How has World Cup expansion changed the tournament’s regional balance?
How has World Cup expansion changed the tournament’s regional balance?
Jared Beilby, USA TODAYThu, June 4, 2026 at 10:07 AM UTC
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Throughout the nearly 100-year history of the World Cup, the regional makeup has shifted substantially.
The first tournament in 1930 featured 13 teams — all from either Europe or the Americas. Two editions later, the 1938 tournament in France was 80 percent European teams, despite including the first Asian nation in World Cup history: the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia).
After the next two finals were canceled due to World War II, the 1950 World Cup in Brazil was 38.5 percent teams from South America. That would be the last time South American teams made up a third or more of the World Cup, although 1962 in Chile was 31.3 percent from South America.
Europe would be 75 percent of the field in 1954 and 1958, its largest contingents outside of the 1938 edition. Since 1958, Europe's share has generally declined, and out of nations qualified for the 2026 tournament, it makes up one-third of the field.
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In fact, Europe and South America combine for less than half the qualified field in 2026 — a first in tournament history. Africa, which has primarily been at 15.6 percent of the field since 1998, makes up 20.8 percent this year.
The same percentage as 2022, Asia clocks in at 18.8 percent. And North/Central America and the Caribbean make up 12.5 percent. It's the third time in tournament history that South America and its northern neighbors have the same percentage of teams.
FIFA is made up of six regional confederations: UEFA in Europe, CONMEBOL in South America, AFC in Asia, CAF in Africa, CONCACAF in North/Central America and the Caribbean, and OFC in Oceania.
Methodology: Regional shares determined by FBref's qualifying lists for each individual tournament. Qualified teams that did not compete (Austria in 1938, India in 1950, and France in 1950) were excluded. 2026 reflects the qualified 48-team field.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: World Cup expansion changed the tournament's regional balance
Source: “AOL Sports”
