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Edition Year Hosts Start End Teams # Teams First place Second Place Third Place Fourth Place Notes
1st 1930 Uruguay Jul 13 Jul 30 13 ARG, BEL, BOL, BRA, CHI, FRA, MEX, PAR, PER, ROU, USA, URU, YUG Uruguay Argentina United States Yugoslavia No third-place match; positions decided by tournament records.
2nd 1934 Italy May 27 Jun 10 16 ARG, AUT, BEL, BRA, TCH, EGY, FRA, GER, HUN, ITA, NED, ROU, ESP, SWE, SUI, USA Italy Czechoslovakia Germany Austria First tournament with a qualification stage.
3rd 1938 France Jun 4 Jun 19 15 AUT*, BEL, BRA, CUB, TCH, DEI, FRA, GER, HUN, ITA, NED, NOR, POL, ROU, SWE, SUI Italy Hungary Brazil Sweden *Austria withdrew post-qualifying due to the Anschluss.
4th 1950 Brazil Jun 24 Jul 16 13 BOL, BRA, CHI, ENG, ITA, MEX, PAR, ESP, SWE, SUI, USA, URU, YUG Uruguay Brazil Sweden Spain Decided by a final round-robin group rather than a knockout final.
5th 1954 Switzerland Jun 16 Jul 4 16 AUT, BEL, BRA, TCH, ENG, FRA, HUN, ITA, KOR, MEX, SCO, ESP, SWE, SUI, TUR, FRG West Germany Hungary Austria Uruguay Iconic final known as the "Miracle of Bern."
6th 1958 Sweden Jun 8 Jun 29 16 ARG, AUT, BRA, TCH, ENG, FRA, HUN, NIR, MEX, PAR, SCO, URS, SWE, SUI, WAL, FRG Brazil Sweden France West Germany Pelé's debut tournament at age 17.
7th 1962 Chile May 30 Jun 17 16 ARG, BRA, BUL, CHI, COL, TCH, ENG, ITA, MEX, SUI, URS, URU, YUG, FRG Brazil Czechoslovakia Chile Yugoslavia Brazil won back-to-back titles despite Pelé getting injured.
8th 1966 England Jul 11 Jul 30 16 ARG, BRA, BUL, CHI, ENG, FRA, HUN, ITA, PRK, MEX, POR, ESP, SUI, URS, URU, FRG England West Germany Portugal Soviet Union Hosts won via Geoff Hurst's famous hat-trick in the final.
9th 1970 Mexico May 31 Jun 21 16 BEL, BRA, BUL, TCH, ENG, SLV, ISR, ITA, MEX, MAR, PER, ROU, SWE, URS, URU, FRG Brazil Italy West Germany Uruguay First tournament featuring yellow/red cards and substitutions.
10th 1974 West Germany Jun 14 Jul 7 16 ARG, AUS, BRA, CHI, GDR, HAI, ITA, NED, POL, SCO, SWE, URU, YUG, ZAI, FRG West Germany Netherlands Poland Brazil Introduction of the current FIFA World Cup Trophy.
11th 1978 Argentina Jun 1 Jun 25 16 ARG, AUT, BRA, FRA, HUN, IRN, ITA, MEX, NED, PER, POL, SCO, ESP, SWE, TUN, FRG Argentina Netherlands Brazil Italy Argentina won their first title in extra time.
12th 1982 Spain Jun 13 Jul 11 24 ALG, ARG, AUT, BEL, BRA, CMR, CHI, TCH, SLV, ENG, FRA, HON, HUN, ITA, KUW, NZL, NIR, PER, POL, SCO, ESP, URS, YUG, FRG Italy West Germany Poland France Expanded to 24 teams. First penalty shootout in WC history.
13th 1986 Mexico May 31 Jun 29 24 ALG, ARG, BEL, BRA, BUL, CAN, CHI, COL, DEN, ENG, FRA, HUN, ITA, KOR, MEX, MAR, NIR, PAR, POL, POR, SCO, ESP, URU, URS, FRG Argentina West Germany France Belgium Relocated from Colombia. Famous for Maradona's "Hand of God" goal.
