David Votoupal
Well-Known Member
Australia became a member of the AFC at the start of 2006, meaning we went into the World Cup as a member of the AFC despite qualifying as Oceania's representative.
However, Asia is far from a new frontier for Australian football, despite the impression some people seem to be getting. In fact, though Australia and for that matter New Zealand were not AFC members, from the mid-60s to early 80s both countries were actually part of the Asian qualifying zone. Oceania was not a stand-alone zone for qualifying purposes until the 1986 qualifiers, which was the start of two decades of injustice until Australia was finally admitted to the AFC.
Australia's entrance into competitive football came with the 1966 World Cup qualifiers, in which FIFA reserved one place to be played off between Asian and African teams. Two teams geographically in Asia, Israel and Syria, were bizarrely placed in the European qualifiers- Syria later withdrew. Israel would later take part in Asian qualifiers before moving to Europe (again), Oceania and again Europe. The Asians and Africans weren't thrilled, and almost all of them withdrew- leaving just Australia and North Korea to play-off for a place in the 1966 World Cup. Two games were played in Cambodia, North Korea running out 6-1 and 3-1 winners- and we all know how good North Korea turned out to be.
This meant that Australia would start playing, quite regularly, matches against Asian opposition and the 1970 qualifiers saw Australia take on South Korea and Japan for the first time in competitive matches. Israel was the final hurdle and they edged Australia out- and in Mexico, Israel were to give a good account of themselves against Sweden and Italy. In fact, Australia played Israel with some regularity up to the 1990 qualifiers.
It was by winning the Asian zone qualifiers, after a series of games that took in New Zealand, Iraq, Indonesia, Iran and South Korea, that Australia qualified for its first World Cup. The 1978 and 1982 qualifiers brought none of the same joy, which was a real let-down considering the NSL had just started. On the other hand, New Zealand qualified for the 1982 World Cup from this region, by defeating China in a play-off in Singapore after they had finished level on points in the final Asian group stage which Kuwait had won. Interstingly the "Oceania sub-group" of the Asian qualifiers for '82 included not only Australia and New Zealand, but also Fiji, Taiwan and Indonesia. So, in effect, Australia and New Zealand were de facto representatives of Asia in the World Cup.
Oceania was then spun off into its own qualifying zone, including Israel and Taiwan for political purposes before Taiwan returned to Asia, and Israel joined UEFA in the 90s. The very existence of this confederation, then and now, is akin to a terminal patient with a lack of proper care. Why FIFA let this go on for so long, to our angst for so long because we were denied the same terms as most others, is something we never understood. If FIFA had allowed Oceania winners to do what they had been able to do up to '82, we might have made more World Cups. But it's in the past now.
So in effect, Australia didn't merely "join" Asia but more like "returned" to competing regularly against Asian opposition. Of course, the standard of Asian football has risen greatly in the intervening years even if it may not be that great. But back when we competed in Asian qualifiers, we were usually regarded as contenders, as one of the stronger teams in qualifying- not that it counted for much in the '78 or '82 series. And now, that we're official AFC members, we're one of the heavyweights of the confederation. And we look like making the most of it, or that's what we hope.
However, Asia is far from a new frontier for Australian football, despite the impression some people seem to be getting. In fact, though Australia and for that matter New Zealand were not AFC members, from the mid-60s to early 80s both countries were actually part of the Asian qualifying zone. Oceania was not a stand-alone zone for qualifying purposes until the 1986 qualifiers, which was the start of two decades of injustice until Australia was finally admitted to the AFC.
Australia's entrance into competitive football came with the 1966 World Cup qualifiers, in which FIFA reserved one place to be played off between Asian and African teams. Two teams geographically in Asia, Israel and Syria, were bizarrely placed in the European qualifiers- Syria later withdrew. Israel would later take part in Asian qualifiers before moving to Europe (again), Oceania and again Europe. The Asians and Africans weren't thrilled, and almost all of them withdrew- leaving just Australia and North Korea to play-off for a place in the 1966 World Cup. Two games were played in Cambodia, North Korea running out 6-1 and 3-1 winners- and we all know how good North Korea turned out to be.
This meant that Australia would start playing, quite regularly, matches against Asian opposition and the 1970 qualifiers saw Australia take on South Korea and Japan for the first time in competitive matches. Israel was the final hurdle and they edged Australia out- and in Mexico, Israel were to give a good account of themselves against Sweden and Italy. In fact, Australia played Israel with some regularity up to the 1990 qualifiers.
It was by winning the Asian zone qualifiers, after a series of games that took in New Zealand, Iraq, Indonesia, Iran and South Korea, that Australia qualified for its first World Cup. The 1978 and 1982 qualifiers brought none of the same joy, which was a real let-down considering the NSL had just started. On the other hand, New Zealand qualified for the 1982 World Cup from this region, by defeating China in a play-off in Singapore after they had finished level on points in the final Asian group stage which Kuwait had won. Interstingly the "Oceania sub-group" of the Asian qualifiers for '82 included not only Australia and New Zealand, but also Fiji, Taiwan and Indonesia. So, in effect, Australia and New Zealand were de facto representatives of Asia in the World Cup.
Oceania was then spun off into its own qualifying zone, including Israel and Taiwan for political purposes before Taiwan returned to Asia, and Israel joined UEFA in the 90s. The very existence of this confederation, then and now, is akin to a terminal patient with a lack of proper care. Why FIFA let this go on for so long, to our angst for so long because we were denied the same terms as most others, is something we never understood. If FIFA had allowed Oceania winners to do what they had been able to do up to '82, we might have made more World Cups. But it's in the past now.
So in effect, Australia didn't merely "join" Asia but more like "returned" to competing regularly against Asian opposition. Of course, the standard of Asian football has risen greatly in the intervening years even if it may not be that great. But back when we competed in Asian qualifiers, we were usually regarded as contenders, as one of the stronger teams in qualifying- not that it counted for much in the '78 or '82 series. And now, that we're official AFC members, we're one of the heavyweights of the confederation. And we look like making the most of it, or that's what we hope.
