# Association football at the 1956 Summer Olympics – Men's qualification

The men's qualification for association football tournament at the 1956 Summer Olympics was the first time the qualifying round was done on a home-and-away basis.

## Qualified teams

† Withdrew after qualifying
| Team | Method of qualification | Previous best performance |
| Australia | Hosts | – |
| Poland † | Automatic qualification | Fourth place (1952) |
| Bulgaria | Bulgaria v Great Britain winner | Round of 16 (1924, 1952) |
| Yugoslavia | Yugoslavia v Romania winner | Silver medal (1948, 1952) |
| Hungary † | Hungary v East Germany winner | Gold medal (1952) |
| Turkey † | Turkey v West Germany winner | Quarter-finals (1948, 1952) |
| West Germany † | Turkey v West Germany winner | – |
| Soviet Union | Soviet Union v Israel winner | First round (1952) |
| Egypt † | Ethiopia v Egypt winner | Fourth place (1928) |
| South Vietnam † | South Vietnam v Cambodia winner | – |
| India | India v Thailand winner | First round (1948) |
| Thailand | India v Thailand winner | – |
| Japan | Japan v South Korea winner | Quarter-finals (1936) |
| China † | China v Philippines winner | First round (1936, 1948) |
| Indonesia | Indonesia v Taiwan winner | – |
| United States | United States v Mexico winner | Silver medal (1904) |
| United Team of Germany | Formation by West Germany and East Germany | Fourth place (1952) |
| Great Britain | Replacement by Poland | Gold medal (1900, 1908, 1912) |

## Format

The final tournament had 16 spots reserved with 28 countries initially showing interest in the tournament.
Automatic qualification was granted to Australia (host), Poland, Turkey, and United Team of Germany (originally as West Germany).
* Europe: 4 places, contested by 8 teams (including Israel).
* Africa: 1 place, contested by 2 teams.
* Asia: 6 places, contested by 12 teams.
* Americas: 1 place, contested by 2 teams.

## Africa

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Ethiopia | 3–9 | Egypt | 1–4 | 2–5 |

## Asia

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| South Vietnam | 9–5 | Cambodia | 5–2 | 4–3 |
| Iran | n/p$^1$ | Afghanistan | — | — |
| India | bye$^2$ | Thailand | — | — |
| Japan | 2–2$^3$ | South Korea | 2–0 | 0–2 |
| China | w/o$^4$ | Philippines | — | — |
| Indonesia | w/o$^5$ | Republic of China | — | — |
$^1$ Both teams withdrew; the tie was scratched. $^2$ As the withdrawal of other teams left six winners, the tie was scratched and both teams qualified automatically. $^3$ Both matches were played in Japan due to the lack of a suitable stadium in South Korea; Japan advanced on the drawing of lots. $^4$ Philippines withdrew. $^5$ Republic of China withdrew after the organizing committee ruled they had to play under the FIFA flag during the first leg, due to concerns over social and political unrest in Indonesia relating to the use of the Blue Sky with a White Sun flag.

## Americas

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| United States | w/o$^1$ | Mexico | — | — |
$^1$ Mexico withdrew.

## Notes on qualifying

Before the official draw for the final tournament on September 1, 1956, Poland withdrew and was replaced by Great Britain.
After the draw, Hungary also withdrew: its place was offered to South Korea, however South Korea declined due to financial reasons.
Subsequently, South Vietnam and Turkey both withdrew, while the People's Republic of China and Egypt boycotted the Olympics.

## Qualifying Matches

Japan advanced by the drawing of lots.