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)

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

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

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

CONCACAF
Main article: 1977 CONCACAF Championship
Mexico qualified.

CONMEBOL
Main article: 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)
Group 1
Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Brazil 6422081+7
2  Paraguay 44121330
3  Colombia 2402218−7
Group 2
Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Bolivia 7431083+5
2  Uruguay 4412154+1
3  Venezuela 1401328−6
Group 3
Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Peru 6422082+6
2  Chile 5421153+2
3  Ecuador 1401319−8

Final round
Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Brazil 4220090+9
2  Peru 2210151+4
3  Bolivia 02002013−13

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

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

Pos Team Pld Pts
1  Poland 6 11
2  Portugal 6 9
3  Denmark 6 4
4  Cyprus 6 0
Source:

Pos Team Pld Pts
1  Italy 6 10
2  England 6 10
3  Finland 6 4
4  Luxembourg 6 0
Source:

Pos Team Pld Pts
1  Austria 6 10
2  East Germany 6 9
3  Turkey 6 5
4  Malta 6 0
Source:
Group 4 Group 5 Group 6

Pos Team Pld Pts
1  Netherlands 6 11
2  Belgium 6 6
3  Northern Ireland 6 5
4  Iceland 6 2
Source:

Pos Team Pld Pts
1  France 4 5
2  Bulgaria 4 4
3  Republic of Ireland 4 3
Source:

Pos Team Pld Pts
1  Sweden 4 6
2  Norway 4 4
3   Switzerland 4 2
Source:
Group 7 Group 8 Group 9

Pos Team Pld Pts
1  Scotland 4 6
2  Czechoslovakia 4 4
3  Wales 4 2
Source:

Pos Team Pld Pts
1  Spain 4 6
2  Romania 4 4
3  Yugoslavia 4 2
Source:

Pos Team Pld Pts
1  Hungary 4 5
2  Soviet Union 4 4
3  Greece 4 3
Source:

Hungary advanced to the UEFA–CONMEBOL play-off.

Inter-confederation play-offs: UEFA v CONMEBOL
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 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Hungary  9–2  Bolivia 6–0 3–2

Qualified teams
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:

Team Date of qualification Finals appearance Streak Last appearance
 Argentina (Hosts) 6 July 19667th21974
 Austria 30 October 19774th11958
 Brazil 14 July 197711th111974
 France 16 November 19777th11966
 Hungary 30 November 19777th11966
 Iran 25 November 19771st1–
 Italy 3 December 19779th51974
 Mexico 19 October 19778th11970
 Netherlands 26 October 19774th21974
 Peru 17 July 19773rd11970
 Poland 21 September 19773rd21974
 Scotland 12 October 19774th21974
 Spain 30 November 19775th11966
 Sweden 30 October 19777th31974
 Tunisia 11 December 19771st1–
 West Germany (Defending champions) 7 July 19749th71974

Top goalscorers
9 goals
7 goals
6 goals

Notes
  • 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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