If football is the world’s most popular sport, the FIFA World Cup, held every four years, is its most prominent event. Fans around the globe eagerly anticipate this tournament to watch the stars of the game showcase their individual skills, follow the strategies and tactics of competing teams, and enjoy the spectacle of the sport. Organized under the auspices of FIFA, the World Cup gathers national teams from different continents in one host nation, competing in a series of thrilling matches to win the championship, lift the golden trophy, and etch their names into the annals of football history. The World Cup is the most-watched sports event, with cumulative viewership statistics exceeding 27 billion people, a figure that no other sporting event can match.

History of the FIFA World Cup

The Beginnings of International Competitions

The first international football match took place in Glasgow in 1872 between England and Scotland, ending in a 0-0 draw. As football’s popularity spread globally in the early 20th century, it was featured as a demonstration sport in the Summer Olympic Games of 1900 and 1904, without medals awarded. It was officially included as a main sport starting with the London Olympics in 1908, managed by the English Football Association and restricted to amateur players. England won the gold medal in 1908.

With the growing competition in the Olympic Games among amateur teams, Sir Thomas Lipton organized the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy in Turin, Italy, in 1909. This tournament, featuring club teams from Italy, Germany, and Switzerland, is sometimes considered the first World Cup.

In 1904, FIFA was founded and attempted to organize an independent international football competition in Switzerland in 1906, but it was unsuccessful. In 1914, FIFA agreed to recognize the Olympic tournament as the global championship for amateurs and took over its management, paving the way for the first transcontinental football competition at the 1920 Summer Olympics, where Egypt and 13 European teams competed, with Belgium winning. Uruguay followed with victories in 1924 and 1928.

The World Cup Before World War II

Following the success of the Olympic football tournaments, FIFA, under French president Jules Rimet, reconsidered organizing its own international tournament outside the Olympic framework. On May 28, 1928, FIFA’s congress in Amsterdam decided to organize a World Cup. With Uruguay having won the Olympic title twice and celebrating its centenary of independence in 1930, it was chosen to host the inaugural World Cup. National federations were invited to send their teams, but the long and costly journey across the Atlantic deterred European teams. Eventually, Belgium, France, Romania, and Yugoslavia accepted the invitation, and 13 countries participated: seven from South America, four from Europe, and two from North America.

The first two World Cup matches were held simultaneously on July 13, 1930. France and the United States won their games against Mexico and Belgium, respectively. Lucien Laurent of France scored the first goal in World Cup history. In the final, held at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay defeated Argentina 4-2 in front of 93,000 spectators, becoming the first World Cup winner. A dispute between FIFA and the International Olympic Committee regarding amateur players led to football’s removal from the 1932 Summer Olympics, but it returned in 1936 after a settlement.

Early World Cup tournaments faced challenges like travel difficulties across continents. Few South American teams were willing to travel to Europe for the 1934 tournament, and all North and South American countries, except Brazil, boycotted the 1938 World Cup. Brazil was the only South American team to compete in both tournaments, and the 1942 and 1946 tournaments were canceled due to World War II.

The World Cup After World War II

The 1950 World Cup in Brazil was the first after World War II and featured British teams for the first time, as they had partially withdrawn from FIFA in 1920 due to disputes and protests over foreign influence. The return of Uruguay, the 1930 champions, was notable, and Uruguay won the title again by defeating Brazil in the final, known as “Maracanazo.”

From 1934 to 1978, 16 teams competed in each tournament, except in 1938, when Austria joined Germany, leaving 15 teams, and in 1950, with 13 teams after withdrawals by India, Scotland, and Turkey. Most participants were from Europe and South America, with a few from North America, Africa, and Asia. Until 1982, only teams from Europe and South America reached the semi-finals. Notable exceptions include the United States in 1930, Cuba in 1938, North Korea in 1966, and Mexico in 1970, all reaching the quarter-finals.

Expansion of the Tournament

The tournament expanded to 24 teams in 1982 and to 32 teams in 1998, allowing more teams from Africa, Asia, and North America to participate. These regions have achieved more success, with several teams reaching the quarter-finals, such as Mexico in 1986, Cameroon in 1990, South Korea in 2002, Senegal and the United States in 2002, Ghana in 2010, and Costa Rica in 2014. However, European and South American teams continued to dominate, with all quarter-finalists in 1994, 1998, 2006, and 2018 being from these continents, as well as the finalists.

