FIFA World Cup GK Questions and Important Facts for Competitive Exams 2025-26 (FREE PDF)
Football might not dominate India’s sports culture the way cricket does, but when it comes to competitive exams, FIFA World Cup GK questions show up with surprising regularity. UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, Railways RRB, and state PSC exams have all featured questions on World Cup history, records, and Indian football and you can expect more such questions are expected ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
This article is going to be your one-stop resource. Covering everything from the complete winners list to 25 MCQs designed for World Cup questions for competitive exams, it’s built specifically so you can revise quickly and retain what actually gets asked.
Let’s get straight to it.
FIFA World Cup GK Questions: Key Facts at a Glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First edition | 1930, Uruguay |
| Governing body | FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) |
| Frequency | Every 4 years |
| Total editions held | 22 (1930–2022) |
| Current champion | Argentina (2022) |
| Most titles | Brazil with 5 titles (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002) |
| All-time top scorer | Miroslav Klose (Germany) with 16 goals |
| Most appearances | Lothar Matthäus (Germany) with 25 matches, 5 World Cups |
| Golden Boot 2022 | Kylian Mbappé (France) with 8 goals |
| Golden Glove 2022 | Emiliano Martínez (Argentina) |
| 2026 host nations | USA, Canada, Mexico |
Complete FIFA World Cup Winners List (1930–2022)
| Year | Host Country | Winner | Runner-Up | Final Score / Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Uruguay | Uruguay | Argentina | 4-2 |
| 1934 | Italy | Italy | Czechoslovakia | 2-1 (AET) |
| 1938 | France | Italy | Hungary | 4-2 |
| 1942 | Not held | — | — | World War II |
| 1946 | Not held | — | — | World War II |
| 1950 | Brazil | Uruguay | Brazil | 2-1 (final group stage) |
| 1954 | Switzerland | West Germany | Hungary | 3-2 |
| 1958 | Sweden | Brazil | Sweden | 5-2 |
| 1962 | Chile | Brazil | Czechoslovakia | 3-1 |
| 1966 | England | England | West Germany | 4-2 (AET) |
| 1970 | Mexico | Brazil | Italy | 4-1 |
| 1974 | West Germany | West Germany | Netherlands | 2-1 |
| 1978 | Argentina | Argentina | Netherlands | 3-1 (AET) |
| 1982 | Spain | Italy | West Germany | 3-1 |
| 1986 | Mexico | Argentina | West Germany | 3-2 |
| 1990 | Italy | West Germany | Argentina | 1-0 |
| 1994 | USA | Brazil | Italy | 0-0 AET; Brazil won 3-2 (pens) |
| 1998 | France | France | Brazil | 3-0 |
| 2002 | South Korea/Japan | Brazil | Germany | 2-0 |
| 2006 | Germany | Italy | France | 1-1 AET; Italy won 5-3 (pens) |
| 2010 | South Africa | Spain | Netherlands | 1-0 (AET) |
| 2014 | Brazil | Germany | Argentina | 1-0 (AET) |
| 2018 | Russia | France | Croatia | 4-2 |
| 2022 | Qatar | Argentina | France | 3-3 AET; Argentina won 4-2 (pens) |
*1942 and 1946 editions were cancelled due to World War II.
FIFA World Cup Records and Firsts
Now this section is where it gets important. Let’s now look at the records that appear most frequently in competitive exams and trust us, these are worth memorising.
- First tournament: 1930, Uruguay. Thirteen nations participated and the teams were directly invited, no qualification rounds required like today.
- First ever goal: Lucien Laurent (France) scored against Mexico on July 13, 1930. France won 4-1 in that match.
- First hat-trick: Bert Patenaude (USA) vs Paraguay, 1930 and this was officially confirmed by FIFA in 2006.
- Highest winning margin: Hungary defeated El Salvador 10-1 at the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
- Most goals by a team in one tournament: Hungary scored 27 goals in 5 matches at the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland.
- Most goals by a player in one tournament: Just Fontaine (France) who scored 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. A record that has stood for over 65 years now.
- Youngest player: Norman Whiteside (Northern Ireland) who was 17 years and 41 days, 1982 World Cup.
- Oldest player: Faryd Mondragón (Colombia) who was 43 years old, 2014 World Cup.
- Only nation in every World Cup: Brazil is the sole country to qualify for all 22 editions.
- First penalty shootout: West Germany vs France, 1982 semi-final. West Germany won.
- Most World Cup winner’s medals: Pelé (Brazil) with 3 titles as a squad member (1958, 1962, 1970).
Golden Ball (Best Player) Winners
| Year | Winner | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Mario Kempes | Argentina |
| 1982 | Paolo Rossi | Italy |
| 1986 | Diego Maradona | Argentina |
| 1990 | Salvatore Schillaci | Italy |
| 1994 | Romário | Brazil |
| 1998 | Ronaldo | Brazil |
| 2002 | Oliver Kahn | Germany |
| 2006 | Zinedine Zidane | France |
| 2010 | Diego Forlán | Uruguay |
| 2014 | Lionel Messi | Argentina |
| 2018 | Luka Modrić | Croatia |
| 2022 | Lionel Messi | Argentina |
FIFA World Cup MCQ Questions for Competitive Exams
Now let’s go through twenty-five questions covering World Cup history, records, Indian football, and Asian football facts.
Q1. Which country has won the FIFA World Cup the maximum number of times?
(A) Germany
(B) Italy
(C) Argentina
(D) Brazil
✅ Answer: (D) Brazil
📝 Brazil has won 5 World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002) which more than any other nation. Germany and Italy follow closely with each having 4 titles.
