A total of 109 teams entered the 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, which began with the preliminary qualification draw on 14 October 1979 at Zürich, competing for a total of 24 spots in the final tournament, an increase from 16 in the previous World Cups. Spain, as the hosts, and Argentina, as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 22 spots open for competition.
The 24 spots available in the 1982 World Cup would be distributed among the continental zones as follows: Europe (UEFA): 14 places, one to automatic qualifier Spain, while the other 13 places were contested by 33 teams (including Israel). South America (CONMEBOL): 4 places, one to automatic qualifier Argentina, while the other 3 places were contested by 9 teams. North, Central America and Caribbean (CONCACAF): 2 places, contested by 15 teams. Africa (CAF): 2 places, contested by 29 teams. Asia and Oceania (AFC and OFC): 2 places, contested by 21 teams.
A total of 103 teams played at least one qualifying match. A total of 306 qualifying matches were played, and 795 goals were scored (an average of 2.60 per match).
This was the last FIFA World Cup qualification that ended in the same year of the tournament until the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification.
Qualified teams
The following 24 teams qualified for the 1982 FIFA World Cup:
Team Method ofqualification Date ofqualification Finalsappearance Lastappearance Consecutivefinalsappearances Previous bestperformance Host 6 July 1966 6th 1978 2 Fourth place (1950) 1978 FIFA World Cup winners 25 June 1978 8th 1978 3 Winners (1978) CONMEBOL Group 1 winners 22 March 1981 12th 1978 12 Winners (1958, 1962, 1970) CONMEBOL Group 3 winners 14 June 1981 6th 1974 1 Third place (1962) CONMEBOL Group 2 winners 6 September 1981 4th 1978 2 Quarter-finals (1970), Second round (1978) UEFA Group 2 winners 9 September 1981 6th 1970 1 First round (1930, 1934, 1938, 1954, 1970) UEFA Group 7 winners 10 October 1981 4th 1978 3 Third place (1974) UEFA Group 6 winners 14 October 1981 5th 1978 3 First round (1954, 1958, 1974, 1978) UEFA Group 1 winners 14 October 1981 10th 1978 8 Winners (1954, 1974) CAF Final round winners 30 October 1981 1st — 1 — UEFA Group 4 winners 31 October 1981 8th 1978 2 Runners-up (1938, 1954) UEFA Group 5 runners-up 14 November 1981 10th 1978 6 Winners (1934, 1938) 1981 CONCACAF Championship champions 16 November 1981 1st — 1 — UEFA Group 4 runners-up 18 November 1981 7th 1970 1 Winners (1966) UEFA Group 6 runners-up 18 November 1981 2nd 1958 1 Quarter-finals (1958) UEFA Group 3 winners 18 November 1981 5th 1970 1 Fourth place (1966) UEFA Group 5 winners 21 November 1981 7th 1974 1 Fourth place (1930, 1962) UEFA Group 1 runners-up 22 November 1981 5th 1978 2 Third place (1954) 1981 CONCACAF Championship runners-up 22 November 1981 2nd 1970 1 First round (1970) CAF Final round winners 29 November 1981 1st — 1 — UEFA Group 3 runners-up 29 November 1981 7th 1970 1 Runners-up (1934, 1962) UEFA Group 2 runners-up 5 December 1981 8th 1978 2 Third place (1958) AFC and OFC Final round winners 14 December 1981 1st — 1 — AFC and OFC Final round play-off winners 10 January 1982 1st — 1 —
Confederation qualification
AFC and OFC
Final Round PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification1641186 +29Final Tournament2631294 +57Playoff36231116 +5746015416−121 New Zealand beat China 2-1 in the Playoff. Kuwait and New Zealand qualified.
CAF
Final Round +PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification122004134Final Tournament2200214 -30 PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification122004134Final Tournament2200214 -30 Algeria and Cameroon qualified.
CONCACAF
PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification1532081 +78Final Tournament2522121 +16Final Tournament3513163 +354513166055512248−446502329−72 Honduras and El Salvador qualified.
CONMEBOL
Group 1 RankTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification14400112 +98Final Tournament2410356−123410319−82
Group 2 RankTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification1422052 +36Final Tournament2412155043402247−32
Group 3 RankTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification1431060 +67Final Tournament2411225−333410336−32 Group 1 – Brazil qualified. Group 2 – Peru qualified. Group 3 – Chile qualified.
UEFA
Group 1 RankTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification1168800333 +30Final Tournament2118512166 +10Final Tournament3984131110 +1428107422−18528107427−23
Group 2 RankTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification1118512129 +3Final Tournament2108503208 +12Final Tournament31084221711 +6498413117 +4508008429−25
Group 3 RankTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification1148620202 +18Final Tournament2108422156 +9Final Tournament3108422127 +54682241021−11508008122−21
Group 4 RankTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification1108422138 +5Final Tournament298413138 +5Final Tournament388242550478233912−3568224815−7
Group 5 RankTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification1138611227 +15Final Tournament2128521125 +7Final Tournament3884041411 +34783141013−3508008123−22
Group 6 RankTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification111843194 +5Final Tournament29833263 +3Final Tournament38832378−1478314811−3558134610−4
Group 7 RankTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification184400122 +10Final Tournament24420296 +3Final Tournament304004215−13 Group 1 – West Germany and Austria qualified. Group 2 – Belgium and France qualified. Group 3 – USSR and Czechoslovakia qualified. Group 4 – Hungary and England qualified. Group 5 – Yugoslavia and Italy qualified. Group 6 – Scotland and Northern Ireland qualified. Group 7 – Poland qualified.
Top goalscorers
9 goals Gary Cole Steve Sumner Brian Turner Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
8 goals Grant Turner Steve Wooddin
7 goals Hugo Sánchez Klaus Fischer Zlatko Vujović
6 goals Roger Milla Frank Arnesen
Notes
The away goals rule was used for the first time as a tie-breaker for two-legged ties. Niger advanced twice by this rule, eliminating Somalia and Togo. With the expansion of the final tournament, this marked the first time in which Africa and Asia simultaneously sent representatives to the tournament, with two teams each. New Zealand set numerous records on their first successful campaign. They played 15 qualifying matches and travelled 55,000 miles during qualification. Their 13–0 score against Fiji set a World Cup record as did Steve Sumner's six goals in that match. Also during qualifying, goalkeeper Richard Wilson played a World Cup record 921 minutes without conceding a goal.
External links FIFA World Cup Official Site - 1982 World Cup Qualification RSSSF - 1982 World Cup Qualification