| http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; | | | | to be looking up there were many problems ahead |
| charset=utf-8"> | | | | for the World Cup. |
| In 1928 FIFA(International Federation of Association | | | | In 1938 a few South American teams determined to |
| Football) President Jules Rimet desired to start an | | | | boycott the World Cup in response to a second |
| international soccer tournament. The tournament | | | | consecutive World Cup taking place in Europe. This |
| began as a simple 13 team tournament with those | | | | same year the World Cup implemented the tradition |
| teams being invited by FIFA. | | | | of automatic qualification for the country that hosted |
| Over time, this event has become the most popular | | | | the competition. |
| event in the world and has expanded to a 32 team | | | | Problems continued for the World Cup with the start |
| tournament. The tournament goes well past these 32 | | | | of World War II as there were two consecutive |
| teams however as there is now a two year | | | | cancellations of the event. This left a 12 year span |
| qualification process including more than 200 teams | | | | without a World Cup. This span ended in 1950 with a |
| world-wide. | | | | World Cup hosted by Brazil. |
| The World Cup came about in response to a decision | | | | Popularity of the World Cup has since continued to |
| from the Olympics to not include soccer in the 1932 | | | | grow, even sparking a Women’s World Cup |
| Olympics in Los Angeles. The Olympic committee did | | | | to start taking place every four years as well. The |
| not believe it would be a good idea as soccer was | | | | women’s world cup has not yet generated |
| not yet popular in the United States. FIFA responded | | | | the same interest that is present in the Men’s |
| by implementing the first World Cup Tournament in | | | | world cup. |
| Uruguay in 1930. Uruguay went on to win this | | | | In the 5 Women’s World Cups teams from |
| tournament, beating Argentina in the finals to | | | | Germany and the United States have each won two |
| become the first World Cup Champions. | | | | of the championships. Over time the most successful |
| Four years later the World Cup was held in Italy and | | | | country for the men’s World Cup has been |
| was the first World Cup in which qualifications | | | | Brazil with a total of 5 World Cup Tournament |
| preceded the tournament. This year the field | | | | championships. Italy follows in number of |
| expanded to 16 teams and the popularity of the | | | | championships with 4 total, including a victory in the |
| World Cup began to grow. Though things appeared | | | | most recent 2006 World Cup. |