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This page lists all association football national teams which managed to remain undefeated in either a FIFA World Cup main tournament, the qualifying process for that tournament, or both.
Fixtures decided by a penalty shoot-out are counted as draws and not as defeats. [1] The tables only include teams which played at least one match in the particular final or qualifying tournament. They do not include teams which qualified automatically or by walkover, or teams which withdrew or were disqualified without playing any matches.
All but five World Cup-winning teams were unbeaten in the finals. The occasions when a team won the tournament despite losing a game in the finals were: West Germany in 1954 and in 1974, Argentina in 1978 and in 2022, and Spain in 2010.
Another part of the teams listed below were eliminated despite not losing any games in the finals, or failed to qualify despite not losing any qualifying games. They exited the competition by various means: withdrawal; inferior points total or goal difference within a group; drawing of lots, away goals, or penalty shoot-out.
Brazil have remained unbeaten in a total of seven World Cup final tournaments, more than any other team, including all five tournaments where they triumphed as world champions. Italy are a close second with six, and England and France are third with three each. No other nation has achieved this more than twice.
Germany (including West Germany) have had a record twelve unbeaten World Cup qualifying campaigns. In fact the German national team has lost only three World Cup qualifying games in its history: against Portugal in 1985, against England in 2001 and against North Macedonia in 2021.
A number of teams have managed not to record any losses during an entire FIFA World Cup cycle (qualifying and final tournaments):
Colouring |
---|
Golden background: Team was undefeated in the final competition |
Pale blue background: Team was undefeated in the qualification cycle |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Uruguay | 1st | 4 | 4/0/0 | (there was no qualification) | won undefeated |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Italy | 1st | 5 | 4/1/0 | 1 | 1/0/0 | won undefeated | |||
Czechoslovakia | 2 | 2/0/0 | |||||||
Egypt | 2 | 2/0/0 | |||||||
Hungary | 2 | 2/0/0 | |||||||
Netherlands | 2 | 2/0/0 | |||||||
Spain | 2 | 2/0/0 | |||||||
Sweden | 2 | 2/0/0 | |||||||
Switzerland | 2 | 1/1/0 | |||||||
Austria | 1 | 1/0/0 | |||||||
Germany | 1 | 1/0/0 | |||||||
France | 1 | 1/0/0 | |||||||
United States | 1 | 1/0/0 |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Italy | 1st | 4 | 4/0/0 | (qualified automatically) | won undefeated | ||||
Germany | 3 | 3/0/0 | |||||||
Belgium | 2 | 1/1/0 | |||||||
Czechoslovakia | 2 | 1/1/0 | |||||||
Netherlands | 2 | 1/1/0 | |||||||
Norway | 2 | 1/1/0 | |||||||
Hungary | 1 | 1/0/0 | |||||||
Switzerland | 1 | 1/0/0 | |||||||
Austria | 1 | 1/0/0 | (withdrew) | qualified but withdrew |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Uruguay | 1st | 4 | 3/1/0 | (qualified by walkover) | won undefeated | ||||
Yugoslavia | 5 | 3/2/0 | |||||||
Mexico | 4 | 4/0/0 | |||||||
England | 3 | 3/0/0 | |||||||
Sweden | 2 | 2/0/0 | |||||||
Switzerland | 2 | 2/0/0 | |||||||
Spain | 2 | 1/1/0 | |||||||
Turkey | 1 | 1/0/0 | (withdrew) | qualified but withdrew |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Brazil | 4 | 4/0/0 | |||||||
France | 4 | 4/0/0 | |||||||
Mexico | 4 | 4/0/0 | |||||||
Yugoslavia | 4 | 4/0/0 | |||||||
Belgium | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
Czechoslovakia | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
West Germany | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
England | 3 | 3/0/0 | |||||||
Italy | 2 | 2/0/0 | |||||||
