Editing FIFA World Cup (section)

== Results ==
{{See also|List of FIFA World Cup finals}}

;Key
* a.e.t.: result/match won [[Overtime (sports)|after extra time]]
* p: match won after [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalty shoot-out]]

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center; width:100%;"
|-
! rowspan="2"  style="width:2%;|{{abbr|Ed.|Edition}}
! rowspan="2"  style="width:5%;|Year
! rowspan="2"  style="width:13%;|Hosts
|width="1%" rowspan=30 style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top-style:hidden; border-bottom-style:hidden;"|
! colspan=3|Final
|width="1%" rowspan=30 style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top-style:hidden; border-bottom-style:hidden;"|
! colspan=3|Third place playoff
|width="1%" rowspan=30 style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top-style:hidden; border-bottom-style:hidden;"|
! rowspan=2|{{abbr|No. of<br />teams|Number of teams}}
|-
!  style="width:15%; |Champions
!  style="width:10%; |Score
!  style="width:15%; |Runners-up
!  style="width:15%; |Third place
!  style="width:10%; |Score
!  style="width:15%; |Fourth place
|-
!1
|[[1930 FIFA World Cup|1930]]
|align=left| {{flag|Uruguay}}
|'''{{fb-big|URU}}'''
|'''[[1930 FIFA World Cup final|4–2]]'''
|{{fb-big|ARG}}
|{{fb-big|USA|1912}}
|{{center|–{{Refn|There was no third place match in 1930; the two losing semi-finalists are ranked according to their overall records in the tournament.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/1930uruguay |title=1930 FIFA World Cup Uruguay |work=FIFA.com |publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association |access-date=30 December 2018 |archive-date=23 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210623111118/https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/1930uruguay |url-status=live}}</ref>|group=n|name=nothirdmatch}} }}
|{{fb-big|Kingdom of Yugoslavia}}
|13
|-
!2
|[[1934 FIFA World Cup|1934]]
|align=left| {{flag|Italy|1861}}
|'''{{fb-big|ITA|1861}}'''
|'''[[1934 FIFA World Cup final|2–1]]''' {{aet}}
|{{fb-big|TCH}}
|{{fb-big|GER|1933}}
|'''3–2'''
|{{fb-big|AUT}}
|16
|-
!3
|[[1938 FIFA World Cup|1938]]
|align=left| {{flag|France|1794}}
|'''{{fb-big|ITA|1861}}'''
|'''[[1938 FIFA World Cup final|4–2]]'''
|{{fb-big|HUN|1920}}
|{{fb-big|BRA|1889}}
|'''4–2'''
|{{fb-big|SWE}}
|15
|- align=center
! –
| [[History of the FIFA World Cup#Hiatus due to World War II|1942]]
| rowspan="2" |
| colspan="3" rowspan="2" | ''(Not held because of [[World War II]])''
| colspan="3" rowspan="2" | ''(Not held because of [[World War II]])''
|rowspan=2| –
|- align=center
! –
| 1946
|-
!4
|[[1950 FIFA World Cup|1950]]
|align=left| {{flag|Brazil|1889}}
|'''{{fb-big|URU}}'''
|'''[[Uruguay v Brazil (1950 FIFA World Cup)|2–1]]'''{{refn|The final stage in 1950 was a round-robin group of four teams. Coincidentally, one of the last two matches pitted together the top two teams (and the only two who could win the title), and the other was between the bottom two teams. Uruguay v Brazil is often considered the de facto final of the 1950 World Cup.<ref name="wc1950">{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/brazil1950/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220191844/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/brazil1950/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 December 2013 |title=1950 FIFA World Cup |work=FIFA.com |publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association |access-date=5 March 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/mcwc/ip-301_09a_wc-finals_alltime_8864.