Wordl Cup Qualifiers
Group 1
This
Group appeared to be a formality for Germany and Sweden as two teams were
guaranteed to qualify, with Finland and Estonia posing no threat.
The
Germans and Swedes comfortably defeated Finland and Estonia ahead of their
inconsequential clash on November 21st, 1937 in Hamburg.
In
Germany’s win over Estonia (4-1) on August 29th, 1937, it has been
reported that the Match Referee the Sudeten-German (Czechoslovakian), awarded
Germany’s goal in the 51st minute after the corner kick hit the post
and rebounded off the field. He also impeded the Estonian goalkeeper three
times (with the Germans scoring each time).
The
Germans demolished a below strength (7 debutants) Swedish squad (5-0) to win
the Group and qualify with Sweden.
 |
Photo
From: Deutschlands Fussball Landerspiele, Eine Dokumentation von 1908-1989
(Germany squad, November 21, 1937, World Cup
Qualifier, Germany 5-Sweden 0) |
Group 2
Norway
eliminated the Irish Free State after two hard fought matches that yielded many
goals (3-2 in Oslo) and (3-3 in Dublin).
Norway
used the backbone of the 1936 Olympics side that had finished third. Neither
team had ever met one another before in International play.
In Oslo, Norway were dominant and felt the scoreline
should have been wider.
The
sports paper ‘Sportsmanden’ printed the following headline:
'37 chances gave 3 Norwegian goals'.
In
the match at Oslo, the Swedish FIFA observer, Anton Johanson, had protested
that Ireland’s James Dunne might be ineligible on the grounds that he had
played for the IFA, who were not members of FIFA. The Norwegian secretary was
so confident of FIFA’s decision that he stated the return leg would rank only
as a friendly.
The
FAI Secretary Joe Wickham contacted FIFA and the selectors went ahead and chose
Dunne for the game in Dublin before word came that Norway had decided to take
no action on the protest that 'had been suggested to them'.
In
the match at Dublin, for the first time in a FIFA competition the two teams
used numbered shirts.
 |
Photo
From: IFFHS-Norge (1908-1940), Suomi
(1911-1940)-Essti (1920-1940)
(October 10, 1937, World Cup Qualifier, Norway
3-Irish Free State 2) |
Group 3
Poland
eliminated Yugoslavia in this Group. Poland had taken a comfortable (4-0) lead
in the first leg on October 10, 1937 in Warszawa.
The
return leg was nearly six months later on April 2nd, 1938 at
Belgrade. Yugoslavia’s narrow (1-0) win was insufficient as Poland qualified
for its First ever World Cup.
 |
Photo
From: (Magazine Source unknown) / Contribution From a blog viewer (special
thanks to Christopher Lash) (@rightbankwarsaw)
(October 10, 1937, World Cup Qualifier, Poland
4-Yugoslavia 0) |
Group 4
African
representative Egypt were drawn against European representatives of Romania.
The
home and away series were scheduled for December 1937 (or February 1938 in some
sources).
However,
Egypt withdrew in November 1937 and therefore Romania qualified for the World
Cup without kicking a ball.
Group 5
Switzerland
and Portugal were to play one another in a single play-off match just over a
month before the World Cup on May 1st, 1938 at the neutral venue of
Milan in Italy.
Switzerland
defeated the Portugese (2-1) and qualified for the World Cup.
It was reported that the Milan crowd were hostile to Switzerland for
political reasons.
The Portuguese under the Salazar regime made the
Fascist salute to the Milan crowd, while the Swiss just yelled ‘hip, hip, hourrah, as
tradition dictated at the time.
The
crowd jeered them as a result.
Benito
Mussolini and Adolf Hitler were both in the stands.
 |
Photo
From: L'Equipe de Suisse, Authors Guy Balibouse, Roger Felix, Pierre Tripod,
1993
(May 1, 1938, World Cup Qualifier, Switzerland
2-Portugal 1) |
Group 6
Hungary
were favorites in a Group along with Greece and Palestine. Greece had
eliminated Palestine in home and away series.
The
Greeks had to face Hungary in a play-off. Hungary demolished Greece (11-1) on
March 25th, 1938 to qualify for the World Cup.
Group 7
Czechoslovakia
faced Bulgaria for a spot in this Group. The first leg at Sofia ended as a
(1-1) tie on November 7th, 1937.
The
return leg was almost six months later on April 24th, 1938 at
Prague. Czechoslovakia comfortably won (6-0) to qualify for the World Cup.
 |
Photo
From: III Fussballweltmeisterschaft 1938 Frankreich, Author Robert Franta
(April
24, 1938, World Cup Qualifier, Czechoslovakia 6-Bulgaria 0)
|
Group 8
The
Baltic states of Latvia and Lithuania had to face off and the winner was to
face Austria for a play-off.
