FIFA World Cup is probably one of the biggest sporting events in the world. Soccer is by far the most popular sport in the world at present times. This is why we bring to you these amazing FIFA World Cup facts that you can enjoy.
Almost every country in the world has its own Football / Soccer team, making it the only sport where the whole world is competing. They try hard to qualify for the FIFA World Cup. But only 16 luckiest teams manage to play the league stages.
Having such odds often lead to some amazing happenings that only take place once in a blue moon. Here we are with some handpicked facts about FIFA World Cup that will leave you amazed!
35+ Facts About The FIFA World Cup
Here goes the list of facts –
#1. The first World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930.
#2. Brazil is the most successful team in FIFA World Cup history, winning the gold 5 times (as of Nov. 2022). Germany and Italy stand at No.2 with 4 wins each.
#3. Southeast Asia and Oceania have never hosted the tournament.
#4. Luis Monti is the only player to represent 2 nations in the World Cup. He played for Argentina in 1930 and for Italy in 1934.
#5. Russian Soccer player Oleg Slanko scored 5 goals against Cameroon in 1994 match setting the record for highest individual goals in a World Cup Match.
#6. Just before the start of World Cup in 1966, the World Cup trophy went missing for seven days.
#7. Brazil is the only team to play in every World Cup.
#8. Due to the World War II, FIFA World Cup wasn’t organized in 1942 and 1946.
#9. Just Fontaine from France holds the record for the most number of goals scored in a single World Cup event. He scored 13 goals in 1958’s edition.
#10. The FIFA World Cup trophy is made of 18 karat Gold.
#11. Austria vs Switzerland in 1954 was the highest scoring World Cup game in history. Austria defeated Switzerland by 7 – 5.
#12. Only 8 teams have won World Cups in history. 6 are from Europe and 2 are from South America.
#13. Qatar is hosting the 2022 year’s and the 22nd edition of World Cup. As per some reports, Qatar spent around $200 Billion on building stadiums and infrastructure, making it the most expensive FIFA World Cup in history.
#14. Qatar is the first Middle-Eastern country to host the FIFA World Cup.
#15. Brazilian Football legend Pele holds the record for being part of the most Championship wins.
#16. As a team, Germany has scored the most number of goals in the history of the tournament.
#17. Mexico has the most number of losses in the tournament with 27 losses.
#18. The iconic Jules Rimet trophy has been missing since 1983. It was stolen in Brazil after they were allowed to keep the trophy permanently post their World Cup win in 1970.
#19. Hakan Sukur of Turkey scored a goal in 10.89 seconds after the start of the match. It is the fastest goal to be scored in the tournament till date.
#20. Indonesia has played the least number of matches in World Cup. The team only played one match in 1938.
#21. Italy and Brazil are the only teams to have won 2 consecutive World Cups.
#22. Roger Milia holds the record for being the oldest goalscorer in the World Cup. He scored a goal at the age of 42 in 1994 for Cameroon.
#23. 32 teams are taking part in the 2022 World Cup. This number will increase to 48 in 2026.
#24. Italy has played the most number of draws in the tournament with 21 draws.
#25. Brazil has won the most number of matches in World Cup with 70 wins.
#26. Miroslav Klose from Germany is the leading goal scorer in World Cups. He has scored a total 16 goals in all of the tournaments he has played.
#27. The World Cup in 2002 was held in South Korea and Japan. It was the only World Cup being organized in two different nations.
#28. Almost around 3.2 Billion people tuned in to watch the 2014 edition of World Cup. This was equivalent to half of the world’s population at the time.
#29. The record for most number of cards is held by two legends – Zinedine Zidane (France) and Cafu (Brazil). Both of them have received 6 cautions.
#30. Germany has played the most number of matches in FIFA World Cup history.
#31. Qatar is the smallest country to host a FIFA World Cup.
#32. A team with a foreign coach has never won the World Cup. All of the winners had a coach from their own country.
#33. Al Rihla is the official ball of 2022 World Cup. The ball is made in Indonesia’s East Java Province.
#34. The first ever trophy of the FIFA World Cup was named Coupe Jules Rimet. It was created by Abel Lafleur of France in 1930.
#35. The first ever penalty shootout was between France and West Germany in 1982.
#36. The first World Cup Golden Goal was scored by Laurent Blanc of France against Paraguay in 1998. Golden Goal is a goal scored in extra time which ends the match and lets the scoring team win the match.
#37. The Host nation has never lost the opening game in World Cup history. Qatar unfortunately broke this record as they lost 2-0 against Ecuador.
Final Words,
The legendary tournament has some legendary tales with it. The above presented FIFA World Cup facts are interesting and knowledgeable. We sincerely hope you enjoyed the presentation.
If you liked it, share it with your Football lover friends and relatives and see did they know these facts or not. Drop any other interesting trivia we have missed in the comments section below.