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The FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament will take place from Thursday, June 11, 2026, through Sunday, July 19, 2026. The first match will be played at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, and the final will be played at MetLife Stadium (also known as the New York New Jersey Stadium throughout the tournament) in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will not feature three nations—Russia, Pakistan, and Congo—due to separate controversies. The decision, reported by Sports Tak, follows a series of administrative failures, geopolitical sanctions, and governance issues within these football federations. Read this article to get the complete List of FIFA World Cup Winners From 1930-2026, along with other important information.
FIFA World Cup 2026
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup, and it marks a historic moment for several reasons:
- First Triple Host: The tournament will be jointly hosted by three countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. This is the first time in World Cup history that three countries will host the event together.
- Expanded Format: The 2026 World Cup will feature an expanded format, increasing the number of participating teams from 32 to 48. This change aims to provide more opportunities for countries around the world to compete in the prestigious tournament.
Host Cities and Venues
The matches will be held across 16 cities in the three host countries:
- Canada (2 cities): Toronto, Vancouver
- Mexico (3 cities): Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara
- United States (11 cities): Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle
Number of Teams
- The 2026 FIFA World Cup is going to be the biggest ever, with an increased number of 48 teams on the roster, an increase from the previous 32 teams. With this enlargement, a record 104 games will be played.
- There will be 12 groups of four teams in the tournament. The two best teams from each group, and the eight highest third-placed teams, will proceed to a knockout stage beginning with the Round of 32, culminating in the final.
Qualification and Draw
With the expanded format, the qualification process has also been adjusted to accommodate more teams. The draw for the qualification rounds and the tournament itself will be closely followed by fans and participants worldwide.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Countries List
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first tournament to feature 48 teams, expanding from the previous 32-team format. As of now, the qualification process is ongoing, and the final list of participating nations has not been determined. However, three countries have automatically qualified as hosts:
- Canada (CONCACAF)
- Mexico (CONCACAF)
- United States (CONCACAF)
The remaining 45 spots will be filled through continental qualification tournaments. Each confederation has been allocated a specific number of slots:
- AFC (Asia): 8 slots
- CAF (Africa): 9 slots
- CONCACAF (North, Central America, and Caribbean): 6 slots (including the 3 host nations)
- CONMEBOL (South America): 6 slots
- OFC (Oceania): 1 slot
- UEFA (Europe): 16 slots
- Intercontinental Play-offs: 2 slots
FIFA Banned Pakistan, Russia, and Congo
FIFA has banned Pakistan, Russia, and Congo from the 2026 World Cup for different reasons. Pakistan’s suspension stems from administrative failures, as the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) failed to adopt a revised constitution ensuring fair elections. Russia remains banned due to geopolitical sanctions following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, preventing its teams from participating in FIFA and UEFA tournaments. Congo’s ban results from third-party interference in its football federation, violating FIFA regulations. These nations must comply with FIFA’s conditions to regain eligibility. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, will proceed without these teams.
FIFA’s History of Banning Nations
Since 1950, FIFA has banned several countries for violating its regulations. Here are some notable instances:
Year | Country | Reason for Ban |
---|---|---|
1950 | Germany, Japan | Post-World War II sanctions |
1970-1990 | South Africa | Apartheid policies and racial discrimination |
1990 | Mexico | Fielding overage players in youth tournaments |
1994 | Chile | Match-fixing scandal |
2006 Qualifiers | Myanmar | Withdrawing from a scheduled match |
2022 | Russia | Geopolitical sanctions after Ukraine invasion |
2008-2009 | Iraq | Government interference in football affairs |
2014 | Nigeria | Invalid football federation elections |
2015 | Indonesia, Kuwait | Government interference |
2016 | Guatemala | Governance issues |
2017, 2021, 2025 | Pakistan | Administrative failures, governance issues |
2022 | Chad, Congo | Third-party interference in football affairs |
List of FIFA World Cup Winners From 1930-2026
The 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup is scheduled with a final on July 19, 2026, in New Jersey, but the champion is yet to be determined. The complete FIFA World Cup Winners List from 1930 to 2026 is provided below.
Year | Winning Country |
2022 | Argentina (4-2) |
2018 | France |
2014 | Germany |
2010 | Spain |
2006 | Italy |
2002 | Brazil |
1998 | France |
1994 | Brazil |
1990 | Germany |
1986 | Argentina |
1982 | Italy |
1978 | Argentina |
1974 | Germany |
1970 | Brazil |
1966 | England |
1962 | Brazil |
1958 | Brazil |
1954 | Germany |
1950 | Uruguay |
1938 | Italy |
1934 | Italy |
1930 | Uruguay |
Note: The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to be held in North America, with the winner yet to be determined.
FIFA World Cup Winners List with Runner-ups and Host Country
Every four years, the FIFA Football World Cup is held. You can improve your general sports knowledge by reviewing the FIFA World Cup winners list. Below is a complete overview of the FIFA World Cup winners, runners-up, hosting nation, total teams, top goal scorer, and match information. Let’s look at the winners of the FIFA World Cup Winners from 1930 to 2026.
