List of FIFA World Cup opening matches
# List of FIFA World Cup opening matches

The FIFA World Cup is an international association football competition established in 1930. It is contested by the men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's global governing body. The tournament has taken place every four years, except in 1942 and 1946, when the competition was cancelled due to World War II.

The World Cup opening match is the first of the competition. Opening match regulations have changed many times. Between 1974 and 2002, the defending champions were involved in the opening match. Since 2006, as the defending champions no longer qualify automatically, the opening matches involve the host nations.

## List of opening matches

### Early years (1930–1970)

| Year | Team 1 | Final score | Team 2 | Venue | Location | Attendance | References | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1930 | France | 4–1 | Mexico | Estadio Pocitos | Montevideo, Uruguay | 4,444 | Report | Two matches both played at the same time |
| 1930 | United States | 3–0 | Belgium | Estadio Parque Central | Montevideo, Uruguay | 18,346 | Report | Two matches both played at the same time |
| 1934 | Italy | 7–1 | United States | Stadio Nazionale PNF | Rome, Italy | 25,000 | Report | Eight matches were played at the same time |
| 1934 | Spain | 3–1 | Brazil | Stadio Luigi Ferraris | Genoa, Italy | 21,000 | Report | Eight matches were played at the same time |
| 1934 | Austria | 3–2 | France | Stadio Benito Mussolini | Turin, Italy | 16,000 | Report | Eight matches were played at the same time |
| 1934 | Hungary | 4–2 | Egypt | Stadio Giorgio Ascarelli | Naples, Italy | 9,000 | Report | Eight matches were played at the same time |
| 1934 | Czechoslovakia | 2–1 | Romania | Stadio Littorio | Trieste, Italy | 9,000 | Report | Eight matches were played at the same time |
| 1934 | Switzerland | 3–2 | Netherlands | Stadio San Siro | Milan, Italy | 33,000 | Report | Eight matches were played at the same time |
| 1934 | Germany | 5–2 | Belgium | Stadio Giovanni Berta | Florence, Italy | 8,000 | Report | Eight matches were played at the same time |
| 1934 | Sweden | 3–2 | Argentina | Stadio Littoriale | Bologna, Italy | 14,000 | Report | Eight matches were played at the same time |
| 1938 | Switzerland | 1–1 | Germany | Parc des Princes | Paris, France | 27,152 | Report | First opening match to end in a draw |
| 1950 | Brazil | 4–0 | Mexico | Maracanã Stadium | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 81,649 | Report | Brazil was the host country |
| 1954 | Brazil | 5–0 | Mexico | Charmilles Stadium | Geneva, Switzerland | 13,470 | Report | Four matches were played at the same time |
| 1954 | Yugoslavia | 1–0 | France | Stade Olympique de la Pontaise | Lausanne, Switzerland | 16,000 | Report | Four matches were played at the same time |
| 1954 | Uruguay | 2–0 | Czechoslovakia | Wankdorf Stadium | Bern, Switzerland | 20,500 | Report | Four matches were played at the same time |
| 1954 | Austria | 1–0 | Scotland | Hardturm Stadium | Zürich, Switzerland | 25,000 | Report | Four matches were played at the same time |
| 1958 | Sweden | 3–0 | Mexico | Råsunda Stadium | Solna, Sweden | 34,107 | Report | Sweden was the host country |
| 1962 | Uruguay | 2–1 | Colombia | Estadio Carlos Dittborn | Arica, Chile | 7,908 | Report | Four matches were played at the same time |
| 1962 | Chile | 3–1 | Switzerland | Estadio Nacional | Santiago, Chile | 65,006 | Report | Four matches were played at the same time |
| 1962 | Brazil | 2–0 | Mexico | Estadio Sausalito | Viña del Mar, Chile | 10,484 | Report | Four matches were played at the same time |
| 1962 | Argentina | 1–0 | Bulgaria | Estadio El Teniente | Rancagua, Chile | 7,134 | Report | Four matches were played at the same time |
| 1966 | England | 0–0 | Uruguay | Wembley Stadium | London, England | 87,148 | Report | England was the host country |
| 1970 | Mexico | 0–0 | Soviet Union | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City, Mexico | 107,160 | Report | Mexico was the host country |

### Defending champion era (1974–2002)

| Year | Defending champion | Final score | Opponent | Venue | Location | Attendance | References |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1974 | Brazil | 0–0 | Yugoslavia | Waldstadion | Frankfurt, West Germany | 62,000 | Report |
| 1978 | West Germany | 0–0 | Poland | Estadio Monumental | Buenos Aires, Argentina | 67,579 | Report |
| 1982 | Argentina | 0–1 | Belgium | Camp Nou | Barcelona, Spain | 95,000 | Report |
| 1986 | Italy | 1–1 | Bulgaria | Estadio Azteca | Mexico City, Mexico | 96,000 | Report |
| 1990 | Argentina | 0–1 | Cameroon | San Siro | Milan, Italy | 73,780 | Report |
| 1994 | Germany | 1–0 | Bolivia | Soldier Field | Chicago, United States | 63,117 | Report |
| 1998 | Brazil | 2–1 | Scotland | Stade de France | Saint-Denis, France | 80,000 | Report |
| 2002 | France | 0–1 | Senegal | Seoul World Cup Stadium | Seoul, South Korea | 62,561 | Report |

### Host country era (2006–)

| Year | Host country | Final score | Opponent | Venue | Location | Attendance | References |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2006 | Germany | 4–2 | Costa Rica | FIFA WM Stadion München | Munich, Germany | 66,000 | Report |
| 2010 | South Africa | 1–1 | Mexico | Soccer City | Johannesburg, South Africa | 84,490 | Report |
| 2014 | Brazil | 3–1 | Croatia | Arena de São Paulo | São Paulo, Brazil | 62,103 | Report |
| 2018 | Russia | 5–0 | Saudi Arabia | Luzhniki Stadium | Moscow, Russia | 78,011 | Report |
| 2022 | Qatar | 0–2 | Ecuador | Al Bayt Stadium | Al Khor, Qatar | 67,372 | Report |