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071129182236/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/mcwc/ip-301_09a_wc-finals_alltime_8864.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 November 2007 |title=FIFA World Cup Finals since 1930 |work=FIFA.com |publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association |access-date=5 March 2009}}</ref>|group=n|name=wc1950}}
|{{fb-big|BRA|1889}}
|{{fb-big|SWE}}
|'''3–1'''{{refn|group=n|name=wc1950}}
|{{fb-big|ESP|1945}}
|13
|-
!5
|[[1954 FIFA World Cup|1954]]
|align=left| {{flag|Switzerland}}
|'''{{fb-big|FRG}}'''
|'''[[1954 FIFA World Cup final|3–2]]'''
|{{fb-big|HUN|1949}}
|{{fb-big|AUT}}
|'''3–1'''
|{{fb-big|URU}}
|16
|-
!6
|[[1958 FIFA World Cup|1958]]
|align=left| {{flag|Sweden}}
|'''{{fb-big|BRA|1889}}'''
|'''[[1958 FIFA World Cup final|5–2]]'''
|{{fb-big|SWE}}
|{{fb-big|FRA}}
|'''6–3'''
|{{fb-big|FRG}}
|16
|-
!7
|[[1962 FIFA World Cup|1962]]
|align=left| {{flag|Chile}}
|'''{{fb-big|BRA|1960}}'''
|'''[[1962 FIFA World Cup final|3–1]]'''
|{{fb-big|TCH}}
|{{fb-big|CHI}}
|'''1–0'''
|{{fb-big|YUG}}
|16
|-
!8
|[[1966 FIFA World Cup|1966]]
|align=left| {{flag|England}}
|'''{{fb-big|ENG}}'''
|'''[[1966 FIFA World Cup final|4–2]]''' {{aet}}
|{{fb-big|FRG}}
|{{fb-big|POR}}
|'''2–1'''
|{{fb-big|URS|1955}}
|16
|-
!9
|[[1970 FIFA World Cup|1970]]
|align=left| {{flag|Mexico}}
|'''{{fb-big|BRA|1968}}'''
|'''[[1970 FIFA World Cup final|4–1]]'''
|{{fb-big|ITA|1946}}
|{{fb-big|FRG}}
|'''1–0'''
|{{fb-big|URU}}
|16
|-
!10
|[[1974 FIFA World Cup|1974]]
|align=left| {{nowrap|{{flag|West Germany}}}}
|'''{{fb-big|FRG}}'''
|'''[[1974 FIFA World Cup final|2–1]]'''
|{{fb-big|NED}}
|{{fb-big|POL|1928}}
|'''1–0'''
|{{fb-big|BRA|1968}}
|16
|-
!11
|[[1978 FIFA World Cup|1978]]
|align=left| {{flag|Argentina}}
|'''{{fb-big|ARG}}'''
|'''[[1978 FIFA World Cup final|3–1]]''' {{aet}}
|{{fb-big|NED}}
|{{fb-big|BRA|1968}}
|'''2–1'''
|{{fb-big|ITA}}
|16
|-
!12
|[[1982 FIFA World Cup|1982]]
|align=left| {{flag|Spain}}
|'''{{fb-big|ITA|1946}}'''
|'''[[1982 FIFA World Cup final|3–1]]'''
|{{fb-big|FRG}}
|{{fb-big|POL|}}
|'''3–2'''
|{{fb-big|FRA|1974}}
|24
|-
!13
|[[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986]]
|align=left| {{flag|Mexico}}
|'''{{fb-big|ARG}}'''
|'''[[1986 FIFA World Cup final|3–2]]'''
|{{fb-big|FRG}}
|{{fb-big|FRA}}
|'''4–2''' {{aet}}
|{{fb-big|BEL}}
|24
|-
!14
|[[1990 FIFA World Cup|1990]]
|align=left| {{flag|Italy|1946}}
|'''{{fb-big|FRG}}'''
|'''[[1990 FIFA World Cup final|1–0]]'''
|{{fb-big|ARG}}
|{{fb-big|ITA|1946}}
|'''2–1'''
|{{fb-big|ENG}}
|24
|-
!15
|[[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994]]
|align=left| {{flag|United States}}
|'''{{fb-big|BRA}}'''
|'''[[1994 FIFA World Cup final|0–0]]''' {{aet}}<br />{{pso|3–2}}
|{{fb-big|ITA}}
|{{fb-big|SWE}}
|'''4–0'''
|{{fb-big|BUL}}
|24
|-
!16
|[[1998 FIFA World Cup|1998]]
|align=left| {{flag|France|1974}}
|'''{{fb-big|FRA|1974}}'''
|'''[[1998 FIFA World Cup final|3–0]]'''
|{{fb-big|BRA}}
|{{fb-big|CRO}}
|'''2–1'''
|{{fb-big|NED}}
|32
|-
!17
|[[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002]]
|align=left| {{flag|South Korea|1997}}<br />{{flag|Japan}}
|'''{{fb-big|BRA}}'''
|'''[[2002 FIFA World Cup final|2–0]]'''
|{{fb-big|GER|}}
|{{fb-big|TUR}}
|'''3–2'''
|{{fb-big|KOR|1997}}
|32
|-
!18
