The 1994 FIFA World Cup was the fifteenth FIFA World Cup and was held in the United States of America from 17 June to 17 July 1994. The tournament was won by Brazil, winning their fourth title beating Italy on penalties after a goalless draw at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena.
- 1. Host selection
- 2. Qualifying
- 3. Wales and the 1994 World Cup
- 4. Wales players used during qualifying
Brazil, Chile, Morocco and the USA expressed an interest in hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The voting took place at the FIFA Executive Committee meeting in Zürich on 4 July 1988 by which time Chile had withdrawn.
USA won the right to host the tournament winning 10 votes to Morocco's seven and Brazil's two votes.
One hundred and forty seven teams1 entered the qualifying competition.
The hosts, USA, and the defending champions, Germany, qualified automatically. Of the remaining 22 places, 12 were allocated to Europe (UEFA), three to South America (CONMEBOL), one to the North and Central American and Caribbean (CONCACAF), three to Africa (CAF) and two place to the Asian (AFC) whilst one qualifier from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) would face one team from CONCACAF qualifiers with the winners of this intercontinental play off playing one team from CONMEBOL in a second intercontinental play off for the final place.
Israel having joined UEFA in 1992 would play in the European qualifiers.
Thirty nine teams entered the European qualifiers for the 1994 FIFA World Cup2. Holders Germany qualified automatically, Liechtenstein withdrew before the draw was made.
The remaining 37 teams were divided into six groups, five of six teams each and one of seven teams however Group 5 ended up with just five teams after Yugoslavia were suspended from the competition because of United Nations sanctions.
Wales were placed in Pool 4 as fourth seeds, and were drawn in Group 4 alongside Romania, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Cyprus and the Faroe Islands; this would be Wales' first meeting with both Cyprus and the Faroe Islands.
On 1 January 1993 Czechoslovakia was split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia; the two nations continued to play as a single team known as Representation of Czechs and Slovaks (RCS) until the end of the qualifiers.
Uefa qualifying Group 4
| no. | date | score | scorers (wales) | venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22/04/1992 | Belgium 1-0 Cyprus | Constant Vanden Stock, Brussels | WCQ | ||
| 06/05/1992 | Romania 7-0 Faroe Islands | Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest | WCQ | ||
| 438 | 20/05/1992 | Romania 5-1 Wales | Rush | Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest | WCQ |
| 03/06/1992 | Faroe Islands 0-3 Belgium | Svangaskarð, Toftir | WCQ | ||
| 16/06/1992 | Faroe Islands 0-2 Cyprus | Svangaskarð, Toftir | WCQ | ||
| 442 | 09/09/1992 | Wales 6-0 Faroe Islands | Rush (3), Saunders, Bowen, Blackmore | Arms Park, Cardiff | WCQ |
| 02/09/1992 | Czechoslovakia3 1-2 Belgium | Stadion Evžena Rošického, Prague | WCQ | ||
| 443 | 14/10/1992 | Cyprus 0-1 Wales | M Hughes | Tsirion Athletic Center, Limassol | WCQ |
| 23/09/1992 | Czechoslovakia3 4-0 Faroe Islands | Všešportový areál, Košice | WCQ | ||
| 14/10/1992 | Belgium 1-0 Romania | Stade Constant Vanden Stock, Brussels | WCQ | ||
| 14/11/1992 | Romania 1-1 Czechoslovakia3 | Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest | WCQ | ||
| 444 | 18/11/1992 | Belgium 2-0 Wales | Stade Constant Vanden Stock, Brussels | WCQ | |
| 29/11/1992 | Cyprus 1-4 Romania | Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium, Larnaca | WCQ | ||
| 13/02/1993 | Cyprus 0-3 Belgium | Makario Stadium, Nicosia | WCQ | ||
| 24/03/1993 | Cyprus 1-1 RCS | Tsirion Stadium, Limassol | WCQ | ||
| 446 | 31/03/1993 | Wales 2-0 Belgium | Giggs, Rush | Arms Park, Cardiff | WCQ |
| 14/04/1993 | Romania 2-1 Cyprus | Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest | WCQ | ||
| 25/04/1993 | Cyprus 3-1 Faroe Islands | Tsirion Stadium, Limassol | WCQ | ||
| 447 | 28/04/1993 | RCS 1-1 Wales | M Hughes | Stadion Bazaly, Ostrava | WCQ |
| 22/05/1993 | Belgium 3-0 Faroe Islands | Stade Constant Vanden Stock, Brussels | WCQ | ||
| 02/06/1993 | RCS 5-2 Romania | Stadion Evžena Rošického, Prague | WCQ | ||
| 448 | 06/06/1993 | Faroe Islands 0-3 Wales | Saunders, Young, Rush | Svangaskarð, Toftir | WCQ |
| 16/06/1993 | Faroe Islands 0-3 RCS | Svangaskarð, Toftir | WCQ | ||
| 449 | 08/09/1993 | Wales 2-2 RCS | Giggs, Rush | Arms Park, Cardiff | WCQ |
| 08/09/1993 | Faroe Islands 0-4 Romania | Svangaskarð, Toftir | WCQ | ||
| 13/10/1993 | Romania 2-1 Belgium | Stadionul Steaua, Bucharest | WCQ | ||
| 450 | 13/10/1993 | Wales 2-0 Cyprus | Saunders, Rush | Arms Park, Cardiff | WCQ |
| 451 | 17/11/1993 | Wales 1-2 Romania | Saunders | Arms Park, Cardiff | WCQ |
| 17/11/1993 | Belgium 0-0 RCS | Stade Constant Vanden Stock, Brussels | WCQ |
Group standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Romania | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 29 | 12 | 15 |
| 2. | Belgium | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 5 | 15 |
| 3. | RCS | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 21 | 9 | 13 |
| 4. | Wales | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 12 | 12 |
| 5. | Cyprus | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 18 | 5 |
| 6. | Faroe Islands | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 38 | 0 |
Wales were placed in Pool 4 as fourth seeds, and were drawn in Group 4 alongside Romania, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Cyprus and the Faroe Islands; this would be Wales' first meeting with both Cyprus and the Faroe Islands.
