The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The championship has been awarded every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the Second World War.
The current format involves a qualification phase, which takes place over the preceding three years, to determine which teams qualify for the tournament phase. In the tournament phase, 32 teams, including the automatically qualifying host nation(s), compete for the title at venues within the host nation(s) over about a month.
The 21 World Cup tournaments have been won by eight national teams. Brazil have won five times, and they are the only team to have played in every tournament. The other World Cup winners are Germany and Italy, with four titles each; Argentina, France, and inaugural winner Uruguay, with two titles each; and England and Spain, with one title each. The current champion is France, which won its second title at the 2018 tournament in Russia.
The World Cup is the most prestigious association football tournament in the world, as well as the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world, exceeding even the Olympic Games. The cumulative viewership of all matches of the 2006 World Cup was estimated to be 26.29 billion with an estimated 715.1 million people watching the final match, a ninth of the entire population of the planet.
Results[]
Year | Hosts | Champions | Score & Venue | Runners-up | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1930 | Uruguay | Uruguay | 4–2 Estadio Centenario, Montevideo |
Argentina | |
1934 | Italy | Italy | 2–1 Stadio Nazionale PNF, Rome |
Czechoslovakia | Finals match was won by Italy during extra time. |
1938 | France | Italy | 4–2 Stade de Colombes, Paris |
Hungary | |
1942 | Not held because of World War II | ||||
1946 | |||||
1950 | Brazil | Uruguay | 2–1 Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro |
Brazil | The final stage in 1950 was a round-robin group of four teams. Coincidentally, one of the last two matches pitted together the top two teams (and the only two who could win the title), and the other was between the bottom two teams. Uruguay v Brazil is often considered the de facto final of the 1950 World Cup. |
1954 | Switzerland | West Germany | 3–2 Wankdorfstadion, Bern |
Hungary | |
1958 | Sweden | Brazil | 5–2 Råsundastadion, Solna |
Sweden | |
1962 | Chile | Brazil | 3–1 Estadio Nacional, Santiago |
Czechoslovakia | |
1966 | England | England | 4–2 Wembley Stadium, London |
West Germany | Finals match was won by England during extra time. |
1970 | Mexico | Brazil | 4–1 Estadio Azteca, Mexico City |
Italy | |
1974 | West Germany | West Germany | 2–1 Olympiastadion, Munich |
Netherlands | |
1978 | Argentina | Argentina | 3–1 Monumental de Núñez, Buenos Aires |
Netherlands | Finals match was won by Argentina during extra time. |
1982 | Spain | Italy | 3–1 Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid |
West Germany | |
1986 | Mexico | Argentina | 3–2 Estadio Azteca, Mexico City |
West Germany | |
1990 | Italy | West Germany | 1–0 Stadio Olimpico, Rome |
Argentina | |
1994 | United States | Brazil | 0–0 Rose Bowl, Pasadena |
Italy | Finals match score was 0–0 after 90 minutes and extra time. Brazil won the penalty shoot-out 3–2. |
1998 | France | France | 3–0 Stade de France, Saint-Denis |
Brazil | |
2002 | South Korea Japan |