|[[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006]]
|align=left| {{flag|Germany}}
|'''{{fb-big|ITA}}'''
|'''[[2006 FIFA World Cup final|1–1]]''' {{aet}}<br />{{pso|5–3}}
|{{fb-big|FRA|1974}}
|{{fb-big|GER}}
|'''3–1'''
|{{fb-big|POR}}
|32
|-
!19
|[[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010]]
|align=left| {{flag|South Africa}}
|'''{{fb-big|ESP}}'''
|'''[[2010 FIFA World Cup final|1–0]]''' {{aet}}
|{{fb-big|NED}}
|{{fb-big|GER}}
|'''3–2'''
|{{fb-big|URU}}
|32
|-
!20
|[[2014 FIFA World Cup|2014]]
|align=left| {{flag|Brazil}}
|'''{{fb-big|GER}}'''
|'''[[2014 FIFA World Cup final|1–0]]''' {{aet}}
|{{fb-big|ARG}}
|{{fb-big|NED}}
|'''3–0'''
|{{fb-big|BRA}}
|32
|-
!21
|[[2018 FIFA World Cup|2018]]
|align=left| {{flag|Russia}}
|'''{{fb-big|FRA|1974}}'''
|'''[[2018 FIFA World Cup final|4–2]]'''
|{{fb-big|CRO}}
|{{fb-big|BEL}}
|'''2–0'''
|{{fb-big|ENG}}
|32
|-
!22
|[[2022 FIFA World Cup|2022]]
|align=left| {{flag|Qatar}}
|'''{{fb-big|ARG}}'''
|'''[[2022 FIFA World Cup final|3–3]]''' {{aet}}<br />{{pso|4–2}}
|{{fb-big|FRA}}
|{{fb-big|CRO}}
|'''2–1'''
|{{fb-big|MAR}}
|32
|-
!''23''
|''[[2026 FIFA World Cup|2026]]''
|align=left| ''{{flag|Canada}}''<br />''{{flag|Mexico}}''<br />''{{flag|United States}}''
|
|
|
|
|
|
|48
|-
!''24''
|''[[2030 FIFA World Cup|2030]]''
|align=left| ''{{flag|Morocco}}''<br />''{{flag|Portugal}}''<br />''{{flag|Spain}}''{{refn|'''Opening three games hosts''':<br />{{flag|Argentina}}<br />{{flag|Paraguay}}<br />{{flag|Uruguay}}''|group=n|name=hosts2030}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|48
|-
!''25''
|''[[2034 FIFA World Cup|2034]]''
|align=left| ''{{flag|Saudi Arabia}}''
|
|
|
|
|
|
|48
|}

;Notes
{{reflist|group=n}}

In all, 80 nations have [[National team appearances in the FIFA World Cup|played in at least one World Cup]].{{efn|name=successor|FIFA considers that the national team of [[Russia national football team|Russia]] succeeds the [[Soviet Union national football team|Soviet Union]], the national team of [[Serbia national football team|Serbia]] succeeds the [[Yugoslavia national football team|Yugoslavia]]/[[Serbia and Montenegro national football team|Serbia and Montenegro]], and the national teams of [[Czech Republic national football team|Czechia]] and [[Slovakia national football team|Slovakia]] succeed the [[Czechoslovakia national football team|Czechoslovakia]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Russian Football Union |url=https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/associations/origin1904-p.cxm.fifa.com/en/about-fifa/associations/RUS |access-date=19 January 2024 |website=www.fifa.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=FIFA |url=https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/associations/origin1904-p.cxm.fifa.com/en/about-fifa/associations/SRB |access-date=19 January 2024 |website=www.fifa.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=FIFA |url=https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/associations/origin1904-p.cxm.fifa.com/en/about-fifa/associations/CZE |access-date=19 January 2024 |website=www.fifa.