FIFA World Cup
Football · FIFA
Also called: the World Cup
2026HolderSpain (2026, beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final at New York/New Jersey Stadium, 19 July 2026)
The FIFA World Cup is football's world championship for men's national teams, first played in Uruguay in 1930 and first won by Uruguay.
- Next
- Spain, Portugal and Morocco 2030
- Most titles
- Brazil, 5 (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
- India
- Has never played at a World Cup; qualified by default for 1950 and withdrew before the tournament
- Cycle
- Every four years; not held in 1942 or 1946
Editions
2026Runner-up3rdWonSpainScore: 1-0 (a.e.t.) · Runners-up: Argentina · Hosts: Canada, Mexico, United States
- Final (date, venue)
- 19 Jul 2026, New York/New Jersey Stadium, New Jersey
- Third
- England
- Fourth
- France
- Teams
- 48
2022Won3rdRunner-upArgentinaScore: 3-3 (a.e.t.) (4-2 pens) · Runners-up: France · Hosts: Qatar
- Final (date, venue)
- 18 Dec 2022, Lusail Stadium, Al Daayen
- Third
- Croatia
- Fourth
- Morocco
- Teams
- 32
20183rdRunner-upWonFranceScore: 4-2 · Runners-up: Croatia · Hosts: Russia
- Final (date, venue)
- 15 Jul 2018, Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
- Third
- Belgium
- Fourth
- England
- Teams
- 32
2014Runner-upWon3rdGermanyScore: 1-0 (a.e.t.) · Runners-up: Argentina · Hosts: Brazil
- Final (date, venue)
- 13 Jul 2014, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro
- Third
- Netherlands
- Fourth
- Brazil
- Teams
- 32
20103rdRunner-upWonSpainScore: 1-0 (a.e.t.) · Runners-up: Netherlands · Hosts: South Africa
- Final (date, venue)
- 11 Jul 2010, Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg
- Third
- Germany
- Fourth
- Uruguay
- Teams
- 32
2006WonRunner-up3rdItalyScore: 1-1 (a.e.t.) (5-3 pens) · Runners-up: France · Hosts: Germany
- Final (date, venue)
- 9 Jul 2006, Olympiastadion, Berlin
- Third
- Germany
- Fourth
- Portugal
- Teams
- 32
2002WonRunner-up3rdBrazilScore: 2-0 · Runners-up: Germany · Hosts: South Korea, Japan
- Final (date, venue)
- 30 Jun 2002, International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama
- Third
- Turkey
- Fourth
- South Korea
- Teams
- 32
1998Runner-up3rdWonFranceScore: 3-0 · Runners-up: Brazil · Hosts: France
- Final (date, venue)
- 12 Jul 1998, Stade de France, Saint-Denis
- Third
- Croatia
- Fourth
- Netherlands
- Teams
- 32
1994WonRunner-up3rdBrazilScore: 0-0 (a.e.t.) (3-2 pens) · Runners-up: Italy · Hosts: United States
- Final (date, venue)
- 17 Jul 1994, Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena
- Third
- Sweden
- Fourth
- Bulgaria
- Teams
- 24
19903rdRunner-upWonWest GermanyScore: 1-0 · Runners-up: Argentina · Hosts: Italy
- Final (date, venue)
- 8 Jul 1990, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
- Third
- Italy
- Fourth
- England
- Teams
- 24
1986Won3rdRunner-upArgentinaScore: 3-2 · Runners-up: West Germany · Hosts: Mexico
- Final (date, venue)
- 29 Jun 1986, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
- Third
- France
- Fourth
- Belgium
- Teams
- 24
1982Won3rdRunner-upItalyScore: 3-1 · Runners-up: West Germany · Hosts: Spain
- Final (date, venue)
- 11 Jul 1982, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
- Third
- Poland
- Fourth
- France
- Teams
- 24
19783rdWonRunner-upArgentinaScore: 3-1 (a.e.t.) · Runners-up: Netherlands · Hosts: Argentina
- Final (date, venue)
- 25 Jun 1978, Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires
- Third
- Brazil
- Fourth
- Italy
- Teams
- 16
1974Runner-up3rdWonWest GermanyScore: 2-1 · Runners-up: Netherlands · Hosts: West Germany
- Final (date, venue)
- 7 Jul 1974, Olympiastadion, Munich
- Third
- Poland
- Fourth
- Brazil
- Teams
- 16
1970WonRunner-up3rdBrazilScore: 4-1 · Runners-up: Italy · Hosts: Mexico
- Final (date, venue)
- 21 Jun 1970, Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
- Third
- West Germany
- Fourth
- Uruguay
- Teams
- 16
1966Won3rdRunner-upEnglandScore: 4-2 (a.e.t.) · Runners-up: West Germany · Hosts: England
- Final (date, venue)
- 30 Jul 1966, Wembley Stadium, London