Austria | 2 | 1/1/0 | |||||||
South Korea | 2 | 1/1/0 |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Brazil | 1st | 6 | 5/1/0 | 2 | 1/1/0 | won undefeated | |||
Mexico | 6 | 5/1/0 | |||||||
Austria | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
England | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
France | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
Yugoslavia | 4 | 2/2/0 | |||||||
Sudan | 2 | 1/1/0 | (withdrew during qualifying) | withdrew during qualifying |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Brazil | 1st | 6 | 5/1/0 | (qualified automatically) | won undefeated | ||||
Soviet Union | 4 | 4/0/0 | |||||||
West Germany | 4 | 4/0/0 | |||||||
England | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
Hungary | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
Spain | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
Yugoslavia | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
Argentina | 2 | 2/0/0 | |||||||
Italy | 2 | 2/0/0 | |||||||
Colombia | 2 | 1/1/0 | |||||||
Uruguay | 2 | 1/1/0 |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
England | 1st | 6 | 5/1/0 | (qualified automatically) | won undefeated | ||||
Mexico | 8 | 6/2/0 | |||||||
Uruguay | 4 | 4/0/0 | |||||||
Argentina | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
Hungary | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
West Germany | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
North Korea | 2 | 2/0/0 |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Brazil | 1st | 6 | 6/0/0 | 6 | 6/0/0 | won undefeated | |||
West Germany | 6 | 5/1/0 | |||||||
Israel | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
Italy | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
Soviet Union | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
Uruguay | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
Tunisia | 5 | 1/4/0 | (did not qualify) | was eliminated by Morocco on coin toss |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Scotland | GS1 | 3 | 1/2/0 | finished behind Yugoslavia and Brazil on goal difference | |||||
Bulgaria | 6 | 4/2/0 | |||||||
Italy | 6 | 4/2/0 | |||||||
Netherlands | 6 | 4/2/0 | |||||||
Yugoslavia | 5 | 3/2/0 | |||||||
Argentina | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
Belgium | 6 | 4/2/0 | (did not qualify) | finished behind the Netherlands on goal difference | |||||
Hungary | 6 | 2/4/0 | (did not qualify) | finished behind Sweden and Austria on goal difference | |||||
Colombia | 4 | 1/3/0 | (did not qualify) | finished behind Uruguay on goal difference |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Brazil | 3rd | 7 | 4/3/0 | 6 | 4/2/0 | finished behind Argentina on goal difference | |||
Iran | 12 | 10/2/0 | |||||||
Netherlands | 6 | 5/1/0 | |||||||
Poland | 6 | 5/1/0 | |||||||
Austria | 6 | 4/2/0 | |||||||
East Germany | 6 | 3/3/0 | (did not qualify) | finished behind Austria on points | |||||
Morocco | 2 | 0/2/0 | (did not qualify) | was eliminated by Tunisia on penalties |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Italy | 1st | 7 | 4/3/0 | won undefeated | |||||
England | GS2 | 5 | 3/2/0 | finished behind West Germany on points | |||||
Cameroon | GS1 | 3 | 0/3/0 | finished behind Poland on points and Italy on goals scored | |||||
West Germany | 8 | 8/0/0 | |||||||
Soviet Union | 8 | 6/2/0 | |||||||
Brazil | 4 | 4/0/0 | |||||||
Poland | 4 | 4/0/0 | |||||||
Chile | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
Peru | 4 | 2/2/0 | |||||||
Somalia | 2 | 0/2/0 | (did not qualify) | was eliminated by Niger on away goals | |||||
Libya | 2 | 1/1/0 | (withdrew during qualifying) | withdrew during qualifying |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Brazil | QF | 5 | 4/1/0 | 4 | 2/2/0 | was eliminated by France on penalties | |||
