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 the greatest moments in football and sporting history.

From 1958 to 1974, the World Cup was hosted in five different countries across three continents. The 1970 edition saw the tournament hosted in North America for the first time.

1958 – Råsunda Stadium, Stockholm, Sweden

The stadium was originally opened in 1910 and played a part in the hosting of the 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games. The stadium was later expanded in 1937 to accommodate 37,000 spectators and again in time to host the World Cup.

The stadium hosted eight matches at the 1958 World Cup including the final match. The final match of the tournament saw Brazil win their first of five titles against home team Sweden, a 5-2 victory in front of a crowd of 49,737.

The stadium was demolished in 2013 and replaced by Friends Arena in 2013, the current home ground of the Swedish national football team. The stadium is one of four former World Cup final venues that no longer exists.

1962 – Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile

The stadium opened in 1938 using a design based on the architecture of the Olympiastadion in Berlin. The stadium has a capacity of 48,665 and is currently the largest stadium in Chile.

The stadium hosted ten matches at the 1962 World Cup including the final match and third place play-off. The final match of the tournament saw Brazil win their second title against Czechoslovakia, a 3-1 victory in front of a crowd of 68,679.

The stadium is still used as the home ground for the Chilean national football team as well as hosting Chilean club team Universidad de Chile. The stadium is a popular venue for local and visiting musicians and was also used recently as the main venue for the 2023 Pan American Games.

1966 – Wembley Stadium, London, England

The stadium opened in 1923 as Empire Stadium, one of the main venues of the 1924-1925 British Empire Exhibition. Although originally envisioned as a temporary venue, the stadium would go on to become one of the world’s most famous stadiums due to its strong association with football and live music.

The stadium hosted nine matches at the 1966 World Cup including the final match. The final saw hosts England win their first title, defeating West Germany 4-2 after extra time in front of a home crowd of 96,924.

The stadium was closed in 2000 and later demolished before being replaced in 2007 by the new Wembley Stadium, the current home of the English national football team. The original Wembley stadium is one of four former World Cup final venues that no longer exists.

1970 – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico

Opened in 1966, the Estadio Azteca was built in preparation to host part of the football program at the 1968 Olympic Games held in Mexico City. The stadium currently has a capacity of 87,523 making it the largest football stadium in Latin America and the eight largest in the world.

The stadium hosted ten matches at the 1970 World Cup including the final match and the third place play-off. The final saw Brazil win their third title, defeating Italy 4-1 in front of a crowd of 107,412.

The Estadio Azteca would go on to host the World Cup again in 1986 and is expected to host five matches at the upcoming 2026 edition of the tournament. The stadium remains a popular venue for football regularly hosting matches as the home ground of the Mexican national football team and Mexican club team Club América.

1974 – Olympiastadion, Munich, Germany

The stadium was opened in 1972 in time for the city’s hosting of the 1972 Olympic Games. The distinctive acrylic canopies that cover most of the stadium were considered revolutionary for the time and are still impressive over 50 years after its opening.

Five matches were played at the stadium during the 1974 World Cup including the final and third place play-off. In the final match, hosts West Germany defeated the Netherlands 2-1 becoming two-time champions in front of a home crowd of 75,200.

The Olympiastadion was formally the home of Bayern Munich and 1860 Munich until both teams relocated to the newly built Allianz Arena in 2005. The stadium is still used regularly for a variety of different sporting events and is also a popular venue for live music attracting musicians from around the world.