FIFA World Cup

The FIFA World Cup is a global association football (soccer) tournament held every four years since 1930 (except during the Second World War). Its scale as a global sporting event is challenged only by the Olympics.

In the current form, the final tournament is contested by 32 nations who, with the exception of the host nation, are required to qualify by beating others from their region in a preliminary tournament. The current holders of the World Cup are Italy, who beat France in the 2006 final in Germany. The 2010 World Cup will be held in South Africa, the first time the tournament is hosted in Africa.