Top 10 Best World Cups

1. 2014

   

   2014 was held in Brazil from June 12 to July 13. Germany won the tournament by defeating Argentina 1 to 0 after extra time in the final at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. The event is also remembered for Germany's 7 to 1 semifinal victory over host nation Brazil.

2. 2010

   

   2010 took place in South Africa, making it the first FIFA World Cup hosted on the African continent. Spain won the title by beating the Netherlands 1 to 0 after extra time in the final, with Andrés Iniesta scoring the winning goal. The official match ball was the Jabulani, and Paul the Octopus became widely known for predicting results during the tournament.

3. 2018

   

   2018 was staged in Russia between June 14 and July 15. France claimed its second World Cup championship by defeating Croatia 4 to 2 in the final in Moscow. It was the first World Cup to use the video assistant referee system during matches.

4. 2006

   

   2006 was hosted by Germany from June 9 to July 9. Italy won the championship after a 1 to 1 draw with France and a 5 to 3 victory on penalties in the final. The tournament is also known for Zinedine Zidane being sent off after headbutting Marco Materazzi in extra time.

5. 1998

   

   1998 was played in France and was the first World Cup to feature 32 teams. France won its first World Cup title by beating Brazil 3 to 0 in the final at Stade de France. Zinedine Zidane scored two headers in that final, and Emmanuel Petit added the third goal.

6. 2002

   

   2002 was co-hosted by South Korea and Japan, the first World Cup held in Asia and the first shared by two countries. Brazil won the tournament by defeating Germany 2 to 0 in the final, with Ronaldo scoring both goals. Turkey finished third, and South Korea reached the semifinals for the best finish by an Asian men's team at that time.

7. 1962

   

   1962 was held in Chile from May 30 to June 17. Brazil retained the World Cup by defeating Czechoslovakia 3 to 1 in the final in Santiago. Garrincha became one of the central figures of the tournament after Pelé suffered an early injury.

8. 1966

   

   The 1966 tournament took place in England, with the final played at Wembley Stadium in London. England won its first World Cup by defeating West Germany 4 to 2 after extra time. Geoff Hurst scored a hat trick in the final, which didn't happen again in a men's World Cup final until 2022.

9. 1994

   

   1994 was hosted by the United States and set attendance records for a World Cup tournament. Brazil won its fourth title after drawing 0 to 0 with Italy and then winning 3 to 2 in the penalty shootout in the final. The final is also remembered for Roberto Baggio missing Italy's decisive penalty kick.

10. 1982

    

    1982 was held in Spain and expanded the tournament to 24 teams for the first time. Italy won the title by defeating West Germany 3 to 1 in the final in Madrid. The competition included the well-known match between West Germany and Austria that became known as the Disgrace of Gijón.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    2026

12. ?

    1978

    

    1978 took place in Argentina between June 1 and June 25. The host nation won its first World Cup title by beating the Netherlands 3 to 1 after extra time in the final in Buenos Aires. Mario Kempes finished as the tournament's top scorer with six goals.

The Contenders

13. 2022

    

    2022 was hosted by Qatar from November 20 to December 18, making it the first FIFA World Cup held in the Middle East. Argentina won the tournament after a 3 to 3 draw with France in the final and a 4 to 2 victory on penalties at Lusail Stadium. Lionel Messi scored twice in the final, and Kylian Mbappé scored a hat trick for France.

14. 1986

    

    1986 took place in Mexico from May 31 to June 29. Argentina won the competition by defeating West Germany 3 to 2 in the final at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Diego Maradona was a central figure in the tournament, including his two famous goals against England in the quarterfinals.

15. 1970

    

    1970 was staged in Mexico between May 31 and June 21. Brazil secured its third World Cup title by beating Italy 4 to 1 in the final at the Estadio Azteca. It was the first World Cup broadcast in color to many international audiences, and Pelé scored in the final.

16. 1958

    

    1958 was held in Sweden from June 8 to June 29. Brazil captured its first World Cup championship by overcoming host nation Sweden 5 to 2 in the final in Stockholm. A 17-year-old Pelé scored six goals in the tournament, including two in the final.

17. 1990

    

    1990 was played in Italy from June 8 to July 8. West Germany won the title by defeating Argentina 1 to 0 in the final at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. The winning goal came from an Andreas Brehme penalty, and the tournament set a record-low goals-per-game average for the time.

18. 1930

    

    1930 was organized in Uruguay from July 13 to July 30 as the first FIFA World Cup. Uruguay became the inaugural champion by defeating Argentina 4 to 2 in the final at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo. Only 13 teams took part, and there were no qualification matches before the tournament.

19. 1934

    

    1934 was hosted by Italy from May 27 to June 10. Italy won the competition by beating Czechoslovakia 2 to 1 after extra time in the final in Rome. It was the first World Cup that required teams to qualify, and it was also the first edition to include a knockout format from the start.

20. 1954

    

    1954 was held in Switzerland from June 16 to July 4. West Germany won its first World Cup by defeating Hungary 3 to 2 in the final in Bern after trailing 2 to 0 early in the match. The result became known as the Miracle of Bern, and the tournament featured a then-record average of more than five goals per game.

21. 1950

    

    1950 was played in Brazil from June 24 to July 16. Uruguay finished first in the final round group and effectively claimed the title by beating Brazil 2 to 1 in the decisive match at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro. This edition did not use a single final match and was the first World Cup held after a 12-year gap caused by World War II.

22. 1974

    

    1974 was hosted by West Germany from June 13 to July 7. West Germany won the tournament by defeating the Netherlands 2 to 1 in the final in Munich. It was the first World Cup to feature the current FIFA World Cup Trophy, replacing the Jules Rimet Trophy.

23. 1938

    

    1938 was played in France from June 4 to June 19. Italy retained the championship by defeating Hungary 4 to 2 in the final at Stade Olympique de Colombes in Paris. It was the last World Cup before the tournament was suspended because of World War II.