History of the Football World Cup

An international governing body of football, FIFA, was created in 1904. The organization’s goal was to host championship matches between professional leagues from different nations. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) first conceived the idea of a world football championship back in 1926. FIFA president Jules Rimet envisioned an event that would fit between the Olympics. The original idea did not work well due to the extensive scheduling of the winter and summer Olympics.Rimet, along with other FIFA representatives, organized the event for the first time in 1930. The first World Cup did not even include qualifying rounds. European teams included France, Belgium, Yugoslavia & Romania. Other European teams complained about the distance to Uruguay and refused to travel so far. The original gold trophy had Jules Rimet’s name engraved on it and was contested three times in the 1930s. There were a total of 13 teams in the first World Cup. The remaining countries, besides the host Uruguay, were Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Mexico, and the United States. Due to World War II, the competition was interrupted for 12 years. The first match of the football World Cup began on July 13, 1930. France defeated Mexico 4-1, paving the way for a glorious start to the World Cup. After the war, the FIFA World Cup gained worldwide recognition as the premier sporting event of the new world. The World Cup has been held since 1958 in Europe and the Americas. The decision of the World Cup Executive Committee in May 1996 chose South Korea and Japan as co-hosts for the 2002 edition. Since 1930, the world has witnessed only seven different winners in the 16 tournaments held so far. The FIFA World Cup has seen wonderful victories and dramatic twists, such as England’s defeat in 1950, North Korea’s elimination in Italy in 1966, and Cameroon’s victory over Argentina in the opening match in 1990.The FIFA World Cup today attracts people from all over the globe. After so many years, the World Cup has seen the best and the worst in the world of football. The football world stands out more in recognition and popularity thanks to the FIFA World Cup. Football is the most loved and admired sport, with a history of over 3000 years.Source: www.historyofsoccer.info