The number of 32 original entrants was reduced to 16 for the final stages compared to 13 in Montevideo for the 1930 championships.
Uruguay, as reigning World Champions, also failed to travel. Brazil (who did not play a qualifying game after Peru withdrew) qualified. Peru had "battled" their way through the South/Central American group playing NO GAMES!!!! and then withdrew.
Argentina (also did not need to qualify when Chile withdrew).
In another group: Cuba had beaten Haiti twice and drawn a third tie, 1-1, in a 1st Rd "play off" in January and February 1934. You would think that was enough BUT.....
then they met Mexico for three more games, all in Mexico City, between March 4-18th 1934 with an aggregate 12-3 defeat.
The USA had to play one match called a Group Final v Mexico which they won 4-2 on May 24th.
The Americans (USA) had entered the competition late and were accommodated in the Group Final played in ROME. Politics?
Egypt made up a short list of non-European participants when they qualified beating Palestine easily twice (11-2) after Turkey withdrew, without a game played.
In European GROUPS:
The hosts, Italy, basking under Mussolini's government, had to qualify and did so by beating Greece 4-0 at home and then Greece bailed out of the return fixture.
Austria's "Wunderteam", who had been making waves in Europe and were part of a group with Hungary and Bulgaria, in which only three ties were played and the Bulgarians, so heavily beaten in their first three ties, conceding 14 goals, declined further punishment, leaving Hungary and Austria to move on.
Spain and Portugal were placed in the same "Iberian" group, with Spain comfortably winning the two legs 11-1.
Germany and France went through, both beating Luxembourg once, who conceded 15 goals in two ties.
Holland topped their group with The Irish Free State (the only British entrants) and Belgium sharing a point each. The Belgians also continued through on goal average: 6-8 plays 6-9!!
Sweden, Lithuania and Estonia formed another group with Sweden qualifying after a two wins. The others gave up.
Czechoslovakia beat Poland twice in their "intimate" group.
Switzerland and Romania moved on, leaving Yugoslavia behind. Romania nearly didn't make it having played an ineligible player aginst Switzerland, a game which ended 2-2. Romania were allowed to carry on in second place, however.
Hosts Italy beat The Czechs in the Final, held in Rome 2-1 at the Fascist Stadium. The trophy was so large it took four men to carry it and its pedestal onto the field for the presentation. The Italian coach, Vittorio Pozzo had based his team on English style play! having been based in Bradford and watching the Manchester United side of Charlie Roberts!
There was a considerable bad taste left by this win, with accusations of corruption, local fanaticism intimidating referees (not personally by Mussolini) but the victory did suit Italy's political ends and who knows what happened. The tournament was a resounding financial success however. I wonder where the money went?
BTW the Germans came third!
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