Where was the first FIFA World Cup held?
The first FIFA World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930. Uruguay won the tournament, beating Argentina 4–2 in the final in Montevideo.
Uruguay was chosen as host partly because it was the reigning Olympic football champion and was celebrating 100 years of its first constitution. The government built a new stadium, the Estadio Centenario, for the tournament.
Only 13 teams took part, and every match was played in Montevideo. Long sea journeys meant few European teams traveled; France, Belgium, Romania and Yugoslavia made the trip by ship. France's Lucien Laurent scored the first goal in World Cup history.
A historic final
In the final on July 30, 1930, the teams could not agree on a ball, so they used one from Argentina in the first half and one from Uruguay in the second. Argentina led at halftime, but Uruguay won 4–2.
Uruguay's team in 1930 was one of the strongest in the world, having won Olympic football gold in 1924 and 1928. The country won its second World Cup in 1950 in Brazil.
Did You Know?
To mark the centenary, the 2030 World Cup will open with matches in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.