List of first association football internationals per country: 1940–1962

The following is a list of first official international association football matches for each (present or past) member of FIFA, played between 1940 and 1962. The matches are listed chronologically.

Croatia

Croatia v Switzerland

2 April 1940 Friendly	Croatia	4 – 0	Switzerland	HSK Gradjanski Stadium, Zagreb
	Matekalo  46' Cimermančić  70', 82' Lešnik  84'	[1][2]		Attendance: 10,000 Referee: Giuseppe Scarpi (Italy)

Lebanon

Palestine, British Mandate v Lebanon

27 April 1940 Friendly	Palestine, British Mandate	5 – 1	Lebanon	Maccabiah Stadium, Tel-Aviv
	Meitner  2' Schneiderovitz  11' Machlis  32' Kaspi  40', 60'	[3]	Kamil  50'	Attendance: 9,000 Referee: Blackwell (England)

Puerto Rico

Cuba v Puerto Rico

12 November 1940 Friendly	Cuba	1 – 1	Puerto Rico	Havana
	Not known  ?'		Not known  ?'

Afghanistan and Iran

Afghanistan v Iran

25 August 1941 Friendly	Afghanistan	0 – 0	Iran	Kabul

Mongolia

Japan v Mongolia

10 August 1942 Manchuria 10th Anniversary Tournament	Japan	12 – 0	Mongolia	Xinjing, Manchuria
	Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?', ?', ?' Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?', ?', ?'

Tanzania

Tanganyika v Uganda

1945 Gossage Cup	Tanganyika	0 – 7	Uganda	Nakivubo Stadium, Kampala
			Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?', ?', ?', ?'

Iceland

Iceland v Denmark

17 July 1946 Friendly	Iceland	0 – 3	Denmark	Reykjavík
		[4]	Christiansen  ?' Hansen  ?' Sørensen  ?'

Albania

Albania v Yugoslavia

17 July 1946 Balkan Cup	Albania	2 – 3	Yugoslavia	Tirana
	Mirashi  ?' Teliti  ?'	[5]	Bobek  ?' Čajkovski  ?' Matošić  ?'

Zambia

Southern Rhodesia v Northern Rhodesia

1946 Friendly	Southern Rhodesia	0 – 4	Northern Rhodesia	Salisbury
			Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?'

Ethiopia and Djibouti

Ethiopia v French Somaliland

15 May 1947 Friendly	Ethiopia	5 – 0	French Somaliland	Addis Ababa Stadium, Addis Ababa
	Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?', ?'

Madagascar and Mauritius

Madagascar v Mauritius

1947 Triangular Tournament	Madagascar	1 – 2	Mauritius	Mahamasina Municipal Stadium, Antananarivo
	Not known  ?'		Not known  ?', ?'

India

France v India

31 July 1948 Olympic Games	France	2 – 1	India	Lynn Road Stadium, Ilford, England
	Courbin  30' Persillon  89'	[6]	Raman  70'	Attendance: 17,000 Referee: Gunnar Dahlner (Sweden)

China PR

Turkey v China PR

2 August 1948 Olympic Games	Turkey	4 – 0	China PR	Green Pond Road, Walthamstow, England
	Kılıç  18'  61' Saygun  72' Küçükandonyadis  87'	[7]		Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Johann Beck (Austria)

South Korea

South Korea v Mexico

2 August 1948 Olympic Games	South Korea	5 – 3	Mexico	Champion Hill, Dulwich, England
	Choi Song-Gon  13' Bai Chon-Go  30' Chung Kook-Chin  63'  66' Chung Nam-Sik  87'	[8]	Cárdenas  23' Figueroa  85' Ruiz  89'	Attendance: 6,500 Referee: Leo Lemesic (Yugoslavia)

Israel

USA Olympic Team v Israel

26 September 1948 Friendly	USA Olympic Team	3 – 1	Israel	Giants Stadium, New York, USA
	Souza  14', 57' McLaughlin  44'		Ben-Dror  20'	Attendance: 35,000 Referee: Coggin

Hong Kong

Hong Kong v South Korea

1 January 1949 Friendly	Hong Kong	2 – 5	South Korea	Hong Kong
	Not known  ?', ?'		Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?', ?'

South Vietnam

South Vietnam v South Korea

15 January 1949 Friendly	South Vietnam	2 – 4	South Korea	Sài Gòn
	Not known  ?', ?'		Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?'

Macau

Macau v South Korea

25 January 1949 Friendly	Macau	1 – 5	South Korea	Macau
	Not known  ?'		Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?', ?'

