22 FIFA World Cups have been played since the tournament began in 1930 (the 1942 and 1946 editions were canceled due to World War II). Just 8 nations have ever lifted the trophy. Brazil leads all countries with 5 World Cup titles (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002).
Germany and Italy are tied at 4 each. Argentina won its 3rd title at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, defeating France in one of the greatest finals ever played. The 2026 World Cup — co-hosted by USA, Canada, and Mexico starting June 11, 2026 — will be the 23rd edition and the first 48-team tournament. Below is the complete list of every World Cup winner since 1930, plus titles by country and key tournament records.
FIFA World Cup winners by year (1930-2022)
Every World Cup champion, runner-up, and final score across the tournament’s 96-year history.
Every World Cup winner (1930-2022)
Champion, runner-up, final score, and host nation for every World Cup. Most recent first.
Year
Champion
Runner-Up
Final Score
Host (key fact)
2022
Argentina
France
3-3 (4-2 PKs)
Qatar — Messi’s first title. Mbappé hat-trick.
2018
France
Croatia
4-2
Russia — Mbappé era begins. Croatia’s first final.
2014
Germany
Argentina
1-0 (ET)
Brazil — Götze extra-time winner. Maracanã.
2010
Spain
Netherlands
1-0 (ET)
South Africa — Iniesta winner. Spain’s first title.
2006
Italy
France
1-1 (5-3 PKs)
Germany — Zidane headbutt. Italy’s 4th title.
2002
Brazil
Germany
2-0
S. Korea/Japan — Ronaldo redemption (8 goals). Brazil’s 5th.
1998
France
Brazil
3-0
France — Zidane’s 2 headers. France’s first title.
1994
Brazil
Italy
0-0 (3-2 PKs)
USA — First final decided by penalties. Baggio miss.
1990
West Germany
Argentina
1-0
Italy — Brehme penalty. Maradona’s redemption denied.
1986
Argentina
West Germany
3-2
Mexico — Maradona’s tournament. ‘Hand of God’ game.
1982
Italy
West Germany
3-1
Spain — Paolo Rossi 6 goals. Italy’s 3rd title.
1978
Argentina
Netherlands
3-1 (ET)
Argentina — Mario Kempes hero. Home soil.
1974
West Germany
Netherlands
2-1
W. Germany — Cruyff’s Total Football fell short.
1970
Brazil
Italy
4-1
Mexico — Pelé’s 3rd title. Greatest team ever?
1966
England
West Germany
4-2 (ET)
England — Geoff Hurst hat-trick. England’s only title.
1962
Brazil
Czechoslovakia
3-1
Chile — Garrincha’s tournament. Pelé injured.
1958
Brazil
Sweden
5-2
Sweden — 17-year-old Pelé arrives. Largest final win.
1954
West Germany
Hungary
3-2
Switzerland — ‘Miracle of Bern.’ Upset of magical Hungary.
1950
Uruguay
Brazil
2-1
Brazil — ‘Maracanazo.’ 199,854 attendance record.
1938
Italy
Hungary
4-2
France — Italy’s back-to-back. Last pre-WWII final.
1934
Italy
Czechoslovakia
2-1 (ET)
Italy — Mussolini’s home tournament.
1930
Uruguay
Argentina
4-2
Uruguay — Inaugural World Cup. Centenario Stadium.
All-time World Cup titles by country
All 8 nations ever to win the FIFA World Cup, through 2022
Rank
Country
Titles
Winning years
1
Brazil
5
1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002
T-2
Germany / W. Germany
4
1954, 1974, 1990, 2014
T-2
Italy
4
1934, 1938, 1982, 2006
4
Argentina
3
1978, 1986, 2022 (reigning champion)
T-7
England
1
1966 (home soil)
World Cup records and notable facts
Key tournament records spanning 22 World Cups (1930-2022)
Most titles (player)
Pelé (Brazil)
3 World Cups won (1958, 1962, 1970). Only player ever.
Most career goals
Miroslav Klose (Germany)
16 goals across 4 World Cups (2002-2014).
Most goals in one tournament
Just Fontaine (France)
13 goals in 1958. Unbroken for 68 years.
Youngest winner
Pelé (Brazil)
17 years, 249 days when Brazil won 1958.
Only Final hat-tricks
Hurst, Mbappé
Hurst 1966 (England). Mbappé 2022 (France, losing).
Highest-scoring final
2022 Argentina-France
6 goals (3-3 in regulation/ET). Argentina won 4-2 PKs.
Most appearances (player)
Lothar Matthäus (Germany)
25 World Cup matches across 5 tournaments (1982-1998).
Back-to-back champions
Italy, Brazil
Italy 1934-1938. Brazil 1958-1962. No others.
Every-tournament team
Brazil
Only country to play in all 22 World Cups (1930-2022).
The takeaway
22 World Cups have been played since 1930 (1942 and 1946 canceled by WWII), with just 8 different nations winning the trophy. Brazil leads all countries with 5 titles. Germany and Italy each have 4. Argentina won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, beating France in penalty shootouts in one of the greatest finals ever played. Every World Cup champion has come from Europe (12 titles) or South America (10) — a pattern that has held for 96 years across 22 tournaments. The 2026 World Cup begins June 11 in Mexico City and will be the first 48-team edition, played across USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Sources: FIFA, MyFootballFacts, Topend Sports, Surprise Sports, Sportsdunia. Verified June 2026.
Brazil’s record 5 titles
Brazil has won more World Cups than any other nation — 5 titles spread across 44 years (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002). Brazil is also the only country to have participated in every single World Cup since 1930. The 1958-1970 era produced three Brazilian titles in 12 years and made Pelé the only player in history to win three World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970).
The 1970 Brazil team — featuring Pelé, Jairzinho, Tostão, Rivellino, and Carlos Alberto — is widely considered the greatest national team ever assembled. After a 24-year drought, Brazil’s 1994 title in the USA came via penalty shootout at the Rose Bowl over Italy. The 2002 win in Japan/South Korea was the Ronaldo redemption tournament — 8 goals after his disastrous 1998 final. Brazil hasn’t won since 2002, the longest title drought in their World Cup history.
Europe vs South America — the unbreakable pattern
Every single World Cup champion in 96 years has come from either Europe or South America. Europe has produced 12 winners across 22 tournaments, South America has produced 10. The pattern has held even through massive expansions of the tournament — from 13 teams in 1930 to 48 teams in 2026.
The closest a non-Euro/South-American nation has come is South Korea reaching the 2002 semifinals on home soil (with controversial refereeing). The 2026 tournament, played in North America with 48 teams instead of 32, gives the rest of the world its best statistical chance ever to break the pattern — but the betting markets still favor traditional powerhouses Spain, Brazil, France, England, and reigning champion Argentina. Six host nations have won on home soil: Uruguay (1930), Italy (1934), England (1966), West Germany (1974), Argentina (1978), and France (1998).
Argentina’s 2022 redemption
Argentina’s 2022 World Cup victory was Lionel Messi’s career-defining moment. At age 35 in his 5th World Cup, Messi led Argentina to a 3-3 draw against France in regulation/extra time before Argentina won 4-2 on penalties at Lusail Stadium.
The match featured a Mbappé hat-trick — only the second hat-trick in a World Cup Final after Geoff Hurst’s 1966 effort — and is widely considered the greatest World Cup Final ever played. The win ended a 36-year drought for Argentina (their last title was Maradona’s 1986). Messi joined Diego Maradona and Pelé in the elite club of World Cup-winning all-time greats. For more soccer history, see our guides on the biggest World Cup stadiums ever and soccer ball sizes by age.
