The World Cup is where football’s giants are supposed to win, which is exactly why the upsets are so unforgettable. Every few years, a team nobody gave a chance topples a powerhouse and rewrites the script, sending shockwaves around the globe. From a part-time American side stunning England to Saudi Arabia toppling Lionel Messi’s Argentina, these are the results that define the tournament’s magic. So what are the biggest upsets in World Cup history?
These shocks share a common thread: a heavy underdog finding a way to beat one of the sport’s elite on its biggest stage. Here is a ranked look at the most stunning upsets the World Cup has ever produced.
The chart below ranks the greatest World Cup upsets of all time. Take a look, then we’ll relive each one.
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The Greatest Upset: USA 1-0 England (1950)
For sheer improbability, nothing tops the United States beating England at the 1950 World Cup. England, the nation that invented the game, arrived as one of the tournament favorites. The United States was a collection of part-time players, given essentially no chance, with some bookmakers reportedly offering odds of 500-1. Yet a single goal from Joe Gaetjens gave the Americans a 1-0 win in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The result was so unthinkable that some newspapers back in England reportedly assumed the score was a typo and printed it as a 10-1 England win. It remains the benchmark against which all World Cup shocks are measured.
Saudi Arabia 2-1 Argentina (2022)
The most recent earth-shaking upset came on the opening days of the 2022 World Cup, when Saudi Arabia came from behind to beat Lionel Messi’s Argentina 2-1. Argentina entered as one of the favorites and was riding a 36-match unbeaten streak. What makes this result extraordinary in hindsight is that Argentina did not just survive the shock, they went on to win the entire tournament. That makes Saudi Arabia one of the very few teams to ever beat an eventual World Cup champion, and it sparked national celebrations and a public holiday back in Saudi Arabia. With the Saudis back in the field in 2026, the memory is very much alive.
Cameroon 1-0 Argentina (1990)
The 1990 World Cup opened with another Argentina humbling, this time at the hands of Cameroon. The defending champions, led by Diego Maradona, were stunned 1-0 by the African side in the tournament’s very first match, despite Cameroon finishing the game with nine men after two red cards. It was a landmark moment for African football, announcing that the continent’s teams could compete with and beat the world’s best. Cameroon went on to reach the quarter-finals, then a record for an African nation, and inspired a generation. Beating the reigning champions in the opening game made it an all-time shock.
The Champions’ Curse
One of the World Cup’s most fascinating patterns is how often reigning champions crash out early, a phenomenon some call the “champions’ curse.” France, the 1998 winners, were beaten by debutants Senegal in their 2002 opener and went home without scoring a goal. Defending champions Germany were eliminated in the group stage in 2018, losing to South Korea. Time and again, the team with the target on its back has stumbled, undone by complacency, aging squads, or the sheer weight of expectation. It is a reminder that in the World Cup, past glory guarantees nothing once the next tournament kicks off.
Why the World Cup Breeds Upsets
Upsets are woven into the fabric of the World Cup for a few clear reasons. Football is a low-scoring sport, so a single goal, a deflection, or a goalkeeping masterclass can decide a match, allowing a well-organized underdog to topple a superior team. The knockout format is single-elimination, giving favorites no chance to recover from one bad day. And the psychology matters: favorites play under crushing pressure while underdogs play with freedom and nothing to lose. Add the expanded 2026 field, full of debutants and minnows, and the conditions for fresh shocks have never been better. If you want to understand how the group stage sets up these knockout dramas, see our guide to World Cup standings and tiebreakers.
The Bottom Line
The biggest World Cup upsets, from the USA stunning England in 1950 to Saudi Arabia toppling the eventual champions in 2022, are the moments that make the tournament magical. They prove that on any given day, organization, belief, and a bit of luck can overcome talent and reputation. Reigning champions fall, debutants rise, and minnows write their names into history. As the 2026 World Cup unfolds with its biggest and most diverse field ever, the only safe prediction is that somewhere, another giant is about to be humbled.