The first World Cup was compact
Uruguay hosted and won the 1930 tournament, which featured 13 teams and every match in one country.
Canada · Mexico · United States
2026 Football World Cup
Explore every national team, group route, fixture, and knockout path for the first 48-team World Cup.
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The trophy changed
Brazil kept the original Jules Rimet Trophy after winning its third title in 1970; the current FIFA World Cup Trophy debuted in 1974.
A ball can define an era
The 1970 Telstar made the black-and-white panel pattern a global visual shorthand for football.
The 2026 format is the biggest yet
The field expands to 48 teams, 12 groups, and 104 matches across three host nations.
Hosts often create mythology
From Uruguay in 1930 to Argentina in 1978 and France in 1998, home crowds have helped turn tournaments into national folklore.