# National team appearances in the FIFA World Cup

This article lists the performances of each of the national teams which have made at least one appearance in the FIFA World Cup.
As of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, 80 national teams have competed at the final tournaments. Brazil is the only team to have appeared in all 22 tournaments to date, with Germany having participated in 20, Italy and Argentina in 18 and Mexico in 17. To date, eight nations have won the tournament. The inaugural winners in 1930 were Uruguay; the current champions are Argentina. The most successful nation in the competition are currently Brazil, who have won the cup on five occasions. Five teams have appeared in FIFA World Cup finals without winning, while eleven more have appeared in semi-finals.

## Ranking of teams by number of appearances

    As of 14 February 2023
| Team | Appearances | Record streak | Active streak | Debut | Most recent | Best result |
| Brazil | 22 | 22 | 22 | 1930 | 2022 | Champions (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002) |
| Germany | 20 | 18 | 18 | 1934 | 2022 | Champions (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014) |
| Italy | 18 | 14 | 0 | 1934 | 2014 | Champions (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006) |
| Argentina | 18 | 13 | 13 | 1930 | 2022 | Champions (1978, 1986, 2022) |
| Mexico | 18 | 9 | 9 | 1930 | 2026 | Quarterfinals (1970, 1986) |
| Spain | 16 | 12 | 12 | 1934 | 2022 | Champions (2010) |
| France | 16 | 7 | 7 | 1930 | 2022 | Champions (1998, 2018) |
| England | 16 | 7 | 7 | 1950 | 2022 | Champions (1966) |
| Belgium | 14 | 6 | 3 | 1930 | 2022 | Third place (2018) |
| Uruguay | 14 | 4 | 4 | 1930 | 2022 | Champions (1930, 1950) |
| Serbia | 13 | 4 | 2 | 1930 | 2022 | Fourth place (1930, 1962) |
| United States | 12 | 7 | 2 | 1930 | 2026 | Third place (1930) |
| Switzerland | 12 | 5 | 5 | 1934 | 2022 | Quarterfinals (1934, 1938, 1954) |
| Sweden | 12 | 3 | 0 | 1934 | 2018 | Runners-up (1958) |
| South Korea | 11 | 10 | 10 | 1954 | 2022 | Fourth place (2002) |
| Russia | 11 | 4 | 0 | 1958 | 2018 | Fourth place (1966) |
| Netherlands | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1934 | 2022 | Runners-up (1974, 1978, 2010) |
| Poland | 9 | 4 | 2 | 1938 | 2022 | Third place (1974, 1982) |
| Hungary | 9 | 4 | 0 | 1934 | 1986 | Runners-up (1938, 1954) |
| Czech Republic | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1934 | 2006 | Runners-up (1934, 1962) |
| Chile | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1930 | 2014 | Third place (1962) |
| Portugal | 8 | 6 | 6 | 1966 | 2022 | Third place (1966) |
| Cameroon | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1982 | 2022 | Quarterfinals (1990) |
| Scotland | 8 | 5 | 0 | 1954 | 1998 | Group stage |
| Paraguay | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1930 | 2010 | Quarterfinals (2010) |
| Japan | 7 | 7 | 7 | 1998 | 2022 | Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018, 2022) |
| Bulgaria | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1962 | 1998 | Fourth place (1994) |
| Romania | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1930 | 1998 | Quarterfinals (1994) |
| Austria | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1934 | 1998 | Third place (1954) |
| Australia | 6 | 5 | 5 | 1974 | 2022 | Round of 16 (2006, 2022) |
| Saudi Arabia | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1994 | 2022 | Round of 16 (1994) |
| Iran | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1978 | 2022 | Group stage |
| Costa Rica | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1990 | 2022 | Quarterfinals (2014) |
| Croatia | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1998 | 2022 | Runners-up (2018) |
| Tunisia | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1978 | 2022 | Group stage |
| Morocco | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1970 | 2022 | Fourth place (2022) |
| Denmark | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1986 | 2022 | Quarterfinals (1998) |
| Colombia | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1962 | 2018 | Quarterfinals (2014) |
| Nigeria | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1994 | 2018 | Round of 16 (1994, 1998, 2014) |
| Peru | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1930 | 2018 | Quarterfinals (1970, 1978) |
| Ghana | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2006 | 2022 | Quarterfinals (2010) |
| Ecuador | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2002 | 2022 | Round of 16 (2006) |
| Algeria | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1982 | 2014 | Round of 16 (2014) |
| Canada | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1986 | 2026 | Group stage |
| Senegal | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2002 | 2022 | Quarterfinals (2002) |
| Ivory Coast | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2006 | 2014 | Group stage |
| Norway | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1938 | 1998 | Round of 16 (1938, 1998) |
| Northern Ireland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1958 | 1986 | Quarterfinals (1958) |
| Honduras | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1982 | 2014 | Group stage |
| Republic of Ireland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1990 | 2002 | Quarterfinals (1990) |
| Greece | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1994 | 2014 | Round of 16 (2014) |
| South Africa | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1998 | 2010 | Group stage |
| Bolivia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1930 | 1994 | Group stage |
| Egypt | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1934 | 2018 | Round of 16 (1934) |
| Wales | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1958 | 2022 | Quarterfinals (1958) |
| Turkey | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1954 | 2002 | Third place (2002) |
| North Korea | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1966 | 2010 | Quarterfinals (1966) |
| El Salvador | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1970 | 1982 | Group stage |
| New Zealand | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1982 | 2010 | Group stage |
| Slovenia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2002 | 2010 | Group stage |
| Qatar | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2022 | 2022 | Group stage |
| Cuba | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1938 | 1938 | Quarterfinals (1938) |
| Indonesia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1938 | 1938 | Round of 16 (1938) |
| Israel | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1970 | 1970 | Group stage |
| DR Congo | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1974 | 1974 | Group stage |
| East Germany | 1 | 1 | — | 1974 | 1974 | Quarterfinals (1974) |
| Haiti | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1974 | 1974 | Group stage |
| Kuwait | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1982 | 1982 | Group stage |
| Iraq | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1986 | 1986 | Group stage |
| United Arab Emirates | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1990 | 1990 | Group stage |
| Jamaica | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1998 | 1998 | Group stage |
| China | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2002 | 2002 | Group stage |
| Angola | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2006 | 2006 | Group stage |
| Togo | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2006 | 2006 | Group stage |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2006 | 2006 | Group stage |
| Ukraine | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2006 | 2006 | Quarterfinals (2006) |
| Slovakia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2010 | 2010 | Round of 16 (2010) |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2014 | 2014 | Group stage |
| Iceland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2018 | 2018 | Group stage |
| Panama | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2018 | 2018 | Group stage |

