The FIFA World Cup is an international soccer competition held every four years. It is contested by the
senior men’s national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA),
the sport’s global governing body. The World Cup is the most prestigious soccer tournament in the world, as well as the most widely viewed and followed sporting event. It is also the oldest international soccer competition, having first been held in 1930.
The first FIFA World Cup was held in 1930 in Uruguay, with 13 teams participating. The host country, Uruguay, emerged as the winners, defeating Argentina in the final. Since then, the World Cup has been held every four years, with the exception of 1942 and 1946, when it was not held due to World War II.
Over the years, the World Cup has grown in size and popularity. The number of teams participating in the tournament has increased, and the event is now held in a different country each time. In the early years of the World Cup, only a handful of European and South American teams participated. However, in recent years, teams from all six FIFA confederations have qualified for the tournament.
The World Cup has also seen many memorable moments and legendary players. Some of the most iconic moments in World Cup history include Pele’s performance in the 1958 and 1970 tournaments, Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal in 1986, and the dramatic finishes of the 1994 and 2010 tournaments.
The most successful team in World Cup history is Brazil, who have won the tournament a record five times. Germany and Italy have each won the World Cup four times, while Argentina and Uruguay have each won the tournament twice. The current World Cup champions are France, who won the tournament in 2018.