History of FIFA World Cup in Timeline
The FIFA World Cup is a quadrennial international football tournament contested by the senior men's national teams of FIFA member associations. First held in 1930, it has occurred every four years, excluding 1942 and 1946 due to World War II. Argentina is the current champion, having won their third title in 2022 against France.
1900: Olympics Demonstration Sport
In 1900, football was held as a demonstration sport with no medals awarded at the Summer Olympics. The International Olympic Committee has retroactively upgraded their status to official events.
1904: FIFA Founded
After FIFA was founded in 1904, it tried to arrange an international football tournament between nations outside the Olympic framework in Switzerland in 1906.
1904: Olympics Demonstration Sport
In 1904, football was held as a demonstration sport with no medals awarded at the Summer Olympics. The International Olympic Committee has retroactively upgraded their status to official events.
1904: Games considered to be the "football world championship"
Prior to the Lipton competition, from 1876 to 1904, games that were considered to be the "football world championship" were meetings between leading English and Scottish clubs.
1906: Unsuccessful Tournament
In 1906, FIFA tried to arrange an international football tournament between nations outside the Olympic framework in Switzerland. The competition has been described as unsuccessful.
1906: Intercalated Games
In 1906, the Intercalated Games were held and the International Olympic Committee has retroactively upgraded their status to official events.
1908: Football at the 1908 Summer Olympics
In 1908, football became an official Olympic sport at the Summer Olympics in London. Great Britain won the gold medals.
1909: Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy tournament in Turin
In 1909, Sir Thomas Lipton organised the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy tournament in Turin. The Lipton tournament was a championship between individual clubs from different nations, each of which represented an entire nation.
1911: West Auckland Defends Title
In 1911, West Auckland, an amateur side from County Durham, returned to successfully defend their title at the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy tournament.
1912: Great Britain Wins Gold Again
In 1912, Great Britain (represented by the England national amateur football team) repeated their feat at the Summer Olympics in Stockholm winning the gold medals.
1914: FIFA Recognizes Olympic Tournament
In 1914, FIFA agreed to recognise the Olympic tournament as a 'world football championship for amateurs' and took responsibility for managing the event.
1920: Intercontinental Competition at the Olympics
In 1920, the world's first intercontinental football competition for nations took place at the Summer Olympics, contested by Egypt and 13 European teams, and won by Belgium.
1928: Uruguay Wins Olympic Football Tournament
In 1928, Uruguay won the Olympic football tournament for the second time, which was also the second open world championship.
July 1930: First World Cup Matches
On July 13, 1930, the first two FIFA World Cup matches took place simultaneously, with France and the United States winning their respective matches. The first goal in World Cup history was scored by Lucien Laurent of France.
1930: Jules Rimet Trophy Awarded
From 1930 the Jules Rimet Trophy was awarded to the World Cup winning team.
1930: United States Semi-Finalist
In 1930, The United States was a semi-finalist in the FIFA World Cup tournament.
1930: Uruguay Wins Title as Host Nation
In 1930, Uruguay won its first World Cup title as host nation.
1930: Inaugural Tournament
In 1930, the inaugural FIFA World Cup took place. A total of 80 national teams have competed since the event's inception.
1930: Retroactive Medals Awarded
In November 2007, FIFA announced that all members of World Cup-winning squads between 1930 and 1974 were to be retroactively awarded winners' medals.
1932: Football Dropped from the Olympics
In 1932, football was dropped from the Summer Olympics due to disagreements between FIFA and the IOC over the status of amateur players.
1934: 16 Teams Competed
In 1934, 16 teams competed in the FIFA World Cup tournament.
1934: Italy Wins Title as Host Nation
In 1934, Italy won its first World Cup title as host nation.
1934: Introduction of Qualifying Tournaments
Since the second World Cup in 1934, qualifying tournaments have been held to reduce the number of teams for the final tournament. These are held within the six FIFA continental zones.
1936: Olympic Football Returns
In 1936, Olympic football returned at the Summer Olympics, but was now overshadowed by the more prestigious World Cup.
1938: Host Nations Receive Automatic Qualification
From the 1938 World Cup onwards, host nations receive automatic qualification to the final tournament.
1942: 1942 World Cup Cancelled
In 1942, the FIFA World Cup, which Germany sought to host, was cancelled due to World War II.
