World Cup history (easy)
Warm-up round. If your table watched even one tournament, these should land — they cover the basics every fan absorbs by osmosis.
Q1.Which country hosted and won the very first FIFA World Cup in 1930?Tap to reveal
Answer: Uruguay
Uruguay beat Argentina 4-2 in the final in Montevideo — the same two-time Olympic champions FIFA trusted with the debut.
Q2.Which country has won the most World Cup titles?Tap to reveal
Answer: Brazil (5)
1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002 — no other nation has more than four.
Q3.How often is the FIFA World Cup held?Tap to reveal
Answer: Every 4 years
It has run on that cycle since 1930, skipping only 1942 and 1946 because of World War II.
Q4.What was the original World Cup trophy called?Tap to reveal
Answer: The Jules Rimet Trophy
Named after the FIFA president who created the tournament; Brazil kept it permanently after their third title in 1970.
Q5.Which country won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar?Tap to reveal
Answer: Argentina
Their third title — which is why they arrive at the 2026 final as defending champions.
Q6.Which country won the 2018 World Cup in Russia?Tap to reveal
Answer: France
They beat Croatia 4-2 in Moscow — the highest-scoring final in regulation time since 1966.
Q7.Which is the only country to have played in every World Cup?Tap to reveal
Answer: Brazil
Brazil has qualified for all editions since 1930 — a streak no other nation can match.
Q8.How many teams play in the 2026 World Cup — the biggest ever?Tap to reveal
Answer: 48
Up from 32, making 2026 the first 48-team tournament in history.
Q9.Which three countries co-host the 2026 World Cup?Tap to reveal
Answer: USA, Canada and Mexico
The first World Cup ever shared by three host nations.
Q10.Which country hosted the 2022 World Cup — the first ever played in November-December?Tap to reveal
Answer: Qatar
The desert summer forced the only winter World Cup in tournament history.
Legends and records
The World Cup made careers immortal. This round is about the names and numbers every football conversation eventually reaches.
Q1.Who is the only player to win three World Cups?Tap to reveal
Answer: Pelé
1958, 1962 and 1970 with Brazil — he was 17 when he won the first.
Q2.Who is the all-time top scorer in World Cup history?Tap to reveal
Answer: Miroslav Klose (16 goals)
The German striker passed Ronaldo's 15 in 2014 — spread across four tournaments without a single penalty.
Q3.Whose infamous 'Hand of God' goal knocked England out of the 1986 World Cup?Tap to reveal
Answer: Diego Maradona
Minutes later he scored the 'Goal of the Century' — two of football's most famous goals, four minutes apart.
Q4.Who holds the record for most goals in a single World Cup — 13 in 1958?Tap to reveal
Answer: Just Fontaine (France)
A record that has stood for almost 70 years; nobody has come within four goals of it since.
Q5.Who is the youngest player ever to score in a World Cup final?Tap to reveal
Answer: Pelé, aged 17
He scored twice in the 1958 final against Sweden, including a chest-trap-and-lob still replayed today.
Q6.Who scored a hat-trick in the 2022 World Cup final — and still lost?Tap to reveal
Answer: Kylian Mbappé
The first hat-trick in a final since Geoff Hurst in 1966; Argentina won the shootout anyway.
Q7.Who is the only player to win the World Cup Golden Ball twice?Tap to reveal
Answer: Lionel Messi (2014 and 2022)
The award for the tournament's best player — he lost the first final and won the second.
Q8.Who scored the fastest goal in World Cup history — about 11 seconds in?Tap to reveal
Answer: Hakan Şükür (Turkey)
Straight from kick-off against South Korea in the 2002 third-place match.
Q9.Who is the oldest player ever to appear at a World Cup, at 45?Tap to reveal
Answer: Essam El-Hadary (Egypt)
The goalkeeper even saved a penalty against Saudi Arabia at Russia 2018.
Q10.Which Cameroon striker celebrated goals with a corner-flag dance at Italia '90?Tap to reveal
Answer: Roger Milla
Aged 38, he dragged Cameroon to the quarterfinals — the first African side to get that far.
Finals through the years
Finals are where World Cup lore concentrates — heartbreak, headbutts, and last-minute winners. Ten questions, ten unforgettable deciders.
