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1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)

Listed below are the dates and results for the qualification to the 1978 FIFA World Cup rounds for the European zone (UEFA) in association football. For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification.

A total of 32 UEFA teams entered the competition. The European zone was allocated 9.5 places (out of 16) in the final tournament. West Germany, the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 8.5 spots open for competition between 31 teams.

The 31 teams were divided into 9 groups of 3 or 4 teams each (five groups with 3 teams and four groups with 4 teams). The teams would play against each other on a home-and-away basis. The winners of groups 1 to 8 would qualify, the winner of group 9 would advance to the UEFA / CONMEBOL Intercontinental Play-off.

Summary

Below is a table containing all nine qualifying groups. Teams that qualified and secured a place in the final tournament are highlighted in green, while teams who were eliminated are highlighted in red. The team that secured a place in the UEFA / CONMEBOL Intercontinental Play-off is highlighted in blue. Teams are ordered by final group position.

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6 Group 7 Group 8 Group 9
Poland Italy Austria Netherlands France Sweden Scotland Spain Hungary
Portugal
Denmark
Cyprus 		England
Finland
Luxembourg 		East Germany
Turkey
Malta 		Belgium
Northern Ireland
Iceland 		Bulgaria
Republic of Ireland 		Norway
Switzerland 		Czechoslovakia
Wales 		Romania
Yugoslavia 		Soviet Union
Greece

Key:

Group 1

Main article: 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 1
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Poland 6 5 1 0 17 4 +13 11
2 Portugal 6 4 1 1 12 6 +6 9
3 Denmark 6 2 0 4 14 12 +2 4
4 Cyprus 6 0 0 6 3 24 −21 0
Source:

Group 2

Main article: 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 2
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Italy 6 5 0 1 18 4 +14 10
2 England 6 5 0 1 15 4 +11 10
3 Finland 6 2 0 4 11 16 −5 4
4 Luxembourg 6 0 0 6 2 22 −20 0
Source:

Group 3

Main article: 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 3
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Austria 6 4 2 0 14 2 +12 10
2 East Germany 6 3 3 0 15 4 +11 9
3 Turkey 6 2 1 3 9 5 +4 5
4 Malta 6 0 0 6 0 27 −27 0
Source:

Group 4

Main article: 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 4
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Netherlands 6 5 1 0 11 3 +8 11
2 Belgium 6 3 0 3 7 6 +1 6
3 Northern Ireland 6 2 1 3 7 6 +1 5
4 Iceland 6 1 0 5 2 12 −10 2
Source:

Group 5

Main article: 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 5
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 France 4 2 1 1 7 4 +3 5
2 Bulgaria 4 1 2 1 5 6 −1 4
3 Republic of Ireland 4 1 1 2 2 4 −2 3
Source:

Group 6

Main article: 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 6
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Sweden 4 3 0 1 7 4 +3 6
2 Norway 4 2 0 2 3 4 −1 4
3 Switzerland 4 1 0 3 3 5 −2 2
Source:

Group 7

Main article: 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 7
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Scotland 4 3 0 1 6 3 +3 6
2 Czechoslovakia 4 2 0 2 4 6 −2 4
3 Wales 4 1 0 3 3 4 −1 2
Source:

Group 8

Main article: 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 8
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Spain 4 3 0 1 4 1 +3 6
2 Romania 4 2 0 2 7 8 −1 4
3 Yugoslavia 4 1 0 3 6 8 −2 2
Source:

Group 9

Main article: 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 9
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Hungary 4 2 1 1 6 4 +2 5
2 Soviet Union 4 2 0 2 5 3 +2 4
3 Greece 4 1 1 2 2 6 −4 3
Source:

Hungary advanced to the UEFA–CONMEBOL play-off.

Inter-confederation play-offs

Main article: 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA–CONMEBOL play-off)
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Poland 6 5 1 0 17 4 +13 11
2 Portugal 6 4 1 1 12 6 +6 9
3 Denmark 6 2 0 4 14 12 +2 4
4 Cyprus 6 0 0 6 3 24 −21 0
Source:
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Italy 6 5 0 1 18 4 +14 10
2 England 6 5 0 1 15 4 +11 10
3 Finland 6 2 0 4 11 16 −5 4
4 Luxembourg 6 0 0 6 2 22 −20 0
Source:
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Austria 6 4 2 0 14 2 +12 10
2 East Germany 6 3 3 0 15 4 +11 9
3 Turkey 6 2 1 3 9 5 +4 5
4 Malta 6 0 0 6 0 27 −27 0
Source:
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Netherlands 6 5 1 0 11 3 +8 11
2 Belgium 6 3 0 3 7 6 +1 6
3 Northern Ireland 6 2 1 3 7 6 +1 5
4 Iceland 6 1 0 5 2 12 −10 2
Source:
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 France 4 2 1 1 7 4 +3 5
2 Bulgaria 4 1 2 1 5 6 −1 4
3 Republic of Ireland 4 1 1 2 2 4 −2 3
Source:
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Sweden 4 3 0 1 7 4 +3 6
2 Norway 4 2 0 2 3 4 −1 4
3 Switzerland 4 1 0 3 3 5 −2 2
Source:
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Scotland 4 3 0 1 6 3 +3 6
2 Czechoslovakia 4 2 0 2 4 6 −2 4
3 Wales 4 1 0 3 3 4 −1 2
Source:
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Spain 4 3 0 1 4 1 +3 6
2 Romania 4 2 0 2 7 8 −1 4
3 Yugoslavia 4 1 0 3 6 8 −2 2
Source:
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Hungary 4 2 1 1 6 4 +2 5
2 Soviet Union 4 2 0 2 5 3 +2 4
3 Greece 4 1 1 2 2 6 −4 3
Source:
Team 1 Agg. Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Hungary 9–2 Bolivia 6–0 3–2

Goalscorers

9 goals
7 goals
5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
1 own goal
  • Hungary László Bálint (playing against the Soviet Union)
  • Spain Gregorio Benito (playing against Romania)
  • Wales Ian Evans (playing against Scotland)

See also

References

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