Brazil | 2–0 International Stadium, Yokohama, Japan |
Germany | |
2006 | Germany | Italy | 1–1 Olympiastadion, Berlin |
France | Finals match score was 1–1 after 90 minutes and extra time. Italy won the penalty shoot-out 5–3. |
2010 | South Africa | Spain | 1–0 Soccer City, Johannesburg |
Netherlands | Finals match was won by Spain during extra time. |
2014 | Brazil | Germany | 1–0 Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro |
Argentina | Finals match was won by Germany during extra time. |
2018 | Russia | France | 4–2 Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow |
Croatia | |
2022 | Qatar | Argentina | 3–3 Lusail Stadium, Lusail |
France | Finals match score was 3–3 after 90 minutes and extra time. Argentina won the penalty shoot-out 4–2. |
2026 | Canada Mexico United States |
TBD | TBD MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, United States |
TBD | |
2030 | Morocco Portugal Spain |
TBD | TBD TBA |
TBD | |
Argentina Paraguay Uruguay (Anniversary matches) | |||||
2034 | Saudi Arabia | TBD | TBD TBA |
TBD |
Broadcasters[]
Asia-Pacific[]
Country | Broadcasters | Year(s) |
---|---|---|
Australia | ABC | 1974, 1978 (three live matches and 13 delayed matches), 1982–1986 |
Seven Network | 1974 | |
SBS | 1986–1998, 2002 (48 matches), 2006–present | |
Nine Network | 2002 (16 matches) | |
ESPN | 2010 | |
Optus Sport | 2018 | |
Bangladesh | Maasranga Television | 1974–2018 |
Bangladesh Television | ||
Sony Pictures Networks | 2014 | |
Brunei | RTB (RTB Perdana, RTB Aneka) | 1978–present |
TV3 | 1990–2002 (all matches) | |
NTV7 | 1998, 2006 (all matches) | |
Astro | 2006–present (all matches) | |
Cambodia | TVRK | 1970 |
TVREK | 1974 | |
No broadcast from 1978 to 1982 due to Khmer Rouge | ||
TVK | 1986–2002 | |
CTN | 2006–2014 | |
CBS | 2018–present | |
China | CCTV (CCTV-1, CCTV-5, CCTV 5+) | 1978–present (all matches, live) |
East Timor | RTTL | 2006–2014 |
ETO Telco | 2018 | |
Hong Kong | TVB | 1970 (selected matches), 1974–1978 (selected matches, live), 1982–1998 (all matches, live), 2002–2010 (four matches includes opening matches, semi-finals and finals), 2014 (22 matches in free-to-air terrestrial television and all matches in pay television, live) |
RTV | 1974–1978 (selected matches, live) | |
ATV | 1990–1998 (all matches, live), 2002–2010 (four matches includes opening matches, semi-finals and finals) | |
Cable TV Hong Kong | 2002–2010 (all matches, live) | |
ViuTV | 2018 (nineteen matches, live) | |
NowTV | 2018 (all matches, live) | |
India | Doordarshan | 1986–present |
ESPN, Star Sports | 1994–2010 | |
Sony Pictures Sports Networks | 2014–2018 | |
Viacom18 | 2022 | |
Indonesia | TVRI | 1970–1986 (recorded, finals match partly delayed), 1990 (10 matches), 1994 (16 matches, live), 1998 (15 matches, live) |
RCTI | 1990 & 2002 (all matches, live), 1994 (12 matches, live), 1998 (15 matches, live), 2010 (46 matches, live) | |
TPI | 1994 (16 matches, live), 1998 (14 matches, live) | |
SCTV | 1994 (8 matches, live), 1998 (15 matches, live), 2006 (all matches, live), 2022 (56 matches, live) | |
antv | 1998 (15 matches, live), 2014 (56 matches, live) | |
Indosiar | 1998 (15 matches, live), 2022 (16 matches, live) | |
Global TV | 2010 (20 matches, live) | |
MNC Vision | 2010 & 2018 (all matches, live) | |
Telkomsel | 2010–2018 (all matches, live) | |