FIFA Football World Cup Winners List 1930-2026 | |||||
Year | Winner | Runner-ups | Host Country | Total No. of Team | No. of Matches |
1930 | Uruguay | Argentina | Uruguay | 13 | 16 |
1934 | Italy | Czechia | Italy | 16 | 17 |
1938 | Italy | Hungary | France | 15 | 18 |
1942 | Not Held | ||||
1946 | Not Held | ||||
1950 | Uruguay | Brazil | Brazil | 13 | 22 |
1954 | Germany | Hungary | Switzerland | 16 | 26 |
1958 | Brazil | Sweden | Sweden | 16 | 35 |
1962 | Brazil | Czechia | Chile | 16 | 32 |
1966 | England | Germany | England | 16 | 32 |
1970 | Brazil | Italy | Mexico | 16 | 32 |
1974 | Germany | Netherlands | West Germany | 16 | 38 |
1978 | Argentina | Netherlands | Argentina | 16 | 38 |
1982 | Italy | Germany | Spain | 24 | 52 |
1986 | Argentina | Germany | Mexico | 24 | 52 |
1990 | Germany | Argentina | Italy | 24 | 52 |
1994 | Brazil | Italy | United States | 24 | 52 |
1998 | France | Brazil | France | 32 | 64 |
2002 | Brazil | Germany | South Korea, Japan | 32 | 64 |
2006 | Italy | France | Germany | 32 | 64 |
2010 | Spain | Netherlands | South Africa | 32 | 64 |
2014 | Germany | Argentina | Brazil | 32 | 64 |
2018 | France | Croatia | Russia | 32 | 64 |
2022 | Argentina | France | Qatar | 32 | 64 |
List of FIFA World Cup Winners Country-wise
Brazil has emerged as the most successful soccer country if we are talking about the FIFA World Cup’s best or most successful football team. Italy and Germany both won the FIFA Football World Cup four times, keeping Brazil as the only country with five trophies. From its establishment in 1930 until 2025, only eight teams have won the FIFA World Cup. The eight teams that comprise the FIFA World Cup Winners List are Brazil, Italy, Germany, Uruguay, France, Argentina, England, and Spain. Let’s look at the list of countries that won the World Cup from 1930 to 2025.
FIFA World Cup Winners List Country-wise | ||
Country Name | No. of times Winners | Winning Year |
Brazil | 5 | 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002 |
Italy | 4 | 1934, 1938, 1982, 2006 |
Germany (including West Germany) | 4 | 1954, 1974, 1990, 2014 |
Argentina | 3 | 1978, 1986, 2022 |
Uruguay | 2 | 1930, 1950 |
France | 2 | 1998, 2018 |
England | 1 | 1966 |
Spain | 1 | 2010 |
List of Winners of FIFA World Cup 1930 to 2025
Below is a detailed analysis of the FIFA World Cup winners by year from 1930 to 2025.
Winning Country | Details |
Brazil | The 17th World Cup 2022 final match was held in South Korea and Japan between Brazil and Germany. The International Stadium in Yokohama served as the venue for the match. Brazil defeated Germany to claim their fifth World Cup victory in 2002 with 2-0. Brazil’s triumph is the last South American team to win the World Cup as of 2022. |
Germany | The 2014 FIFA World Cup was won by Germany. Germany and Argentina competed in the final game. Germany’s 24-year World Cup drought came to an end with this. In the tournament final, Germany defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Mario Goetze scored the game-winning goal. For Germany, this was their fourth FIFA World Cup victory. |
Italy | Italy defeated France 5-3 on penalties in the 2006 FIFA World Cup final in Berlin after the score remained tied at 1-1 following 90 minutes of ordinary play and 30 minutes of overtime. The 2006 FIFA World Cup was conducted in Germany. It was Italy’s fourth time winning the tournament overall. |
Uruguay | In front of 68,346 spectators, Uruguay defeated Argentina 4-2 to win the inaugural FIFA Football World Cup in 1930. This World Cup’s host nation was Uruguay. The majority of the games were played in the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, the capital city of Uruguay. |
France | France was the winner of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In the final, France defeated Croatia 4-2 in Moscow’s Luznikhi Stadium to win their second FIFA World Cup. In the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Antoine Griezmann of France was chosen as the game’s MVP, and Luka Modric of Croatia was awarded the Golden Ball as the organization’s finest player in the competition. Russia served as the 2018 FIFA World Cup’s host nation. |
Argentina | The 1986 FIFA World Cup Final was played in Mexico and took place on June 29, 1986, at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Argentina and West Germany both contested it. Argentina won the game 3-2 in the allotted time. |
England | The 1966 FIFA World Cup Final was played on July 30, 1966, at Wembley Stadium in London to decide the victor of the ninth FIFA World Cup. England defeated West Germany 4-2 in extra time to win the Jules Rimet Trophy in the match between the two countries. |
Spain | The 2010 FIFA World Cup was held in South Africa. Spain defeated the Netherlands 1-0 to win the 2010 FIFA Football World Cup. Spain won its first FIFA football championship while the Netherlands lost out on winning its first FIFA global championship. |