The FIFA World Cup is the biggest soccer tournament in the world with over a billion people tuning in to watch 32 countries battle it out at different venues in the host country to lift the much coveted FIFA World Cup. 18 tournaments have been held since 1930, only seven nations have won the prestigious World Cup, Brazil is on top of the list with 5 wins, followed closely by Italy and Germany with 4 and 3 wins respectively. Argentina and Uruguay have 2 titles each and England France with one each.

The World Cup was first televised in 1954 and is the most widely watched sporting event in the world. The cumulative audience of all the matches of the FIFA World Cup 2006 is estimated to be over 26.29 billion.

FIFA World Cup Fun Facts

• The record number of World Cup career goals is 15 by Brazilian forward Ronaldo.
• The record number of appearances in world cup matches is 25, held by German footballer Lothar Matthaus.
• The fastest goal in the world was scored by Turkey’s Hasan Sukur, 11 seconds into the game against South Korea in the 2002 World Cup.
• Oliver Kahn is the only goalkeeper in the history of FIFA World to have won the Golden Ball trophy.
• India withdrew from the 1950 World Cup when they realized that according to FIFA regulations players had to wear football boots and would not be allowed to play barefoot.
• The record for most defeats suffered by a nation in World Cups is held by Mexico with 20 losses.
• Norman Whiteside was 17 when he played in the 1982 FIFA World Cup making him the youngest player to play in the world cup.
• Out of the 18 world cups, South America and European countries have won 9 titles each. No other continent has produced a world champion.
• The only two players to have scored in four consecutive finals tournaments in 1958, 1962, 1966 & 1970 are Pele of Brazil and Uwe Seeler of West Germany.
• 42-year-old Roger Milla in 1994 became the oldest goal scorer and the oldest player in World Cup history.
• The very first hat-trick in a World Cup match was scored by Bert Patenaude of United States in a match against Paraguay in the 1930 World Cup.
• In 1986 FIFA prohibited shirt swapping because they did not want players to ‘bare their chests’ on the field.
• Brazil is the country to have appeared for every finals tournament. They have appeared for the last 18 tournaments, won five of them and will be appearing in the 2010 World Cup as well.
• Sir Viv Richards is the only person to have played both World Cup Football and World Cup Cricket.