In October 2016, FIFA President Gianni Infantino supported expanding the World Cup to 48 teams starting in 2026. On January 10, 2017, FIFA confirmed that the 2026 World Cup would feature 48 teams.

World Cup and Corruption Issues

By May 2015, the World Cup faced scrutiny due to corruption involving bribery, fraud, and money laundering by FIFA officials related to broadcasting and marketing rights. Over 24 years, bribes totaled more than $150 million, leading to a 47-count indictment by the U.S. Department of Justice, with over ten officials arrested and nine charged with corruption, including five sports executives. FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced his resignation in February 2016.

In June 2015, FIFA executive committee member Chuck Blazer admitted receiving bribes for promoting the 1998 and 2010 World Cups. Swiss authorities seized computer data from Sepp Blatter’s office. FIFA postponed the bidding process for the 2026 World Cup due to bribery allegations related to the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. Secretary General Jerome Valcke stated that it was not feasible to start the bidding process under the circumstances.

The Trophy

From 1930 to 1970, the Jules Rimet Trophy was awarded to the World Cup winner. Brazil, having won the title three times, earned the right to keep the trophy permanently. However, it was stolen in 1983 and was never recovered, with suspicions that it was melted down.

A new trophy, simply called the World Cup, was designed after 1970. Experts from seven countries evaluated 53 designs and chose the creation of Italian designer Silvio Gazzaniga. The new trophy stands 36 cm tall, is made of 18-carat gold, weighs 6.175 kg, and features two layers of malachite in its base. The design represents lines emanating from the base in a spiral form, reaching out to the world.

Unlike the Jules Rimet Trophy, this new trophy is not awarded permanently; winners receive it only for the post-match celebrations and are later given a gold-plated replica. All members of the top three teams receive World Cup medals, with gold for the winner, silver for the runner-up, and bronze for the third place. The 2002 edition also awarded fourth-place medals to the host nation, South Korea. Before 1978, medals were awarded only to the eleven players on the field at the end of the final and the third-place match. In November 2007, FIFA announced that all members of World Cup-winning teams from 1930 to 1974 would retroactively receive winners’ medals.

Tournament Format

Qualification

Since the second World Cup in 1934, qualification rounds have been held within the six continents (Africa, Asia, North America, Central America, the Caribbean, South America, Oceania, and Europe) under their continental federations. The number of slots allocated to each continent is decided in advance by FIFA, based on the relative strength of teams from each federation.

Qualifications can start up to three years before the tournament and last for two years. They vary by continent and sometimes involve intercontinental playoffs, such as the 2010 World Cup, where the winner of the Oceania region and the fifth-placed team from Asia played for a spot. Since the 1938 tournament, the host nation has received an automatic slot, as did defending champions until the 2002 World Cup. Starting from 2006, titleholders must now qualify, with Brazil being the first to do so after their 2002 victory.

Finals

From the 1998 World Cup in France, the number of participating teams increased to 32, competing over a month in the host country, divided into two stages: the group stage and the knockout stage.

In the group stage, also known as the first round, teams compete in eight groups of four, based on FIFA rankings or previous World Cup performances. Groups are drawn to ensure no more than two European teams or more than one team from any other continental federation are present in each group. Each team plays three matches, with the final round of each group held simultaneously to maintain fairness. The top two teams from each group advance to the knockout stage, where points are awarded as three for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss. In case of a tie, teams are ranked by goal difference and then goals scored. In the knockout stage, teams play single-elimination matches, and if tied, extra time is played, followed by a penalty shootout if needed.

Final Matches

Since the inaugural World Cup, the final match has been held at the end of the tournament to determine the champion. The team with the highest points total in the group stage and knockout rounds is declared the winner.

Awards

The Golden Ball (awarded to the best player of the tournament), the Golden Boot (for the top scorer), the Golden Glove (for the best goalkeeper), and the Best Young Player Award are presented to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the tournament. The FIFA Fair Play Trophy is awarded to the team that exhibits the best sportsmanship and conduct.

FIFA World Cup Winners and Host Countries

The FIFA World Cup is one of the most prestigious and widely watched sporting events globally. Since its inception in 1930, the tournament has been held every four years, with different countries hosting the event and competing for the coveted title. The table below summarizes each edition of the World Cup, listing the year of the tournament, the host country, and the winning nation.