Since the first edition almost 100 years ago in 1930, the FIFA World Cup has grown to become the biggest sporting event in the world. Every four years, teams from across the globe compete for the chance to be crowned world champions.

Each tournament held since the inaugural edition in Montevideo, Uruguay, features a final venue that is used to host the contest between the best two teams at each year’s tournament. These venues are often the setting of some of the greatest moments in football and sporting history.

The first five editions of the tournament saw the World Cup hosted in five countries across two continents. The 1942 and 1946 editions of the World Cup were cancelled due to World War II.

1930 – Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay

The stadium was built in 1930 to both host the very first FIFA World Cup and commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the first Uruguayan constitution. The stadium hosted seven group games, both semi-finals and the final match between Uruguay and Argentina, a 4-2 win for the home team in front of 68,346 spectators.

The stadium is still used as the home stadium for the Uruguayan national team as well as the occasional Uruguayan league games. The stadium is also expected to play a part in the hosting of the 2030 edition of the tournament.

The stadium has changed very little since opening almost 100 years ago and is a must visit for fans of world football. The stadium also features a small museum chronicling the history of the Uruguayan National team and Uruguayan football. The stadium was declared by FIFA as the first historical monument to world football in 1983.

1934 – Stadio Nazionale PNF, Rome, Italy

The stadium was built in 1911 and later renovated in 1928. The stadium was the former home of Italian club teams Roma and Lazio until both teams moved to the Stadio Olimpico.

At the 1934 World Cup, the stadium hosted one Round of 16 match, a semi final and the final match of the tournament. The final saw Italy take on Czechoslovakia, a 2-1 win for the Italians in front of a crowd of 55,000.

The stadium closed in 1953 and was replaced by Stadio Flamino in 1957. The stadium is one of four former World Cup final venues that no longer exists.

1938 – Stade Olympique de Colombes, Paris, France

The stadium was originally opened in 1907 before being renovated in time for 1924 Olympic Games where it would host eight of the tournaments’ events including the football gold medal match (Uruguay 3-0 Switzerland).

The stadium was later expanded to accommodate 60,000 spectators in time for the 1938 World Cup where it hosted both of the home team’s matches and the final, a 4-2 win for Italy over Hungary. The stadium would remain France’s largest and national stadium until the opening of the redeveloped Parc des Princes in the 1970s.

The stadium is still a popular venue for French club rugby and athletics and was redeveloped in 2017 in order to host the field Hockey events at the 2024 Olympic games once again held in Paris. The stadium is also the setting of the films Chariots of Fire and Escape to Victory although neither of the films were shot at the stadium.

1950 – Estádio do Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

The stadium was built in 1950 where it became the largest stadium in the world upon its opening. The stadium is still the largest in Brazil and has long been considered the home of Brazilian football and one of the great stadiums of world football.

The stadium hosted seven matches at the 1950 World Cup including the final match. The final match of the tournament saw the heavily favored hosts take on Uruguay, a 2-1 win for the visitors in front of a crowd of over 200,000 spectators, a record that still stands to this day.

The stadium was heavily renovated and reopened in 2014 in time to host the final for a second time. The stadium is still used for selected Brazilian national team matches as well as the home ground of Brazilian club teams Flamengo and Fluminense.

1954 – Wankdorf Stadium, Bern, Switzerland

The stadium was first opened in 1925 with a capacity of 22,000. The stadium was completely rebuilt in in time for the 1954 World Cup reopening with a much larger capacity of 64,000.

The stadium hosted three group games, a quarter final and the final match between West Germany and Hungary. The Germans would go on to win their first title, a 3-2 win in front of 62,500 spectators that would go on to be known as the Miracle of Bern.

The stadium was demolished in 2001 and replaced by Stadion Wankdorf in 2005, the current home ground of Swiss Super League club BSC Young Boys. The stadium is one of four former World Cup final venues that no longer exists.