Every World Cup Winner (1930-2026)

23 entries · verified 2026-07-20 · free · from the Ball IQ football team

Since Uruguay lifted the very first trophy on home soil in 1930, the FIFA World Cup has crowned a champion every four years — pausing only in 1942 and 1946 as the world went to war. Across 23 tournaments, just eight nations have ever gotten their hands on the trophy, a club so exclusive that reaching a final is itself a piece of history.

Brazil remain the benchmark with five titles and the distinction of being the only side to appear at every finals. Germany and Italy sit on four apiece, while Argentina's 2022 triumph in Qatar and Spain's breakthrough in 2010 rounded out the modern era. The table below tracks every final in order, including the host nation and whether the decisive match needed extra time or penalties.

The 2026 edition — the first ever co-hosted by three countries, the United States, Canada and Mexico, and the first with 48 teams — ended with a new chapter: Spain edged Argentina 1-0 after extra time on July 19, 2026, to claim their second World Cup and deny Lionel Messi a farewell repeat.

YearWinnerRunner-upScoreHost
1930UruguayArgentina4-2Uruguay
1934ItalyCzechoslovakia2-1 (a.e.t.)Italy
1938ItalyHungary4-2France
1950UruguayBrazil2-1Brazil
1954West GermanyHungary3-2Switzerland
1958BrazilSweden5-2Sweden
1962BrazilCzechoslovakia3-1Chile
1966EnglandWest Germany4-2 (a.e.t.)England
1970BrazilItaly4-1Mexico
1974West GermanyNetherlands2-1West Germany
1978ArgentinaNetherlands3-1 (a.e.t.)Argentina
1982ItalyWest Germany3-1Spain
1986ArgentinaWest Germany3-2Mexico
1990West GermanyArgentina1-0Italy
1994BrazilItaly0-0 (a.e.t., 3-2 pen.)United States
1998FranceBrazil3-0France
2002BrazilGermany2-0South Korea / Japan
2006ItalyFrance1-1 (a.e.t., 5-3 pen.)Germany
2010SpainNetherlands1-0 (a.e.t.)South Africa
2014GermanyArgentina1-0 (a.e.t.)Brazil
2018FranceCroatia4-2Russia
2022ArgentinaFrance3-3 (a.e.t., 4-2 pen.)Qatar
2026SpainArgentina1-0 (a.e.t.)United States / Canada / Mexico

Think you know World Cup history? Prove it in the app.

Streaks, live 1v1, a rating out of 99 — and every quiz in one app.

Download on theApp Store

Quizzes to test yourself

Every World Cup Winner (1930-2026) — FAQ

Which country has won the most World Cups?
Brazil have won the most, with five titles (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002). They are also the only nation to have played at every World Cup finals in history.
Who won the 2026 World Cup?
Spain won the 2026 World Cup, beating Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final on July 19, 2026. Ferran Torres scored the only goal in the 106th minute. It was Spain's second world title after 2010.
How many different countries have won the World Cup?
Eight nations have won it: Brazil (5), Germany/West Germany (4), Italy (4), Argentina (3), France (2), Uruguay (2), Spain (2) and England (1).
Why were there no World Cups in 1942 and 1946?
The tournaments scheduled for 1942 and 1946 were not held because of World War II. The competition resumed in 1950 in Brazil, when Uruguay won their second title.