1994 FIFA World Cup qualification

Qualified teams

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Qualification process

The draw was made in New York on 8 December 1991 at Madison Square Garden.

For the first time, three teams qualified from the African zone, because of its performance in the previous tournament. The 24 spots available in the 1994 World Cup were distributed among the continental zones as follows:

• Europe (UEFA): 13 places. 1 of them went to automatic qualifier Germany, while the other 12 places were contested by 38 teams (including Israel).
• South America (CONMEBOL): 3.5 places, contested by 9 teams.
• North, Central America and Caribbean (CONCACAF): 2.25 places, 1 of them went to automatic qualifier United States, while the other 1.25 places were contested by 22 teams.
• Africa (CAF): 3 places, contested by 40 teams.
• Asia (AFC): 2 places, contested by 29 teams.
• Oceania (OFC): 0.25 places, contested by 7 teams. UEFA, AFC and CAF have a guaranteed number of places, whereas the number of qualifiers from other confederations is dependent on play-offs between OFC's first-placed team and CONCACAF's second-placed team and the winner of this fixture against CONMEBOL's fourth-placed team.

After the first round of 1994 FIFA World Cup finals, the percentage of teams from each confederation that passed through to the round of 16 was as follows:

• AFC (Asia): 50% (1 of 2 places)
• CAF (Africa): 33% (1 of 3 places)
• CONCACAF (North, Central American and Caribbean): 100% (2 of 2 places)
• CONMEBOL (South America): 50% (2 of 4 places)
• OFC (Oceania): n/a (0 of 0 places)
• UEFA (Europe): 77% (10 of 13 places)

Summary of qualification

Tiebreakers

For FIFA World Cup qualifying stages using a league format, the method used for separating teams level on points is the same for all Confederations. If teams are even on points at the end of group play, the tied teams will be ranked by:

1. goal difference in all group matches
2. greater number of goals scored in all group matches For FIFA World Cup qualifying stages using a home-and-away knockout format, the team that has the higher aggregate score over the two legs progresses to the next round. In the event that aggregate scores finish level, the away goals rule is applied, i.e. the team that scored more goals away from home over the two legs progresses. If away goals are also equal, then thirty minutes of extra time are played, divided into two fifteen-minutes halves. The away goals rule is again applied after extra time, i.e. if there are goals scored during extra time and the aggregate score is still level, the visiting team qualifies by virtue of more away goals scored. If no goals are scored during extra time, the tie is decided by penalty shoot-out.

Confederation qualification

AFC

Main article: 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)

The qualification process began with 29 national teams vying for two spots. Saudi Arabia and Korea Republic qualified.

Final positions (final round)

CAF

Main article: 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)

The qualification process began with 40 national teams vying for three spots. Nigeria, Morocco and Cameroon qualified.

Final positions (final round)

Main article: 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF Final Round)

|Group B

|Group C

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CONCACAF

Main article: 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)

In the second round, the eight teams were divided into two groups of four teams each. They played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners and runners-up advanced to the final round.

In the final round, the four teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winner qualified. The runner-up advanced to the CONCACAF–OFC intercontinental play-off. Mexico took the guaranteed spot and Canada qualified for the play-off.

Final positions (final round)

CONMEBOL

Main article: 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)

Final positions (group stage)

|Group B

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OFC

Main article: 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)

Second round

Main article: 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification – OFC second round

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UEFA

Main article: 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)

38 were initially involved in UEFA qualifying, but Liechtenstein withdrew and Yugoslavia was suspended.

The thirty-six teams were divided into six groups: one group of five teams, four groups of six teams each, and one group of seven teams. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners and runners-up qualified.

Italy, Switzerland, Norway, Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, Romania, Belgium, Greece, Russia, Sweden, and Bulgaria all qualified.

Final positions (group stage)

Inter-confederation play-offs

Main article: 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (inter-confederation play-offs)

For the first time ever, there were two rounds of play in the inter-confederation play-offs. The teams from CONCACAF and OFC first played each other on a home-and-away basis. The winner then played against the team from CONMEBOL on a home-and-away basis. The winner qualified.

Bracket

First round: CONCACAF v OFC

Main article: 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF–OFC play-off)

Second round: OFC v CONMEBOL

Main article: 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC–CONMEBOL play-off)

Top goalscorers

;13 goals

• JPN Kazuyoshi Miura

;9 goals

• ROM Florin Răducioiu

;8 goals

• IRQ Alaa Kadhim
• NGA Rashidi Yekini
• KOR Ha Seok-ju
• THA Piyapong Pue-On
• WAL Ian Rush

References

References

1. (27 July 2007). "History of the FIFA World Cup Preliminary Competition (by year)".
2. "World Cup 1994 qualifications".
3. Stokkermans, Karel. (9 June 2016). "World Cup 1994 Qualifying".
4. (27 July 2007). "History of the FIFA World Cup Preliminary Competition (by year)".
5. Smyth, Rob. (15 February 2012). "The forgotten story of … 17 November 1993". The Guardian.
6. (19 November 1993). "The FIFA World Ranking November 1993".
7. Holden, Stephen. (11 September 1991). "New Paramount Theater to Give Radio City a Run for Its Music". The New York Times.
8. "1994 FIFA World Cup USA".