All FIFA World Cup Host Countries

FIFA World Cup Host Countries From 1930 to 2026 Seventeen countries have been FIFA World Cup hosts in the competition’s twenty-one tournaments since the inaugural World Cup in 1930. The organization at first awarded hosting to countries at meetings of FIFA’s congress. The choice of location was controversial in the earliest tournaments, given the three-week boat journey between South America and Europe, the two centers of strength in football at the time. Only Mexico, Italy, France, Germany (West Germany until shortly after the 1990 World Cup) and Brazil have hosted the event on two occasions.