Who is the best footballer in the world? And who is the real GOAT of football, Messi or Ronaldo? These debates were settled after Argentina’s main man, Messi, lifted the FIFA World Cup 2022. Are you curious about the history of the FIFA World Cup and how it started?
This blog aims to take you on a nostalgic trip, uncovering the reasons behind its inception and highlighting the key milestones that have shaped its iconic status. Join us as we explore the golden history of the FIFA World Cup, a celebration of skill, passion, and unity that has delighted billions across the globe.
How did the FIFA World Cup start?
After FIFA (Fédération internationale de football association) was founded in 1904, it started all the efforts to arrange an international football tournament between countries outside the Olympic framework, however in Switzerland in 1906 they tried but failed. These were the early days for international football, and FIFA.
In 1914, FIFA decided to change the Olympic football tournament into a “world football championship for amateurs” and took charge of organizing the event. The first intercontinental football competition for nations took place at the 1920 Summer Olympics, and Belgium won. Uruguay won the next two Olympic football tournaments in 1924 and 1928, which were also the first two open-world championships, marking the start of FIFA’s professional era in 1924. This is why Uruguay is allowed to wear four stars. Following the success of the Olympic football tournaments, FIFA President Jules Rimet began considering the possibility of starting an international tournament outside of the Olympics.
In 1928, FIFA decided to start a world championship and chose Uruguay to host the first FIFA World Cup in 1930. Although many European countries found it difficult to make the costly trip to Uruguay, eventually, teams from Belgium, France, Romania, and Yugoslavia agreed to participate. In total, 13 nations took part in the competition, with seven from South America, four from Europe, and two from North America.
Do you know the rich history of the FIFA World Cup Trophy?
The Jules Rimet Trophy, initially referred to as the World Cup or Coupe du Monde, was presented to the World Cup-winning team from 1930 to 1970. However, in 1946, it was renamed after the former FIFA president, Jules Rimet, who played a key role in establishing the prestigious tournament. Brazil’s third World Cup win in 1970 entitled them to keep the trophy permanently. Unfortunately, the trophy was stolen in 1983 and has never been recovered, reportedly melted down by the thieves.
Following the loss of the Jules Rimet Trophy, FIFA introduced a new trophy known as the FIFA World Cup Trophy. Experts from seven different countries evaluated 53 models before selecting the design created by Italian designer Silvio Gazzaniga. The new trophy stands 36 cm (14.2 in) tall, is crafted from solid 18-carat (75%) gold, and weighs 6.175 kg (13.6 lb).
How did the FIFA World Cup become so popular?
Let’s move our focus to the biggest and most asked question about the FIFA World Cup: how did it gain so much popularity?
To answer this, one of the prime reasons is that every football-playing nation had a dream of lifting this prestigious trophy, and the expansion of the FIFA World Cup played a key role in its popularity.
In 1982, the tournament was expanded to include 24 teams, and in 1998, it was further expanded to 32 teams. This allowed more teams from Africa, Asia, and North America to participate. Since then, teams from these different regions have enjoyed more success, with several having reached the knockout stage, and that attracted more fans and more engagements towards the FIFA World Cup.
If we shift our eyes to some other elements, then broadcasting has to be at the top of it. The World Cup was first televised in 1954, and as we approached 2006, it gained the reputation of being the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world. The 2006 World Cup had a total viewership of around 26.29 billion, with 715.1 million people watching the final match, which was almost a ninth of the world’s population at that time. The 2006 FIFA World Cup pre-show, which decided the selection of teams into groups, was watched by 300 million viewers globally. The 2014 FIFA World Cup generated $4.8 billion in revenue, $6.1 billion from the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and $5.77 billion in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The FIFA World Cup includes major sponsors such as Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and Adidas. For these major companies, being a sponsor strongly impacts their global reach. All the host countries cherish a multimillion-dollar revenue increase from this month-long event.