1946: 1946 World Cup Cancelled
In 1946, the FIFA World Cup, which Brazil sought to host, was cancelled due to World War II.
1946: Trophy Renamed After Jules Rimet
In 1946, the World Cup trophy was renamed the Jules Rimet Trophy after FIFA president Jules Rimet.
1950: Brazil Loses Deciding Match on Home Soil
In 1950, Brazil finished as runners-up after losing the deciding match on home soil.
1954: Switzerland Reaches Quarter-Finals
In 1954, Switzerland reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup while hosting the tournament.
1958: Sweden Finishes as Runners-Up
In 1958, Sweden finished as runners-up in the World Cup while hosting the tournament.
1962: Chile Finishes in Third Place
In 1962, Chile finished in third place in the World Cup while hosting the tournament.
1966: England Wins Title as Host Nation
England won its only World Cup title in 1966 while playing as a host nation.
1966: North Korea Quarter-Finalist
In 1966, North Korea was a quarter-finalist in the FIFA World Cup tournament.
1970: New FIFA World Cup Trophy Designed
After 1970, a new trophy, known as the FIFA World Cup Trophy, was designed.
1970: Brazil Keeps Jules Rimet Trophy
In 1970, Brazil's third World Cup victory entitled them to permanently keep the Jules Rimet Trophy.
1970: Mexico Reaches Quarter-Finals
In 1970, Mexico reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup while hosting the tournament.
1974: Germany Wins Title on Home Soil
Germany won their second World Cup title on home soil in 1974.
1974: Retroactive Medals Awarded
In November 2007, FIFA announced that all members of World Cup-winning squads between 1930 and 1974 were to be retroactively awarded winners' medals.
1974: Engraved Year and Name on Trophy
Since 1974, the bottom side of the FIFA World Cup Trophy bears the engraved year and name of each FIFA World Cup winner.
1978: Medals Awarded to Players on the Pitch
Before the 1978 tournament, medals were only awarded to the eleven players on the pitch at the end of the final and the third-place match.
1978: 16 Teams Competed
In 1978, 16 teams competed in the FIFA World Cup tournament.
1978: World Cup Hosted by Argentina
1978: Argentina Wins Title as Host Nation
In 1978, Argentina won its first World Cup title as host nation.
1982: Spain Reaches Second Round on Home Soil
In 1982, Spain reached the second round of the World Cup on home soil.
1982: Tournament Expanded to 24 Teams
In 1982, the FIFA World Cup tournament was expanded to 24 teams.
1982: Advancement Out of the First Round
Until 1982, the only teams from outside Europe and South America to advance out of the first round were: United States, semi-finalists in 1930; Cuba, quarter-finalists in 1938; North Korea, quarter-finalists in 1966; and Mexico, quarter-finalists in 1970.
1983: Jules Rimet Trophy Stolen
In 1983, the Jules Rimet Trophy was stolen in Brazil and never recovered.
1986: Mexico Reaches Quarter-Finals
In 1986, Mexico reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup while hosting the tournament.
1992: First FIFA Confederations Cup
In 1992, the first edition of the FIFA Confederations Cup took place.
1992: Introduction of Under-23 Olympic Football Tournament
In 1992, the men's football tournament at the Olympics became an under-23 tournament, allowing each team to have three over-age players.
1994: European and South American Teams Dominate
In 1994, the quarter-finalists in the FIFA World Cup tournament were all from Europe or South America.
1994: Three Points for a Win Implemented
Since 1994, three points have been awarded for a win in the FIFA World Cup group stage, one for a draw, and none for a loss.
1996: Women's Football Olympic Debut
In 1996, women's football made its debut at the Olympic Games.
1998: France Wins Title as Host Nation
In 1998, France won their first World Cup title as host nation.
1998: Tournament Expanded to 32 Teams
In 1998, the FIFA World Cup tournament was expanded to 32 teams.
1998: World Cup Bribes
In June 2015, Chuck Blazer admitted he and other FIFA executive committee members were bribed to promote the 1998 World Cup.
1998: Constraints Applied to the Draw
Since 1998, constraints have been applied to the FIFA World Cup draw to ensure that no group contains more than two European teams or more than one team from any other confederation.
