1990 FIFA World Cup qualification

Qualification for Soccer World Cup 1990

The qualifying matches for the World Cup the men in 1990 were held until November 19, 1989 April 17, 1988. 110 countries were started in the World Cup qualifiers, only 22 teams remained at the end of qualifying left. Argentina as the defending champion, Italy set as host, completed the field of finalists. All qualification options include either the Championship or the Cup system.

For the World Cup tournament in Italy in 1990, a total of 112 teams had been reported, including

33 teams from Europe
10 teams from South America
15 teams from North and Central America
24 teams from Africa
25 teams from Asia
5 teams from Oceania with Israel and Taiwan

Qualified teams

Since Argentina was set to defend his title and Italy to host the 1990 finals, were available for the remaining 110 teams 22 free finals spaces available.

The withdrawal of six teams and the suspension of Mexico by the FIFA, the number of countries participating in the qualifiers teams reduced to 103

European Zone / UEFA

32 teams determined in four groups of five and three groups of four WM 13 finalists. All group winners and runners-up of all five groups were qualified for the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Of the three runners-up of the four groups, only the two most points for the World Cup 1990. Qualified Without qualifiers came in 14th European representative added yet hosts Italy.

Group 1

19/10/88 19/10/88 11/02/88 11/02/88 26/04/89 26/04/89

Greece - Denmark Bulgaria - Romania Denmark - Bulgaria Romania - Greece Bulgaria - Denmark Greece - Romania

17/05/89 17/05/89 11/10/89 11/10/89 11/15/89 11/15/89

Denmark - Greece Romania - Bulgaria Bulgaria - Greece Denmark - Romania Romania - Denmark Greece - Bulgaria

Group 2

19/10/88 19/10/88 11/05/88 08/03/89 26/04/89 05/07/89

Poland - Albania England - Sweden Albania - Sweden Albania - England England - Albania Sweden - Poland

03/06/89 06/09/89 08/10/89 11/10/89 10/25/89 11/15/89

England - Poland Sweden - England Sweden - Albania Poland - England Poland - Sweden Albania - Poland

Group 3

Iceland - Soviet Union Turkey - Iceland Soviet Union - Austria DDR - Iceland Austria - Turkey Turkey - DDR DDR - Turkey Soviet Union - DDR Turkey - Soviet Union DDR - Austria

1:1 1:1 2-0 2-0 3:2 3:1 0:2 3-0 0:1 1:1

Soviet Union - Iceland Iceland - Austria Austria - Iceland Iceland - DDR Austria - Soviet Union Iceland - Turkey East Germany - Soviet Union Turkey - Austria Soviet Union - Turkey Austria - DDR

1:1 0:0 2:1 0:3 0:0 2:1 2:1 3-0 2-0 3-0

Group 4

31/08/88 09/14/88 19/10/88 19/10/88 26/04/89 31/05/89

Finland - Germany Netherlands - Wales Germany - Netherlands Wales - Finland Netherlands - Germany Wales - Germany

31/05/89 06/09/89 10/04/89 11/10/89 11/15/89 11/15/89

Finland - The Netherlands Finland - Wales Germany - Finland Wales - Netherlands Germany - Wales Netherlands - Finland

Group 5

Norway - Scotland France - Norway Scotland - Yugoslavia Cyprus - France Cyprus - Norway Yugoslavia - France Yugoslavia - Cyprus Cyprus - Scotland Scotland - France Scotland - Cyprus

1:2 1-0 1:1 1:1 0:3 3:2 4-0 2:3 2-0 2:1

France - Yugoslavia Norway - Cyprus Norway - Yugoslavia Norway - France Yugoslavia - Scotland Yugoslavia - Norway France - Scotland Cyprus - Yugoslavia Scotland - Norway France - Cyprus

0:0 3:1 1:2 1:1 3:1 1-0 3-0 1:2 1:1 2-0

Group 6

Northern Ireland - Malta Northern Ireland - Ireland Hungary - Northern Ireland Spain - Ireland Malta - Hungary Spain - Northern Ireland Malta - Spain Northern Ireland - Spain Hungary - Ireland Spain - Malta

3-0 0:0 1-0 2-0 2:2 4-0 0:2 0:2 0:0 4-0

Hungary - Malta Malta - Northern Ireland Ireland - Spain Ireland - Malta Ireland - Hungary Northern Ireland - Hungary Hungary - Spain Ireland - Northern Ireland Spain - Hungary Malta - Ireland

1:1 0:2 1-0 2-0 2-0 1:2 2:2 3-0 4-0 0:2

Group 7

Luxembourg - Switzerland Luxembourg - CSSR Belgium - Switzerland Portugal - Luxembourg CSSR - Belgium Portugal - Belgium Portugal - Switzerland Belgium - CSSR CSSR - Luxembourg Luxembourg - Belgium