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=FIFA |url=https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/associations/origin1904-p.cxm.fifa.com/en/about-fifa/associations/SVK |access-date=19 January 2024 |website=www.fifa.com |language=en}}</ref>}} Of these, eight national teams have won the World Cup,<ref>{{cite web |last=Venkat |first=Rahul |title=FIFA World Cup winners: Why Brazilians are unique and Germany, Italy relentless – full roll of honour |publisher=Olympics.com |date=19 December 2022 |url=https://olympics.com/en/news/fifa-world-cup-winners-list-champions-record|access-date=4 February 2024}}</ref> and they have added [[Star (football badge)|stars to their badges]], with each star representing a World Cup victory. Uruguay, however, chose to display [[Four stars above Uruguay's football crest|four stars on their badge]], representing their two gold medals at the 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics, which are recognized by FIFA as World Championships, and their two World Cup titles in 1930 and 1950.

With five titles, <!--For consistency, British English is used throughout the article, which treats teams as plural nouns, e.g., "Brazil are" instead of "Brazil is".-->Brazil are the most successful World Cup team and also the only nation to have [[National team appearances in the FIFA World Cup#Finals records by team|played in every World Cup]] (22) to date.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fifa.com/associations/association=bra/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070603155214/http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=bra/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 June 2007 |title=Brazil |publisher=Fédération Internationale de Football Association |work=FIFA.com |access-date=12 May 2014}}</ref> Brazil were also the first team to win the World Cup for the third (1970), fourth (1994) and fifth (2002) time. Italy (1934 and 1938) and Brazil (1958 and 1962) are the only nations to have won consecutive titles. West Germany (1982–1990) and Brazil (1994–2002) are the only nations to appear in three consecutive World Cup finals. Germany has made the most top-four finishes (13), medals (12), as well as the most finals (8).

[[File:World cup countries best results.png|thumb|upright=3|center|Map of countries' best results]]

=== Teams reaching the top four ===
{{See also|FIFA World Cup records and statistics|National team appearances in the FIFA World Cup}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Teams reaching the top four
|-
! Team !! Titles !! Runners-up !! Third place !! Fourth place !! data-sort-type="number"|Top 4 <br />total
|-
|style="background:gold"|{{fb|BRA}}
|style="background:gold"|'''5''' ([[1958 FIFA World Cup|1958]], [[1962 FIFA World Cup|1962]], [[1970 FIFA World Cup|1970]], [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994]], [[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002]])
|style="background:#C0C0C0"|2 ({{nowrap|[[1950 FIFA World Cup|1950]] [[#*|*]]}}, [[1998 FIFA World Cup|1998]])
|style="background:#cc9966"|2 ([[1938 FIFA World Cup|1938]], [[1978 FIFA World Cup|1978]])
|style="background:#9acdff"|2 ([[1974 FIFA World Cup|1974]], {{nowrap|[[2014 FIFA World Cup|2014]] [[#*|*]]}})
|align=center| 11
|-
|style="background:gold"|{{fb|GER}}<sup>[[#1|1]]</sup>
|style="background:gold"|4 ([[1954 FIFA World Cup|1954]], {{nowrap|[[1974 FIFA World Cup|1974]] [[#*|*]]}}, [[1990 FIFA World Cup|1990]], [[2014 FIFA World Cup|2014]])
|style="background:#C0C0C0"|'''4''' ([[1966 FIFA World Cup|1966]], [[1982 FIFA World Cup|1982]], [[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986]], [[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002]])