1998: Final Tournament Format Change
Since 1998, the final tournament format involves 32 national teams competing over a month in the host nations, consisting of a group stage followed by a knockout stage.
2002: South Korea Fourth Place Finish
In 2002, South Korea finished in fourth place in the FIFA World Cup tournament.
2002: South Korea Finishes in Fourth Place
In 2002, South Korea finished in fourth place in the World Cup while co-hosting the tournament.
2002: 200 Teams Enter Qualification Rounds
In 2002, two hundred teams entered the FIFA World Cup qualification rounds.
2002: Fourth-Place Medals Awarded in 2002
In the 2002 edition, fourth-place medals were awarded to hosts South Korea.
2002: First World Cup in Asia
The 2002 FIFA World Cup, hosted jointly by South Korea and Japan, was the first one held in Asia, and the first tournament with multiple hosts.
2002: Defending Champions Qualify Automatically
Until 2002, the defending champions of the FIFA World Cup received automatic qualification for the next tournament.
2006: Controversy Surrounding Hosting Vote
For the 2006 World Cup the policy of continental rotation was introduced after the controversy surrounding Germany's victory over South Africa in the vote to host the tournament.
2006: Defending Champions Required to Qualify
From the 2006 FIFA World Cup onward, defending champions were required to qualify for the tournament, ending the automatic qualification.
2006: 198 Nations Attempt to Qualify
In 2006, 198 nations attempted to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
2006: European and South American Teams Dominate
In 2006, the quarter-finalists in the FIFA World Cup tournament were all from Europe or South America.
2006: FIFA Champions Badge Introduced
Since 2006, winners of the FIFA World Cup competition are also awarded the right to wear the FIFA Champions Badge until the winner of the next competition is decided.
November 2007: Retroactive Medals Awarded to Past Winners
In November 2007, FIFA announced that all members of World Cup-winning squads between 1930 and 1974 were to be retroactively awarded winners' medals.
2007: Growth in Women's World Cup Entrants
In 2007, the number of entrants for the FIFA Women's World Cup more than doubled compared to 1991, reaching 120 teams.
2010: Confederation Rotation Policy in Place
For the 2010 World Cup, the final tournament was rotated between confederations, allowing only countries from the chosen confederation (Africa in 2010) to bid to host the tournament.
2010: Intercontinental Play-off for World Cup Spot
For the 2010 World Cup, the winner of the Oceanian zone and the fifth-placed team from the Asian zone entered a play-off for a spot in the tournament.
2010: South Africa Fails to Advance Beyond First Round
In 2010, South Africa failed to advance beyond the first round of the World Cup while hosting the tournament.
2010: Record Entries for Qualification
In 2010, a record 204 countries entered qualification for the FIFA World Cup.
2010: U-20 Women's World Cup as Dress Rehearsal
In 2010, the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup served as a dress rehearsal for the larger competition.
2010: World Cup Bribes
In June 2015, Chuck Blazer admitted he and other FIFA executive committee members were bribed to promote the 2010 World Cup.
2010: First African Nation to Host World Cup
South Africa became the first African nation to host the World Cup in 2010.
2014: Confederation Rotation Policy in Place
For the 2014 World Cup, the final tournament was rotated between confederations, allowing only countries from the chosen confederation (South America in 2014) to bid to host the tournament.
2014: Costa Rica Quarter-Finalist
In 2014, Costa Rica was a quarter-finalist in the FIFA World Cup tournament.
2014: U-20 Women's World Cup as Dress Rehearsal
In 2014, the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup served as a dress rehearsal for the larger competition.
2014: Consecutive World Cups Held Outside Europe
The 2014 FIFA World Cup was hosted by Brazil, the first held in South America since Argentina 1978, and was the first occasion where consecutive World Cups were held outside Europe.
May 2015: 2015 FIFA Corruption Case
By May 2015, the FIFA games were under a dark cloud because of the 2015 FIFA corruption case, allegations and criminal charges of bribery, fraud and money laundering to corrupt the issuing of media and marketing rights (rigged bids) for FIFA games.
June 2015: Admissions and Seizures
In June 2015, Chuck Blazer admitted he and other FIFA executive committee members were bribed to promote the 1998 and 2010 World Cups, and Swiss authorities seized computer data from Sepp Blatter's offices.