Q1.What is the 'Maracanazo' — football's most famous upset?Tap to reveal
Answer: Uruguay beating Brazil 2-1 in the deciding match of the 1950 World Cup
Nearly 200,000 people at the Maracanã watched hosts Brazil lose a title everyone assumed was theirs.
Q2.Who scored a hat-trick in the 1966 final as England beat West Germany 4-2?Tap to reveal
Answer: Geoff Hurst
Still the only World Cup won by England — and Hurst's third goal came seconds before the final whistle.
Q3.Who captained Brazil and scored the iconic team goal in the 1970 final against Italy?Tap to reveal
Answer: Carlos Alberto
The 4-1 win capped a Brazil side many still call the greatest team ever assembled.
Q4.Which country won the 1986 final 3-2 against West Germany?Tap to reveal
Answer: Argentina
Maradona's tournament — he set up Jorge Burruchaga's late winner after Germany had clawed back from 2-0.
Q5.The 1994 final was the first decided by a penalty shootout. Who missed the decisive kick?Tap to reveal
Answer: Roberto Baggio
Italy's star blazed over the bar and Brazil won their fourth title after a 0-0 in Pasadena.
Q6.Who scored two headers in the 1998 final as France beat Brazil 3-0?Tap to reveal
Answer: Zinedine Zidane
France's first title, won at home in Paris on Bastille Day weekend.
Q7.What ended Zidane's career in the 2006 final?Tap to reveal
Answer: A red card for headbutting Marco Materazzi
His last-ever professional act; Italy went on to win the shootout 5-3.
Q8.Who scored the 116th-minute winner that gave Spain their first World Cup in 2010?Tap to reveal
Answer: Andrés Iniesta
A 1-0 extra-time win over the Netherlands — Spain's only title before the 2026 final.
Q9.Which substitute scored the extra-time winner for Germany in the 2014 final?Tap to reveal
Answer: Mario Götze
His 113th-minute volley beat Argentina 1-0 at the Maracanã — Messi's first final heartbreak.
Q10.What was the score of the 2022 final between Argentina and France before penalties?Tap to reveal
Answer: 3-3
Widely called the greatest final ever played; Argentina won the shootout 4-2.
Spain vs Argentina — the 2026 final
This Sunday's final at MetLife Stadium is a first: Spain and Argentina have never met in a World Cup final. Ten questions on how both teams got here — and the history riding on the result.
Q1.Where is the 2026 World Cup final being played?Tap to reveal
Answer: MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
The 82,500-seat home of the NFL's Giants and Jets, just across the river from New York City.
Q2.Who did Spain beat in their 2026 semifinal, and by what score?Tap to reveal
Answer: France, 2-0
A rematch of the Euro 2024 semifinal, which Spain also won on their way to that title.
Q3.Who opened the scoring for Spain against France, from the penalty spot?Tap to reveal
Answer: Mikel Oyarzabal
The 22nd-minute penalty from the man who scored Spain's winner in the Euro 2024 final.
Q4.Who added Spain's second goal against France in the 58th minute?Tap to reveal
Answer: Pedro Porro
The wing-back's strike killed the tie and sent Spain to their second-ever World Cup final.
Q5.Who did Argentina beat 2-1 in their 2026 semifinal?Tap to reveal
Answer: England
A comeback win — Argentina trailed for half an hour before flipping the game late.
Q6.Who put England ahead against Argentina in the 55th minute?Tap to reveal
Answer: Anthony Gordon
England led until the 85th minute — then the game turned in five brutal minutes plus stoppage time.
Q7.Who scored Argentina's 85th-minute equalizer against England?Tap to reveal
Answer: Enzo Fernández
Assisted by Lionel Messi — the first of two Messi assists in the comeback.
Q8.Who scored Argentina's stoppage-time winner against England, in the 92nd minute?Tap to reveal
Answer: Lautaro Martínez
Also set up by Messi, who assisted both goals of the comeback at age 39.
Q9.The 2026 tournament is Lionel Messi's sixth World Cup. In which year did he play his first?Tap to reveal
Answer: 2006
He scored against Serbia and Montenegro as an 18-year-old — two decades before this final.
