The world will be witnessing later this month the start of the FIFA World Cup tournament in Qatar. It is important to share top 10 facts about the men’s FIFA World Cup to have an idea of this football sports and its history.
Let’s start with the first fact and end up with some knowledge about the FIFA World Cup, its structure, and history.
- The World Cup, or famously called the FIFA World Cup, is a football (soccer) tournament held every 4 years and participated by men’s national teams.
- It is likely the most popular sporting event of its kind in globally. The women’s national football teams participate in the Women’s World Cup.
- The first competition for the cup was organized in the year 1930 by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), which was won by Uruguay.
- Total number of teams that participate in the event are 32 national teams.
- Unlike Olympic football event, the World Cup teams does not consist of players of a specific age or status, making it a contest between the world’s best-performing players.
- The trophy cup that was awarded between 1930 and 1970 was called the Jules Rimet Trophy, which was named after the Frenchman who initiated the tournament.
- This cup was permanently awarded in 1970 to then three-time winner Brazil (1958, 1962, and 1970), and later a new trophy called the FIFA World Cup was put up for the events.
- A total of 21 World Cup Football events have been organized till date.
- This year, in 2022, the 22nd edition of the World Cup, the FIFA World Cup 2022 or FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, will be held in Qatar, in the Middle-East, from November 20 to December 18.
- Brazil won the tournament 5 times, Italy won 4 tournaments, West Germany, 3; Uruguay, Argentina, and France won 2; and Germany, England, and Spain won 1 each. France is the reigning champion of the FIFA World Cup 2018 and defeated Croatia in the Final match.