- Third
- Portugal
- Fourth
- Soviet Union
- Teams
- 16
1962Won3rdRunner-upBrazilScore: 3-1 · Runners-up: Czechoslovakia · Hosts: Chile
- Final (date, venue)
- 17 Jun 1962, Estadio Nacional, Santiago
- Third
- Chile
- Fourth
- Yugoslavia
- Teams
- 16
1958Won3rdRunner-upBrazilScore: 5-2 · Runners-up: Sweden · Hosts: Sweden
- Final (date, venue)
- 29 Jun 1958, Rasunda Stadium, Solna
- Third
- France
- Fourth
- West Germany
- Teams
- 16
19543rdRunner-upWonWest GermanyScore: 3-2 · Runners-up: Hungary · Hosts: Switzerland
- Final (date, venue)
- 4 Jul 1954, Wankdorf Stadion, Bern
- Third
- Austria
- Fourth
- Uruguay
- Teams
- 16
1950Runner-up3rdWonUruguayScore: 2-1 · Runners-up: Brazil · Hosts: Brazil
- Final (date, venue)
- 16 Jul 1950, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro
- Third
- Sweden
- Fourth
- Spain
- Teams
- 13
19383rdWonRunner-upItalyScore: 4-2 · Runners-up: Hungary · Hosts: France
- Final (date, venue)
- 19 Jun 1938, Stade Olympique, Colombes
- Third
- Brazil
- Fourth
- Sweden
- Teams
- 15
1934WonRunner-up3rdItalyScore: 2-1 (a.e.t.) · Runners-up: Czechoslovakia · Hosts: Italy
- Final (date, venue)
- 10 Jun 1934, Nazionale PNF, Rome
- Third
- Germany
- Fourth
- Austria
- Teams
- 16
1930Runner-up3rdWonUruguayScore: 4-2 · Runners-up: Argentina · Hosts: Uruguay
- Final (date, venue)
- 30 Jul 1930, Estadio Centenario, Montevideo
- Third
- United States
- Fourth
- Yugoslavia
- Teams
- 13
India at the World Cup
India has never played at a FIFA World Cup: no match of India's is in FIFA's World Cup data. India qualified by default for the 1950 World Cup, when every other team in its qualifying group withdrew, and then withdrew itself before the tournament began. The source says the official reason was the cost of travel, that the story that India withdrew because FIFA banned playing barefoot was denied by the captain, Sailen Manna, and that the usual view now is that India valued the Olympic Games more than the World Cup.
More about this tournament
Successful teams
| Team | Titles | Runners-up | Years won | Years runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 5 | 2 | 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002 | 1950, 1998 |
| Germany | 4 | 4 | 1954, 1974, 1990, 2014 | 1966, 1982, 1986, 2002 |
| Italy | 4 | 2 | 1934, 1938, 1982, 2006 | 1970, 1994 |
| Argentina | 3 | 4 | 1978, 1986, 2022 | 1930, 1990, 2014, 2026 |
| France | 2 | 2 | 1998, 2018 | 2006, 2022 |
| Uruguay | 2 | 0 | 1930, 1950 | |
| Spain | 2 | 0 | 2010, 2026 | |
| England | 1 | 0 | 1966 | |
| Netherlands | 0 | 3 | 1974, 1978, 2010 | |
| Czechoslovakia | 0 | 2 | 1934, 1962 | |
| Hungary | 0 | 2 | 1938, 1954 | |
| Sweden | 0 | 1 | 1958 | |
| Croatia | 0 | 1 | 2018 |
History
How it began
The first World Cup was played in Uruguay in 1930, with 13 teams; Uruguay beat Argentina 4-2 in the final at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo. The tournament was not held in 1942 or 1946 because of the Second World War.
How the format changed
| Years | Teams | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 13 | 18 |
| 1934, 1938 | 16 and 15 | 17 and 18 |
| 1950 | 13 | 22, with a final round of four in place of a final |
| 1954 to 1978 | 16 | 26 to 38 |
| 1982 to 1994 | 24 | 52 |
| 1998 to 2022 | 32 | 64 |
| 2026 | 48 | 104 |
Champions by era
Every World Cup to 2026 has been won by a team from Europe (UEFA, 13 titles) or South America (CONMEBOL, 10). Brazil have won five, Germany (with West Germany) and Italy four each, and Argentina three.
India's story
See "India at the World Cup" above: India's one qualification, for 1950, ended in a withdrawal.
Firsts and facts
- First World Cup: Uruguay 1930, won by Uruguay.
- The 1950 winner was decided by a final round, not a final.
- The 2022 tournament was the first played in November and December (final on 18 December); every other edition was played between late May and July.
- The 2026 tournament had 48 teams and 104 matches, hosted by three countries.
- Most World Cup goals: Kylian Mbappé, 22 in 22 matches, then Lionel Messi, 21.