October 2015: Suspensions
In October 2015, Sepp Blatter and FIFA VP Michel Platini were suspended for 90 days amidst bribery allegations.
February 2016: Blatter to Relinquish Position
At the time of the May 2015 FIFA corruption announcements, FIFA president Sepp Blatter announced he would relinquish his position in February 2016.
October 2016: Infantino Supports 48-Team World Cup
In October 2016, FIFA president Gianni Infantino stated his support for a 48-team FIFA World Cup in 2026.
January 2017: FIFA Approves 48-Team World Cup
On 10 January 2017, FIFA approved a new format for the World Cup featuring 48 teams, consisting of 16 groups of three teams each, with implementation scheduled for 2026.
2017: Last FIFA Confederations Cup
In 2017, the last edition of the FIFA Confederations Cup was played.
2018: Russia Reaches Quarter-Finals
In 2018, Russia reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup while hosting the tournament.
2018: U-20 Women's World Cup as Dress Rehearsal
In 2018, the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup served as a dress rehearsal for the larger competition.
2018: 2018 World Cup Viewership
In 2018, the FIFA World Cup had an estimated viewership of 3.57 billion people globally.
2018: European and South American Teams Dominate
In 2018, the quarter-finalists in the FIFA World Cup tournament were all from Europe or South America.
2018: Bidding Process Postponed
On 10 June 2015, FIFA postponed the bidding process for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in light of the allegations surrounding bribery in the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
2018: End of Continental Rotation Policy
The policy of continental rotation did not continue beyond 2014, so any country, except those belonging to confederations that hosted the two preceding tournaments, can apply as hosts for World Cups starting from 2018.
March 2019: FIFA Discontinues Confederations Cup
In March 2019, FIFA confirmed that the FIFA Confederations Cup would no longer be active due to the expansion of the FIFA Club World Cup.
May 2021: Biennial World Cup Plan Proposed
In May 2021, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation proposed a biennial World Cup plan at the 71st FIFA Congress. The plan received support from Arsène Wenger and national federations in Africa and Asia, but faced opposition from UEFA and CONMEBOL. 166 of the 210 FIFA member associations supported the idea.
2021: Expansion of FIFA Club World Cup
In 2021, the FIFA Club World Cup was expanded, leading to the discontinuation of the FIFA Confederations Cup.
2022: 22nd Final Tournament
As of 2022, the 22nd final FIFA World Cup tournament has been held since the event's inception in 1930.
2022: Qatar Fails to Advance Beyond First Round
In 2022, Qatar failed to advance beyond the first round of the World Cup while hosting the tournament.
2022: 2022 World Cup Engagement
In 2022, the FIFA World Cup had an estimated engagement of 5 billion people, with approximately 1.5 billion watching the final match.
2022: Bidding Process Postponed
On 10 June 2015, FIFA postponed the bidding process for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in light of the allegations surrounding bribery in the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
March 2023: Revised Format for 2026 World Cup Approved
On 14 March 2023, FIFA approved a revised format of the 2026 World Cup, featuring 12 groups of four teams each, with the top 8 third-placed teams joining the group winners and runners-up in a new round of 32.
March 2025: FIFA Considering 64-Team Expansion
In March 2025, reports emerged that FIFA was considering a one-off expansion to 64 teams for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, coinciding with the centennial anniversary of the tournament.
2026: 48-Team World Cup Implementation
By 2026, FIFA was to implement a new format for the World Cup featuring 48 teams.
2026: FIFA Confirms 48-Team World Cup
In 2026, FIFA confirmed that the World Cup will have 48 finalist teams.
2026: World Cup Expansion
In 2026, the FIFA World Cup is scheduled to expand to include 48 teams, increasing the competition's scope and participation.
2026: Joint Hosting in 2026
In 2026, the FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
2026: Bidding Process Postponed
On 10 June 2015, FIFA postponed the bidding process for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in light of the allegations surrounding bribery in the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
2026: 2026 FIFA World Cup Chosen to be Held in United States, Canada and Mexico
The 2026 FIFA World Cup was chosen to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, marking the first time a World Cup has been shared by three host nations.
2030: Centennial Anniversary of FIFA World Cup
In March 2025, it was reported that FIFA was considering an one-off expansion to 64 teams for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, the centennial anniversary of the FIFA World Cup.
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