Cyprus

Israel v Cyprus

30 July 1949 Friendly	Israel	3 – 1	Cyprus	Tel Aviv
	Not known  ?', ?', ?'		Not known  ?'

Sierra Leone and Nigeria

Sierra Leone v Nigeria

10 August 1949 Friendly	Sierra Leone	0 – 2	Nigeria	Freetown
			Not known  ?', ?'

Syria

Turkey v Syria

20 November 1949 World Cup qualification	Turkey	7 – 0	Syria	Ankara 19 Mayıs Stadyumu, Ankara
	Cansever  12', 16', 87' Eken  44' Kücükandonyadis  66' Keskin  67' Kilic  72'			Referee: Antonio Gamba (Italy)

Pakistan

Iran v Pakistan

6 January 1950 Friendly	Iran	5 – 1	Pakistan	Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran
	Boromand  ?', ?', ?' Shakibi  ?' Khatami  ?'	[9]	Not known  ?'

Ghana

Gold Coast v Nigeria

28 May 1950 Friendly	Gold Coast	1 – 0	Nigeria	Accra
	Not known  ?'

Myanmar

Iran v Burma

28 May 1950 Asian Games	Iran	2 – 0	Burma	New Delhi, India
	Not known  ?', ?'

Saarland

Saar v Switzerland "B"

22 November 1950 Friendly	Saar	3 – 0	Switzerland "B"	Ludwigparkstadion, Saarbrücken
	Berg  ?' Martin  ?', ?' Leibenguth  ?', ?'	[10]		Attendance: 20,000

New Caledonia

New Caledonia v New Zealand

19 September 1951 Friendly	New Caledonia	2 – 0	New Zealand	Nouméa
	Not known  ?', ?'

Vanuatu

New Hebrides v New Zealand

4 October 1951 Friendly	New Hebrides	0 – 9	New Zealand	Nouméa, New Caledonia
			Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?', ?' Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?'

Fiji

Fiji v New Zealand

7 October 1951 Friendly	Fiji	4 – 6	New Zealand	Suva
	Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?'		Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?', ?', ?'

Sri Lanka

Ceylon v Pakistan

1 January 1952 Friendly	Ceylon	0 – 2	Pakistan	Colombo
			Not known  ?', ?'

East Germany

Poland v East Germany

21 September 1952 Friendly	Poland	3 – 0	East Germany	Warsaw
	Anioła  ?', ?' Trampisz  ?'	[11]		Attendance: 35,000

Tahiti

French Polynesia v New Zealand

21 September 1952 Friendly	French Polynesia	2 – 2	New Zealand	Papeete
	Not known  ?', ?'		Not known  ?', ?'

Singapore

Singapore v South Korea

11 April 1953 Friendly	Singapore	2 – 3	South Korea	Singapore
	Not known  ?', ?'		Not known  ?', ?', ?'

Malaysia

Malaya v South Korea

13 April 1953 Friendly	Malaya	2 – 3	South Korea	Singapore
	Not known  ?', ?'		Not known  ?', ?', ?'

Palestine

Egypt v Palestine

26 July 1953 Pan Arab Games	Egypt	8 – 1	Palestine	Alexandria Stadium, Alexandria
	Diba  ?', ?', ?' Sayed Al Dhidhoui  ?' Shareef Al Faar  ?' Sayed Al Gundi  ?' Ahmed Meekawi  ?' Awudh  ?'		Not known  ?'

Libya

Egypt v Libya

29 July 1953 Pan Arab Games	Egypt	10 – 2	Libya	Alexandria Stadium, Alexandria
	Mohammad Diab Al Attar  ?', ?', ?' Sayed Al Dhizoui  ?', ?', ?' Sherif El Far  ?', ?' Ahmad Mekawi  ?' Awudh  ?'		Ali Zantouny  ?' Not known  ?'

Jordan

Syria v Jordan

1 August 1953 Pan Arab Games	Syria	3 – 1	Jordan	Alexandria Stadium, Alexandria, Egypt
	Not known  ?', ?', ?'		Not known  ?'

Chinese Taipei

Republic of China v South Vietnam

1 May 1954 Asian Games	Republic of China	3 – 2	South Vietnam	Manila, Philippines
	Not known  ?', ?', ?'		Not known  ?', ?'

Cambodia

Cambodia v Malaya

17 March 1956 Asian Cup qualifier	Cambodia	2 – 3	Malaya	Phnom-Penh
	Not known  ?', ?'		Not known  ?', ?', ?'

North Vietnam

China PR v North Vietnam

4 October 1956 Three Nations Tournament	China PR	5 – 3	North Vietnam	Beijing
	Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?', ?'		Not known  ?', ?', ?'

North Korea

China PR v North Korea

7 October 1956 Three Nations Tournament	China PR	0 – 1	North Korea	Beijing
			Not known  ?'

Togo

French Togoland v Gold Coast

13 October 1956 Friendly	French Togoland	1 – 1	Gold Coast	Stade Agoè-Nyivé, Lomé
	Not known  ?'		Not known  ?'

Sudan

Ethiopia v Sudan

16 November 1956 Friendly	Ethiopia	2 – 1	Sudan	Addis Ababa Stadium, Addis Ababa
	Not known  ?', ?'		Not known  ?'

Thailand

South Vietnam v Thailand

1956 Friendly	South Vietnam	3 – 1	Thailand	South Vietnam
	Not known  ?', ?', ?'		Not known  ?'

Malta

Malta v Austria "B"

24 February 1957 Friendly	Malta	2 – 3	Austria "B"	Ta' Qali National Stadium, Gżira
	Cauchi  ?' Nicholl  ?'	[14]	Not known  ?', ?', ?'

