The first soccer World Cup took place in 1930. 

At that time, 13 soccer teams from all over the world competed and represented their countries. 

The first host country, Uruguay, was also the first winner of this competition! 

But who invented the World Cup?   

It was a Frenchman, Jules Rimet, president of the French Football Federation, who had the idea and took almost ten years to set it up.  

Since then, this competition’s been held every four years except in 1942 and 1946, when it was cancelled because of the Second World War. 

Since the first edition, the number of participating teams has increased a lot. It’s gone from 13 to 32 today!!

And, since 1991, there is also a Women’s World Cup, becoming more and more popular.

Among the main winners of the men’s World Cup are Brazil, Germany and Italy. 

France, on the other hand, managed to host and win the World Cup in 1998.  

Every four years, a new country organizes this competition, whose economic spin-offs are enormous. 

Because it’s a global event watched by almost half of the world’s population!