The FIFA World Cup (often called the Football World Cup or just the World Cup) is the most significant competition in international football (soccer), and the world's most representated team sport affair. Organized by Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's administration body, the World Cup is contested by the men's national football teams of FIFA member nations. With exception in 1942 and 1946 (du to World War II) the championship has been awarded every four years since the first tournament in 1930. However it is more of an ongoing event as the qualifying rounds of the competition take place over the three years preceding the final rounds.The final tournament phase (often called the "Finals") involves 32 national teams competing over a four-week period in a previously nominated host nation, with these games making it the most widely-viewed sporting event in the world. In the 18 tournaments held, only seven nations have ever won the World Cup Finals. The most successful World Cup team is Brazil. It won the tournament five times, following by Italy (won four times) and Germany with three titles. Brazil will host the next football World Cup in 2014. And you can
watch World Cup online on your PC anyplace internet is available.
The inaugural international football match was played in 1872 between England and Scotland, although at this point the sport was rarely played outside Great Britain. As football began to gain in popularity, it was held as a demonstration sport (with no medals awarded) at the 1900, 1904 and 1906 Summer Olympics before football became an official competition at the 1908 Summer Olympics. Organised by England's Football Association, the event was for recreational players entirely and was regarded skeptically as a exhibit rather than a competition. Both events (1908 and 1912) were won by the England national amateur football team.
With the Olympic event continuing to be contested only between amateur teams, Sir Thomas Lipton organised the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy tournament in Turin in 1909. The competition is repeatedly described as The First World Cup, and featured the most prestigious professional club sides from Italy, Germany and Switzerland. The first tournament was won by West Auckland, an amateur team from north-east England that was invited after the Football Association refused to be connected with the competition. West Auckland returned in 1911 to gloriously hold their title, and were given the trophy to keep for all time, as per the rules of the competition.
In 1914, FIFA agreed to recognise the Olympic tournament as a "world football championship for amateurs", and took responsibility for organising the event. This led the way for the world's first intercontinental football competition, at the 1924 Summer Olympics. Uruguay won the tournament, before winning the gold medal again in 1928, with different South American team, Argentina, winning silver. In 1928 FIFA made the decision to stage their own international tournament.
Due to the low popularity of football in the United States organizers of the 1932 Summer Olympics (held in Los Angeles) did not plan to include football (soccer) as part of the programme. FIFA and the IOC also disagreed over the status of amateur players, and so football was dropped from the Games. FIFA president Jules Rimet thus set about organising the first World Cup tournament. With Uruguay, now two-time official football world champions, and to celebrate their centenary of independence in 1930, FIFA named it as the host country.
The national associations of a few countries were invited to send a team, but the choice of Uruguay as a venue for the competition meant a long and expensive trip across the Atlantic Ocean for European sides. Indeed, no European country pledged to send a team until two months before the start of the competition. Rimet ultimately persuaded teams from Belgium, France, Romania, and Yugoslavia to make the trip.
For the occasion Uruguay constructed one of the most striking Stadium of the South America: l’Estadio Centenario. The World Cup started on July 13, 1930 with the match between France and Mexico, won by France 4-1. In total 13 nations participated: — seven from South America, four from Europe and two from North America. They were split in 4 groups. Winner of each group advanced to the semi-finals. With no sensational developments the teams who made to the the final were Uruguay and Argentina. In the first half Argentina dominated, with two goals (Peucelle e Stabile) versus one (Dorado). In the second half Uruguayan scored three times (Cea, Iriarte e Castro) and won the final becoming the first World Champions. Finally, who scored the first goal of the World Cup History? The answer is: the french player Lucien Laurent, after 19 minutes of the first match France – Mexico.
The last World Cup was held in 2010 in South Africa. It is the first World Cup for which the previous winner had to qualify; the host nation(s) will remain to receive an automatic berth. First seed and holders Brazil and second seeded England were initially English bookmakers' favourites. A strong performance by Germany brought them as far as the semifinals. Still, the final match-up was between Italy and France, in which French captain Zinedine Zidane was sent off in the last 10 minutes of extra time for a head butt to the chest of Italian central defender Marco Materazzi. Italy went on to win 5-3 in a penalty shootout, the score having been 1-1 after 90 minutes and extra time.
A spin-off tournament, the FIFA Women's World Cup, was first held in 1991. It is the same as the men's tournament in format, but so far has not generated the same level of interest. You could also watch it online.
