The World Cup: the story of the contest that unites billions of fans

The FIFA World Cup, the greatest sporting event on the planet, has its origins in 1930, when it was organised for the first time by FIFA in Uruguay. The idea of establishing a world championship was conceived by the then FIFA president Jules Rimet, who sought to create a competition in which national teams would contest the title of world champions. Thirteen nations took part in the inaugural edition, with Uruguay crowned the first champions after defeating Argentina in the final. Since then, the World Cup has been held every four years, with the exception of the Second World War period. The tournament has grown into the most-watched sporting event in the world, drawing billions of viewers and producing some of the most unforgettable moments in the history of football. Today marks the official start of the 2026 edition — the first in history to be co-hosted by three nations: the United States, Canada and Mexico. This World Cup introduces a landmark change, as for the first time 48 national teams will take part, making it the largest tournament in the history of the World Cup.