On 1 January 1993 Czechoslovakia was split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia; the two nations continued to play as a single team known as Representation of Czechs and Slovaks (RCS) until the end of the qualifiers.
Wales' campaign to qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup got off to a disastrous start with a 1-5 defeat to a Romanian side who had already thrashed the Faroe Islands 7-0 in their opening match.
Ian Rush scored Wales' first hat-trick for over 13 years in a 6-0 thrashing of the Faroe Islands in Wales' second match before a Mark Hughes goal secured a win in Cyprus.
By the time Wales travelled to Belgium, Paul Van Himst's side had won their four opening matches and a 2-0 win over Wales ensured the Belgians were top of the group with a 100% record at the half way stage.
In the return fixture at the National Stadium in Cardiff Ryan Giggs' first goal for his country and a second from Ian Rush saw Wales inflict Belgium's first defeat of the campaign as well as seeing Rush break Ivor Allchurch's goalscoring record which had stood for 29 years.
A 1-1 draw in Ostrava against the RCS followed by a 3-0 home win over the Faroe Islands; a game in which Mark Hughes won his 50th cap, saw Wales in third place, level on points with second placed Romania with three home games remaining.
A draw with the RCS and a victory over Cyprus kept Wales in with a chance of qualifying but Romania's win over Belgium and RCS' win in Cyprus meant that four teams had a chance of clinching the two qualifying spots for the 1994 FIFA World Cup going into the final round of games.
Belgium, top of the group on 14 points, needed only a point in their home game against the RCS, who were third on 12 points. However an RCS win would see them steal Belgium's place. Romania, second on 13 points, needed only a draw in Cardiff whereas Wales, fourth on 12 points, could seal a place in the World Cup with a win, as long as the win was by one more goal than any potential RCS victory.
Gheorghe Hagi had put the visitors ahead before Dean Saunders equalised for Wales after 60 minutes and three minutes later Wales were handed the opportunity to take the lead when Gary Speed was impeded in the penalty area. Unfortunately for Wales, Paul Bodin hit his penalty against the crossbar, and when Florin Rǎducioiu put the visitors ahead on 83 minutes, Wales' hopes of reaching the 1994 FIFA World Cup were finally dashed.
Players used during qualifying
Wales used a total of 19 players during the qualifying campaign with Barry Horne, Ian Rush, Dean Saunders and Neville Southall playing every minte of every game and David Phillips playing some part in every match.
Kevin Ratcliffe won his 59th and final cap against Belgium at the National Stadium, Cardiff
| Player | ROM | FAR | CYP | BEL | BEL | RCS | FAR | RCS | CYP | ROM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Aizlewood | 90 | 90 | 90 | 77 | 90 | |||||
| Malcolm Allen | 21 | |||||||||
| Clayton Blackmore | 11 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | |||||
| Paul Bodin | 90 | 52 | 90 | 69 | ||||||
| Mark Bowen | 79 | 66 | 90 | 70 | 1 | 38 | 74 | |||
| Ryan Giggs | 33 | 34 | 20 | 89 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | |
| Jeremy Goss | 20 | 37 | ||||||||
| Barry Horne | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| Mark Hughes | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 75 | 90 | 90 | |
| Andy Melville | 90 | 90 | 41 | 23 | 90 | |||||
| Mark Pembridge | 57 | 10 | ||||||||
| David Phillips | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 4 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| Kevin Ratcliffe | 90 | |||||||||
| Ian Rush | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| Dean Saunders | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| Neville Southall | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| Gary Speed | 90 | 90 | 90 | 80 | 86 | 15 | 16 | 90 | 90 | |
| Kit Symons | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 70 | 53 | ||
| Eric Young | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 49 | 90 | 90 | 90 |
1Of the 147 countries who entered Burkina Faso, Gambia, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Sǎo Tomée Princípe, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Western Samopa and Uganda withdrew. Libya and Yugoslavia were suspended because of UN sanctions and Chile were suspended for the El Maracanazo cheating incident during 1990 qualification.
2CIS, then Russia took the spot of Soviet Union after the Soviet Union was dissolved. San Marino and Faroe Islands competed in World Cup qualifiers for the first time while Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia competed separately after playing as a part of the Soviet Union from 1958 to 1990.
3On 1 January 1993 Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia; the two nations continued to play as a single team known as Representation of Czechs and Slovaks (RCS) until the end of the qualifiers.
42 pts for a win / 1 pt for a draw
