1978 FIFA Rimet Cup
Tournament details
Host countryUnited States
Dates30 April – 30 May (30 days)
Teams16 (from 6 confederations)
Venue(s)6 (in 6 host cities)
Final positions
Champions England
← 1974
1982 →

The 1978 FIFA Rimet Cup was the 2nd edition of FIFA Rimet Cup, a quadrennial world championship for men's national football teams organized by FIFA, for the top teams in FIFA World Cup qualification that do not qualify for the FIFA World Cup. The tournament took place in Japan prior to the 1978 FIFA World Cup.

The 1978 Rimet Cup was the final tournament to feature 16 teams. The subsequent tournament featured 24 teams.

Qualification

Main article: 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification

Qualification for the FIFA World Cup doubled as qualification to the FIFA Rimet Cup. There were a total of 16 spots available in the tournament. Of these 16 spots, 8 went to UEFA, 2 went to AFC, 2 went to CAF, 2 went to CONCACAF (+1 for host United States), 2 went to COMEBOL, and 1 went to OFC.

Team Method of
qualification 		Date of
qualification 		Finals
appearance 		Consecutive
appearances 		Previous best
performance 		FIFA
Ranking
 United States Host
 Portugal
 England
 East Germany
 Belgium
 Bulgaria
 Soviet Union
 Romania
 Czechoslovakia
 South Korea
 Kuwait
 Australia
 Egypt
 Nigeria
 Haiti
 El Salvador

Seeding

There were four pots based on geographic pairings. Teams from the same association, except UEFA, could not be drawn in the same group. The only exception was UEFA, where no more than two teams could be drawn into a group.

Pot 1 – Host/UEFA Pot 2 – UEFA Pot 3 – AFC/CONCACAF Pot 4 – CAF/Special

Groups

Group A

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Romania 3 3 0 0 7 3 +4 9 Advance to knockout round
2  United States 3 1 1 1 2 3 −1 4
3  East Germany 3 0 2 1 4 5 −1 2
4  South Korea 3 0 1 2 2 4 −2 1
Source: FIFA.com
United States 0–2 Romania
Georgescu 15', 68'
Giants Stadium, East Rutherford
Attendance: 42,195
East Germany 1–1 South Korea
Streich 30' Cha Bum-kun 55'
Giants Stadium, East Rutherford
Attendance: 42,195
United States 1–1 East Germany
Trost 78' Sparwasser 25' (pen.)
Tampa Stadium, Tampa
Attendance: 26,920
South Korea 1–2 Romania
Cha Bum-kun 5' Georgescu 37'
Iordănescu 57'
Tampa Stadium, Tampa
Attendance: 26,920
South Korea 0–1 United States
Veee 46'
RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.
Attendance: 20,359
Romania 3–2 East Germany
Iordănescu 23'
Bölöni 41'
Georgescu 49'		 Schade 7'
Hoffmann 64'
RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.
Attendance: 20,359

Group B

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  England 3 3 0 0 9 2 +7 9 Advance to knockout round
2  Australia 3 2 0 1 7 5 +2 6
3  Bulgaria 3 1 0 2 7 8 −1 3
4  Kuwait 3 0 0 3 0 8 −8 0
Source: FIFA.com
England 4–2 Bulgaria
Kingdome, Seattle
Attendance: 30,828
Australia 3–0 Kuwait
Kingdome, Seattle
Attendance: 30,828
England 2–0 Australia
Civic Stadium, Portland
Attendance: 18,955
Kuwait 0–2 Bulgaria
Civic Stadium, Portland
Attendance: 18,955
Kuwait 0–3 England
Kezar Stadium, San Francisco
Attendance: 36,678
Bulgaria 3–4 Australia
Kezar Stadium, San Francisco
Attendance: 36,678

Group C

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Portugal 3 2 1 0 7 3 +4 7 Advance to knockout round
2  Nigeria 3 1 2 0 4 3 +1 5
3  Belgium 3 1 1 1 4 4 0 4
4  Haiti 3 0 0 3 1 6 −5 0
Source: FIFA.com
Portugal 2–1 Belgium
Soldier Field, Chicago
Attendance: 31,177
Haiti 0–1 Nigeria
Soldier Field, Chicago
Attendance: 31,777
Portugal 4–1 Haiti
Busch Memorial Stadium, St. Louis
Attendance: 32,146
Nigeria 2–2 Belgium
Busch Memorial Stadium, St. Louis
Attendance: 32,146
Nigeria 1–1 Portugal
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Attendance: 23,510
Belgium 1–0 Haiti
Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Attendance: 23,510

Group D

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Soviet Union 3 2 1 0 7 2 +5 7 Advance to knockout round
2  Czechoslovakia 3 1 1 1 4 4 0 4
3  El Salvador 3 1 1 1 4 7 −3 4
4  Egypt 3 0 1 2 4 6 −2 1
Source: FIFA.com
United States 0–2 Romania
Silver Bowl, Las Vegas
Attendance: 14,910
East Germany 1–1 South Korea
Silver Bowl, Las Vegas
Attendance: 14,910
United States 1–1 East Germany
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
Attendance: 52,188
South Korea 1–2 Romania
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
Attendance: 52,188
South Korea 0–1 United States
San Diego Stadium, San Diego
Attendance: 40,291
Romania 3–2 East Germany
San Diego Stadium, San Diego
Attendance: 40,291
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