## Debut of national teams

Each successive World Cup has had at least one team appearing for the first time. Using FIFA's view on successor teams, the total number of teams that have participated in the World Cup until the 2022 edition is 80.
| Year | Debuting teams | Debuting teams | Debuting teams | Successor and renamed teams |
| Year | Teams | No. | Cum. | Successor and renamed teams |
| 1930 | Argentina, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, France, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Romania, United States, Uruguay, Yugoslavia | 13 | 13 | |
| 1934 | Austria, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland | 10 | 23 | |
| 1938 | Cuba, Dutch East Indies, Norway, Poland | 4 | 27 | |
| 1950 | England | 1 | 28 | |
| 1954 | South Korea, Scotland, Turkey | 3 | 31 | West Germany |
| 1958 | Northern Ireland, Soviet Union, Wales | 3 | 34 | |
| 1962 | Bulgaria, Colombia | 2 | 36 | |
| 1966 | North Korea, Portugal | 2 | 38 | |
| 1970 | El Salvador, Israel, Morocco | 3 | 41 | |
| 1974 | Australia, East Germany, Haiti, Zaire | 4 | 45 | |
| 1978 | Iran, Tunisia | 2 | 47 | |
| 1982 | Algeria, Cameroon, Honduras, Kuwait, New Zealand | 5 | 52 | |
| 1986 | Canada, Denmark, Iraq | 3 | 55 | |
| 1990 | Costa Rica, Republic of Ireland, United Arab Emirates | 3 | 58 | |
| 1994 | Greece, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia | 3 | 61 | Germany, Russia |
| 1998 | Croatia, Jamaica, Japan, South Africa | 4 | 65 | FR Yugoslavia |
| 2002 | China, Ecuador, Senegal, Slovenia | 4 | 69 | |
| 2006 | Angola, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine | 6 | 75 | Czech Republic, Serbia and Montenegro |
| 2010 | Slovakia | 1 | 76 | Serbia |
| 2014 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 | 77 | |
| 2018 | Iceland, Panama | 2 | 79 | |
| 2022 | Qatar | 1 | 80 | |

