WAFO World Cup
The WAFO World Cup is the world's main football (soccer) championship among national teams, organised by WAFO. It occurs in the second year after the Geolympiad. The inaugural men's tournament was played in 1922, and the women's tournament in 1962.
Contents
Technical note
This list is to honour the users of countries who have some football (soccer) tradition and have mapped football infrastructure such as playing-fields and stadiums. Some information must also be written in their wiki on the history of football in their countries. People who have not done much of this, eg) mapped land and written in the wiki must be expect that some or all of their nominations in this list may be deleted If you had done nothing for the tradition of football of your country, please do not make an entry in this list. For details see at OGF:World Cup Requirements.
World Cup Format
Format 1922
The first Cup in 1922 (for men) was played with only 8 teams, mainly to test the WAFO concept. In this event, 4 teams played in 2 groups of four and the winners played each other in the final. A match for third place was not held.
Format 1926 to 1970
From 1926 to 1970, 16 teams played in each tournament. The event began with 4 groups of 4 teams, and the two best teams from each group were assigned to two new groups. The top team from each group competed in the final match, while the second best team from each group played for third place. The tournament of 1950 was not played because the war. In 1962 the WAFO women's world cup was founded, with the same rules as the men's tournament.
Format 1974 to 1982
From 1974 to 1982, 24 teams participated in each World Cup. The first round consisted of 6 groups with 4 teams each. The top two teams from each group moved on to the next round, which consisted of 4 groups with 3 teams each. The winner from each group played in the semifinals, and the winners of the semi-final played in the final, while the losers of both semi-finals played for third place.
Format since 1986
The current format, where 32 teams play in the World Cup finals, was first used in the 1986 World Cup. In this format, the 32 teams are divided in eight groups of four in the group stage. The top two teams in each group progresses to the round of 16. From the round of 16 until the final, the winners of each match progress to the next round. The two losers in semi-finals plays a match to decide the 3rd place.
Past Winners (men)
Past winners (women)
| Year | Final Match | Third Place Match | Notes | Host Country | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | Score | Runner-Up | Third Place | Score | Fourth Place | |||
| 1962 |  Neo Delta
|
1-0 |  Undecided
|
Undecided
|
2-0 | Undecided
|
Undecided
| |
| 1966 | Undecided
|
4-2 | Undecided
|
Undecided
|
Undecided
| |||
| 1970 | ||||||||
| 1974 | ||||||||
| 1978 | ||||||||
| 1982 | ||||||||
| 1986 | ||||||||
| 1990 | ||||||||
| 1994 | ||||||||
| 1998 | ||||||||
| 2002 | ||||||||
| 2006 | ||||||||
| 2010 | ||||||||
| 2014 | ||||||||
| 2018 | ||||||||
| 2022 | ||||||||
Qualification
All participating teams have to be qualified first in competitions in their continetal football federations. Only the host country is always directly qualified. Ulethan teams play, e.g., Ulethan qualification for the WAFO World Cup of the Ulethan Football Association.
Trivia
The match with the most goals (9) in the history of the World Cup took place in 1958 when Chastechek won 6-3 against Latina.
Latina and Sathria are countries with the most wins (4). Karolia have won three times, and Kalm twice.
Ardisphere, Belgravia, Cariocas, Gobrassanya, Luslandia and Roantra are countries that were in the top four only once.
Chastechek didn't manage to get to top three for 40 years.
The 2014 edition was played in three countries. Brasonia, Belgravia and Luslandia together form the historic region of GranLuslandia, the oficial host of 2014 WAFO World Cup.
