Fans were gripped by football fever this year as the FIFA World Cup 2026 played out over five weeks in June and July. There was some amazing sporting action, stunning goals, a few quirky novelties and plenty of on-field (and off-field!) drama. For trivia fans, here’s a football trivia quiz that touches on the World Cup past and present, plus the “beautiful game” in general. We’ve broken it up into four sets of five questions. See how you go!
5 questions about the 2026 FIFA World Cup
#1 Which three countries co-hosted the 2026 tournament?
#2 Which two former players stood alongside Madonna at the beginning of the inaugural halftime show in the tournament final?
#3 Name six of the eight nations that played in the semi-finals.
#4 What was the name of the controversial forced stoppage in play in the middle of each half of the matches?
#5 Who won the Golden Boot for most goals in the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
5 questions about the history of the World Cup
#6 Who did Uruguay defeat 4-2 to win the very first World Cup final, held in Montevideo in 1930?
#7 Who scored the “Hand of God’ goal?
#8 What year saw England’s only appearance in the final?
#9 The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup is being held in Brazil. Which two countries co-hosted the 2023 women’s tournament?
#10 Football legend Pele became the youngest goal scorer and youngest hat-trick scorer in World Cup matches in 1958, at what age?
5 questions about football
#11 King Edward III outlawed early forms of football in the 14th century, decreeing that men should practice what military-related sport instead?
#12 What is the name of the restart play when a defender kicks the ball over their own goal line (but not into their own goal)?
#13 A traditional black-and-white football is made up of 32 panels consisting of pentagons and which other shape?
#14 Who is older, Christiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi?
#15 In 1972, a Vatican City men’s national football team was founded, consisting entirely of employees of the Vatican – police officers, postal workers and guards charged with protecting the Pope. Is there a Vatican City women’s national football team?
5 questions about the next FIFA World Cup in 2030
#16 Three nations will co-host the 2030 event: Morocco and which two European nations?
#17 Morocco will become only the second African country to host the World Cup. Who was the first?
#18 What special anniversary is being celebrated at the 2030 tournament?
#19 Three South American countries will also host one opening match each as part of the anniversary celebrations: Paraguay, Argentina and who?
#20 In 2026, the FIFA World Cup expanded from 32 teams to 48 teams. What even larger number of teams is currently being discussed as a possibility for the 2030 tournament?
Bonus
What country am I?
(If you can answer correctly on the first clue, you get 10 points, but you lose a point for each additional clue you require after that.)
- I played in the very first World Cup tournament in 1930. (10)
- I didn’t win a group stage match until 1962, defeating Czechoslovakia 3-1. (9)
- My best result is reaching the quarter finals stage, which I did in 1970 and 1986. (8)
- Only six players have appeared in five World Cups; half of them are from me. (7)
- I wasn’t allowed to play in the 1990 World Cup following a ban for fielding overage players in an earlier youth tournament. (6)
- I began the 2026 tournament in style by winning all three matches in the group stage. (5)
- My nickname is El Tri, short for El Tricolor. (4)
- Two of my joint leading goal scorers in World Cups share the same surname, Hernández. (3)
- I have hosted or co-hosted three World Cups, in 1970, 1986 and 2026; the 1970 tournament was the first to be held in North America. (2)
- Starting with M, I am ______. (1)
All the answers!
- Canada, USA, Mexico
- Brazilian superstars Ronaldo and Ronaldinho
- Spain, Argentina, England, France, Morocco, Belgium, Norway, Switzerland
- Hydration break
- Kylian Mbappé
- Argentina
- Diego Maradona
- 1966
- Australia and New Zealand
- Seventeen
- Archery
- Corner kick
- Hexagons (well done to those who looked at the picture for a clue!)
- Ronaldo – he was born 5 February 1985; Messi was born 24 June 1987
- Yes – it formed in 2019, losing 10-0 in its first game to AS Roma’s women’s team
- Spain and Portugal
- South Africa, in 2010
- One hundred years of the World Cup
- Uruguay
- Sixty-four
Bonus: Mexico
Liked this football trivia? Read on for more fun puzzles and trivia:
20 quirky facts about Singapore
The great Travel Guide quiz