## Overall team records

The system used in the World Cup up to 1990 was 2 points for a win. In this ranking 3 points are awarded for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss. As per statistical convention in football, matches decided in extra time are counted as wins and losses, while matches decided by penalty shoot-outs are counted as draws. Teams are ranked by total points, then by goal difference, then by goals scored.
    As of 2022 FIFA World Cup
| Rank | Team | Part | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Brazil | 22 | 114 | 76 | 19 | 19 | 237 | 108 | +129 | 247 |
| 2 | Germany | 20 | 112 | 68 | 21 | 23 | 232 | 130 | +102 | 225 |
| 3 | Argentina | 18 | 88 | 47 | 17 | 24 | 152 | 101 | +51 | 158 |
| 4 | Italy | 18 | 83 | 45 | 21 | 17 | 128 | 77 | +51 | 156 |
| 5 | France | 16 | 73 | 39 | 14 | 20 | 136 | 85 | +51 | 131 |
| 6 | England | 16 | 74 | 32 | 22 | 20 | 104 | 68 | +36 | 118 |
| 7 | Spain | 16 | 67 | 31 | 17 | 19 | 108 | 75 | +33 | 110 |
| 8 | Netherlands | 11 | 55 | 30 | 14 | 11 | 96 | 52 | +44 | 104 |
| 9 | Uruguay | 14 | 59 | 25 | 13 | 21 | 89 | 76 | +13 | 88 |
| 10 | Belgium | 14 | 51 | 21 | 10 | 20 | 69 | 74 | −5 | 73 |
| 11 | Sweden | 12 | 51 | 19 | 13 | 19 | 80 | 73 | +7 | 70 |
| 12 | Russia | 11 | 45 | 19 | 10 | 16 | 77 | 54 | +23 | 67 |
| 13 | Mexico | 17 | 60 | 17 | 15 | 28 | 62 | 101 | −39 | 66 |
| 14 | Serbia | 13 | 49 | 18 | 9 | 22 | 71 | 71 | 0 | 63 |
| 15 | Portugal | 8 | 35 | 17 | 6 | 12 | 61 | 41 | +20 | 57 |
| 16 | Poland | 9 | 38 | 17 | 6 | 15 | 49 | 50 | −1 | 57 |
| 17 | Switzerland | 12 | 41 | 14 | 8 | 19 | 55 | 73 | −18 | 50 |
| 18 | Hungary | 9 | 32 | 15 | 3 | 14 | 87 | 57 | +30 | 48 |
| 19 | Croatia | 6 | 30 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 43 | 33 | +10 | 47 |
| 20 | Czech Republic | 9 | 33 | 12 | 5 | 16 | 47 | 49 | −2 | 41 |
| 21 | Austria | 7 | 29 | 12 | 4 | 13 | 43 | 47 | −4 | 40 |
| 22 | Chile | 9 | 33 | 11 | 7 | 15 | 40 | 49 | −9 | 40 |
| 23 | United States | 11 | 37 | 9 | 8 | 20 | 40 | 66 | −26 | 35 |
| 24 | Denmark | 6 | 23 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 31 | 29 | +2 | 33 |
| 25 | Paraguay | 8 | 27 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 30 | 38 | −8 | 31 |
| 26 | South Korea | 11 | 38 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 39 | 78 | −39 | 31 |
| 27 | Colombia | 6 | 22 | 9 | 3 | 10 | 32 | 30 | +2 | 30 |
| 28 | Romania | 7 | 21 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 30 | 32 | −2 | 29 |
| 29 | Japan | 7 | 25 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 25 | 33 | −8 | 27 |
| 30 | Costa Rica | 6 | 21 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 22 | 39 | −17 | 23 |
| 31 | Cameroon | 8 | 26 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 22 | 47 | −25 | 23 |
| 32 | Morocco | 6 | 23 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 20 | 27 | −7 | 22 |
| 33 | Nigeria | 6 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 23 | 30 | −7 | 21 |
| 34 | Scotland | 8 | 23 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 25 | 41 | −16 | 19 |
| 35 | Senegal | 3 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 17 | −1 | 18 |
| 36 | Ghana | 4 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 18 | 23 | −5 | 18 |
| 37 | Peru | 5 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 21 | 33 | −12 | 18 |
| 38 | Ecuador | 4 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 17 |
| 39 | Bulgaria | 7 | 26 | 3 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 53 | −31 | 17 |
| 40 | Turkey | 2 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 17 | +3 | 16 |
| 41 | Australia | 6 | 20 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 17 | 37 | −20 | 16 |
| 42 | Republic of Ireland | 3 | 13 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 14 |
| 43 | Northern Ireland | 3 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 23 | −10 | 14 |
| 44 | Tunisia | 6 | 18 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 14 | 26 | −12 | 14 |
| 45 | Saudi Arabia | 6 | 19 | 4 | 2 | 13 | 14 | 44 | −30 | 14 |
| 46 | Iran | 6 | 18 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 13 | 31 | −18 | 13 |
| 47 | Algeria | 4 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 19 | −6 | 12 |
| 48 | Ivory Coast | 3 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 14 | −1 | 10 |
| 49 | South Africa | 3 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 16 | −5 | 10 |
| 50 | Norway | 3 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 8 | −1 | 9 |
| 51 | East Germany | 1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 8 |
| 52 | Greece | 3 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 20 | −15 | 8 |
| 53 | Ukraine | 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 7 |
| 54 | Wales | 2 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 7 |
| 55 | Slovakia | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 4 |
| 56 | Slovenia | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 4 |
| 57 | Cuba | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 12 | −7 | 4 |
| 58 | North Korea | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 21 | −15 | 4 |
| 59 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 60 | Jamaica | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 9 | −6 | 3 |
| 61 | New Zealand | 2 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 14 | −10 | 3 |
| 62 | Honduras | 3 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 14 | −11 | 3 |
| 63 | Angola | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 2 |
| 64 | Israel | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 2 |
| 65 | Egypt | 3 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 12 | −7 | 2 |
| 66 | Iceland | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 1 |
| 67 | Kuwait | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 1 |
| 68 | Trinidad and Tobago | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 1 |
| 69 | Bolivia | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 20 | −19 | 1 |
| 70 | Iraq | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 0 |
| 71 | Togo | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 0 |
| 72 | Qatar | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | −6 | 0 |
| 73 | Indonesia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | −6 | 0 |
| 74 | Panama | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 11 | −9 | 0 |
| 74 | United Arab Emirates | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 11 | −9 | 0 |
| 76 | China | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | −9 | 0 |
| 77 | Canada | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 12 | −10 | 0 |
| 78 | Haiti | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 14 | −12 | 0 |
| 79 | DR Congo | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | −14 | 0 |
| 80 | El Salvador | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 22 | −21 | 0 |

### Breakdown of successor team records

| Team | Part | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Czechoslovakia (1934–1990) | 8 | 30 | 11 | 5 | 14 | 44 | 45 | −1 | 38 |
| Czech Republic (2006–present) | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 3 |
| Team | Part | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Germany (1934–1938) | 2 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 13 | +1 | 10 |
| West Germany (1950–1990) | 10 | 62 | 36 | 14 | 12 | 131 | 77 | +54 | 122 |
| Germany (1994–present) | 8 | 44 | 29 | 6 | 9 | 87 | 40 | +46 | 93 |
| Team | Part | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Soviet Union (1958–1990) | 7 | 31 | 15 | 6 | 10 | 53 | 34 | +19 | 51 |
| Russia (1994–present) | 4 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 24 | 20 | +4 | 16 |
| Team | Part | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Yugoslavia (1930–1990) | 8 | 33 | 14 | 7 | 12 | 55 | 42 | +13 | 49 |
| FR Yugoslavia (1998) | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 7 |
| Serbia and Montenegro (2006) | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 10 | −8 | 0 |
| Serbia (2010–present) | 3 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 15 | −6 | 7 |

## Medal table

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Brazil | 5 | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| 2 | Germany | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 |
| 3 | Italy | 4 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| 4 | Argentina | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| 5 | France | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 6 | Uruguay | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | England | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | Spain | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Netherlands | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 10 | Czech Republic | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Hungary | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 12 | Croatia | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 12 | Sweden | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 14 | Poland | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 15 | Austria | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 15 | Belgium | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 15 | Chile | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 15 | Portugal | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 15 | Turkey | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 15 | United States | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (20 entries) | Totals (20 entries) | 22 | 22 | 22 | 66 |