|style="background:#cc9966"|'''4''' ([[1934 FIFA World Cup|1934]], [[1970 FIFA World Cup|1970]], {{nowrap|[[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006]] [[#*|*]]}}, [[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010]])
|style="background:#9acdff"|1 ([[1958 FIFA World Cup|1958]])
|align=center| 13
|-
|style="background:gold"|{{fb|ITA}}
|style="background:gold"|4 ({{nowrap|[[1934 FIFA World Cup|1934]] [[#*|*]]}}, [[1938 FIFA World Cup|1938]], [[1982 FIFA World Cup|1982]], [[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006]])
|style="background:#C0C0C0"|2 ([[1970 FIFA World Cup|1970]], [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994]])
|style="background:#cc9966"|1 ({{nowrap|[[1990 FIFA World Cup|1990]] [[#*|*]]}})
|style="background:#9acdff"|1 ([[1978 FIFA World Cup|1978]])
|align=center| 8
|-
|style="background:gold"|{{fb|ARG}}
|style="background:gold"|3 ({{nowrap|[[1978 FIFA World Cup|1978]] [[#*|*]]}}, [[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986]], [[2022 FIFA World Cup|2022]])
|style="background:#C0C0C0"|3 ([[1930 FIFA World Cup|1930]], [[1990 FIFA World Cup|1990]], [[2014 FIFA World Cup|2014]])
|
|
|align=center| 6
|-
|style="background:gold"|{{fb|FRA}}
|style="background:gold"|2 ({{nowrap|[[1998 FIFA World Cup|1998]] [[#*|*]]}}, [[2018 FIFA World Cup|2018]])
|style="background:#C0C0C0"|2 ([[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006]], [[2022 FIFA World Cup|2022]])
|style="background:#cc9966"|2 ([[1958 FIFA World Cup|1958]], [[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986]])
|style="background:#9acdff"|1 ([[1982 FIFA World Cup|1982]])
|align=center| 7
|-
|style="background:gold"|{{fb|URU}}
|style="background:gold"|2 ({{nowrap|[[1930 FIFA World Cup|1930]] [[#*|*]]}}, [[1950 FIFA World Cup|1950]])
|
|
|style="background:#9acdff"|'''3''' ([[1954 FIFA World Cup|1954]], [[1970 FIFA World Cup|1970]], [[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010]])
|align=center| 5
|-
|style="background:gold"|{{fb|ENG}}
|style="background:gold"|1 ({{nowrap|[[1966 FIFA World Cup|1966]] [[#*|*]]}})
|
|
|style="background:#9acdff"|2 ([[1990 FIFA World Cup|1990]], [[2018 FIFA World Cup|2018]])
|align=center| 3
|-
|style="background:gold"|{{fb|ESP}}
|style="background:gold"|1 ([[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010]])
|
|
|style="background:#9acdff"|1 ([[1950 FIFA World Cup|1950]])
|align=center| 2
|-
|style="background:#C0C0C0"|{{fb|NED}}
|
|style="background:#C0C0C0"|3 ([[1974 FIFA World Cup|1974]], [[1978 FIFA World Cup|1978]], [[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010]])
|style="background:#cc9966"|1 ([[2014 FIFA World Cup|2014]])
|style="background:#9acdff"|1 ([[1998 FIFA World Cup|1998]])
|align=center| 5
|-
|style="background:#C0C0C0"|{{fb|HUN}}
|
|style="background:#C0C0C0"|2 ([[1938 FIFA World Cup|1938]], [[1954 FIFA World Cup|1954]])
|
|
|align=center| 2
|-
|style="background:#C0C0C0"|{{Flag icon|Czechia}} [[Czech Republic national football team|Czechia]]<sup>[[#2|2]]</sup>
|
|style="background:#C0C0C0"|2 ([[1934 FIFA World Cup|1934]], [[1962 FIFA World Cup|1962]])
|
|
|align=center| 2
|-
|style="background:#C0C0C0"|{{fb|SWE}}
|
|style="background:#C0C0C0"|1 ({{nowrap|[[1958 FIFA World Cup|1958]] [[#*|*]]}})
|style="background:#cc9966"|2 ([[1950 FIFA World Cup|1950]], [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994]])
|style="background:#9acdff"|1 ([[1938 FIFA World Cup|1938]])
|align=center| 4
|-
|style="background:#C0C0C0"|{{fb|CRO}}
