Draw

The allocation of teams into qualifying groups was based on that of 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification with several changes, reflecting the absence of some nations:

• Group 1 did not include Hungary (moved to Group 7) and Malta, but included Czechoslovakia (moved from Group 8)
• Group 2 did not include Switzerland and Luxembourg
• Group 3 did not include Belgium and Iceland
• Group 4 did not include Finland (moved to Group 8)
• Group 5 did not include England and Wales, but included Denmark (moved from Group 8) and West Germany (who did not participate in World Cup qualification)
• Group 6 did not include Northern Ireland and Cyprus
• Group 7 did not include Spain, but included Hungary (moved from Group 1)
• Group 8 (based on World Cup qualifying Group 9) did not include Republic of Ireland, but included Finland (moved from Group 4)

Qualifying Group 1 P W D L F A Pts 1  Czechoslovakia 4 3 0 1 9 3 6 2  Sweden 4 2 1 1 6 5 5 3  Austria 4 0 1 3 1 8 1

Austria 1–1 Sweden Austria 0–1 Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia 4-0 Austria Sweden 0–3 Czechoslovakia Sweden 2–0 Austria Czechoslovakia 1–3 Sweden  Czechoslovakia qualify as group winners

Qualifying Group 2 P W D L F A Pts 1  Italy 2 2 0 0 4 1 4 2  Turkey 2 0 0 2 1 4 0

Turkey 1–3 Italy Italy 1–0 Turkey  Italy qualify as group winners

Qualifying Group 3 P W D L F A Pts 1  Netherlands 2 2 0 0 4 1 4 2  Norway 2 0 0 2 1 4 0

Norway 1–3 Netherlands Netherlands 1–0 Norway  Netherlands qualify as group winners

Qualifying Group 4 P W D L F A Pts 1  East Germany 4 3 0 1 10 3 6 2  Romania 4 1 1 2 5 6 3 3  Albania 4 1 1 2 3 9 3

Albania 1–1 Romania Albania 1–0 East Germany Romania 2–1 Albania Romania 1–2 East Germany East Germany 2–1 Romania East Germany 6–0 Albania  East Germany qualify as group winners

Qualifying Group 5 P W D L F A Pts 1  Poland 4 3 1 0 9 3 7 2  West Germany 4 2 1 1 7 3 5 3  Denmark 4 0 0 4 1 11 0

Denmark 0–2 Poland Denmark 0–2 West Germany Poland 4–1 Denmark West Germany 2–3 Poland West Germany 3–0 Denmark Poland 0–0 West Germany  Poland qualify as group winners

Qualifying Group 6 P W D L F A Pts 1  Bulgaria 2 1 1 0 2 1 3 2  Portugal 2 0 1 1 1 2 1

Portugal 0–0 Bulgaria Bulgaria 2–1 Portugal  Bulgaria qualify as group winners

Qualifying Group 7 P W D L F A Pts 1  Hungary 4 3 0 1 6 6 6 2  Yugoslavia 4 2 0 2 6 3 4 3  Greece 4 1 0 3 4 7 2

Yugoslavia 4–0 Hungary Greece 2–0 Yugoslavia Hungary 2–0 Greece Hungary 1–0 Yugoslavia Greece 2–3 Hungary Yugoslavia 2–0 Greece  Hungary qualify as group winners

Qualifying Group 8 P W D L F A Pts 1  Soviet Union 4 3 1 0 8 1 7 2  Finland 4 1 1 2 3 8 3 3  France 4 1 0 3 5 7 2

Finland 1–3 France Soviet Union 3–1 France Soviet Union 4–0 Finland France 0–1 Soviet Union Finland 0–0 Soviet Union France 1–2 Finland  Soviet Union qualify as group winners