## Comprehensive team results by tournament

The team ranking in each tournament is according to FIFA. The rankings, apart from the top four positions (top two in 1930), are not a result of direct competition between the teams; instead, teams eliminated in the same round are ranked by their full results in the tournament.
For each tournament, the number of teams in each finals tournament are shown (in parentheses).
| Qualification Edition Host(s) (No of teams) Team | 1930 (13) | QF 1934 (16) | QF 1938 (15) | QF 1950 (13) | QF 1954 (16) | QF 1958 (16) | QF 1962 (16) | QF 1966 (16) | QF 1970 (16) | QF 1974 (16) | QF 1978 (16) | QF 1982 (24) | QF 1986 (24) | QF 1990 (24) | QF 1994 (24) | QF 1998 (32) | QF 2002 (32) | QF 2006 (32) | QF 2010 (32) | QF 2014 (32) | QF 2018 (32) | QF 2022 (32) | QF 2026 (48) | QF 2030 (48) | QF 2034 (48) | Total appearances |
| Algeria | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | Part of France | × | • | • | • | R1 13th | R1 22nd | • | • | • | • | • | R1 28th | R2 14th | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 4 |
| Angola | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | • | • | • | • | • | R1 23rd | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| Argentina | 2nd | R1 T-9th | × | × | | R1 13th | R1 10th | QF 5th | • | R2 8th | 1st | R2 11th | 1st | 2nd | R2 10th | QF 6th | R1 18th | QF 6th | QF 5th | 2nd | R2 16th | 1st | TBD | Q | TBD | 19 |
| Australia | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | • | • | R1 14th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R2 16th | R1 21st | R1 30th | R1 30th | R2 11th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 6 |
| Austria | | 4th | •• | × | 3rd | R1 15th | | • | • | • | R2 7th | R2 8th | • | R1 T-18th | • | R1 23rd | • | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 7 |
| Belgium | R1 11th | R1 15th | R1 13th | × | R1 12th | • | • | • | R1 T-10th | • | • | R2 10th | 4th | R2 11th | R2 11th | R1 19th | R2 14th | • | • | QF 6th | 3rd | R1 23rd | TBD | TBD | TBD | 14 |
| Bolivia | R1 12th | | | R1 13th | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 21st | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 3 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | — | • | • | • | • | R1 20th | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| Brazil | R1 6th | R1 14th | 3rd | 2nd | QF 5th | 1st | 1st | R1 11th | 1st | 4th | 3rd | R2 5th | QF 5th | R2 9th | 1st | 2nd | 1st | QF 5th | QF 6th | 4th | QF 6th | QF 7th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 22 |
| Bulgaria | | •× | • | | • | • | R1 15th | R1 15th | R1 13th | R1 12th | • | • | R2 15th | • | 4th | R1 29th | • | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 7 |
| Cameroon | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | × | • | • | • | R1 17th | • | QF 7th | R1 22nd | R1 25th | R1 20th | • | R1 31st | R1 32nd | • | R1 19th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 8 |
| Canada | | | | | | • | × | | • | • | • | • | R1 24th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 31st | Q | TBD | TBD | 3 |
| Chile | R1 5th | × | | R1 9th | • | • | 3rd | R1 T-13th | • | R1 11th | • | R1 22nd | • | • | × | R2 16th | • | • | R2 10th | R2 9th | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 9 |
| China PR | — | | | | | • | | | | | | • | • | • | • | • | R1 31st | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| Colombia | — | — | × | | | • | R1 14th | • | • | • | • | • | • | R2 14th | R1 19th | R1 21st | • | • | • | QF 5th | R2 9th | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 6 |
| Congo DR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | × | R1 16th | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| Costa Rica | | | × | | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R2 13th | • | • | R1 19th | R1 31st | • | QF 8th | R1 29th | R1 27th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 6 |
| Croatia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | — | 3rd | R1 23rd | R1 22nd | • | R1 19th | 2nd | 3rd | TBD | TBD | TBD | 6 |
| Cuba | — | • | QF 8th | • | × | | | • | × | | • | • | | • | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| Czech Republic | | 2nd | QF 5th | | R1 14th | R1 9th | 2nd | • | R1 15th | • | • | R1 19th | • | QF 6th | • | • | • | R1 20th | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 9 |
| Denmark | | | | | | • | | • | • | • | • | • | R2 9th | • | • | QF 8th | R2 10th | • | R1 24th | • | R2 11th | R1 28th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 6 |
| East Germany | Part of Germany | Part of Germany | Part of Germany | — | | • | • | • | • | R2 6th | • | • | • | • | Part of Germany | Part of Germany | Part of Germany | Part of Germany | Part of Germany | Part of Germany | Part of Germany | Part of Germany | Part of Germany | Part of Germany | Part of Germany | 1 |
| Ecuador | | | | × | | | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 24th | R2 12th | • | R1 17th | • | R1 18th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 4 |
| Egypt | •• | R1 13th | × | | • | × | × | × | | • | • | • | • | R1 20th | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 31st | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 3 |
| El Salvador | — | — | × | | | | | | R1 16th | • | • | R1 24th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 2 |
| England | — | — | — | R1 8th | QF 6th | R1 11th | QF 8th | 1st | QF 8th | • | • | R2 6th | QF 8th | 4th | • | R2 9th | QF 6th | QF 7th | R2 13th | R1 26th | 4th | QF 6th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 16 |
| France | R1 7th | R1 T-9th | QF 6th | • | R1 11th | 3rd | • | R1 T-13th | • | • | R1 12th | 4th | 3rd | • | • | 1st | R1 28th | 2nd | R1 29th | QF 7th | 1st | 2nd | TBD | TBD | TBD | 16 |
| Germany | | 3rd | R1 10th | | 1st | 4th | QF 7th | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | R2 6th | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | QF 5th | QF 7th | 2nd | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | R1 22nd | R1 17th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 20 |
| Ghana | — | — | — | — | — | — | • | × | • | • | • | × | • | • | • | • | • | R2 13th | QF 7th | R1 25th | • | R1 24th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 4 |
| Greece | | •× | • | | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 24th | • | • | • | R1 25th | R2 13th | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 3 |
| Haiti | — | • | | | • | | | | • | R1 15th | • | • | • | | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| Honduras | — | — | — | — | | | • | • | • | • | × | R1 18th | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 30th | R1 31st | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 3 |
| Hungary | | QF 6th | 2nd | | 2nd | R1 10th | QF 5th | QF 6th | • | • | R1 15th | R1 14th | R1 18th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 9 |
| Iceland | — | — | — | — | × | • | | | | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 28th | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| Indonesia | | | R1 15th | × | | •× | × | | | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | × | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| Iran | — | — | — | | | | | | | • | R1 14th | × | × | • | • | R1 20th | • | R1 T-25th | • | R1 28th | R1 18th | R1 26th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 6 |