|
|style="background:#C0C0C0"|1 ([[2018 FIFA World Cup|2018]])
|style="background:#cc9966"|2 ([[1998 FIFA World Cup|1998]], [[2022 FIFA World Cup|2022]])
|
|align=center| 3
|-
|style="background:#cc9966"|{{fb|POL}}
|
|
|style="background:#cc9966"|2 ([[1974 FIFA World Cup|1974]], [[1982 FIFA World Cup|1982]])
|
|align=center| 2
|-
|style="background:#cc9966"|{{fb|AUT}}
|
|
|style="background:#cc9966"|1 ([[1954 FIFA World Cup|1954]])
|style="background:#9acdff"|1 ([[1934 FIFA World Cup|1934]])
|align=center| 2
|-
|style="background:#cc9966"|{{fb|POR}}
|
|
|style="background:#cc9966"|1 ([[1966 FIFA World Cup|1966]])
|style="background:#9acdff"|1 ([[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006]])
|align=center| 2
|-
|style="background:#cc9966"|{{fb|BEL}}
|
|
|style="background:#cc9966"|1 ([[2018 FIFA World Cup|2018]])
|style="background:#9acdff"|1 ([[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986]])
|align=center| 2
|-
|style="background:#cc9966"|{{fb|USA}}
|
|
|style="background:#cc9966"|1 ([[1930 FIFA World Cup|1930]])
|
|align=center| 1
|-
|style="background:#cc9966"|{{fb|CHI}}
|
|
|style="background:#cc9966"|1 ({{nowrap|[[1962 FIFA World Cup|1962]] [[#*|*]]}})
|
|align=center| 1
|-
|style="background:#cc9966"|{{fb|TUR}}
|
|
|style="background:#cc9966"|1 ([[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002]])
|
|align=center| 1
|-
|style="background:#9acdff"|{{fb|SRB}}<sup>[[#3|3]]</sup>
|
|
|
|style="background:#9acdff"|2 ([[1930 FIFA World Cup|1930]], [[1962 FIFA World Cup|1962]])
|align=center| 2
|-
|style="background:#9acdff"|{{fb|RUS}}<sup>[[#4|4]]</sup>
|
|
|
|style="background:#9acdff"|1 ([[1966 FIFA World Cup|1966]])
|align=center| 1
|-
|style="background:#9acdff"|{{fb|BUL}}
|
|
|
|style="background:#9acdff"|1 ([[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994]])
|align=center| 1
|-
|style="background:#9acdff"|{{fb|KOR}}
|
|
|
|style="background:#9acdff"|1 ({{nowrap|[[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002]] [[#*|*]]}})
|align=center| 1
|-
|style="background:#9acdff"|{{fb|MAR}}
|
|
|
|style="background:#9acdff"|1 ([[2022 FIFA World Cup|2022]])
|align=center| 1
|}
:<div id="*"><nowiki>*</nowiki> ''hosts''</div>
:<div id="1"><sup>1</sup> ''includes results representing [[List of men's national association football teams#Former national football teams|West Germany]] (1954-1990)''</div>
: <div id="2"><sup>2</sup> ''includes results representing [[Czechoslovakia national football team|Czechoslovakia]] (1934-1990)''</div>
: <div id="3"><sup>3</sup> ''includes results representing [[Yugoslavia national football team|Yugoslavia]] (1930-1990) and [[Serbia and Montenegro national football team|FR Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro]] (1998-2006)''</div>
: <div id="4"><sup>4</sup> ''includes results representing the [[Soviet Union national football team|Soviet Union]] (1958-1990)''</div>

=== Best performances by confederations ===
{{See also|National team appearances in the FIFA World Cup#Results by confederation|l1=FIFA World Cup results by confederation}}
[[File:Seoul Plaza 2002 FIFA World Cup.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.09|South Koreans watching their nation on the big screens in [[Seoul Plaza]] during the 2002 World Cup when they became the first Asian country to reach the semi-finals]]
