How many World Cups have there been?

As of 2014, there have been 20 World Cup tournaments. The inaugural World Cup was held in 1930. Except for 1942 and 1946, it has been hosted every four years since then.

The idea of an international soccer tournament was born from the success of the Olympic competitions of the 1920s. Then president of International Federation of Association Football, better known as FIFA, Jules Rimet formed a committee to organize such an event. In the intervening years, the World Cup has surpassed the Olympic tournament as the most-revered and significant event in the soccer world. Nearly every country on the planet competes for a position in the 32-team field.