Mexico | QF | 5 | 3/2/0 | (qualified automatically) | was eliminated by West Germany on penalties | ||||
Argentina | 1st | 7 | 6/1/0 | won undefeated | |||||
Canada | 8 | 5/3/0 | |||||||
England | 8 | 4/4/0 | |||||||
Algeria | 6 | 5/1/0 | |||||||
Tanzania | 2 | 0/2/0 | (did not qualify) | was eliminated by Sudan on away goals |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
West Germany | 1st | 7 | 5/2/0 | 6 | 3/3/0 | won undefeated | |||
Italy | 3rd | 7 | 6/1/0 | (qualified automatically) | was eliminated by Argentina on penalties | ||||
South Korea | 11 | 9/2/0 | |||||||
Yugoslavia | 8 | 6/2/0 | |||||||
Belgium | 8 | 4/4/0 | |||||||
Netherlands | 6 | 4/2/0 | |||||||
Sweden | 6 | 4/2/0 | |||||||
England | 6 | 3/3/0 | |||||||
Brazil | 4 | 3/1/0 | |||||||
Honduras | 2 | 0/2/0 | (did not qualify) | was eliminated by Trinidad and Tobago on away goals |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Brazil | 1st | 7 | 5/2/0 | won undefeated | |||||
Saudi Arabia | 11 | 6/5/0 | |||||||
Greece | 8 | 6/2/0 | |||||||
Colombia | 6 | 4/2/0 | |||||||
Syria | 6 | 3/3/0 | (did not qualify) | finished behind Iran on goal difference | |||||
Tunisia | 6 | 3/3/0 | (did not qualify) | finished behind Morocco on points |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Italy | QF | 5 | 3/2/0 | 10 | 6/4/0 | was eliminated by France on penalties | |||
France | 1st | 7 | 6/1/0 | (qualified automatically) | won undefeated | ||||
Belgium | GS | 3 | 0/3/0 | finished behind the Netherlands and Mexico on points | |||||
Romania | 10 | 9/1/0 | |||||||
Spain | 10 | 8/2/0 | |||||||
Germany | 10 | 6/4/0 | |||||||
Tunisia | 8 | 7/1/0 | |||||||
Norway | 8 | 6/2/0 | |||||||
Morocco | 6 | 5/1/0 | |||||||
Cameroon | 6 | 4/2/0 | |||||||
Australia | 8 | 6/2/0 | (did not qualify) | was eliminated by Iran on away goals | |||||
Angola | 8 | 4/4/0 | (did not qualify) | finished behind Cameroon on points | |||||
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 4 | 2/2/0 | (did not qualify) | was eliminated by Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on away goals | |||||
Burundi | 2 | 2/0/0 | (withdrew during qualifying) | withdrew during qualifying |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Spain | QF | 5 | 3/2/0 | 8 | 6/2/0 | was eliminated by South Korea on penalties | |||
Brazil | 1st | 7 | 7/0/0 | won undefeated | |||||
Republic of Ireland | R16 | 4 | 1/3/0 | was eliminated by Spain on penalties | |||||
Slovenia | 12 | 6/6/0 | |||||||
Sweden | 10 | 8/2/0 | |||||||
Tunisia | 10 | 8/2/0 | |||||||
Portugal | 10 | 7/3/0 | |||||||
Denmark | 10 | 6/4/0 | |||||||
South Africa | 8 | 7/1/0 | |||||||
Italy | 8 | 6/2/0 | |||||||
Croatia | 8 | 5/3/0 | |||||||
Kazakhstan | 6 | 4/2/0 | (did not qualify) | finished behind Iraq on goal difference | |||||
Bermuda | 4 | 2/2/0 | (did not qualify) | was eliminated by Antigua and Barbuda on away goals |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
France | 2nd | 7 | 4/3/0 | 10 | 5/5/0 | was eliminated by Italy on penalties | |||
Italy | 1st | 7 | 5/2/0 | won undefeated | |||||
Argentina | QF | 5 | 3/2/0 | was eliminated by Germany on penalties | |||||
England | QF | 5 | 3/2/0 | was eliminated by Portugal on penalties | |||||
Switzerland | R16 | 4 | 2/2/0 | was eliminated by Ukraine on penalties | |||||
Netherlands | 12 | 10/2/0 | |||||||
Saudi Arabia | 12 | 10/2/0 | |||||||
Portugal | 12 | 9/3/0 | |||||||
Spain | 12 | 6/6/0 | |||||||
Croatia | 10 | 7/3/0 | |||||||
Serbia and Montenegro | 10 | 6/4/0 | |||||||
Morocco | 10 | 5/5/0 | (did not qualify) | finished behind Tunisia on points | |||||
Israel | 10 | 4/6/0 | (did not qualify) | finished behind France on points and Switzerland on goal difference | |||||
Cuba | 4 | 2/2/0 | (did not qualify) | was eliminated by Costa Rica on away goals |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
