Start date 1970 Goals scored 542 | Teams 75 Matches played 172 | |
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Similar 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification, 1962 FIFA World Cup qualification, 1950 FIFA World Cup qualification, 1934 FIFA World Cup qualification, 1938 FIFA World Cup qualification | ||
1970 fifa world cup qualification
A total of 75 teams entered the 1970 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, competing for a total of 16 spots in the final tournament. Hosts Mexico and defending champions England qualified automatically, leaving 14 spots open for competition.
Contents
- 1970 fifa world cup qualification
- Europe UEFA
- South America CONMEBOL
- North Central America and Caribbean CONCACAF
- Africa CAF
- First Round
- Second Round
- Asia and Oceania AFCOFC
- References
For the first time, the winners of both the African zone and the Asian and Oceanian zone were guaranteed a direct place in the final tournament. The 16 spots available in the 1970 World Cup would be distributed among the continental zones as follows:
A total of 68 teams played in at least one qualifying match. A total of 172 qualifying matches were played, and 542 goals were scored (an average of 3.15 per match).
Listed below are the dates and results of the qualification rounds.
Key:
Europe (UEFA)
(30 teams competing for 8 berths)
FIFA rejected the entry of Albania and both Iceland and Malta withdrew before the draw. The remaining 29 teams were divided into 8 groups of 3 or 4 teams each (three groups with 3 teams and five groups with 4 teams). The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners would qualify.
South America (CONMEBOL)
The 10 teams were divided into 3 groups; two groups with 3 teams and one group with 4 teams. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners would qualify.
Peru qualified.
This has been to date, the only time that Argentina failed to qualify.
Brazil qualified.
Uruguay qualified.
North, Central America and Caribbean (CONCACAF)
FIFA rejected the entry of Cuba. There would be three rounds of play:
United States advanced to the Semifinal Round.
Haiti advanced to the Semifinal Round.
Honduras advanced to the Semifinal Round.
El Salvador advanced to the Semifinal Round.
Haiti advanced to the Final Round.
El Salvador and Honduras finished level on points, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would advance to the Final Round.
El Salvador advanced to the Final Round. Additionally, these matches featured prominently in the Football War.
El Salvador and Haiti finished level on points, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would qualify.
El Salvador qualified.
Africa (CAF)
FIFA rejected the entries of Guinea and Democratic Republic of the Congo. There would be three rounds of play:
First Round
The aggregate score was tied 6–6, but Sudan advanced to the Second Round as they scored more goals in the second match.
The aggregate score was tied 2–2, and since extra time was not played in the second match, a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would advance to the Second Round.
Morocco advanced to the Second Round, via the play-off.
Tunisia advanced to the Second Round.
Nigeria advanced to the Second Round.
Ethiopia advanced to the Second Round.
Second Round
The aggregate score was tied 0–0, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would advance to the Final Round.
Morocco advanced to the Final Round, by winning a coin toss.
Sudan advanced to the Final Round.
Nigeria advanced to the Final Round.
Morocco qualified.
Asia and Oceania (AFC/OFC)
North Korea withdrew before the matches were played as they refused to play Israel. There would be three rounds of play:
Australia advanced to the Second Round.
Australia and Rhodesia finished level on points, and a play-off was played to decide who would advance to the Final Round.
Australia advanced to the Final Round.
Israel advanced to the Final Round. North Korea, despite their good performance in the previous tournament staged in England in 1966, refused to play in Israel.
Israel qualified.