| Iraq | — | — | — | — | | | | | | • | × | • | R1 23rd | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| Israel | | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 12th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| Italy | | 1st | 1st | R1 7th | R1 10th | • | R1 9th | R1 9th | 2nd | R1 10th | 4th | 1st | R2 12th | 3rd | 2nd | QF 5th | R2 15th | 1st | R1 26th | R1 22nd | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 18 |
| Ivory Coast | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | • | • | | • | • | • | • | • | R1 19th | R1 17th | R1 21st | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 3 |
| Jamaica | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | • | • | × | • | • | × | • | • | R1 22nd | • | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| Japan | •• | | × | | • | | • | | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 31st | R2 9th | R1 T-28th | R2 9th | R1 29th | R2 15th | R2 9th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 7 |
| Kuwait | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | • | • | R1 21st | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | •× | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| Mexico | R1 13th | • | × | R1 12th | R1 13th | R1 16th | R1 11th | R1 12th | QF 6th | • | R1 16th | • | QF 6th | × | R2 13th | R2 13th | R2 11th | R2 15th | R2 14th | R2 10th | R2 12th | R1 22nd | Q | TBD | TBD | 18 |
| Morocco | — | — | — | — | — | — | • | × | R1 14th | • | • | • | R2 11th | • | R1 23rd | R1 18th | • | • | • | • | R1 27th | 4th | TBD | Q | TBD | 7 |
| Netherlands | | R1 T-9th | R1 14th | | | • | • | • | • | 2nd | 2nd | • | • | R2 15th | QF 7th | 4th | • | R2 11th | 2nd | 3rd | • | QF 5th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 11 |
| New Zealand | — | — | — | | | | | | • | • | • | R1 23rd | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 22nd | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 2 |
| Nigeria | — | — | — | — | — | — | • | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | R2 9th | R2 12th | R1 27th | • | R1 27th | R2 16th | R1 21st | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 6 |
| North Korea | — | — | — | — | — | — | | QF 8th | × | • | × | • | • | • | • | | | • | R1 32nd | • | • | •× | TBD | TBD | TBD | 2 |
| Northern Ireland | — | — | — | • | • | QF 8th | • | • | • | • | • | R2 9th | R1 21st | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 3 |
| Norway | | | R1 12th | | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 17th | R2 15th | • | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 3 |
| Panama | — | — | | | | | | | | | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 32nd | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| Paraguay | R1 9th | | | R1 11th | • | R1 12th | • | • | • | • | • | • | R2 13th | • | • | R2 14th | R2 16th | R1 18th | QF 8th | • | • | • | TBD | Q | TBD | 9 |
| Peru | R1 10th | × | | × | × | • | • | • | QF 7th | • | R2 8th | R1 20th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 20th | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 5 |
| Poland | | •× | R1 11th | | × | • | • | • | • | 3rd | R2 5th | 3rd | R2 14th | • | • | • | R1 25th | R1 21st | • | • | R1 25th | R2 15th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 9 |
| Portugal | | • | • | • | • | • | • | 3rd | • | • | • | • | R1 17th | • | • | • | R1 21st | 4th | R2 11th | R1 18th | R2 13th | QF 8th | TBD | Q | TBD | 9 |
| Qatar | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 32nd | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | QF 8th | R2 16th | • | R2 12th | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 3 |
| Romania | R1 8th | R1 12th | R1 9th | | • | • | • | • | R1 T-10th | • | • | • | • | R2 12th | QF 6th | R2 11th | • | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 7 |
| Russia | | | | | | QF 7th | QF 6th | 4th | QF 5th | •× | • | R2 7th | R2 10th | R1 17th | R1 18th | • | R1 22nd | • | • | R1 24th | QF 8th | •× | × | TBD | TBD | 11 |
| Saudi Arabia | — | — | — | — | — | | | | | | • | • | • | • | R2 12th | R1 28th | R1 32nd | R1 T-28th | • | • | R1 26th | R1 25th | TBD | TBD | Q | 7 |
| Scotland | — | — | — | •• | R1 15th | R1 14th | • | • | • | R1 9th | R1 11th | R1 15th | R1 19th | R1 T-18th | • | R1 27th | • | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 8 |
| Senegal | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | × | • | • | • | • | • | | • | • | QF 7th | • | • | • | R1 17th | R2 10th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 3 |
| Serbia | 4th | • | • | R1 5th | QF 7th | QF 5th | 4th | • | • | R2 7th | • | R1 16th | • | QF 5th | × | R2 10th | • | R1 32nd | R1 23rd | • | R1 23rd | R1 29th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 13 |
| Slovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | Part of Czechoslovakia | • | • | • | R2 16th | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| Slovenia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | Part of Yugoslavia | — | • | R1 30th | • | R1 18th | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 2 |
| South Africa | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | × | — | — | — | — | — | — | • | R1 24th | R1 17th | • | R1 20th | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 3 |
| South Korea | — | — | — | | R1 16th | × | • | × | • | • | • | • | R1 20th | R1 22nd | R1 20th | R1 30th | 4th | R1 17th | R2 15th | R1 27th | R1 19th | R2 16th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 11 |
| Spain | | QF 5th | × | 4th | • | • | R1 12th | R1 10th | • | • | R1 10th | R2 12th | QF 7th | R2 10th | QF 8th | R1 17th | QF 5th | R2 9th | 1st | R1 23rd | R2 10th | R2 13th | TBD | Q | TBD | 17 |
| Sweden | | QF 8th | 4th | 3rd | • | 2nd | • | • | R1 9th | R2 5th | R1 13th | • | • | R1 21st | 3rd | • | R2 13th | R2 14th | • | • | QF 7th | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 12 |
| Switzerland | | QF 7th | QF 7th | R1 6th | QF 8th | • | R1 16th | R1 16th | • | • | • | • | • | • | R2 15th | • | • | R2 10th | R1 19th | R2 11th | R2 14th | R2 12th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 12 |
| Togo | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | • | • | • | × | × | • | • | • | R1 30th | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 27th | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| Tunisia | — | — | — | — | — | — | • | × | • | • | R1 9th | • | • | • | • | R1 26th | R1 29th | R1 24th | • | • | R1 24th | R1 21st | TBD | TBD | TBD | 6 |
| Turkey | | × | | •• | R1 9th | × | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | 3rd | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 2 |
| Ukraine | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | Part of Soviet Union | — | • | • | QF 8th | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| United Arab Emirates | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | × | | • | R1 24th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | TBD | TBD | TBD | 1 |
| United States | 3rd | R1 16th | × | R1 10th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 23rd | R2 14th | R1 32nd | QF 8th | R1 T-25th | R2 12th | R2 15th | • | R2 14th | Q | TBD | TBD | 12 |
| Uruguay | 1st | | | 1st | 4th | • | R1 13th | QF 7th | 4th | R1 13th | • | • | R2 16th | R2 16th | • | • | R1 26th | • | 4th | R2 12th | QF 5th | R1 20th | TBD | Q | TBD | 15 |
| Wales | — | — | — | • | • | QF 6th | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | R1 30th | TBD | TBD | TBD | 2 |
| Team | 1930 (13) | 1934 (16) | 1938 (15) | 1950 (13) | 1954 (16) | 1958 (16) | 1962 (16) | 1966 (16) | 1970 (16) | 1974 (16) | 1978 (16) | 1982 (24) | 1986 (24) | 1990 (24) | 1994 (24) | 1998 (32) | 2002 (32) | 2006 (32) | 2010 (32) | 2014 (32) | 2018 (32) | 2022 (32) | 2026 (48) | 2030 (48) | 2034 (48) | Total |