Q10.Have Spain and Argentina ever faced each other in a World Cup final before 2026?Tap to reveal
Answer: No — this is the first time
Spain's only previous final was 2010; none of Argentina's six finals came against Spain. Argentina are also chasing the first back-to-back titles since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
Hard mode — only true football nerds
Final round. If someone at your table gets more than five of these, they've earned the remote for Sunday.
Q1.Who scored the first goal in World Cup history, in 1930?Tap to reveal
Answer: Lucien Laurent (France)
Against Mexico in Montevideo — he later said nobody realized at the time it would matter.
Q2.Which heavily favored, unbeaten-in-four-years team lost the 1954 final in the 'Miracle of Bern'?Tap to reveal
Answer: Hungary
The 'Magical Magyars' had beaten West Germany 8-3 in the group stage — then lost the final 3-2 to the same opponent.
Q3.What is the highest-scoring match in World Cup history?Tap to reveal
Answer: Austria 7-5 Switzerland (1954)
Twelve goals in a quarterfinal played in brutal Lausanne heat — Austria trailed 3-0 early.
Q4.Who received the fastest red card in World Cup history — after just 56 seconds?Tap to reveal
Answer: José Batista (Uruguay)
For a foul on Scotland's Gordon Strachan at Mexico '86.
Q5.Who is the oldest goalscorer in World Cup history, at 42?Tap to reveal
Answer: Roger Milla
He scored for Cameroon against Russia in 1994 — in a match they lost 6-1.
Q6.Before Didier Deschamps in 2018, only two men had won the World Cup as both player and manager. Name either.Tap to reveal
Answer: Mário Zagallo or Franz Beckenbauer
Zagallo won as a player in 1958/1962 and coach in 1970; Beckenbauer in 1974 and 1990.
Q7.Which World Cup had no final match at all?Tap to reveal
Answer: 1950
The title was decided by a final round-robin group — the Maracanazo was technically just its last fixture.
Q8.Who was the first player ever sent off in a World Cup final?Tap to reveal
Answer: Pedro Monzón (Argentina, 1990)
Sixty years of finals without a red card ended that night — teammate Gustavo Dezotti followed before full time.
Q9.Who scored the first own goal in World Cup final history, in 2018?Tap to reveal
Answer: Mario Mandžukić
The Croatian deflected Griezmann's free kick into his own net — then scored a real goal at the right end later in the match.
Q10.Which North Korean striker scored the goal that eliminated Italy at the 1966 World Cup?Tap to reveal
Answer: Pak Doo-ik
The 1-0 shock in Middlesbrough remains one of the biggest upsets in tournament history.
How to run a World Cup trivia night
World Cup trivia travels better than almost any other sports category — the tournament is genuinely global, so the classics land in any room. Structure it like the tournament itself: start with the easy group stage (section 1), knock people out through the middle rounds, and save hard mode for your final. For a final-watch party this Sunday, run section 4 at halftime — everything in it happened days ago, so the whole room has a shot.
Want it scored and automatic? Trivio.NET's Sport category has dedicated football and World Cup quiz packs — play free in the app, with live 1v1 battles if your table gets competitive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who plays in the 2026 World Cup final?
Spain vs Argentina. Spain beat France 2-0 in their semifinal; Argentina, the defending champions, beat England 2-1 with two late goals both assisted by Lionel Messi.
When is the 2026 World Cup final?
Sunday, July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey — the first World Cup final hosted by the United States since 1994.
How many World Cups has Argentina won?
Three — 1978, 1986 and 2022. A win in 2026 would make them the first back-to-back champions since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
How many World Cups has Spain won?
One — 2010 in South Africa, when Andrés Iniesta scored the extra-time winner against the Netherlands. The 2026 final is only their second final ever.
Is this Lionel Messi's last World Cup?
It's his sixth World Cup, twenty years after his 2006 debut, and at 39 it's widely expected to be his last — which is why the 2026 final is being called his 'last dance'.
Where can I play World Cup trivia online?
Trivio.NET has football and World Cup quiz packs in its Sport category — free in the app, with daily questions and real-time 1v1 trivia battles.
