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1978 FIFA World Cup qualification

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.

1978 FIFA World Cup Qualification
Tournament details
Dates7 March 1976 – 11 December 1977
Teams107 (from 6 confederations)
Tournament statistics
Matches played252
Goals scored723 (2.87 per match)
Top scorer(s)Italy Roberto Bettega (9 goals)
← 1974
1982 →

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 17 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

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AFC and OFC

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Main article: 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)
Iran qualified.

CAF

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Main article: 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)
Tunisia qualified.

CONCACAF

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Main article: 1977 CONCACAF Championship
Mexico qualified.

CONMEBOL

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Main article: 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)

First round

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Group 1
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RankTeamPtsPldWDLGFGAGD
1  Brazil6422081+7
2  Paraguay44121330
3  Colombia2402218−7
Group 2
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RankTeamPtsPldWDLGFGAGD
1  Bolivia7431083+5
2  Uruguay4412154+1
3  Venezuela1401328−6
Group 3
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RankTeamPtsPldWDLGFGAGD
1  Peru6422082+6
2  Chile5421153+2
3  Ecuador1401319−8

Final round

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RankTeamPtsPldWDLGFGAGD
1  Brazil4220090+9
2  Peru2210151+4
3  Bolivia02002013−13

Brazil and Peru qualified.Bolivia advanced to the inter-confederation play-offs.

UEFA

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Main article: 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)
Group 1Group 2Group 3

PosTeam
PldPts
1  Poland611
2  Portugal69
3  Denmark64
4  Cyprus60
Source: [citation needed]

PosTeam
PldPts
1  Italy610
2  England610
3  Finland64
4  Luxembourg60
Source: [citation needed]

PosTeam
PldPts
1  Austria610
2  East Germany69
3  Turkey65
4  Malta60
Source: [citation needed]
Group 4Group 5Group 6

PosTeam
PldPts
1  Netherlands611
2  Belgium66
3  Northern Ireland65
4  Iceland62
Source: [citation needed]

PosTeam
PldPts
1  France45
2  Bulgaria44
3  Republic of Ireland43
Source: [citation needed]

PosTeam
PldPts
1  Sweden46
2  Norway44
3   Switzerland42
Source: [citation needed]
Group 7Group 8Group 9

PosTeam
PldPts
1  Scotland46
2  Czechoslovakia44
3  Wales42
Source: [citation needed]

PosTeam
PldPts
1  Spain46
2  Romania44
3  Yugoslavia42
Source: [citation needed]

PosTeam
PldPts
1  Hungary45
2  Soviet Union44
3  Greece43
Source: [citation needed]

Hungary advanced to the UEFA–CONMEBOL play-off.

Inter-confederation play-offs: UEFA v CONMEBOL

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Main article: 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA–CONMEBOL play-off)

The teams would play against each other on a home-and-away basis. The winner would qualify.

Team 1Agg.Tooltip Aggregate scoreTeam 21st leg2nd leg
Hungary  9–2  Bolivia6–03–2

Qualified teams

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Final qualification status
  Country qualified for World Cup
  Country failed to qualify
  Country did not enter World Cup
  Country not a FIFA member

The following 16 teams qualified for the 1978 FIFA World Cup:

TeamDate of qualificationFinals appearanceStreakLast appearance
 Argentina (Hosts)6 July 19667th21974
 Austria30 October 19774th11958
 Brazil14 July 197711th111974
 France16 November 19777th11966
 Hungary30 November 19777th11966
 Iran25 November 19771st1–
 Italy3 December 19779th51974
 Mexico19 October 19778th11970
 Netherlands26 October 19774th21974
 Peru17 July 19773rd11970
 Poland21 September 19773rd21974
 Scotland12 October 19774th21974
 Spain30 November 19775th11966
 Sweden30 October 19777th31974
 Tunisia11 December 19771st1–
 West Germany (Defending champions)7 July 19749th71974

Top goalscorers

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9 goals
7 goals
6 goals

Notes

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  • 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.
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