IFFHS STATISTICS - SHORTEST GAP SINCE 1938

• Jun 30, 2022
• History Statistics

Shortest gap between two World Cup stages since 1938!

With the last World Cup 2022 qualifier Brazil – Argentine reappointed for the new date of 21 September, the gap between the qualification and final stages of the tournament will make just 61 days.
It’s unusually short time interval since a long ago. Only in two first editions where the qualification existed (1934 and 1938), two stages were separated by a smaller one (3 and 34 days respectively).
The amazing record of World Cup 1934 where United States beat Mexico 4-2 on Italian ground just 3 days before the main tournament start (and 3 days before the start there for US team themselves!) will very unlikely to be ever repeated.
The longest margin between two stages, 212 days, occurred at World Cup 1994.  

	WORLD CUPS
	TIME GAP BETWEEN	QUALIFICATION	AND FINAL STAGES
	World Cup	Qualification Finish	Final Stage Start	Days Between
	1930		13/07/1930
	1934	24/05/1934	27/05/1934	3
	1938	01/05/1938	04/06/1938	34
	1950	15/04/1950	24/06/1950	70
	1954	03/04/1954	16/06/1954	74
	1958	05/02/1958	08/06/1958	123
	1962	16/12/1961	30/05/1962	165
	1966	29/12/1965	11/07/1966	194
	1970	14/12/1969	31/05/1970	168
	1974	13/02/1974	13/06/1974	120
	1978	11/12/1977	01/06/1978	172
	1982	10/01/1982	13/06/1982	154
	1986	04/12/1985	31/05/1986	178
	1990	19/11/1989	08/06/1990	201
	1994	17/11/1993	17/06/1994	212
	1998	29/11/1997	10/06/1998	193
	2002	25/11/2001	31/05/2002	187
	2006	16/11/2005	09/06/2006	205
	2010	18/11/2009	11/06/2010	205
	2014	20/11/2013	12/06/2014	204
	2018	15/11/2017	14/06/2018	211
	2022	21/09/2022	21/11/2022	61