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Live scores, fixtures & standings
Loading The Goal Posts
Live scores, fixtures & standings
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Legendary goals, shock results, stadium atmospheres, and memories from 2026 and beyond.
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22
Editions
964
Total matches
2,720
Total goals
8
Unique winners
19
Host nations
The FIFA World Cup is the most watched sporting event on Earth. Since Uruguay hosted the first edition in 1930, 22 tournaments have crowned eight different champions across five continents - from Pelé and Maradona to Messi and Mbappé.
Explore every final, host nation, Golden Ball winner, all-time goal record, trophy evolution, and the controversies that shaped the modern game - from the Maracanazo in 1950 to the 48-team expansion in 2026.
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The first 48-team World Cup spans three nations and introduces a new knockout format.
The first World Cup
Uruguay beat Argentina 4–2 in Montevideo to win the inaugural tournament with 13 teams.
The Maracanazo
Uruguay stunned Brazil at the Maracanã - still the most traumatic defeat in Brazilian football.
Pelé arrives
A 17-year-old Pelé scored twice in the final as Brazil won their first title in Sweden.
Brazil keep the Jules Rimet Trophy
Pelé's third title meant Brazil kept the original trophy permanently. The FIFA World Cup Trophy debuted in 1974.
24 teams, more drama
FIFA expanded to 24 nations. Italy's Paolo Rossi destroyed Brazil's dream team in Barcelona.
USA breaks attendance records
The first World Cup with 32 teams averaged 69,000 fans per game - a record that still stands.
First Asian World Cup
Co-hosted by South Korea and Japan, Ronaldo's redemption story crowned Brazil's fifth title.
Africa's World Cup
South Africa hosted the first finals on the continent. Spain's tiki-taka conquered the world.
Messi's crowning glory
Argentina won a penalty-shootout epic against France - widely called the greatest final ever.
48 teams, three hosts
Mexico, USA, and Canada co-host the largest World Cup ever - 104 matches across 16 stadiums.
13 teams
Invited nations; no qualifiers as we know them today
16 teams
Standard 16-team format through 1978
24 teams
Second group stage introduced
32 teams
Eight groups of four - format used through 2022
48 teams
12 groups of four; top two plus eight best thirds advance
No World Cup was played in 1942 or 1946 because of World War II and its aftermath.
1942 - World War II
FIFA had awarded the tournament to Germany (1938 host) or Brazil, but global conflict forced cancellation.
1946 - Post-war recovery
No World Cup was held; the next edition returned in 1950 in Brazil after a 12-year gap.