The 32 teams were drawn into nine groups of three or four teams each; however, after the withdrawal of Syria, one group had just two teams.

The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis.

The group winners would qualify.

7 goals 6 goals 5 goals 4 goals 3 goals 2 goals 1 goal 1 own goal The following 9 countries qualified for the 1966 FIFA World Cup