1:4 0:2 1-0 1-0 0:0 1:1 3:1 2:1 4-0 0:5

Switzerland - CSSR Belgium - Portugal Switzerland - Portugal CSSR - Portugal Luxembourg - Portugal Switzerland - Belgium CSSR - Switzerland Belgium - Luxembourg Portugal - CSSR Switzerland - Luxembourg

0:1 3-0 1:2 2:1 0:3 2:2 3-0 1:1 0:0 2:1

South American zone / CONMEBOL

Nine teams played in three groups of three. The two most points group winners were qualified directly for the 1990 World Cup in Italy. The weakest group winners had in a playoff against the Oceania winner. The winner of that playoff was also qualified for the 1990 World Cup. Without qualifiers nor was added defending champion Argentina.

Group 1

08/20/89 27/08/89 03/09/89 10/09/89 09/17/89 09/24/89

Bolivia - Peru Peru - Uruguay Bolivia - Uruguay Peru - Bolivia Uruguay - Bolivia Uruguay - Peru

Group 2

08/20/89 27/08/89 03/09/89 10/09/89 09/17/89 09/24/89

Kolumbiem - Ecuador Paraguay - Colombia Ecuador - Colombia Paraguay - Ecuador Colombia - Paraguay Ecuador - Paraguay

Group 3

07/30/89 08/06/89 08/13/89 08/20/89 27/08/89 03/09/89

Venezuela - Brazil Venezuela - Chile Chile - Brazil Brazil - Venezuela Chile - Venezuela Brazil - Chile

Intercontinental Playoffs

North, Central American and Caribbean Zone / CONCACAF

In the first preliminary round round five participants were determined for the second preliminary round round of 10 teams through five playoff pairings, five more teams were without a fight by a bye in round two. The five winners of the five playoff pairings for the second round moved into the CONCACAF finals. The group winners and runners-up of the CONCACAF finals qualified for the 1990 World Cup in Italy.

Trials Rounds:

CONCACAF - Final

03/19/89 04/02/89 04/16/89 30/04/89 05/13/89 28/05/89 11/06/89 06/17/89 25/06/89 16/07/89

Guatemala - Costa Rica Costa Rica - Guatemala Costa Rica - United States USA - Costa Rica USA - Trinidad & Tobago Trinidad & T. - Costa Rica Costa Rica - Trinidad & T. USA - Guatemala El Salvador - Costa Rica Costa Rica - El Salvador

1-0 2:1 1-0 1-0 1:1 1:1 1-0 2:1 2:4 1-0

07/30/89 08/13/89 08/20/89 03/09/89 09/17/89 08/10/89 05/11/89 19/11/89 - -

Trinidad & T. - El Salvador El Salvador - Trinidad & T. Guatemala - Trinidad & T. Trinidad & T. - Guatemala El Salvador - USA Guatemala - USA U.S. - El Salvador Trinidad & Tobago - USA Guatemala - El Salvador El Salvador - Guatemala

2-0 0:0 0:1 2:1 0:1 0:0 0:0 0:1 - -

Asian Zone / AFC

22 teams played in the first round in six groups. The six group winners qualified for the Asia - finals in Singapore. The group winners and runners- Asia finals qualified for the 1990 World Cup in Italy.

Group 1

06/01/89 06/01/89 01/13/89 01/13/89 20/01/89 20/01/89

Qatar - Jordan Oman - Iraq Oman - Qatar Jordan - Iraq Qatar - Iraq Jordan - Oman

27/01/89 27/01/89 02/03/89 02/03/89 02/10/89 02/10/89

Jordan - Qatar Iraq - Oman Qatar - Oman Iraq - Jordan Oman - Jordan Iraq - Qatar

Group 2

10/03/89 15/03/89 03/20/89 25/03/89 03/30/89 05/04/89

North Yemen - Syria Saudi Arabia - Syria North Yemen - Saudi Arabia Syria - North Yemen Syria - Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia - North Yemen

Group 3

06/01/89 01/13/89 20/01/89 27/01/89 02/03/89 02/10/89

Pakistan - Kuwait Kuwait - United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates - Pakistan Kuwait - Pakistan United Arab Emirates - Kuwait Pakistan - United Arab Emirates

Group 4

05/23/89 05/23/89 25/05/89 25/05/89 05/27/89 05/27/89

Nepal - Malaysia South Korea - Singapore South Korea - Nepal Malaysia - Singapore Nepal - Singapore South Korea - Malaysia

