3	2	1	1	0	4	2	2.00
2	Romania	2	2	1	0	1	2	3	0.67
3	Yugoslavia	1	2	0	1	1	3	4	0.75

24 September 1933	Yugoslavia	2 – 2	Switzerland	Belgrade, Yugoslavia
	Krajić 50' Marjanović 61'	(Report)	Frigerio 76' Jäggi 80'	Stadium: Stadion BSK Attendance: 17,000 Referee: Alois Beranek (Austria)

29 October 1933	Switzerland	2 – 2	Romania	Bern, Switzerland
	Hochstrasser 75' Hufschmid 80' (pen.)	(Report)	Sepi 18' Dobay 65'	Stadium: Wankdorf Stadion Attendance: 15,000 Referee: Hans Boekmann (Netherlands)

Romania fielded an ineligible player, so FIFA accordingly awarded Switzerland a 2–0 win for the match.

29 April 1934	Romania	2 – 1	Yugoslavia	Bucharest, Romania
	Schwartz 38' Dobay 74'	(Report)	Krajić 71'	Stadium: Stadionul ONEF Attendance: 20,000 Referee: John Langenus (Belgium)

Switzerland and Romania qualified.

Group 7

Rank	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv
1	Netherlands	4	2	2	0	0	9	4	2.25
2	Belgium	1	2	0	1	1	6	8	0.75
3	Irish Free State	1	2	0	1	1	6	9	0.67

25 February 1934	Irish Free State	4 – 4	Belgium	Dublin, Irish Free State
	Moore 27', 48', 59', 75'	(Report)	Capelle 13' S. van den Eynde 25' F. van den Eynde 47', 62'	Stadium: Dalymount Park Attendance: 35,000 Referee: Thomas Crewe (England)

8 April 1934	Netherlands	5 – 2	Irish Free State	Amsterdam, Netherlands
	Smit 41', 85' Bakhuys 67', 78' Vente 83'	(Report)	Squires 44' Moore 57'	Stadium: Olympischstadion Attendance: 38,000 Referee: Otto Ohlsson (Sweden)

29 April 1934	Belgium	2 – 4	Netherlands	Antwerp, Belgium
	Grimmonprez 51' Voorhoof 71'	(Report)	Smit 60' Bakhuys 62', 84' Vente 64'	Stadium: Bosuil Stadion Attendance: 42,000 Referee: Stanley Rous (England)

Netherlands and Belgium qualified (Belgium finished above the Irish Free State on goal average).

Group 8

Rank	Team	Pts	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GAv
1	Germany	2	1	1	0	9	1	9.00
2	France	2	1	1	0	6	1	6.00
3	Luxembourg	0	2	0	2	2	15	0.13

11 March 1934	Luxembourg	1 – 9	Germany	Luxembourg, Luxembourg
	Mengel 27'	(Report)	Rasselnberg 3', 36', 56', 90' Wigold 12' Albrecht 25' Hohmann 30', 51', 53'	Stadium: Stade Municipal Attendance: 14,500 Referee: Jan de Wolf (Netherlands)

15 April 1934	Luxembourg	1 – 6	France	Luxembourg, Luxembourg
	Speicher 46'	(Report)	Aston 3' Nicolas 26', 67', 84', 89' (pen.) Liberati 80'	Stadium: Stade Municipal Attendance: 18,000 Referee: Marc Turfkruyer (Turkey)

Germany v France was not played, since both teams were already assured of the top two spots.

Germany and France qualified.

Group 9

Rank	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv
1	Brazil	qualified
—	Peru	withdrew

Peru withdrew, so Brazil qualified automatically.

Group 10

Rank	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv
1	Argentina	qualified
—	Chile	withdrew

Chile withdrew, so Argentina qualified automatically.

Group 11

First round

Rank	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv
1	Cuba	5	3	2	1	0	10	2	5.00
2	Haiti	1	3	0	1	2	2	10	0.20

28 January 1934	Haiti	1 – 3	Cuba	Port-au-Prince, Haiti
	St. Fort 85' (pen.)		López 20' (pen.) Socorro 61' Martínez 64'	Stadium: Parc Leconte Attendance: 6,000 Referee: John Williams (United States)

1 February 1934	Haiti	1 – 1	Cuba	Port-au-Prince, Haiti
	St. Fort 25' (pen.)		López 85'	Stadium: Parc Leconte Attendance: 6,000 Referee: John Williams (United States)

4 February 1934	Haiti	0 – 6	Cuba	Port-au-Prince, Haiti
			H. Socorro López F. Socorro Ferrer Soto	Stadium: Parc Leconte Attendance: 5,000 Referee: John Williams (United States)

Cuba advanced to the Second Round.

