1982 FIFA World Cup qualification

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 797 goals were scored (an average of 2.60 per match).

Qualified teams


The following 24 teams qualified for the 1982 FIFA World Cup:

AFC and OFC

 * Kuwait and New Zealand qualified.

CAF

 * Algeria and Cameroon qualified.

CONCACAF

 * Honduras and El Salvador qualified.

CONMEBOL

 * Group 1 - Brazil qualified.
 * Group 2 - Peru qualified.
 * Group 3 - Chile qualified.

UEFA

 * 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