Over the years, several countries have been handed unexpected World Cup opportunities after other qualified teams withdrew, were banned, or became unable to participate in the tournament.

Here are some of the most notable replacements in FIFA World Cup history:

1. France invited after Scotland and Turkey withdrew — 1950 World Cup

After Scotland and Turkey withdrew from the 1950 FIFA World Cup despite qualifying, FIFA invited France, Portugal and the Republic of Ireland to fill the vacant places. France initially accepted before later withdrawing as well.

2. Switzerland and Turkey advanced after qualification withdrawals — 1950 qualifiers