Mexico and Brazil Lead as Most Frequent World Cup Hosts

Since the first FIFA World Cup in 1930, only a few countries have had the honor of hosting the tournament more than once. Mexico and Brazil lead the list, each having hosted the World Cup twice. Mexico staged the event in 1970 and again in 1986, while Brazil hosted in 1950 and 2014. Italy, France, and Germany have also hosted twice, with Italy in 1934 and 1990, France in 1938 and 1998, and Germany (including West Germany) in 1974 and 2006. The World Cup started in Uruguay, which hosted the inaugural tournament in 1930 and won it. Other host nations include Switzerland (1954), Sweden (1958), Chile (1962), England (1966), Argentina (1978), Spain (1982), the United States (1994), Japan and South Korea (jointly in 2002), South Africa (2010), Russia (2018), and Qatar (2022). The 2026 tournament will be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The World Cup has been held every four years, except in 1942 and 1946 due to World War II. The tournament has grown from 13 teams in 1930 to 32 teams currently, with an expansion to 48 teams planned for 2026.