List of FIFA World Cup opening matches

Last updated

The FIFA World Cup is an international association football competition established in 1930. It is contested by the men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The tournament has taken place every four years, except in 1942 and 1946, when the competition was cancelled due to World War II.

Contents

The World Cup opening match is the first of the competition. Opening match regulations have changed many times. [1] Between 1974 and 2002, the defending champions were involved in the opening match. Since 2006, as the defending champions no longer qualify automatically, the opening matches involve the host nations.

List of opening matches

Early years (1930–1970)

YearTeam 1Final scoreTeam 2VenueLocationAttendanceReferencesNotes
1930 France  Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg 4–1 Flag of Mexico (1916-1934).svg  Mexico Estadio Pocitos Montevideo, Uruguay4,444 Report Two matches both played at the same time
United States  Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg 3–0 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Estadio Parque Central Montevideo, Uruguay18,346 Report
1934 Italy  Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg 7–1 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Stadio Nazionale PNF Rome, Italy25,000 Report Eight matches were played at the same time
Spain  Flag of Spain (1931-1939).svg 3–1 Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg  Brazil Stadio Luigi Ferraris Genoa, Italy21,000 Report
Austria  Flag of Austria.svg 3–2 Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg  France Stadio Benito Mussolini Turin, Italy16,000 Report
Hungary  Flag of Hungary (1915-1918, 1919-1946).svg 4–2 Flag of Egypt (1922-1958).svg  Egypt Stadio Giorgio Ascarelli Naples, Italy9,000 Report
Czechoslovakia  Flag of the Czech Republic.svg 2–1 Flag of Romania.svg  Romania Stadio Littorio Trieste, Italy9,000 Report
Switzerland  Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 3–2 Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Stadio San Siro Milan, Italy33,000 Report
Germany  Flag of Germany (1933-1935).svg 5–2 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Stadio Giovanni Berta Florence, Italy8,000 Report
Sweden  Flag of Sweden.svg 3–2 Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina Stadio Littoriale Bologna, Italy14,000 Report
1938 Switzerland  Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 1–1 Flag of Germany (1935-1945).svg  Germany Parc des Princes Paris, France27,152 Report First opening match to end in a draw
1950 Brazil  Flag of Brazil.svg 4–0 Flag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg  Mexico Maracanã Stadium Rio de Janeiro, Brazil81,649 Report Brazil was the host country
1954 Brazil  Flag of Brazil (1889-1960).svg 5–0 Flag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg  Mexico Charmilles Stadium Geneva, Switzerland13,470 Report Four matches were played at the same time
Yugoslavia  Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg 1–0 Flag of France.svg  France Stade Olympique de la Pontaise Lausanne, Switzerland16,000 Report
Uruguay  Flag of Uruguay.svg 2–0 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechoslovakia Wankdorf Stadium Bern, Switzerland20,500 Report
Austria  Flag of Austria.svg 1–0 Flag of Scotland (1542-2003, sky blue).svg  Scotland Hardturm Stadium Zürich, Switzerland25,000 Report
1958 Sweden  Flag of Sweden.svg 3–0 Flag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg  Mexico Råsunda Stadium Solna, Sweden34,107 Report Sweden was the host country
1962 Uruguay  Flag of Uruguay.svg 2–1 Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia Estadio Carlos Dittborn Arica, Chile7,908 Report Four matches were played at the same time
Chile  Flag of Chile.svg 3–1 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland Estadio Nacional Santiago, Chile65,006 Report
Brazil  Flag of Brazil (1960-1968).svg 2–0 Flag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg  Mexico Estadio Sausalito Viña del Mar, Chile10,484 Report
Argentina  Flag of Argentina.svg 1–0 Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria Estadio El Teniente Rancagua, Chile7,134 Report
1966 England  Flag of England.svg 0–0 Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay Wembley Stadium London, England87,148 Report England was the host country
1970 Mexico  Flag of Mexico.svg 0–0 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union Estadio Azteca Mexico City, Mexico107,160 Report Mexico was the host country

Defending champion era (1974–2002)

YearDefending
champion		Final scoreOpponentVenueLocationAttendanceReferencesNotes
1974 Brazil  Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg 0–0 Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia Waldstadion Frankfurt, West Germany62,000 Report
1978 West Germany  Flag of Germany.svg 0–0 Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg  Poland Estadio Monumental Buenos Aires, Argentina67,579 Report
1982 Argentina  Flag of Argentina.svg 0–1 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Camp Nou Barcelona, Spain95,000 Report
1986 Italy  Flag of Italy.svg 1–1 Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Bulgaria Estadio Azteca Mexico City, Mexico96,000 Report
1990 Argentina  Flag of Argentina.svg 0–1 Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon San Siro Milan, Italy73,780 Report
1994 Germany  Flag of Germany.svg 1–0 Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg  Bolivia Soldier Field Chicago, United States63,117 Report
1998 Brazil  Flag of Brazil.svg 2–1 Flag of Scotland (1542-2003, sky blue).svg  Scotland Stade de France Saint-Denis, France80,000 Report
2002 France  Flag of France (lighter variant).svg 0–1 Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal Seoul World Cup Stadium Seoul, South Korea62,561 Report

Host country era (2006–)

YearHost
country		Final scoreOpponentVenueLocationAttendanceReferencesNotes
2006 Germany  Flag of Germany.svg 4–2 Flag of Costa Rica.svg  Costa Rica FIFA WM Stadion München Munich, Germany66,000 Report
2010 South Africa  Flag of South Africa.svg 1–1 Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico Soccer City Johannesburg, South Africa84,490 Report
2014 Brazil  Flag of Brazil.svg 3–1 Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia Arena de São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil62,103 Report
2018 Russia  Flag of Russia.svg 5–0 Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia Luzhniki Stadium Moscow, Russia78,011 Report
2022 Qatar  Flag of Qatar.svg 0–2 Flag of Ecuador.svg  Ecuador Al Bayt Stadium Al Khor, Qatar67,372 Report
2026 Mexico  Flag of Mexico.svgFlag of South Africa.svg  South Africa Estadio Azteca Mexico City, Mexico

See also

References

  1. ↑ 흥미로운 기록이 가득한 월드컵 개막전의 모든 것
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.