Year-by-Year Comparisons

Updated August 28, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

How the 20 World Cup tournaments have compared in nations qualifying, matches played, players participating, goals scored, average goals per game, overall attendance and attendance per game.

Goals Attendance
Year Host Continent Nations Matches Scored Per Game Overall Per Game
1930 Uruguay So. America 13 18 70 3.8 589,30032,739
1934 Italy Europe 16 17 70 4.1 361,00021,235
1938 France Europe 15 18 84 4.7 376,00020,889
1942-46 Not held
1950 Brazil So. America 13 22 88 4.0 1,044,76347,489
1954 Switzerland Europe 16 26 140 5.3 872,00033,538
1958 Sweden Europe 16 35 126 3.6 819,40223,411
1962 Chile So. America 16 32 89 2.8 892,81227,900
1966 England Europe 16 32 89 2.8 1,464,94445,780
1970 Mexico No. America 16 32 95 3.0 1,690,89052,840
1974 West Germany Europe 16 38 97 2.6 1,809,95347,630
1978 Argentina So. America 16 38 102 2.7 1,685,60244,358
1982 Spain Europe 24 52 146 2.8 2,108,72340,552
1986 Mexico No. America 24 52 132 2.5 2,393,03146,020
1990 Italy Europe 24 52 115 2.2 2,516,35448,391
1994 United States No. America 24 52 140 2.7 3,587,08868,982
1998 France Europe 32 641712.72,775,40043,366
2002Japan/So. KoreaAsia32641612.52,705,19742,269
2006 Germany Europe 32 64 147 2.3 3,359,439 52,491
2010 South Africa African 32 64 145 2.27 3,178,856 49,670
2014 Brazil So. America 32 64 171 2.67 3,429,873 53,592

The World Cup
The World Cup
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