To date, the final of the World Cup has only been contested by teams from the [[UEFA]] (Europe) and [[CONMEBOL]] (South America) confederations. European nations have won twelve titles, while South American nations have won ten. Only three teams from outside these two continents have ever reached the semi-finals of the competition: [[United States men's national soccer team|United States]] ([[CONCACAF|North, Central America and Caribbean]]) in 1930; [[South Korea national football team|South Korea]] ([[Asian Football Confederation|Asia]]) in 2002; and [[Morocco national football team|Morocco]] ([[Confederation of African Football|Africa]]) in 2022. Only one [[Oceania Football Confederation|Oceanian]] qualifier, [[Australia men's national soccer team|Australia]] in 2006, has advanced to the second round, a feat they later reaccomplished in 2022.{{efn|Australia's qualification in 2006 was through the Oceanian zone as they were a member of the [[Oceania Football Confederation|OFC]] member during qualifying. However, on 1 January 2006, they left the Oceania Football Confederation and joined the [[Asian Football Confederation]]. In 2022, they again reached the second round, albeit representing Asia.}}

[[Brazil national football team|Brazil]], [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]], [[Spain men's national football team|Spain]] and [[Germany national football team|Germany]] are the only teams to win a World Cup hosted outside their continental confederation; Brazil came out victorious in [[UEFA|Europe]] ([[1958 FIFA World Cup|1958]]), [[CONCACAF|North America]] ([[1970 FIFA World Cup|1970]] and [[1994 FIFA World Cup|1994]]) and [[Asian Football Confederation|Asia]] ([[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002]]). Argentina won a World Cup in North America in [[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986]] and in Asia in [[2022 FIFA World Cup|2022]]. Spain won in [[Confederation of African Football|Africa]] in [[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010]]. In [[2014 FIFA World Cup|2014]], Germany became the first and so far the only European team to win in the Americas. Only on five occasions have consecutive World Cups been won by teams from the same continent; the longest streak of tournaments won by a single confederation is four, with the [[2006 FIFA World Cup|2006]], [[2010 FIFA World Cup|2010]], [[2014 FIFA World Cup|2014]], and [[2018 FIFA World Cup|2018]] tournaments all won by UEFA teams (Italy, Spain, Germany, and France, respectively).

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Total times teams qualified by confederation
|-
! scope="row" | Confederation
! scope="col" |[[Asian Football Confederation|AFC]]
! scope="col" |[[Confederation of African Football|CAF]]
! scope="col" |[[CONCACAF]]
! scope="col" |[[CONMEBOL]]
! scope="col" |[[Oceania Football Confederation|OFC]]
! scope="col" |[[UEFA]]
! scope="col" | Total
|-
| Teams  || 43 || 49 || 46 || 89 || 4 || 258 || 489
|-
| Top 16 || 9 || 11 || 15 || 37 || 1 || 99 || 172
|-
| Top 8  || 2 || 4 || 5 || 36 || 0 || 105 || 152
|-
| Top 4  || 1 || 1 || 1 || 23 || 0 || 62 || 88
|-
| Top 2  || 0 || 0 || 0 || 15 || 0 || 29 || 44
|-
| style="background: #9acdff" | 4th || 1 || 1 || 0 || 5 || 0 || 15 || 22
|-
| style="background: #cc9966" | 3rd || 0 || 0 || 1 || 3 || 0 || 18 || 22
|-
| style="background: #C0C0C0" | 2nd || 0 || 0 || 0 || 5 || 0 || 17 || 22
|- style="border-top:3px solid green"
| style="background: gold" | 1st || 0 || 0 || 0 || 10 || 0 || 12 || 22
|}