Following the World Cup’s expansion to 48 teams in 2026, receiving unanimous approval from FIFA’s ruling council on Tuesday, AFP Sport examines how the competition has changed since its first edition in 1930.
– 1930: In Uruguay, 13 teams competed in the first World Cup final, including four European countries: Belgium, France, Romania, and Yugoslavia.
– 1934: After the first qualifying round, the tournament in Italy was expanded to 16 teams.
– 1938: Only 15 teams competed in France after Austria, which Nazi Germany had recently conquered, withdrew.
– 1950: Following World War II, the World Cup resumes, with 13 countries competing in Brazil. The previous two editions had been postponed.
– 1954: Switzerland hosts the competition, which has a 16-team format once more.
– 1958: In Sweden, the tournament’s format remains the same, with Pele of Brazil winning the first of his three World Cups and Just Fontaine of France leading all scorers with a record-tying 13 goals.
– 1970: The World Cup in Mexico is one of the first to have red and yellow cards, the introduction of substitutes (two) during a match, and color television coverage of the competition. format unaltered
– 1982: As FIFA searched for new sources of income, the World Cup in Spain underwent a minor revolution when it went from 16 to 24 teams and 52 matches.
– 1986: Diego Maradona’s Argentina won the Mexico City edition, which included the first-ever knockout phase of the last 16 teams and quarterfinals.
– 1994: One hundred forty-seven players took part in qualifying matches, and Africa gained the third team for the final in the United States.
– 1998: The number of teams in the French competition increases to 32. One hundred seventy-four teams took part in the qualifying rounds.
–In 2002, South Korea and Japan will jointly host the World Cup for the first time. Brazil triumphs once more.
– 2010: The continent of Africa held the first World Cup. format unaltered
– 2022: The World Cup in Qatar will be held for the first time throughout the winter, from November 21 to December 18, to avoid the oppressive summer heat.
– 2026: FIFA approved a 48-team field for the 2026 World Cup, featuring 16 groups of three countries.
