World Cup Winners: Full List of Every FIFA Champion (1930-2026)
Spain are the newest name on the list of World Cup winners after beating Argentina 1-0 in the 2026 final, yet only eight nations have ever lifted the trophy since 1930.
Below you get the full year by year table of champions, runners-up, hosts, and final scores from Uruguay in 1930 through Spain in 2026, the total titles won by each country, and the standout records from nearly a century of finals.
Whether you want the complete FIFA World Cup winner list or just the headline facts, it is all here.
Full List of World Cup Winners (1930-2026)
23 tournaments have been played, and here is every champion, runner-up, host, and final score. The 1942 and 1946 editions were not held because of World War II.
| Year | Host | Champion | Runner-up | Final Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Uruguay | Uruguay | Argentina | 4-2 |
| 1934 | Italy | Italy | Czechoslovakia | 2-1 (a.e.t.) |
| 1938 | France | Italy | Hungary | 4-2 |
| 1950 | Brazil | Uruguay | Brazil | 2-1 * |
| 1954 | Switzerland | West Germany | Hungary | 3-2 |
| 1958 | Sweden | Brazil | Sweden | 5-2 |
| 1962 | Chile | Brazil | Czechoslovakia | 3-1 |
| 1966 | England | England | West Germany | 4-2 (a.e.t.) |
| 1970 | Mexico | Brazil | Italy | 4-1 |
| 1974 | West Germany | West Germany | Netherlands | 2-1 |
| 1978 | Argentina | Argentina | Netherlands | 3-1 (a.e.t.) |
| 1982 | Spain | Italy | West Germany | 3-1 |
| 1986 | Mexico | Argentina | West Germany | 3-2 |
| 1990 | Italy | West Germany | Argentina | 1-0 |
| 1994 | United States | Brazil | Italy | 0-0 (3-2 pens) |
| 1998 | France | France | Brazil | 3-0 |
| 2002 | South Korea/Japan | Brazil | Germany | 2-0 |
| 2006 | Germany | Italy | France | 1-1 (5-3 pens) |
| 2010 | South Africa | Spain | Netherlands | 1-0 (a.e.t.) |
| 2014 | Brazil | Germany | Argentina | 1-0 (a.e.t.) |
| 2018 | Russia | France | Croatia | 4-2 |
| 2022 | Qatar | Argentina | France | 3-3 (4-2 pens) |
| 2026 | USA/Canada/Mexico | Spain | Argentina | 1-0 (a.e.t.) |
* The 1950 title was settled by a final round-robin group rather than a one-off final. Uruguay’s 2-1 win over Brazil was the deciding match.
Spain claimed the 2026 crown at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, where Ferran Torres scored the only goal in the 106th minute of extra time. You can relive how the match unfolded on the World Cup 2026 final page.
FIFA World Cup Winners by Country
Eight countries share all 23 titles between them. Brazil still lead the way, and Spain moved level with Uruguay and France on two trophies with their 2026 triumph.
| Country | Titles | Winning Years |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 5 | 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002 |
| Germany | 4 | 1954, 1974, 1990, 2014 |
| Italy | 4 | 1934, 1938, 1982, 2006 |
| Argentina | 3 | 1978, 1986, 2022 |
| Uruguay | 2 | 1930, 1950 |
| France | 2 | 1998, 2018 |
| Spain | 2 | 2010, 2026 |
| England | 1 | 1966 |
Germany’s total includes the two titles won as West Germany in 1954 and 1974, plus 1990. FIFA counts these under Germany.
Who Are the Reigning World Cup Champions?
Spain are the reigning World Cup champions. They beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the 2026 final at MetLife Stadium, with Ferran Torres scoring the winner in the 106th minute after Emiliano Martinez had kept the holders alive with a string of saves.
It is Spain’s second world title after 2010, and it capped a dominant run in which La Roja conceded just one goal in the entire tournament. Argentina finished runners-up, ending Lionel Messi‘s record sixth World Cup one win short of back-to-back titles.
England took third place with a 6-4 win over France, and Kylian Mbappe finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals. The full scoring race is on the World Cup 2026 Golden Boot page.
World Cup Winners: Records and Facts
A few numbers stand out across nearly a century of tournaments. Brazil remain the most successful nation with five titles, and they are the only country to have played at every World Cup ever held. Germany have reached the most finals, appearing in eight, while Argentina’s defeat in 2026 was their seventh final.
The highest scoring final is still Brazil’s 5-2 win over Sweden in 1958, inspired by a 17-year-old Pele. Of the 23 finals, three were settled by a penalty shootout (1994, 2006, and 2022) and six were won with a goal in extra time, the 2026 final among them.
FAQ About World Cup Winners
Who won the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Spain won the 2026 FIFA World Cup, beating Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19, 2026. Ferran Torres scored the only goal in the 106th minute. It is Spain’s second world title after 2010, and they conceded just one goal in the whole tournament.
Who won the first ever World Cup?
Uruguay won the first World Cup in 1930, which they also hosted. They beat Argentina 4-2 in the final at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo on July 30, 1930. Thirteen teams took part in that inaugural tournament, and Uruguay went on to win a second title in 1950.
Has any team won the World Cup on home soil?
Yes, six times. Uruguay (1930), Italy (1934), England (1966), West Germany (1974), Argentina (1978), and France (1998) all won the trophy as the host nation. No host has managed it since France in 1998, and all three 2026 co-hosts were knocked out before the quarterfinals.
Has a team ever won two World Cups in a row?
Yes, but only twice. Italy won back-to-back titles in 1934 and 1938, and Brazil did the same in 1958 and 1962. Argentina came within one match of joining them in 2026 but lost the final to Spain, so the wait for another repeat champion goes on after more than sixty years.
Have teams from outside Europe and South America ever won?
No. All 23 World Cup champions have come from either Europe or South America. The best result for any other continent is a fourth-place finish, reached by South Korea in 2002 and Morocco in 2022. South Korea were the first Asian team to reach a World Cup semifinal, and Morocco the first African team.
Which team has lost the most finals without ever winning?
The Netherlands holds that record. They have reached three World Cup finals in 1974, 1978, and 2010, losing all three without ever lifting the trophy. Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, and Croatia have also played in a final without winning.
The list of World Cup winners is short and hard to join: just eight nations across 23 tournaments, all of them from Europe or South America.
Brazil sit top with five titles, Germany and Italy follow on four, and Spain are the newest champions after their 1-0 extra time win over Argentina in the 2026 final.
The next chance to join this club comes at the 2030 World Cup, when reigning champions Spain co-host the centenary tournament with Portugal and Morocco.