Second round

Rank	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv
1	Mexico	6	3	3	0	0	12	3	4.00
2	Cuba	0	3	0	0	3	3	12	0.25

4 March 1934	Mexico	3 – 2	Cuba	Mexico City, Mexico
	Mejía 12', 14', 16'		López 40', 63'	Stadium: Parque Necaxa Attendance: 20,000 Referee: Edward Donaghy (United States)

11 March 1934	Mexico	5 – 0	Cuba	Mexico City, Mexico
	Sota 24' Mejía 31', 40', 79' Rosas 72'			Stadium: Parque Necaxa Attendance: 22,000 Referee: Edward Donaghy (United States)

18 March 1934	Mexico	4 – 1	Cuba	Mexico City, Mexico
	Alonso 32', 85' Ruvalcaba 41' Marcos 60'		López 15'	Stadium: Parque Necaxa Attendance: 10,000 Referee: Edward Donaghy (United States)

Mexico advanced to the Final Round.

Final round

Rank	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv
1	United States	2	1	1	0	0	4	2	2.00
2	Mexico	0	1	0	0	1	2	4	0.50

24 May 1934	United States	4 – 2	Mexico	Rome, Italy
	Donelli 28', 32', 74', 87'		Alonso 23' Mejía 75'	Stadium: Stadio Nazionale Attendance: 10,000 Referee: Yossouf Mohammed (Egypt)

United States qualified.

Group 12

The Palestine football team consisted of Arabs and British footballers, .^[2]. FIFA states in reference to the 1930s Palestine Mandate team that "The modern Palestine, an Arab state, has no connection with the Jewish delegation from Palestine (at the time a British Mandate)" and that "Palestine entered the qualifying competition for the first time in the run-up to the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan (TM). The 'Palestine' that had participated in previous competitions in the 1930s was actually the forerunner of today's Israel team and as such bears no relation to the national team of modern Palestine."^[3]

Rank	Team	Pts	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv
1	Egypt	4	2	2	0	0	11	2	5.50
2	Palestine, British Mandate	0	2	0	0	2	2	11	0.18
—	Turkey	withdrew

16 March 1934	Egypt	7 – 1	Palestine, British Mandate	Cairo, Egypt
	El-Tetsh 11', 35', 51' Taha 21', 79' Latif 43', 87'	[1]	Nudelmann 61'	Stadium: British Army Ground Attendance: 13,000 Referee: Stanley Wells (England)

6 April 1934	Palestine, British Mandate	1 – 4	Egypt	Tel-Aviv, Palestine/, British Mandate
	Suknik 54'	[2]	Latif 2' El-Tetsh 7', 22' Fawzi 35'	Stadium: Hapoel Ground Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Frederick Goodsby (England)

Egypt qualified.

Qualified teams

Team	Finals Appearance	Streak	Last Appearance
Argentina	2nd	2	1930
Austria	1st	1	–
Belgium	2nd	2	1930
Brazil	2nd	2	1930
Czechoslovakia	1st	1	–
Egypt	1st	1	–
France	2nd	2	1930
Germany	1st	1	–
Hungary	1st	1	–
Italy	1st	1	–
Netherlands	1st	1	–
Romania	2nd	2	1930
Spain	1st	1	–
Sweden	1st	1	–
Switzerland	1st	1	–
United States	2nd	2	1930

Notes

The match to decide whether USA or Mexico would qualify was played in Italy only three days before the start of the final tournament, as the USA team submitted their entry too late. Thus, the match was played on Italian ground, so that the winner would effectively stay for the tournament (the teams travelled by ship at that time, and travelling from America to Europe took around 15 days).

References

^ Although South Africa were automatically qualified for the 2010 World Cup as hosts, they took part in the 2010 African qualifiers. The Confederation of African Football used its 2010 World Cup qualifiers as the qualifiers for the 2010 African Cup of Nations, an event for which South Africa had to qualify separately. They were eliminated at the second of three rounds of qualifying.
^ "A long wait for a home game". Reuters. 24 October 2008.
^ "FIFA Fact Sheet: History of the FIFA World Cup (TM) Preliminary Competition (see page 43)" (PDF). FIFA. 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-09.

External links

[1] Although South Africa were automatically qualified for the 2010 World Cup as hosts, they took part in the 2010 African qualifiers. The Confederation of African Football used its 2010 World Cup qualifiers as the qualifiers for the 2010 African Cup of Nations, an event for which South Africa had to qualify separately. They were eliminated at the second of three rounds of qualifying.

[2] "A long wait for a home game". Reuters. 24 October 2008.

[fifaprel-3] "FIFA Fact Sheet: History of the FIFA World Cup (TM) Preliminary Competition (see page 43)" (PDF). FIFA. 2010. Retrieved 2010-06-09.

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