Back to the United States Newsfeed

Ranking the World Cups: All 21 editions in order from worst to best

There have been 21 World Cup tournaments since 1930 and, ahead of the 2022 edition, we decided to re-examine and rank every single one. There were arguments and spreadsheets; we had data and reason colliding with gut feeling and uncut emotion. In the end, we emerged stronger, wiser, more respectful of one another's opinions and, most importantly, with a rock-solid ranking from "worst" to "best."

So what were those moments, players and scorelines that we'll always remember more readily than the birthdays and anniversaries of those we love? First up, here is how we did it.

Methodology

Because there are so many different ways to react to and grade a tournament, we needed to set some guidelines.