By Mason McDonagh
In 2022, we’re having the 22nd World Cup soccer tournament, which is a big deal! This time, it’s happening in Qatar and it’s different because usually it’s held in the summer, but this time it’s in the winter. That’s a big change! The tournament starts on November 20th, so let’s get excited and look back at all the fun times we’ve had in previous World Cups!
Before the World Cup
Before the very first World Cup, there were other important soccer competitions. The soccer tournament at the Summer Olympics was seen as the biggest one. But in the 1920s, soccer started to become more professional, which didn’t really fit with the amateur spirit of the Olympics. So, FIFA, the group that runs international soccer, decided they needed their own big tournament. They announced their plans for the first-ever World Cup on May 26th, 1928. Additionally, as the popularity of soccer grew, so did the interest in 1xBet sports betting, where people would wager on the outcomes of matches.
The First Tournament
The very first World Cup happened in Uruguay in 1930, starting on July 13th. France won against Mexico, and the USA won against Belgium. In the final, Uruguay beat their big rivals Argentina to become the first-ever World Cup champions.
After that, the World Cup has been held every four years, except during World War II, when it took a break for 12 years. It came back in 1950 in Brazil.
At first, only 13 teams played in the tournament, but by 1978, it increased to 16 teams. Then, in 1982, it went up to 24 teams, and in 1998, it expanded to 32 teams. But the changes aren’t over yet! Starting from 2026, FIFA plans to have 48 teams competing. We’ll have to wait and see how this affects the tournament and what other changes will happen. Exciting stuff!
The Home Advantage
Something really cool we’ve noticed since the start of the World Cup is how much of a boost playing at home gives teams. Even when it seems like they wouldn’t stand a chance, home teams often do better than expected. It’s like they get superpowers from their home turf! For example, in 1958, Sweden made it to the final, and in 2002, South Korea reached the semi-finals when they hosted the tournament. So, playing at home can really make a big difference in how well a team performs.
FIFA World Cup 2022
The FIFA World Cup is happening in the Middle East for the first time ever in 2022. Qatar won the bid to host the tournament, beating out other countries like the USA. This brings some big changes to how we’re used to seeing the World Cup. The main one is that the games will be played in November and December instead of the usual summer months. It’s because Qatar gets extremely hot in the summer, which could be dangerous for players and fans. So, this time, we’ll be experiencing World Cup excitement in a cooler, more wintery climate than usual.
5 Top World Cup Facts
1. Fastest Goal goes to Turkey
The quickest goal ever scored in a World Cup match was by Turkey’s Hakan Sukur. He scored just 11 seconds into their game against South Korea during the 2002 World Cup. Some other fast goals came from Vaclav Masek of Czechoslovakia, who scored in 16 seconds against Mexico in 1962, and Bryan Robson for England, who scored in 27 seconds against France in 1982.
2. Buckets of Beer
During the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, more than 3 million bottles of beer were sold around the stadiums. That’s over 750,000 liters! While drinking beer in the stands isn’t allowed in the UK, it’s different in other countries hosting the World Cup. It’s important to note that Qatar has strict rules about alcohol. While beer might be sold in World Cup stadiums, only non-alcoholic drinks are expected to be allowed when sitting and watching the games.
3. No Tournament for Barefoot Players
Among all the strange requests FIFA has received, India’s in 1950 must be one of the oddest. The Indian national team decided to withdraw from the 1950 World Cup because they weren’t allowed to play barefoot.
4. Beckenbauer Bounces Back
Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer holds a unique record in World Cup history. He’s the only player to win the title both as a player and as a coach. In 1974, he played a key role in Germany’s World Cup victory, and in 1990, he achieved the same feat as the coach of the team.
5. More Expensive than ever before
The upcoming World Cup in Qatar in 2022 is set to be the priciest one ever. The host country has poured about $200 billion into building infrastructure and preparing for the tournament. This makes it much more costly than any previous World Cup. We can’t wait to see the spectacle when the games start in November 2022!
