The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition between the senior men's national teams of the members of the Fédération Internationale de Football … See more

From 1930 to 1970, the Jules Rimet Trophy was awarded to the World Cup winning team. It was originally simply known as the World… See more

Selection process
Early World Cups were given to countries at meetings of FIFA's congress. The locations were controversial because South America and… See more

Key
• aet: result/match won after extra time
• p: match won after penalty shoot-out See more

Previous international competitions
The world's first international football match was a challenge match played in Glasgow in 1872… See more

Qualification
Since the second World Cup in 1934, qualifying tournaments have been held to thin the field for the final tournament. They are held within the six… See more

The World Cup was first televised in 1954 and as of 2006 is the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world. The cumulative … See more