| The FIFA World Cup (often called the Football | | | | professional club sides from Italy, Germany |
| World Cup or simply the World Cup) is the | | | | and Switzerland. The first tournament was won |
| most important competition in international | | | | by West Auckland, an amateur side from |
| football (soccer), and the world's most | | | | north-east England that was invited after the |
| representative team sport event. Organised by | | | | Football Association refused to be associated |
| Federation Internationale de Football | | | | with the competition. West Auckland returned |
| Association (FIFA), the sport's governing | | | | in 1911 to successfully defend their title, |
| body, the World Cup is contested by the men's | | | | and were given the trophy to keep forever, as |
| national football teams of FIFA member | | | | per the rules of the competition. |
| nations. The championship has been awarded | | | | |
| every four years since the first tournament | | | | In 1914, FIFA agreed to recognise the Olympic |
| in 1930 (except in 1942 and 1946 due to World | | | | tournament as a "world football championship |
| War II), however it is more of an ongoing | | | | for amateurs", and took responsibility for |
| event as the qualifying rounds of the | | | | organising the event. This led the way for |
| competition take place over the three years | | | | the world's first intercontinental football |
| preceding the final rounds.The final | | | | competition, at the 1924 Summer Olympics. |
| tournament phase (often called the "Finals") | | | | Uruguay won the tournament,before winning the |
| involves 32 national teams competing over a | | | | gold medal again in 1928, with another South |
| four-week period in a previously nominated | | | | American team, Argentina, taking silver. In |
| host nation, with these games making it the | | | | 1928 FIFA made the decision to stage their |
| most widely-viewed sporting event in the | | | | own international tournament. With Uruguay |
| world.[1] In the 17 tournaments held, only | | | | now two-time official football world |
| seven nations have ever won the World Cup | | | | champions and due to celebrate their |
| Finals. Brazil are the current holders, as | | | | centenary of independence in 1930, FIFA named |
| well as the most successful World Cup team, | | | | Uruguay as the host country. |
| having won the tournament five times, while | | | | |
| Germany and Italy follow with three titles | | | | The 1932 Summer Olympics, held in Los |
| each. The next football World Cup Finals will | | | | Angeles, did not plan to include football as |
| be held in Germany. | | | | part of the programme due to the low |
| | | | popularity of football in the United States. |
| The first international football match was | | | | FIFA and the IOC also disagreed over the |
| played in 1872 between England and Scotland, | | | | status of amateur players, and so football |
| although at this stage the sport was rarely | | | | was dropped from the Games.FIFA president |
| played outside Great Britain. As football | | | | Jules Rimet thus set about organising the |
| began to increase in popularity, it was held | | | | inaugural World Cup tournament to be held in |
| as a demonstration sport (with no medals | | | | Uruguay in 1930. The national associations of |
| awarded) at the 1900, 1904 and 1906 Summer | | | | selected nations were invited to send a team, |
| Olympics before football became an official | | | | but the choice of Uruguay as a venue for the |
| competition at the 1908 Summer Olympics. | | | | competition meant a long and costly trip |
| Organised by England's Football Association, | | | | across the Atlantic Ocean for European sides. |
| the event was for amateur players only and | | | | Indeed, no European country pledged to send a |
| was regarded suspiciously as a show rather | | | | team until two months before the start of the |
| than a competition. The England national | | | | competition.Rimet eventually persuaded teams |
| amateur football team won the event in both | | | | from Belgium, France, Romania, and Yugoslavia |
| 1908 and 1912. | | | | to make the trip. In total 13 nations took |
| | | | part - seven from South America, four from |
| With the Olympic event continuing to be | | | | Europe and two from North America. |
| contested only between amateur teams, Sir | | | | |
| Thomas Lipton organised the Sir Thomas Lipton | | | | A spin-off tournament, the FIFA Women's World |
| Trophy tournament in Turin in 1909. The | | | | Cup, was first held in 1991. It is similar to |
| competition is often described as The First | | | | the men's tournament in format, but so far |
| World Cup,and featured the most prestigious | | | | has not generated the same level of interest. |