| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 20 February 1977 – 14 July 1977 |
| Teams | 9 (from 1 confederation) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 21 |
| Goals scored | 55 (2.62 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) |  Zico (5 goals) |
← 1974 1982 → | |
| Qualification for championships (CONMEBOL) |
|---|
Listed below are the dates and results for the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the South American Zone (CONMEBOL). For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification.
A total of 10 CONMEBOL teams entered the competition. The South American zone was allocated 3.5 places (out of 16) in the final tournament. Argentina, the hosts, qualified automatically, leaving 2.5 spots open for competition between 9 teams.