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FIFA WORLD CUP HISTORYThe world's first international football match wasplayed in Glasgow in 1872 between Scotland andEngland. The first international tournament, the BritishHome Championship, took place in 1884.As football began to increase in popularity in otherparts of the world, it was held as a demonstrationsport at the 1900 and 1904 Olympics. At the 1908London Olympics – four years after FIFA was founded –football became an official competition. Great Britainwon the first gold medal.In 1914, FIFA agreed to recognise the Olympictournament as an official world football championship.This paved the way for the world's firstintercontinental football competition, at the 1920Olympics, won by Belgium. Uruguay won the next twoOlympic tournaments in 1924 and 1928.Due to the success of the Olympic tournaments, FIFAdecided to stage and organise its own worldchampionship. FIFA named Uruguay – the winners ofthe previous two football world championships – asthe host country of the inaugural FIFA World Cuptournament in 1930. Uruguay defeated Argentina inthe final to be the first nation to win the World Cup.Due to the difficulties in travelling before World War 2,only a small number of nations outside of the hostcontinent took part in the first three FIFA World Cups1930, 1934 and 1938.Following the World War 2, the FIFA World Cupresumed in Brazil in 1950, where Uruguay won it againby defeating the host nation in front of 200,000 peopleat Rio De Janeiro's Maracana Stadium.Returning to Europe, the 1954 tournament inSwitzerland was the first to feature 16 teams, and with140 goals scored in 26 games, it holds the record formost average goals per game (5.4).Brazil commenced a long phase of FIFA World Cupdominance in 1958, easily defeating host nation Swedenin the final. World Cup championship success for Brazilcontinued in 1962 (held in Chile) and 1970 (Mexico).Meanwhile the 1966 FIFA World Cup in Englandwitnessed a spectacular success for the host nation, aGeoff Hurst hat-trick helping the English to a 4-2 finalwin over West Germany at Wembly.After unsuccessfully attempting to qualify for the 1966and 1970 finals, Australia qualified for its first FIFAWorld Cup in 1974. Losses to host nation and eventual1974 Champions West Germany, and strongneighbours East Germany, were followed by ascoreless draw with Chile, allowing the Aussies toreturn home with a respectable record.It was Argentina's turn to celebrate in 1978, as theSouth Americans hosted and won the FIFA World Cup.The Netherlands were the FIFA World Cup final losersfor the second successive tournament.In 1982 the tournament expanded to 24 teams, withSpain hosting and Italy winning its second FIFA WorldCup final. West Germany lost its second FIFA World Cupfinal in a row in Mexico in 1986, when Diego Maradonainspired Argentina to its second World Cup triumph ineight years. The West Germans gained revenge at Italia'90, with the 1-0 win over Argentina in the final beingthe last match played by West Germany, as the unifiedGerman team competed from 1994.The first FIFA World Cup played outside of Europe orSouth America took place in 1994 when the USAhosted a successful tournament. Brazil won the firstFIFA World Cup final to go to penalties.By 1998 the FIFA World Cup finals had increased to 32participants, and it was France who became the firstteam since Argentina twenty years earlier to take out aFIFA World Cup final for the first time.Amazingly it took until 2002 for the FIFA World Cup'stwo most successful teams to play each other for thefirst time in any FIFA World Cup match, Brazil defeatingGermany 2-0 in the final of the tournament held jointlyby Japan and South Korea.Australia returned to FIFA World Cup action inGermany in 2006, the Socceroos gloriously qualifyingfor the Round of 16 where the Aussies were undone byeventual Champions Italy.In 2010 the FIFA World Cup went to Africa for the firsttime, where Australia failed to make the group stage inSouth Africa after finishing third on goal difference.The FIFA World Cup returns to Brazil in 2014, thetwentieth edition of the tournament. Russia will hostthe FIFA World Cup in 2018 followed by Qatar in 2022.FIFA WORLD CUP PARTICIPANTS by confederation1930 1934 1938 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014Europe 4 12 12 6 12 12 10 10 9 9 10 14 14 14 13 15 15 14 13 13South America 7 2 1 5 2 3 5 4 3 4 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 4 5 6Other America 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 4 3 4Africa – 1 – – – – – – 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 5 5 5 6 5Asia – – 1 – 1 – – 1 1 – 1 1 2 2 2 4 4 4 4 4Oceania – – – – – – – – – 1 – 1 – – – – – 1 1 –OFFICIAL MEDIA GUIDE OF AUSTRALIA AT THE 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP BRAZIL 114