0:2 3-0 9:0 1-0 0:3 3-0

03/06/89 03/06/89 05/06/89 05/06/89 07/06/89 07/06/89

Singapore - Malaysia Nepal - South Korea Malaysia - South Korea Singapore - Nepal Singapore - South Korea Malaysia - Nepal

2:2 0:4 0:3 7:0 0:3 3-0

Group 5

02/19/89 23/02/89 23/02/89 02/27/89 28/02/89 03/04/89

' Thailand - Bangladesh China - Bangladesh Thailand - Iran Bangladesh - Iran Thailand - China Bangladesh - China

08/03/89 17/03/89 03/30/89 15/07/89 22/07/89 29/07/89

Bangladesh - Thailand Iran - Bangladesh Iran - Thailand China - Iran Iran - China China - Thailand

Group 6

05/21/89 05/22/89 05/27/89 28/05/89 06/04/89 06/04/89

Indonesia - North Korea Hong Kong - Japan Hong Kong - North Korea Indonesia - Japan Hong Kong - Indonesia Japan - North Korea

11/06/89 06/18/89 25/06/89 25/06/89 07/02/89 09/07/89

Japan - Indonesia Japan - Hong Kong North Korea - Japan Indonesia - Hong Kong North Korea - Hong Kong North Korea - Indonesia

Asia finals

United Arab Emirates - North Korea China - Saudi Arabia South Korea - Qatar Qatar - Saudi Arabia South Korea - North Korea China - United Arab Emirates South Korea - China

0:0 2:1 0:0 1:1 1-0 1:2 1-0

North Korea - Qatar United Arab Emirates - Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates - Qatar China - North Korea South Korea - Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates - South Korea * Saudi Arabia - North Korea * Qatar - China

2-0 0:0 1:1 1-0 2-0 1:1 2-0 2:1

Tournament in Singapore; * two games in Malaysia

African Zone / CAF

Eight teams have had in the first round byes, three further benefited from the withdrawal of three teams. Ten teams went to the playoffs five of the first round, the five winners also qualified for the group matches of the second round. The second round was played in four groups of four. The four group winners qualified for the two playoff pairings for the third round. The two winners of the playoffs qualified for the 1990 World Cup in Italy.

1st round:

2nd round:

Group A

06/01/89 08/01/89 20/01/89

Algeria - Zimbabwe Ivory Coast - Libya Libya - Algeria Libya withdrew; Unrated games

22/01/89 11/06/89 25/06/89 08/13/89 25/08/89

Zimbabwe - Ivory Coast Ivory Coast - Algeria Zimbabwe - Algeria Ivory Coast - Zimbabwe Algeria - Ivory Coast

Group B

06/01/89 07/01/89 21/01/89 22/01/89 10/06/89 11/06/89

Egypt - Liberia Kenya - Malawi Malawi - Egypt Liberia - Kenya Kenya - Egypt Liberia - Malawi

06/24/89 25/06/89 08/11/89 08/12/89 26/08/89 26/08/89

Malawi - Kenya Liberia - Egypt Egypt - Malawi Kenya - Liberia Egypt - Kenya Malawi - Liberia

Group C

07/01/89 08/01/89 22/01/89 22/01/89 10/06/89 11/06/89

Nigeria - Gabon Cameroon - Angola Gabon - Cameroon Angola - Nigeria Nigeria - Cameroon Angola - Gabon

25/06/89 25/06/89 08/12/89 08/13/89 27/08/89 27/08/89

Angola - Cameroon Gabon - Nigeria Nigeria - Angola Cameroon - Gabon Cameroon - Nigeria Gabon - Angola

Group D

08/01/89 08/01/89 22/01/89 22/01/89 11/06/89 11/06/89

Morocco - Zambia Zaire - Tunisia Tunisia - Morocco Zambia - Zaire Zaire - Morocco Zambia - Tunisia

25/06/89 25/06/89 08/13/89 08/13/89 27/08/89 27/08/89

Zambia - Morocco Tunisia - Zaire Morocco - Tunisia Zaire - Zambia Morocco - Zaire Tunisia - Zambia

3rd round:

Oceanic zone / OFC

Only three teams from Oceania participated in qualifying for the 1990 World Cup. From political motives Taiwan and Israel were assigned to the Oceania group. The Oceania winner yet also had to a playoff against the weakest group winners of all three South American triplets contest. Only the winner of this duel intercontinental qualifying final for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy.

First round

2nd round

03/05/89 03/12/89 03/19/89 04/02/89 09/04/89 04/16/89

Israel - New Zealand Australia - New Zealand Israel - Australia New Zealand - Australia New Zealand - Israel Australia - Israel

Intercontinental Playoffs

Football World Cup 1990
Football in 1989
Football in 1988

Oceania Football Confederation Antigua and Barbuda

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