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Every story in sixty words

Explained in plain English

Who won the first one?

The very first World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930. Only 13 national teams took part, with many European countries declining to travel due to the Great Depression and the cost of crossing the Atlantic. Uruguay, the host nation, went on to win the tournament, beating Argentina 4-2 in the final.

Stories that explain this

Cristiano Ronaldo confirms 2026 World Cup is his final international tournament

Questions this opens up

Who hosted next? What was the trophy? How many teams now?

Related explainers

Which country has won the most World Cups? Which other countries have won? Who won in 2006? How big is the World Cup? When did Brazil last win? What is a 'cap'? Why do footballers retire? What is 'international football'?

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