Latvia
defeated Lithuania (4-2 at home) and (5-1 away).
On
October 5th, 1937, Austria defeated Latvia (2-1) in Vienna to
qualify for the World Cup.
However,
after the ‘Anchluss’ on March 12th, 1938, Austria withdrew from the
World Cup.
Latvia
requested to be included in the World Cup, but FIFA denied this request.
Group 9
Neighboring
Nations Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg were in a Group with two teams
qualifying. It was a formality that Belgium and Holland would qualify.
Both
Holland and Belgium defeated Luxembourg. The match-up between Belgium and
Holland in Antwerp on April 3rd, 1938 was inconsequential and ended
as a (1-1) tie.
 |
Photo
From: IFFHS-Belgique-Belgie (1904-1940)
(Team
captains, April 3, 1938, World Cup Qualifier, Belgium 1-Holland 1)
|
Group 10
Initially
Four nations from the Americas were to qualify.
Peru
had withdrawn in protest stemming back from the 1936 Olympics. On October
2nd, 1937, the Peruvian Football Federation resigned its
FIFA affiliation, three months before the registration term for the 1938
World Cup expired.
The
South American qualifying campaign winner would directly qualify. The other
three would have to play pre-qualification games in French venues. Thus, the
winner of the North-American zone would decide a vacancy against the winner of
the Asian group and the winner from the Central American zone would play
against the second place in South America.
Uruguay
had withdrawn a year prior to the World and other Nations would follow suit.
Only
two Nations sent their registration forms before the deadline; Brazil and
Colombia. Somehow, FIFA officials decided that Colombia would play in Group 11
(Central American Zone, in a Group with El Salvador, Mexico, Cuba and Dutch
Guyana.).
Colombia
eventually withdrew due to lack of funds.
The
Bolivia and Argentina Federations requested FIFA to extend the registration
date. The suit was accepted, but a week before the new deadline expired the
Bolivians withdrew.
Argentina had originally withdrawn on April 3rd,
1937, after not getting the hosting rights. They reconsidered and on October 27th,
1937 registered for the World Cup, provided they did not have to play in
qualification matches.
On November 7th, 1937, FIFA accepted
their registration.
They later re-entered in January 1938.
On
March 5, 1938, the day of the draw for the finals in France, FIFA considered
Brazil as a ranked team and determined that Argentina would have to play a
pre-qualification game against Cuba, winner of the Central American zone in
Bordeaux on May 29th, 1938.
In some sources it is stated that on January 9th,
1938, the Organizing Committee decided that Paris would be
the match's venue on May 31st.
Argentina
appeared to accept the decision. On March 9th,
1938, Argentina’s First Division clubs asked the Association Council, to withdraw
from participating in the World Cup. On March 15th,
the Council insisted upon playing the tournament. On March 22nd,
Argentina ultimately withdrew from the World Cup.
Finally,
on April 10, the Argentina sent a telegram to FIFA saying they were out of the
World Cup. The motive given was ‘solidarity with Uruguay over the Europeans'
boycott of the 1930 World Cup’.
Note:
Some sources state that had Argentina won their qualifying match,
they would play against Romania in a play-off.
FIFA
assigned the South American berth to Brazil, the only Nation from the
continent eager to participate.
Group 11
Mexico were to play Cuba, however, due to a dispute
over funds withdrew. It was also stated that Mexico might have withdrawn
as a show of solidarity with Uruguay and Argentina
USA
scheduled to play Dutch East Indies on May 26th, 1938 in Rotterdam
but withdrew in April 1938.
A
tournament was scheduled in April 1938 between Cuba, Colombia, Costa Rica and
El Salvador, with each tie decided over three legs.
Surinam
(Dutch Guyana) were expelled on April 9th, 1938 for allegedly having
not replied to correspondence from the organizers (they would protest this
decision).
Later
in April 1938, Colombia and El Salvador withdrew, leaving Cuba, Costa Rica and
Surinam.
Surinam
withdrew for lack of funds. They requested to play the match against the Dutch
East Indies that USA had withdrawn from. This request was refused by the FIFA.
Costa
Rica would in turn withdraw.
Cuba
had a walkover, as Argentina also withdrew.
Cuba
became the first country from Central America to qualify for a World Cup.
Group 12
The
Dutch East Indies were to face Japan for a spot in this Group. The place was to
be decided over one match in Saigon on January 1938.
Japan
withdrew leaving the Dutch East Indies to face off against USA in a play-off
scheduled for May 26th, 1938 in Rotterdam.
However,
USA withdrew as well in April 1938 for Financial motives and the Dutch East
Indies qualified without kicking a ball
They
became the first Nation from Asia to qualify for the World Cup.
The
Americans had been hoping to raise funds with the receipts of a match against
an English club. However, the English cancelled the match refusing
to play on a Sunday.
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