The 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup kicks off today, marking a historic tournament as it is the first time three countries, the United States, Canada, and Mexico, have jointly hosted the competition, welcoming 48 participating nations.
The opening ceremony will take place in Mexico City, where Mexico will face South Africa at the iconic Estadio Azteca Stadium.
The FIFA World Cup was first held in 1930 and is organized every four years by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). However, the tournament was not held in 1942 and 1946 due to the impact of World War II.
Eight countries have won the World Cup in its history. Brazil leads with five titles, while defending champions Argentina have won four.
Germany and Italy have each secured three titles, France and Uruguay, the first host nation of the tournament, have won two each, while England and Spain have lifted the trophy once apiece.
According to Nigerian Post, the FIFA World Cup remains the most widely followed sporting event globally. Statistics from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar show that nearly five billion people watched the tournament, while the final match between Argentina and France alone attracted an audience of approximately 1.5 billion viewers worldwide.
Since the inaugural tournament and up to the conclusion of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a total of 80 nations have participated in the competition.
The 2026 World Cup, to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will feature 1,248 players representing 449 football clubs across 71 countries.