K-Vision | 2014–2018 (all matches, live) | |
tvOne | 2014 (all matches, live) | |
Trans TV, Trans7, Transvision, Klik TV, IndiHome | 2018 (all matches, live) | |
Nex Parabola and Vidio | 2022 (all matches, live) | |
Iran | IRIB 3 | 1962–present |
ART Sport | 2002–2006 | |
Al Jazeera Sport | 2010 | |
beIN Sports | 2014–present | |
Japan | TV Tokyo | 1970 & 1994 |
NHK | 1978–1998 | |
SKY PerfecTV! | 2002–2010 | |
Japan Consortium (Fuji TV, NHK General TV, Nippon TV, TBS, TV Asahi, TV Tokyo) | 2002–present (all matches, live) | |
Abema | 2022 | |
Kyrgyzstan | KTRK | 1994–2010, 2018–present |
NTS | 2014 | |
Laos | LNTV | 1986–2010 |
TVLAO | 2014 | |
Macau | TDM | 1986–present |
Malaysia | Television Malaysia Black and White | 1966 (all matches) |
RTM (TV1, TV2) | 1970–1978 (all matches), 1982–2002 (all matches, live), 2006 (47 matches), 2010–2014 (35 matches), 2018-2022 (41 matches) | |
TV3 | 1986–1998 (all matches, live) | |
NTV7 | 1998 (all matches, live) | |
Astro | 2006–present (all matches, live) | |
Maldives | TVM | 1982–2014 |
Sony Pictures Networks | 2014–present | |
Myanmar | MRTV | 1982–2010 (all matches), 2014–present (16 matches) |
Skynet Sports | 2014–present (all matches) | |
Nepal | Nepal Television, Kantipur, Sony Pictures Networks | 2018 |
Pakistan | PTV Sports, Ten Sports | 2018 |
Philippines | GMA Network | 1974–1998 (all matches) |
Net 25 | 2002–present (all matches) | |
NBN-4 | 2002 (all matches) | |
RPN-9, Solar Sports | 2006 (all matches) | |
Balls | 2010–2014 (all matches) | |
ABS-CBN Sports and Action | 2014–2018 (all matches) | |
TAP DMV | 2022 (all matches) | |
Singapore | Channel 5 | 1966–1978, 1986 (all matches), 1982 (semi-final and final, live), 2002–2010 (four matches includes opening matches, semi-finals and finals) |
Channel 8 | 1982 (opening match, delayed) | |
Channel 12 | 1986, 1990–1994 (all matches) | |
Premiere 12 | 1998 (all matches) | |
StarHub TV | 2002–2022 (all matches, live) | |
SingTel TV | 2010–2022 (all matches, live) | |
Sports on Okto | 2014 (four matches includes opening matches, semi-finals and finals), 2018 (nine matches includes six group stage, semi-finals and finals) | |
meWATCH (formerly Toggle Sports) | 2018-2022 (all matches, live) | |
Sri Lanka | SLRC | 1986–present |
Sony Pictures Networks | 2014–present | |
South Korea | SBS | 1994–present (all matches) |
KBS | 1994–2006, 2014–present (all matches) | |
MBC | 2006, 2014–present (all matches) | |
Taiwan | Era Television | 2002–2014 |
ELTA TV | 2010–2018 | |
Tajikistan | TVT | 1994–2014 |
Varzish TV, Futbol TV | 2018–present (all matches, live) | |
Thailand | Television Pool of Thailand (Channel 3, Channel 4, Channel 5, Channel 7, Channel 9) | 1970–1998 (all matches, live) |
Dhospaak Communication Agency Company Limited (Channel 3, Channel 5, Channel 7, Modernine TV, Channel 11) | 2002–2006 (all matches, live) | |
RS Public Company Limited (Channel 3, Channel 5, Channel 7, Modernine TV, NBT Channel 11, RS Sunbox) | 2010–2014 (all matches, live) | |
Channel 5 HD, Amarin TV, True4U, True Sport | 2018 (all matches, live) | |
Uzbekistan | NTRCU | 1994–2014 (all matches, live) |
UzReport TV, Futbol TV | 2018 (all matches, live) | |
Vietnam | THVN9 | 1974 (final only) |
VTV | 1982–present | |
VTC | 2006–2010 | |
HTV | 1994–2010, 2018 |
Europe[]
Country names in italics are former nations.