### Legend

| 1st | Champions |
| 2nd | Runners-up |
| 3rd | Third place |
| 4th | Fourth place |
| QF | Quarter-finals (1934–1938, 1954–1970, and 1986–present: knockout round of 8) |
| R2 | Round 2 (1974–1978, second group stage, top 8; 1982: second group stage, top 12; 1986–2022: knockout round of 16) |
| R1 | Round 1 (1930, 1950–1970 and 1986–present: group stage; 1934–1938: knockout round of 16; 1974–1982: first group stage) |
| Q | Qualified for upcoming tournament |
| TBD | To be determined (may still qualify for upcoming tournament) |
| •• | Qualified but withdrew |
| • | Did not qualify |
| •× | Withdrew or disqualified during qualification (after playing matches) |
| × | Withdrew before qualification / Banned / Entry not accepted by FIFA |
| | Hosts |
| | Did not enter |
| — | Not a FIFA member |

## Hosts

Results of host nations :
| Year | Host Nation | Finish |
| 1930 | Uruguay | Champions |
| 1934 | Italy | Champions |
| 1938 | France | Quarter-finals |
| 1950 | Brazil | Runners-up |
| 1954 | Switzerland | Quarter-finals |
| 1958 | Sweden | Runners-up |
| 1962 | Chile | Third place |
| 1966 | England | Champions |
| 1970 | Mexico | Quarter-finals |
| 1974 | West Germany | Champions |
| 1978 | Argentina | Champions |
| 1982 | Spain | Second round |
| 1986 | Mexico | Quarter-finals |
| 1990 | Italy | Third place |
| 1994 | United States | Round of 16 |
| 1998 | France | Champions |
| 2002 | South Korea | Fourth place |
| 2002 | Japan | Round of 16 |
| 2006 | Germany | Third place |
| 2010 | South Africa | Group stage |
| 2014 | Brazil | Fourth place |
| 2018 | Russia | Quarter-finals |
| 2022 | Qatar | Group stage |
| 2026 | Canada | TBD |
| 2026 | Mexico | TBD |
| 2026 | United States | TBD |
| 2030 | Morocco | TBD |
| 2030 | Portugal | TBD |
| 2030 | Spain | TBD |
| 2034 | Saudi Arabia | TBD |

