The 1966 World Cup qualification saw a historic African boycott after FIFA denied direct African representation, with 15 nations withdrawing in protest.
Key Facts
- Teams entered
- 72
- Teams that competed
- 51
- Total goals scored
- 393 goals
- Total matches played
- 127 games
- Average goals per game
- 3.09
- Qualification period
- 24 May 1964 – 29 December 1965
By the Numbers
Cause → Event → Consequence
With England pre-qualified as host and Brazil as defending champions, 72 nations entered qualification to contest the remaining 14 places at the 1966 FIFA World Cup. FIFA allocated qualification spots across its five confederations, grouping AFC and CAF nations together for a single place, a decision that drew immediate controversy.
A series of qualification tournaments ran from May 1964 to December 1965 across all FIFA confederations. The Africa/Asia/Oceania zone was particularly turbulent: South Africa were disqualified due to apartheid, all 15 African nations boycotted in protest at receiving no guaranteed direct berth, and South Korea withdrew over logistical difficulties following a venue change.
Bulgaria claimed the final qualification spot by eliminating Belgium on 29 December 1965. The African boycott drew global attention to FIFA's allocation policies and the exclusion of developing football confederations, contributing to later reforms in World Cup qualification structures that granted more places to African and Asian nations.