Country | Broadcasters | Year(s) |
---|---|---|
Albania | RTSH | 1962–2002, 2010–present |
Digitalb | 2006–2014 | |
Armenia | Armenia 1 | 1994–present |
Austria | ORF | 1958–present |
ServusTV | 2022 | |
Azerbaijan | AzTV | 1994–1998, 2014–present |
Lider TV | 2002–2010 | |
İctimai Television | 2014–present | |
Belarus | BTRC | 1994–present |
Belgium Luxembourg |
RTBF, VRT | 1954–present |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | RTV BiH | 1994 |
BHT | 1998 | |
BHRT | 2002–present | |
Bulgaria | BNT | 1962–present |
Croatia | HRT | 1994–present |
Cyprus | CyBC | 1962–present |
Czech Republic | ČT | 1994–present |
ČST | 1954–1990 (former Czechoslovakia) | |
Denmark | DR | 1954–present |
TV 2 | 2002–present | |
Estonia | ETV | 1994–present |
Finland | Yle | 1962–present |
MTV3 | 1994–1998, 2022 | |
France Andorra |
RTF | 1954–1962 |
ORTF | 1966–1974 | |
TF1 | 1978–present | |
Antenne 2 | 1978–1990 | |
FR3 | 1978–1990 | |
France Télévisions | 1994–1998, 2010 | |
Canal+ | 1998, 2006–2010 | |
Eurosport | 2002–2006 | |
M6 | 2006 | |
beIN Sports | 2014–present | |
Georgia | GPB | 1994–present |
Germany | DFF | 1954–1970, 1990 (former East Germany) |
DDR-FS | 1974–1986 (former East Germany) | |
DF | 1954–1986 (former West Germany) | |
ZDF | 1966–1990 (former West Germany), 1994–present | |
ARD | 1994–present | |
Premiere/Sky | 2002–2010 | |
RTL | 2010 | |
Sky Sport | 2014–2018 | |
Magenta Sport | 2022 | |
Greece | ERT | 1970s–2010, 2018–present |
NERIT | 2014 | |
Hungary | MTV | 1958–2002, 2010–present |
RTL Klub | 2006 | |
Iceland | RÚV | 1970–2002, 2010–present |
Sýn | 2006 | |
Stöð 2 Sport | 2010 | |
Ireland | RTÉ | 1962–present |
Italy San Marino |
RAI | 1954–2014, 2022 |
Sky Sport | 2006–2014 | |
Mediaset | 2018 | |
Kosovo | Radio Televizioni i Kosovës | 2010–present |
Latvia | LTV | 1994–present |
Lithuania | LRT | 1994–1998, 2006–present |
TV4 | 2002 | |
LNK | 2010 | |
Malta | Melita Sports | 2006, 2010 (all matches) |
PBS | 2010 (46 matches), 2014–present | |
Moldova | TRM | 1994–present |
Montenegro | TV In | 2006 |
RTCG | 2010–present | |
Netherlands | NTS | 1966 |
NOS | 1970–present | |
Norway | NRK | 1954–present |
TV 2 | 2002–present | |
Poland | TP | 1966, 1970 (final only, three-day tape-delay) |
TVP | 1974–1998, 2002 (12 matches), 2006 (32 matches), 2010–present | |
Polsat Sport | 2006 (all matches) | |
Portugal | RTP | 1966–present |
Sport TV, PortugalTV | 2002–present | |
SIC | 2006 (15 matches, live), 2018 (8 matches, live) | |
Romania | TVR | 1958–present |
Russia | Channel One, VGTRK | 1994–present |
Match TV | 2018 | |
Serbia | RTS | 1994–present |
Slovakia | ČST | 1954–1990 (former Czechoslovakia) |
STV | 1994–2010 | |
RTVS | 2014–present | |
Slovenia | RTVSLO | 1994–present |
Spain Andorra |
TVE | 1962–1998, 2022 |
Antena 3, Vía Digital | 2002 | |
Cuatro | 2006–2018 | |
Digital+ | 2006–2010 | |
laSexta | 2006 | |
Telecinco | 2010–2018 | |
Mediapro (Gol Televisión) | 2014, 2022 | |
Be Mad TV | 2018 | |
Soviet Union | Soviet Central Television | 1958–1990 |
Sweden | SRTV | 1958–1978 |
SVT | 1982–present | |