14th 1990 Italy Jun 8 Jul 8 24 ARG, AUT, BEL, BRA, CMR, COL, TCH, EGY, ENG, ITA, KOR, ROU, SCO, IRL, ESP, SWE, UAE, USA, URU, URS, YUG, FRG West Germany Argentina Italy England Lowest goals-per-game average in tournament history (2.2).
15th 1994 United States Jun 17 Jul 17 24 ARG, BEL, BOL, BRA, CMR, COL, ENG, GER, GRE, ITA, KOR, MEX, MAR, NED, NGA, NOR, ROU, RUS, KSA, ESP, SWE, SUI, USA, IRL Brazil Italy Sweden Bulgaria First final decided strictly by a penalty shootout.
16th 1998 France Jun 10 Jul 12 32 ARG, AUT, BEL, BRA, CMR, CHI, COL, CRO, DEN, ENG, FRA, GER, IRN, ITA, JAM, JPN, KOR, MEX, MAR, NED, NGA, NOR, PAR, ROU, KSA, SCO, RSA, ESP, KOR, TUN, USA, RFY France Brazil Croatia Netherlands Expanded format to 32 teams. Golden Goal rule introduced.
17th 2002 South Korea, Japan May 31 Jun 30 32 ANG, ARG, BEL, BRA, CMR, CHN, CRC, CRO, DEN, ECU, ENG, FRA, GER, ITA, JPN, KOR, MEX, NGA, PAR, POL, POR, IRL, RUS, KSA, SEN, RSA, ESP, SWE, TUN, TUR, USA, URU Brazil Germany Turkey South Korea First co-hosted tournament and first held in Asia.
18th 2006 Germany Jun 9 Jul 9 32 ANG, ARG, AUS, BRA, CIV, CRC, CRO, CZE, ECU, ENG, FRA, GER, GHA, IRN, ITA, JPN, KOR, MEX, NED, PAR, POL, POR, KSA, SCG, ESP, SWE, SUI, TOG, TUN, UKR, USA, TOG Italy France Germany Portugal Memorable for Zidane's headbutt in the final match.
19th 2010 South Africa Jun 11 Jul 11 32 ALG, ARG, AUS, BRA, CMR, CHI, CIV, DEN, ENG, FRA, GER, GHA, GRE, HON, ITA, JPN, KOR, MEX, NED, NZL, NGA, PRK, PAR, POR, SRB, SVK, SVN, RSA, ESP, SUI, URU, USA Spain Netherlands Germany Uruguay First World Cup tournament held on the African continent.
20th 2014 Brazil Jun 12 Jul 13 32 ALG, ARG, AUS, BEL, BIH, BRA, CMR, CHI, COL, CRC, CIV, CRO, ECU, ENG, FRA, GER, GHA, GRE, HON, IRN, ITA, JPN, MEX, NED, NGA, POR, RUS, KSA, ESP, SUI, USA, URU Germany Argentina Netherlands Brazil Goal-line technology introduced for the very first time.
21st 2018 Russia Jun 14 Jul 15 32 ARG, AUS, BEL, BRA, COL, CRC, CRO, DEN, EGY, ENG, FRA, GER, ISL, IRN, JPN, KOR, MEX, MAR, NGA, PAN, PER, POL, POR, RUS, KSA, SEN, SRB, ESP, SWE, SUI, TUN, URU France Croatia Belgium England Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system deployed for the first time.
22nd 2022 Qatar Nov 20 Dec 18 32 ARG, AUS, BEL, BRA, CMR, CAN, CRC, CRO, DEN, ECU, ENG, FRA, GER, GHA, IRN, JPN, KOR, MEX, MAR, NED, NZL, POL, POR, QAT, KSA, SEN, SRB, ESP, SUI, TUN, USA, URU Argentina France Croatia Morocco First tournament held in winter and hosted in the Arab world.
23rd 2026 Canada, Mexico, United States Jun 11 Jul 19 48 Upcoming Tournament Qualifiers TBD TBD TBD TBD First edition expanded to 48 teams across 3 host nations.