The World of Football

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World Cup Photo by Rhett Lewis on Unsplash. (Background photo by Alex Motoc).

The Ball is Round Travel Notes: Connect The World Through Football.

Travel Writers - Writing About Travel

World Cup Finals reports from Uruguay 1930 through to United 2026 and beyond; including coverage of European and world football (soccer) in general.

The Greatest Game on Earth

May our coverage of world soccer help bring football fans closer together for a greater understanding of people, places, countries and cultures previously considered foreign to many.

2022 World Cup Finals in Qatar - Fixtures and Results

2022 World Cup Final

Argentina Argentina vs France France (3:3 aet 4:2 penalties) - Lusail Stadium.

Qatar 2022 Results and Match Reports.

World Cup Finals

Uruguay 1930:
Uruguay trailed Argentina at half-time (1:2) but replied with three goals in the second half; to win the first ever World Cup Final (4-2) on July 30th, 1930.

Italy 1934:
Italy were one of the countries who missed out on the vote to host the first World Cup but managed to win the prestigious golden trophy for the home fans.

France 1938:
The third World Cup was held in Europe for a second time, although Germany had annexed Austria, and Spain was in civil turmoil.

Brazil 1950:
Although no cup-final as such, Uruguay and Brazil went into their final game with the winner guaranteed to be champions; a draw would be enough for Brazil.

Switzerland 1954:
The fifth World Cup tournament produced a record number of goals, including a 7:5 encounter between Austria and Switzerland in Lausanne.

Sweden 1958:
Brazil presented a 17 year-old Pele to the world; who went on to claim a hat-trick in Brazil's 5:2 semi-final win over France and bag another two in the final.

Chile 1962:
Czechoslovakia overcame Hungary in the quarter-finals and Yugoslavia in the semis, while Brazil took care of England and the host nation, Chile.

England 1966:
Geoff Hurst scored a hat-trick, in the final against West Germany, as England triumphed in a thrilling game watched by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

Mexico 1970:
1970 belonged to Pelé, who earned his third World Cup winners' medal when Brazil got their hands on the Jules Rimet Cup.... for keeps.

W. Germany 1974:
Johan Cruyff was the player of the tournament as total football became the buzzword of the day, even though Holland lost to West Germany in the 1974 final.

Argentina 1978:
Holland contested the 1978 World Cup Final, in Argentina, for the second time in a row. As in West Germany, they again finished runners-up; to the hosts.

Spain 1982:
The Spain 82 World Cup finals increased to 24 teams and the format was changed to have two group stages, with four second-round groups of three.

Mexico 1986:
In 1986, Mexico became the first nation to stage the World Cup Finals for a second time; having only staged the competition sixteen years previously.

Italy 1990:
In 1990, Italy became the World Cup of stalemates. Both semi-finals were drawn out through penalty kicks. In the final itself, the only goal came from the spot.

USA 1994:
Once Team US had played a few games most of the nation began to understand they were hosting the greatest show on earth and how the game was played.

France 1998:
France became the sixth nation to win the World Cup on home soil. Thirty-two teams competed in the 16th World Cup; better known as France 98.

Korea-Japan 2002:
The 17th World Cup, held in Korea and Japan, was the first World Cup finals to be shared by two hosts and the first to be held in Asia.

Germany 2006:
The 2006 World Cup Finals ran from 9th June to 9th July; the opening match in Munich and the final in Berlin. Munich and Dortmund hosted the semi-finals.

South Africa 2010:
Eighty years after the First World Cup Finals in Uruguay, the world's most prestigious football competition was finally hosted on the African continent.

Brazil 2014:
Five times World Cup Champions, Brazil, get a second chance to hold the prestigious World Cup Finals; 64 years after they last hosted the tournament.

Russia 2018:
VAR made its World Cup debut and set out to change the course of a game with some crucial rule infringement watching and vital on the spot decisions.

Qatar 2022:
When FIFA executives met in Zurich to decide on who would host the 2018 and 2022 World Cup Finals, Qatar was probably the biggest surprise to many.

United 2026:
The 2026 FIFA World Cup Finals will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States. The United Bid won the hosting rights ahead of Morocco.

World Cup History

History of Soccer: The Beautiful Game.

World Cup Hosts and Winners

Year Host Country No. of Teams Winner
1930 Uruguay 13 Football in Uruguay
1934 Italy 16 Football in Italy
1938 France 15 Football in Italy
1950 Brazil 13 Football in Uruguay
1954 Switzerland 16 Football in Germany
1958 Sweden 16 Football in Brazil
1962 Chile 16 Football in Brazil
1966 England 16 Football in England
1970 Mexico 16 Football in Brazil
1974 West Germany 16 Football in Germany
1978 Argentina 16 Football in Argentina
1982 Spain 24 Football in Italy
1986 Mexico 24 Football in Argentina
1990 Italy 24 Football in Germany
1994 USA 24 Football in Brazil
1998 France 32 Football in France
2002 Korea-Japan 32 Football in Brazil
2006 Germany 32 Football in Italy
2010 South Africa 32 Football in Spain
2014 Brazil 32 Football in Germany
2018 Russia 32 Football in France
2022 Qatar 32 Football in Argentina
2026 United Bid 48  

World Cup Winners

5. Travel to Brazil Brazil.

4. Travel to Germany Germany.

4. Travel to Italy Italy.

3. Travel to Argentina Argentina.

2. Travel to France France.

2. Travel to Uruguay Uruguay.

1. Travel to England England.

1. Travel to Spain Spain.

World Cup Match Archives

France 98:
France win the World Cup on home soil.

Korea-Japan 2002:
Brazil win the World Cup for the 5th time.

Germany 2006:
Zidane ends it all in a final head-but.

South Africa 2010:
Spain win the trophy hunt at the Soccer Safari.

Brazil 2014:
Putting the Samba back into football; German style.

Russia 2018:
Played out across multiple time zones from Kaliningrad to Ekaterinburg.

Qatar 2022:
Probably the best World Cup Final ever, with the winner decided on penalties.

Nomadic Gatherings - Travels in Asia and Australia

Nomadic Gatherings: Travels in Asia and Australia

Nomadic Gatherings by Michel Guntern.

European Leagues

Follow the football from the major leagues around Europe.

English Soccer - Football in England - Footy German Soccer - Football in Germany - Fussball Italian Soccer - Football in Italy - Calcio French Soccer - Football in France - Le Foot Spanish Soccer - Football in Spain - Futbol

English Premier League - German Bundesliga - Italian Serie A - French Championnat - Spanish Primera Liga.

UEFA Competions.

Euro 2020 - Around Europe

Marketed as a 'EURO for Europe', the Euro 2020 finals (eventually played in 2021, due to the Covid pandemic) were staged in eleven cities around Europe.

Three Group Games & One Round of 16 Game

Travel to Holland Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Travel to Romania Bucharest, Romania.
Travel to Hungary Budapest, Hungary.
Travel to Denmark Copenhagen, Denmark.
Travel to Scotland Glasgow, Scotland.
Travel to Spain Seville, Spain.

Three Group Games & One Quarter-Final

Travel to Azerbaijan Baku, Azerbaijan.
Travel to Germany Munich, Germany.
Travel to Italy Rome, Italy.
Travel to Russia Saint Petersburg, Russia.

London 2020

Hosts for the Euro 2020 final and semi-finals.

Travel to England London, England.

Italy beat hosts England on penalties.

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