The FIFA World Cup was first held in 1930 when FIFA president Jules Rimet organized the inaugural tournament in Uruguay, with 13 nations participating. The competition has been held every four years since then, except for 1942 and 1946 due to World War II. Uruguay won the first tournament by defeating Argentina 4–2 in front of 93,000 spectators in Montevideo, and the trophy was later named the Jules Rimet Cup in honor of FIFA's president who brought the idea to life. Over the decades, the tournament expanded from its original format to include 32 teams by 1998, and it is scheduled to expand to 48 teams for the 2026 edition.

The Women’s World Cup has played a crucial role in promoting gender equality in sports and increasing visibility for women athletes worldwide. The FIFA Women’s World Cup was first held in 1991 in China, reflecting the growing global recognition of women’s football. Twelve teams participated in the inaugural tournament, with the United States emerging as the first champions after defeating Norway. The competition has since expanded to 32 teams as of the 2023 tournament, mirroring the structure of the men’s competition and highlighting the sport’s rapid development.

The World Cup format has undergone significant changes throughout its history to accommodate growing global interest in soccer. The 1934 World Cup in Italy was the first to include a qualification stage with 16 teams, a number that remained constant until the expansion to 24 teams in 1982. The tournament continued to grow, reaching 32 teams in 1998 when France hosted, and this format remained in place through the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Notable milestones include the first World Cup held outside Europe and South America in 1970 (Mexico), the first in Asia in 2002 (jointly hosted by South Korea and Japan), the first in Africa in 2010 (South Africa), and the first in the Middle East in 2022 (Qatar). The World Cup also marked key developments in global broadcasting. The 1954 tournament in Switzerland was the first to be televised, although coverage was limited to parts of Europe. By 1970, the World Cup in Mexico became the first to be broadcast in color, significantly increasing its global audience and commercial appeal. Advances in satellite technology helped transform the tournament into one of the most widely viewed sporting events in the world.

The tournament has produced legendary performances and historic achievements that have shaped football history. Brazil has won the World Cup five times (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002), more than any other nation, while Germany and Italy have each won four titles. Individual records include Just Fontaine's 13 goals in a single tournament (1958), which still stands despite tournament expansion, and Diego Maradona's legendary performances in 1986, including the controversial "Hand of God" goal and the "Goal of the Century" against England. The 1994 World Cup in the United States set attendance records with an average of 68,991 per match and total attendance of 3,587,538, marks that remained unbroken as of 2025 despite later expansion.

The 2015 FIFA corruption scandal exposed a 24-year self-enrichment scheme that reached the highest levels of FIFA management, fundamentally tarnishing the organization's reputation. On May 27, 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice disclosed a 47-count indictment charging seven FIFA executives with receiving $150 million in bribes over more than two decades, with Swiss police arresting them at their hotel in Zürich. The scandal centered on accusations of bribery connected to awarding hosting rights for the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, with leaked emails suggesting Qatari official Mohammed bin Hammam paid millions to FIFA officials to secure votes. FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who was re-elected for a fifth term just two days after the indictments, resigned three days later but received an eight-year suspension in December 2015 for a $2 million "disloyal payment" to UEFA president Michel Platini. The investigation revealed a toxic culture of corruption within FIFA that prompted reforms including separating management from political operations, limiting terms of office, performing integrity checks, and increasing transparency in operations.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will mark a historic milestone as the first tournament to feature 48 teams, expanding opportunities for participation from across all confederations. It will also be the first World Cup jointly hosted by three countries— the United States, Canada, and Mexico—signaling a new era of regional collaboration in global sports. Matches will be played across 16 cities, with the final scheduled to take place in the United States. The expanded format will include 12 groups, increasing the total number of matches and further boosting global viewership. The 2026 edition is expected to set new records in attendance, revenue, and international engagement, reinforcing the World Cup’s status as the world’s most prominent sporting event.