TV4 | 2006–present | |
Switzerland Liechtenstein |
SRG SSR | 1954–present |
Turkey | TRT | 1970–2002, 2010–present |
Kanal 1 | 2006 | |
Ukraine | UA:PBC | 1994–2002, 2010–present |
Inter, ICTV | 2006 | |
United Kingdom | BBC, ITV | 1966–present |
Yugoslavia | JRT | 1958–1990 |
Africa[]
Country | Broadcasters | Year(s) |
---|---|---|
Whole of Africa | Kwesé Sports | 2018 |
Middle East and North Africa | ART Sport | 2002–2006 |
Al Jazeera Sport | 2010 | |
beIN Sports | 2014–present | |
Algeria | RTA | 1966–1982 |
ENTV | 1986–1998 | |
EPTV | 2014–present | |
Burundi | RTNB | 1986–present |
Egypt | ERTU | 1974–2002 |
beIN Sports | 2014–present | |
Ghana | GTV | 1974–present |
StarTimes | 2018 | |
Libya | LJBC | 1970–1998 |
Mali | ORTM | 1986–present |
Morocco | RTM | 1958 |
SNRT | 1962–1998 | |
Namibia | NBC | 1994–present |
Niger | ORTN | 1970–present |
Senegal | RTS1 | 1966–present |
South Africa | SABC | 1978–1998, 2006–present |
e.tv | 2002 | |
SuperSport | 2002–present | |
Togo | TVT | 1974–present |
Tunisia | RTT | 1970–1986 |
ERTT | 1990–1998 |
North America[]
Country | Broadcasters | Year(s) |
---|---|---|
Canada | CBC | 1954–2014 |
TSN | 1990–2006, 2018-2026 | |
CTV | 2002–2006, 2018-2026 | |
Sportsnet | 2014 | |
RDS | 2018-2026 | |
Mexico | Telesistema Mexicano | 1958–1970 (all matches) |
Televisión Independiente de México | 1970 (all matches) | |
Televisa | 1974–present (all matches) | |
Imevisión | 1986–1990 | |
TV Azteca | 1994–present (all matches) | |
Sky México | 2006–present (all matches) | |
CNI Canal 40, DirecTV | 2002 (all matches) | |
United States (English) | NBC | 1966 (finals only), 1986 |
ABC | 1970 (finals only), 1982, 1994–2014 | |
CBS | 1974 (finals only, used BBC's feed) | |
ESPN | 1982–1986, 1994–2014 | |
PBS | 1982 | |
TNT | 1990 | |
ESPN2 | 1994–2014 | |
Fox, FS1 | 2018–present | |
United States (Spanish) | SIN | 1970–1982 (used Televisa's feed), 1986 |
Univision, Galavisión, UniMás (formerly Telefutura) | 1990–2014 | |
UDN | 2014 | |
Telemundo, Universo, NBCSN, Peacock | 2018–present (NBCSN: 2018, select games; Peacock: 2022-present, all matches) |
Central America[]
Country | Broadcasters | Year(s) |
---|---|---|
Costa Rica | Teletica Canal 7 | 1966–1998, 2010–present |
Telecentro Canal 6 | 1966–1994 | |
Canal 2 | 1970, 1986–1998 | |
Repretel | 1998–2014 (Repretel 6 & Repretel 11), 1998 (Repretel 9), 2002–2014 (Repretel 4) | |
XPERTV | 2010–2014 | |
TD Más | 2018 | |
Dominican Republic | Rahintel | 1982 |
Color Visión | 1986–1990 | |
RTVD | 1990 | |
Telesistema 11 | 1994–1998 | |
Telemicro, Digital 15 | 2002, 2014 | |
CDN 37 | 2006 | |
Telecentro Canal 13, RNN 27 | 2010 | |
Antena 7, Antena 21 | 2018 | |
El Salvador | Canal 2 | 1982 |
Telecorporación Salvadoreña (Canal 4) | 1986–present | |
Guatemala | Canal 3, Televisiete | 1970–2014 |
Teleonce, Trecevisión | 1994–2014 | |
TV Azteca Guate | 2018-present | |
Honduras | Canal 5 | 1970–1994 |
Televicentro (TSi, Canal 5, Telecadena 7/4) | 1998–present | |
VTV | 2014 | |
Nicaragua | Canal 2 | 1982–1998
2010-2014 |
Canal 10 | 1998–present | |
Panama | RPC-TV, TVN | 1966–present |
