1978 FIFA World Cup qualification
For the World Cup tournament in Argentina in 1978, a total of 106 associations had been reported, including
- 32 teams from Europe,
- 26 teams from Africa ( four withdrew )
- 19 teams from Asia ( four withdrew )
- 10 teams from South America,
- 17 teams from North and Central America ( withdrawal of Honduras) and
- 2 teams from Oceania.
As defending champion Germany and host Argentina were directly qualified for the Round of 16 and withdrew nine teams prior to the audition, were available for the remaining 95 teams 14 free finals spaces available. They were distributed as follows:
* Hungary won the intercontinental play-off against the team of Bolivia.
Although eight teams retreated to a total of 95 teams participating in the World Cup qualifiers, which represented a new record.
- 2.1 First Round 2.1.1 Group 1
- 2.1.2 Group 2
- 2.1.3 Group 3
- 3.1 First Round 3.1.1 North American zone
- 3.1.2 Central American zone
- 3.1.3 Caribbean Zone 3.1.3.1 Group A
- 3.1.3.2 Group B
- 4.1 First Round 4.1.1 Group 1 / Southeast Asia
- 4.1.2 Group 2 / East Asia
- 4.1.3 Group 3 / Southwest Asia
- 4.1.4 Group 4 / Arabia
- 4.1.5 Group 5 / Oceania
- 5.1 Preliminary
- 5.2 First Round 5.2.1 Group A
- 5.2.2 Group B
- 5.2.3 Group C
- 5.3.1 Group A
- 5.3.2 Group B
- 5.3.3 Group C
- 5.4.1 Group A
- 5.4.2 Group B
- 5.4.3 Group C
European Zone / UEFA
31 teams played in four groups of four and five groups of three to eight or nine finals places. From the Groups 1-8 each of the first place winner for the World Cup finals, the winner of Group 9 had to play two playoff games against the third party of the South American qualifiers for the last free final space qualified. Federal Republic of Germany qualified automatically as defending champions.
Group 1
Match Results
Group 2
Match Results
Group 3
Match Results
Group 4
Match Results
Group 5
Match Results
Group 6
Match Results
Group 7
Match Results
Group 8
Match Results
Group 9
Match Results
Hungary thus qualified for the play- off matches against Bolivia.
South American zone / CONMEBOL
In the first game of a total of nine teams in three groups of three. The three group winners played in the second round in a further group of three two championship courses start from. However, the group last had the chance to also qualify through a play-off against the winner of the European Group 9 for the World Cup finals. Hosts Argentina Argentina was automatically qualified for the World Cup.
First round
Group 1
Match Results
Group 2
Match Results
Group 3
Match Results
Second Round
Tournament in Cali, Colombia Match Results
Brazil and Peru qualified directly for the World Cup finals, Bolivia had a play-off against Hungary deny.
North, Central American and Caribbean Zone / CONCACAF
A total of 16 teams took part in the qualifying in the CONCACAF zone. Three teams from the North American zone, four teams from the Central American zone and nine teams from the Caribbean zone determined first in the first round two participants for the Second Round. This was played in a tournament in Mexico, the winner qualified for the finals of the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.
First round
North American zone
Match Results
Decision-making
Notes:
Central American zone
Match Results
Caribbean zone
Group A
First round
2nd round
Group B
Trials
First round
2nd round
Second Round
Match Results
Asian Zone / AFC and Oceanian Zone / OFC
First round
Group 1 / Southeast Asia
All games were held in Singapore.
Match Results
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka renounced
Decision-making
Group 2 / East Asia
Match Results
Israel Israel played for political reasons in the East Asian group. North Korea North Korea renounced
Group 3 / Southwest Asia
Match Results
1 Syria joined for political reasons not to Iran. FIFA awarded the match 2-0 to Iran. Iraq 1963 Iraq renounced
Group 4 / Arabia
All games were held in Doha in Qatar.
Match Results
United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates waived
Group 5 / Oceania
Match Results
Second Round
Match Results
African Zone / CAF
At the African World Cup qualifiers participated 26 teams. The qualification was first played in three rounds and three groups in the knockout system, then the three remaining teams played in a group, in home and away matches of the World Cup participants. The group winners of the Fourth Round qualified for the World Cup finals in Argentina.
Preliminary round
First round
Group A
Group B
Group C
Second Round
Group A
Group B
Group C
Third Round
Group A
Group B
Group C
Fourth Round
Match Results