## Results of defending finalists

The defending World Cup champions were formerly granted an automatic spot in the Cup finals field. As of the 2006 tournament, this berth is no longer guaranteed. However, no defending World Cup champion has yet failed to qualify. Automatic berths have never been given for defending World Cup runners-up. Defending runners-up have qualified 16 times in 19 attempts for the following World Cup.
| Year | Defending champions | Finish | Defending runners-up | Finish |
| 1934 | Uruguay | did not enter | Argentina | Round of 16 |
| 1938 | Italy | Champions | Czechoslovakia | Quarter-finals |
| 1950 | Italy | Group stage | Hungary | did not enter |
| 1954 | Uruguay | Fourth place | Brazil | Quarter-finals |
| 1958 | West Germany | Fourth place | Hungary | Group stage |
| 1962 | Brazil | Champions | Sweden | did not qualify |
| 1966 | Brazil | Group stage | Czechoslovakia | did not qualify |
| 1970 | England | Quarter-finals | West Germany | Third place |
| 1974 | Brazil | Fourth place | Italy | Group stage |
| 1978 | West Germany | Second round | Netherlands | Runners-up |
| 1982 | Argentina | Second round | Netherlands | did not qualify |
| 1986 | Italy | Round of 16 | West Germany | Runners-up |
| 1990 | Argentina | Runners-up | West Germany | Champions |
| 1994 | Germany | Quarter-finals | Argentina | Round of 16 |
| 1998 | Brazil | Runners-up | Italy | Quarter-finals |
| 2002 | France | Group stage | Brazil | Champions |
| 2006 | Brazil | Quarter-finals | Germany | Third place |
| 2010 | Italy | Group stage | France | Group stage |
| 2014 | Spain | Group stage | Netherlands | Third place |
| 2018 | Germany | Group stage | Argentina | Round of 16 |
| 2022 | France | Runners-up | Croatia | Third place |
| 2026 | Argentina | TBD | France | TBD |

## Results by confederation
### AFC

| | 1930 (13) | 1934 (16) | 1938 (15) | 1950 (13) | 1954 (16) | 1958 (16) | 1962 (16) | 1966 (16) | 1970 (16) | 1974 (16) | 1978 (16) | 1982 (24) | 1986 (24) | 1990 (24) | 1994 (24) | 1998 (32) | 2002 (32) | 2006 (32) | 2010 (32) | 2014 (32) | 2018 (32) | 2022 (32) | Total |
| Teams | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 43 |
| Top 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
| Top 8 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Top 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Top 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1st | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 2nd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 3rd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 4th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 |

### CAF

| | 1930 (13) | 1934 (16) | 1938 (15) | 1950 (13) | 1954 (16) | 1958 (16) | 1962 (16) | 1966 (16) | 1970 (16) | 1974 (16) | 1978 (16) | 1982 (24) | 1986 (24) | 1990 (24) | 1994 (24) | 1998 (32) | 2002 (32) | 2006 (32) | 2010 (32) | 2014 (32) | 2018 (32) | 2022 (32) | Total |
| Teams | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 49 |
| Top 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 11 |
| Top 8 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Top 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Top 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1st | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 2nd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 3rd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 4th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 |

### CONCACAF

| | 1930 (13) | 1934 (16) | 1938 (15) | 1950 (13) | 1954 (16) | 1958 (16) | 1962 (16) | 1966 (16) | 1970 (16) | 1974 (16) | 1978 (16) | 1982 (24) | 1986 (24) | 1990 (24) | 1994 (24) | 1998 (32) | 2002 (32) | 2006 (32) | 2010 (32) | 2014 (32) | 2018 (32) | 2022 (32) | Total |
| Teams | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 46 |
| Top 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 15 |
| Top 8 | — | 0 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Top 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Top 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1st | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 2nd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 3rd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 |
| 4th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |

### CONMEBOL

| | 1930 (13) | 1934 (16) | 1938 (15) | 1950 (13) | 1954 (16) | 1958 (16) | 1962 (16) | 1966 (16) | 1970 (16) | 1974 (16) | 1978 (16) | 1982 (24) | 1986 (24) | 1990 (24) | 1994 (24) | 1998 (32) | 2002 (32) | 2006 (32) | 2010 (32) | 2014 (32) | 2018 (32) | 2022 (32) | Total |
| Teams | 7 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 89 |
| Top 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 37 |
| Top 8 | — | 0 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 36 |
| Top 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 23 |
| Top 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 15 |
| 1st | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 |
| 2nd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 |
| 3rd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 |
| 4th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 |

### OFC

| | 1930 (13) | 1934 (16) | 1938 (15) | 1950 (13) | 1954 (16) | 1958 (16) | 1962 (16) | 1966 (16) | 1970 (16) | 1974 (16) | 1978 (16) | 1982 (24) | 1986 (24) | 1990 (24) | 1994 (24) | 1998 (32) | 2002 (32) | 2006 (32) | 2010 (32) | 2014 (32) | 2018 (32) | 2022 (32) | Total |
| Teams | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Top 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Top 8 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Top 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Top 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1st | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 2nd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 3rd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| 4th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |

### UEFA

| | 1930 (13) | 1934 (16) | 1938 (15) | 1950 (13) | 1954 (16) | 1958 (16) | 1962 (16) | 1966 (16) | 1970 (16) | 1974 (16) | 1978 (16) | 1982 (24) | 1986 (24) | 1990 (24) | 1994 (24) | 1998 (32) | 2002 (32) | 2006 (32) | 2010 (32) | 2014 (32) | 2018 (32) | 2022 (32) | Total |
| Teams | 4 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 258 |
| Top 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 99 |
| Top 8 | — | 8 | 6 | — | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 105 |
| Top 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 62 |
| Top 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 29 |
| 1st | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12 |
| 2nd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17 |
| 3rd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 18 |
| 4th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 15 |