New Zealand | GS | 3 | 0/3/0 | finished behind Paraguay and Slovakia on points | |||||
South Korea | 14 | 7/7/0 | |||||||
Nigeria | 12 | 9/3/0 | |||||||
Ivory Coast | 12 | 8/4/0 | |||||||
Spain | 10 | 10/0/0 | |||||||
Germany | 10 | 8/2/0 | |||||||
Italy | 10 | 7/3/0 | |||||||
Netherlands | 8 | 8/0/0 | |||||||
British Virgin Islands | 2 | 0/2/0 | (did not qualify) | was eliminated by the Bahamas on away goals |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Germany | 1st | 7 | 6/1/0 | 10 | 9/1/0 | won undefeated | |||
Netherlands | 3rd | 7 | 5/2/0 | 10 | 9/1/0 | was eliminated by Argentina on penalties | |||
Costa Rica | QF | 5 | 2/3/0 | was eliminated by the Netherlands on penalties | |||||
Belgium | 10 | 8/2/0 | |||||||
Switzerland | 10 | 7/3/0 | |||||||
England | 10 | 6/4/0 | |||||||
Italy | 10 | 6/4/0 | |||||||
Spain | 8 | 6/2/0 | |||||||
Ivory Coast | 8 | 5/3/0 | |||||||
Nigeria | 8 | 5/3/0 | |||||||
Bahamas | 2 | 2/0/0 | (withdrew during qualifying) | withdrew during qualifying |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Spain | R16 | 4 | 1/3/0 | 10 | 9/1/0 | was eliminated by Russia on penalties | |||
France | 1st | 7 | 6/1/0 | won undefeated | |||||
Denmark | R16 | 4 | 1/3/0 | was eliminated by Croatia on penalties | |||||
Iran | 18 | 12/6/0 | |||||||
Germany | 10 | 10/0/0 | |||||||
Belgium | 10 | 9/1/0 | |||||||
England | 10 | 8/2/0 | |||||||
Tunisia | 8 | 6/2/0 | |||||||
Senegal | 8 | 5/3/0 | |||||||
Cayman Islands | 2 | 0/2/0 | (did not qualify) | was eliminated by Belize on away goals | |||||
Cuba | 2 | 0/2/0 | (did not qualify) | was eliminated by Curaçao on away goals | |||||
Guyana | 2 | 0/2/0 | (did not qualify) | was eliminated by Saint Vincent and the Grenandines on away goals | |||||
Lesotho | 2 | 0/2/0 | (did not qualify) | was eliminated by the Comoros on away goals |
Team | Undefeated record in finals | Undefeated record in qualification | Undefeated in | Note | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Pld | W/D/L | Pld | W/D/L | Finals | Quali | Entire cycle | ||
Netherlands | QF | 5 | 3/2/0 | was eliminated by Argentina on penalties | |||||
Brazil | 17 | 14/3/0 | |||||||
Argentina | 17 | 11/6/0 | |||||||
England | 10 | 8/2/0 | |||||||
Morocco | 8 | 7/1/0 | |||||||
Belgium | 8 | 6/2/0 | |||||||
Serbia | 8 | 6/2/0 | |||||||
France | 8 | 5/3/0 | |||||||
Switzerland | 8 | 5/3/0 | |||||||
Burkina Faso | 6 | 3/3/0 | (did not qualify) | finished behind Algeria on points | |||||
Guatemala | 4 | 3/1/0 | (did not qualify) | finished behind Curaçao on goals scored | |||||
Montserrat | 4 | 2/2/0 | (did not qualify) | finished behind El Salvador on points | |||||
Trinidad and Tobago | 4 | 2/2/0 | (did not qualify) | finished behind Saint Kitts and Nevis on points | |||||
Burundi | 2 | 0/2/0 | (did not qualify) | was eliminated by Tanzania on penalties | |||||
Lesotho | 2 | 0/2/0 | (did not qualify) | was eliminated by Ethiopia on away goals |
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Association football is the most popular sport in almost all North, Central American and Caribbean countries, and eleven members of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football, CONCACAF, have competed at the sport's biggest event – the men's FIFA World Cup.
Association football is one of the popular sports in Oceania, and 2 members of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) have competed at the sport's biggest event – the men's FIFA World Cup.
The history of the Spain national football team dates back to the team's formation and first ever international match in 1920. The Spain national football team has experienced a number of successes, most notably their victory at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.