Algeria

Tunisia v Algeria

1 June 1957 Friendly	Tunisia	1 – 2	Algeria	Tunisia
	Not known  ?'		Not known  ?', ?'

Saudi Arabia

Lebanon v Saudi Arabia

18 October 1957 Pan Arab Games	Lebanon	1 – 1	Saudi Arabia	Beirut, Lebanon
	Altonian  ?'	[18]	Jahja  ?'

Morocco and Iraq

Morocco v Iraq

19 October 1957 Pan Arab Games	Morocco	3 – 3	Iraq	Beirut, Lebanon
	El-Madani  ?' Benchekroum  ?', ?'	[19]	Ammo Baba  ?' Eshaya  ?' Salman  63'

Benin

Dahomey v Nigeria

8 November 1959 Nkrumah Cup	Dahomey	0 – 1	Nigeria	Cotonou
		[20]	Onyeanwuna  ?'

Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast v Dahomey

13 April 1960 French Community Games	Ivory Coast	3 – 2	Dahomey	Antananarivo, Madagascar
	Not known  ?', ?', ?'		Not known  ?', ?'

Burkina Faso and Gabon

Upper Volta v Gabon

13 April 1960 French Community Games	Upper Volta	5 – 4	Gabon	Antananarivo, Madagascar
	Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?', ?'		Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?'

Cameroon

Cameroon v Djibouti

13 April 1960 French Community Games	Cameroon	9 – 2	Djibouti	Antananarivo, Madagascar
	Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?', ?' Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?'		Not known  ?', ?'

Mali and Central African Republic

Mali v Central African Republic

13 April 1960 French Community Games	Mali	4 – 3	Central African Republic	Antananarivo, Madagascar
	Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?'		Not known  ?', ?', ?'

Congo

Congo v Réunion

13 April 1960 French Community Games	Congo	4 – 1	Réunion	Antananarivo, Madagascar
	Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?'		Not known  ?'

Guinea

Nigeria v Guinea

2 October 1960 Friendly	Nigeria	4 – 1	Guinea	Onikan Stadium, Lagos
	Ekpe  ?' Emenako  ?' Amusa  ?' Fayemi  ?'	[21]	Not known  ?'

Kuwait

Kuwait v Libya

3 September 1961 Pan Arab Games	Kuwait	2 – 2	Libya	Casablanca, Morocco
	Not known  ?', ?'	[22]	Not known  ?', ?'

Laos

South Vietnam v Laos

12 December 1961 Southeast Asian Peninsular Games	South Vietnam	7 – 0	Laos	Rangoon, Burma
	Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?', ?', ?', ?'	[23]

Senegal

Dahomey v Senegal

31 December 1961 Friendly tournament	Dahomey	4 – 3	Senegal	Abidjan, Ivory Coast
	Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?'		Not known  ?', ?', ?'

Malawi

Malawi v Ghana

15 October 1962 Friendly	Malawi	0 – 12	Ghana	Blantyre
			Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?', ?', ?' Not known  ?', ?', ?', ?', ?', ?'

Gambia

Gambia v Senegal

5 December 1962 Friendly	Gambia	3 – 2	Senegal	Banjul
	Not known  ?', ?', ?'		Not known  ?', ?'

See also

• List of first association football internationals per country: before 1940
• List of first association football internationals per country: since 1962

Notes

A.^ RSSSF list three matches played in Hong Kong in 1949, 1950 and 1953 between "China" and South Korea whose status is not officially recognized by FIFA.

B.^ Prior to Algerian independence in 1962, matches were organised under the auspices of the Front de Libération Nationale.

C.^ There is some confusion as to the order and results of the two matches played between Cambodia and Malaya in the 1956 Asian Cup Qualification tournament. The RFFFS page for Cambodia shows Cambodia losing 2–3 to Malaya on 17 March and losing 2–9 to Malaya on 24 April, with both matches played in Malaya. The ELO site for Cambodia shows the same results, but with the match on 17 March being played in Cambodia. The RFFFS page for the Asian Cup shows the matches as 9–2 to Malaya on 17 March (played in Malaya) and 3–2 to Cambodia on 24 April (played in Cambodia). As the ELO rankings are based on Cambodia losing both matches, this is assumed to be correct

D.^ The RSSSF page for Saudi Arabia lists the first match as being played on 20 October 1957 against Syria in the 1957 Pan Arab Games, whereas the RSSSF article on these games lists the first match as being played against the hosts, Lebanon, on 18 October. This is supported by the ELO page for Saudi Arabia.

External links

• Index of European national team matches up to the end of 1989
• The RSSSF Archive - International Country Results
• The Association of Football Statisticians: National football team sites
• World Football Elo Ratings