## Active consecutive participations

This is a list of active consecutive participations of national teams in the FIFA World Cup, including qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
    As of 14 February 2023
| Team | Managed to qualify since | Consecutive participations |
| Brazil | 1930 | 22 |
| Germany | 1954 | 18 |
| Argentina | 1974 | 13 |
| Spain | 1978 | 12 |
| South Korea | 1986 | 10 |
| Mexico | 1994 | 9 |
| England | 1998 | 7 |
| France | 1998 | 7 |
| Japan | 1998 | 7 |
| Portugal | 2002 | 6 |
| Australia | 2006 | 5 |
| Switzerland | 2006 | 5 |
| Uruguay | 2010 | 4 |
| Belgium | 2014 | 3 |
| Costa Rica | 2014 | 3 |
| Croatia | 2014 | 3 |
| Iran | 2014 | 3 |
| Denmark | 2018 | 2 |
| Morocco | 2018 | 2 |
| Poland | 2018 | 2 |
| Saudi Arabia | 2018 | 2 |
| Senegal | 2018 | 2 |
| Serbia | 2018 | 2 |
| Tunisia | 2018 | 2 |
| Canada | 2022 | 2 |
| United States | 2022 | 2 |

## Droughts

This section is a list of droughts associated with the participation of national football teams in the FIFA World Cups. 1942 and 1946, when the tournament was not held due to World War II, are not included in the calculation of a drought.

### Active World Cup appearance droughts

Does not include teams that have not yet made their first appearance or teams that no longer exist.
    As of 11 November 2024
| Team | Last appearance | WC missed |
| Cuba | 1938 | 19 |
| Indonesia | 1938 | 19 |
| Israel | 1970 | 13 |
| DR Congo | 1974 | 12 |
| Haiti | 1974 | 12 |
| El Salvador | 1982 | 10 |
| Kuwait | 1982 | 10 |
| Hungary | 1986 | 9 |
| Iraq | 1986 | 9 |
| Northern Ireland | 1986 | 9 |
| United Arab Emirates | 1990 | 8 |
| Bolivia | 1994 | 7 |
| Austria | 1998 | 6 |
| Bulgaria | 1998 | 6 |
| Jamaica | 1998 | 6 |
| Norway | 1998 | 6 |
| Romania | 1998 | 6 |
| Scotland | 1998 | 6 |
| China | 2002 | 5 |
| Republic of Ireland | 2002 | 5 |
| Turkey | 2002 | 5 |
| Angola | 2006 | 4 |
| Czech Republic | 2006 | 4 |
| Togo | 2006 | 4 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 2006 | 4 |
| Ukraine | 2006 | 4 |
| New Zealand | 2010 | 3 |
| North Korea | 2010 | 3 |
| Paraguay | 2010 | 3 |
| Slovakia | 2010 | 3 |
| Slovenia | 2010 | 3 |
| South Africa | 2010 | 3 |
| Algeria | 2014 | 2 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2014 | 2 |
| Chile | 2014 | 2 |
| Greece | 2014 | 2 |
| Honduras | 2014 | 2 |
| Italy | 2014 | 2 |
| Ivory Coast | 2014 | 2 |
| Russia | 2018 | 2 |
| Colombia | 2018 | 1 |
| Egypt | 2018 | 1 |
| Iceland | 2018 | 1 |
| Nigeria | 2018 | 1 |
| Panama | 2018 | 1 |
| Peru | 2018 | 1 |
| Sweden | 2018 | 1 |

### Longest World Cup appearance droughts overall

This is a list of the longest droughts between World Cup appearances. Only includes droughts begun after a team's first appearance until the team ceased to exist.
    As of 2022 FIFA World Cup
| Team | Prev. appearance | Next appearance | WC missed |
| Cuba | 1938 | active | 19 |
| Indonesia | 1938 | active | 19 |
| Wales | 1958 | 2022 | 15 |
| Israel | 1970 | active | 13 |
| DR Congo | 1974 | active | 12 |
| Haiti | 1974 | active | 12 |
| Egypt | 1934 | 1990 | 11 |
| Norway | 1938 | 1994 | 11 |
| Turkey | 1954 | 2002 | 11 |
| Bolivia | 1950 | 1994 | 10 |
| North Korea | 1966 | 2010 | 10 |
| El Salvador | 1982 | active | 10 |
| Kuwait | 1982 | active | 10 |
| United States | 1950 | 1990 | 9 |
| Hungary | 1986 | active | 9 |
| Iraq | 1986 | active | 9 |
| Northern Ireland | 1986 | active | 9 |
| Peru | 1982 | 2018 | 8 |
| Canada | 1986 | 2022 | 8 |
| United Arab Emirates | 1990 | active | 8 |
| Peru | 1930 | 1970 | 7 |
| South Korea | 1954 | 1986 | 7 |
| Australia | 1974 | 2006 | 7 |
| Bolivia | 1994 | active | 7 |
| Netherlands | 1938 | 1974 | 6 |
| Poland | 1938 | 1974 | 6 |
| Paraguay | 1958 | 1986 | 6 |
| Colombia | 1962 | 1990 | 6 |
| Switzerland | 1966 | 1994 | 6 |
| Honduras | 1982 | 2010 | 6 |
| New Zealand | 1982 | 2010 | 6 |
| Egypt | 1990 | 2018 | 6 |
| Austria | 1998 | active | 6 |
| Bulgaria | 1998 | active | 6 |
| Jamaica | 1998 | active | 6 |
| Norway | 1998 | active | 6 |
| Romania | 1998 | active | 6 |
| Scotland | 1998 | active | 6 |
| Romania | 1938 | 1970 | 5 |
| Northern Ireland | 1958 | 1982 | 5 |
| Algeria | 1986 | 2010 | 5 |
| China | 2002 | active | 5 |
| Republic of Ireland | 2002 | active | 5 |
| Turkey | 2002 | active | 5 |