TVMax | 2002–present | |
Telemetro, COS | 2014–present |
South America[]
Country | Broadcasters | Year(s) |
---|---|---|
Argentina | Canal 7 | 1958–1974, 2002–2010 |
Canal 13 | 1962–1974 | |
A78TV | 1978 | |
Canal 9 | 1982–1998, 2006 | |
ATC | 1982–1998 | |
Canal 2, Canal 11, Canal 13 | 1982–1986 | |
América TV | 1994–2006 | |
Telefe, El Trece | 1994–1998, 2006–2010 | |
Canal Treinta, Argenvisión, CVC, TeleRed, TVD | 1994–1998 | |
Mi Cable | 1994 | |
TyC Sports | 1998–2022 | |
NexTV!, RedeTV!, Cable Sports, América Sports, 365 Sports, DeporTV, Cable Visión Luján, One Sports | 1998 | |
DirecTV | 2002–2022 | |
TV Pública | 2014–2022 | |
Bolivia | Unitel | 1966–2002, 2014–present |
Bolivisión | 1966–1998 | |
Bolivia TV | 1974–present | |
Red ATB | 1986–1998, 2010 | |
Red Uno | 1990–present | |
RTP | 2006 | |
Brazil | Rede Record | 1958-1978, 1986, 1998 |
Rede Tupi, Rede de Emissoras Independentes | 1958–1978 | |
Rede Globo | 1966–2022 | |
Rede Bandeirantes | 1970–1978, 1986–1998, 2010–2014 | |
Rede Gazeta | 1970–1974 | |
TV Cultura | 1970–1982 | |
Rede Excelsior | 1970 | |
Rede Manchete | 1986–1990, 1998 | |
SBT | 1986–1998 | |
SporTV | 1994–2022 | |
ESPN Brasil | 1998, 2006, 2014 | |
BandSports | 2006–2014 | |
Fox Sports | 2014–2018 | |
CazeTV | 2022 | |
Chile | Canal 13 | 1962–1970, 1978–2002, 2014–2018 |
Canal 9 Universidad de Chile/Teleonce/Universidad de Chile Televisión/RTU/Chilevisión | 1962, 1974-1990, 1998, 2022 | |
TVN | 1974–2018 | |
Telenorte | 1978–1982 | |
UCV Televisión | 1986–1998 | |
Megavisión | 1990–1998, 2006, 2018 | |
RED Televisión | 2006 | |
Colombia | Canal Nacional/Primera Cadena/Cadena Uno/Canal Uno | 1962–1998 |
Segunda Cadena/Cadena Dos/Canal A | 1974-1998 | |
Caracol Television, RCN TV | 1998–present | |
Ecuador | Ecuavisa | 1970–1998, 2006 |
Telecentro | 1970–1990 | |
Teleamazonas | 1982–2006, 2022 | |
Telecuatro, Canal 13 | 1982–1986 | |
Telenacional | 1982 | |
Gamavisión | 1986–1998, 2010–2014 | |
Televisora Nacional Canal 8, Ecuavisa Quito UHF Canal 23, Manavisión | 1986 | |
Telesistema | 1990–2002 | |
TC Televisión | 1994–1998, 2010–2014 | |
RTS | 2006, 2018 | |
Oromar Televisión | 2014 | |
ECDF | 2022 | |
Peru | América Televisión | 1970–1998 |
Panamericana Televisión | 1978–1998 | |
ATV | 2002–2014 (all matches) | |
DirecTV Sports | 2002–2018 (all matches) | |
Latina Televisión, TV Perú | 2018 (all matches) | |
Paraguay | LaTele | 1970–1998; 2014–present |
Paravisión | 1974–1998; 2010–present | |
Paraguay TV | 1974–1998; 2006–present | |
Red Guaraní, SNT, Canal 13, Telefuturo | 1978–1998; 2006–present | |
CVC, TeleRed | 1994–present | |
Cable Visión Caacupé | 1998–present | |
Uruguay | La Quince TV | 1970–1998; 2014–present |
Uruvisión | 1974–1998; 2010–present | |
Canal 3, Monte Carlo TV, Teledoce, Canal 10, TNU | 1974–1998; 2006–present | |
CVC, TeleRed | 1994–present | |
Cable Visión Canelones | 1998–present | |
Venezuela | RCTV | 1970–1998, 2006 |
Venevisión | 1974–2018 | |
VTV | 1978–1998 | |
Meridiano TV | 2002–2018 | |
TVes | 2014–2018 | |
TeLeTuya, IVC Network | 2018 | |
Televen | 2022 |