The last important event of 1981 was the qualifications for the 1982 World Cup. By the end of the year all finalists were known. It was not a trouble-free process: the new World Cup format was not to everybody’s liking – the increase of the number of the finalists was not the problem, this was praised. The problem was the quotas. Europe got the biggest number – 13. Compared to the previous 8 spots, the Euros should have been satisfied. In any case, the best football in terms of the strength of the teams, was there. Yet, the Europeans was not very happy – Africa, Asia, and North-Central America had 100% increase and what for, grumbled the Europeans, who got much smaller percentage, not even 50%. South Americans felt entirely cheated, for they remained with 3 spots as before – true, their third spot was ensured now, whether before they sometime had to play a qualification for it, but the numbers did not change really. The Europeans pointed out that South America got 50% more,which was higher than the European percentage and that for a continent of only 10 countries. Do they really deserve to have almost half of the countries going to the World finals since the best continent never had such a chance? The weaker continents may be deserved more spots at the finals, but why a quarter of the whole? To develop the game, fine… but their appearance at the finals was really disservice ti the game. Who needs to watch the likes of Zaire from 1974? Let them develop aside and bring only real football to the finals. The ‘weak continent’ were quick to accuse Europeans and South American of being almost racists – the World Cup belonged equally to everyone and they were so far unfairly treated. Even now they got so few spots – just think of it: a whole Africa with only 2 places at the finals. Oceania, perhaps the least protesting entity, was bulked into the Asian qualifications, which was not exactly to the liking of the proper Asians, but on the other hand, the football there was so weak that nobody considered Oceania deserving a spot of its own. Politics, of course, fueled arguments, counter-arguments, whining, and accusing, but then the qualifications had to be played and everything went back to the most important issue – reaching the finals. Argentina as reigning World champions and Spain as hosts did not have to worry about qualifications. 22 spots were open when the rounds started in 1980.
Europe first, divided into 7 groups. Six groups were larger, because 2 teams qualified from each , according to the increased European spots. The 7th group had only the winner going to the finals and was made smaller because of that – of only 3 teams. Not all groups were equal in strength, as always, but big favourites at least for the first place were in every group. Some had it easier than others, but, again as ever, form and strength changed with time and there were heavy battles to the very ened, surprises, disappointments, along with easy sailing. What could be said in advance is this: the East European countries earned perhaps their biggest presence at World Cup finals – including Yugoslavia, 5 Communist countries went to the finals. More than 50% of the Communist countries. Also, the thorny problem of Israel was settled – expelled from Asia, Israel was included in Europe. And stays in UEFA to this very day. South Africa, on the other hand, remained out of world football – expelled from Africa and nobody wanted it elsewhere, because of the apartheid. Perhaps the South Africans were not concerned – after all, cricket and rugby were the important sports for them. The world was divided into 13 groups – nominally, because ‘groups’ meant different things and had different structures in different places and hardly anybody called them that.