Q2. Who holds the record for the most goals in FIFA World Cup history across all tournaments?
(A) Ronaldo (Brazil)
(B) Gerd Müller
(C) Miroslav Klose
(D) Lionel Messi
✅ Answer: (C) Miroslav Klose
📝 Klose scored 16 goals across 4 World Cups (2002–2014) for Germany. Brazil’s Ronaldo is second with 15 goals.
Q3. In which city was the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final held?
(A) Doha
(B) Dubai
(C) Riyadh
(D) Lusail
✅ Answer: (D) Lusail
📝 The Argentina vs France final on December 18, 2022 was held at Lusail Stadium which a city just north of Doha, Qatar. Students frequently confuse Lusail with Doha.
Q4. Who won the Golden Boot at the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
(A) Lionel Messi
(B) Harry Kane
(C) Olivier Giroud
(D) Kylian Mbappé
✅ Answer: (D) Kylian Mbappé
📝 Mbappé scored 8 goals including a hat-trick in the final against Argentina. Despite France losing on penalties, he still claimed the top scorer award.
Q5. Which country hosted and won the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930?
(A) Argentina
(B) Brazil
(C) Chile
(D) Uruguay
✅ Answer: (D) Uruguay
📝 Uruguay hosted and won the first World Cup in 1930. The tournament was timed to celebrate the centenary of Uruguayan independence.
Q6. In which year was the All India Football Federation (AIFF) founded?
(A) 1935
(B) 1940
(C) 1937
(D) 1947
✅ Answer: (C) 1937
📝 AIFF was founded in 1937. India became a full member of FIFA in 1948, shortly after Independence.
Q7. India qualified for the FIFA World Cup only once. Which edition was that?
(A) 1946
(B) 1954
(C) 1950
(D) 1958
✅ Answer: (C) 1950
📝 India qualified for the 1950 World Cup in Brazil but withdrew before travelling. Financial constraints and travel costs are the most widely cited reasons. This remains India’s only World Cup qualification.
Q8. Who scored the very first goal in FIFA World Cup history?
(A) Héctor Scarone
(B) Pedro Cea
(C) Bert Patenaude
(D) Lucien Laurent
✅ Answer: (D) Lucien Laurent
📝 Lucien Laurent of France scored the first-ever World Cup goal on July 13, 1930, against Mexico. France won that match 4-1.
Q9. Which player scored the famous “Hand of God” goal in the 1986 FIFA World Cup?
(A) Ronaldo
(B) Carlos Valderrama
(C) Zinedine Zidane
(D) Diego Maradona
✅ Answer: (D) Diego Maradona
📝 Maradona punched the ball into the net against England in the 1986 quarterfinal. In the very same match he scored the “Goal of the Century” which are two goals, two entirely different legacies.
Q10. Which country won back-to-back FIFA World Cup titles in 1934 and 1938?
(A) Brazil
(B) Argentina
(C) Germany
(D) Italy
✅ Answer: (D) Italy
📝 Italy under coach Vittorio Pozzo won consecutive World Cups and is the only team in history to achieve this feat.
Q11. Who is the youngest player to ever appear in a FIFA World Cup match?
(A) Pelé
(B) Cesc Fàbregas
(C) Theo Walcott
(D) Norman Whiteside
✅ Answer: (D) Norman Whiteside
📝 Norman Whiteside of Northern Ireland was 17 years and 41 days old when he played at the 1982 World Cup, breaking Pelé’s previous record.
Q12. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature how many participating teams?
(A) 36
(B) 40
(C) 44
(D) 48
✅ Answer: (D) 48
📝 FIFA expanded the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams from 32. The total number of matches increases from 64 to 104
Q13. Which country won the 2018 FIFA World Cup held in Russia?
(A) Croatia
(B) Belgium
(C) England
(D) France
✅ Answer: (D) France
📝 France beat Croatia 4-2 in the Moscow final on July 15, 2018 and winning their second World Cup title after 1998.
Q14. The Durand Cup, one of the world’s oldest football tournaments, was established in which year?
(A) 1900
(B) 1920
(C) 1888
(D) 1947
✅ Answer: (C) 1888
📝 The Durand Cup was established in 1888, named after Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, then Foreign Secretary of British India. It predates the FIFA World Cup itself by over four decades.
Q15. Germany’s 7-1 defeat of Brazil in the 2014 World Cup semi-final is known by what name?
(A) The Maracanazo
(B) The Blitzkrieg Final
(C) The Mineirazo
(D) Black Saturday
✅ Answer: (C) The Mineirazo
📝 The 7-1 defeat at the Estádio Mineirão in Belo Horizonte is called the “Mineirazo.” The name echoes the 1950 “Maracanazo”, another Brazilian footballing heartbreak on home soil.
Q16. Who won the Golden Ball (Best Player award) at the 2018 FIFA World Cup?
(A) Kylian Mbappé
(B) Eden Hazard
(C) Antoine Griezmann
(D) Luka Modrić
✅ Answer: (D) Luka Modrić
📝 Croatia’s Luka Modrić won the Golden Ball in 2018 after leading Croatia to their first-ever World Cup final. He also went on to win the 2018 Ballon d’Or.
Q17. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be co-hosted by which three nations?
(A) USA, Mexico, Brazil
(B) Canada, USA, Brazil
(C) USA, Canada, Argentina
(D) Canada, USA, Mexico
✅ Answer: (D) Canada, USA, Mexico
📝 The 2026 edition is the first World Cup hosted by three countries. The USA last hosted in 1994, Mexico in 1986, while Canada will be a first-time host.
Q18. Which player holds the record for the most goals scored in a single FIFA World Cup tournament?
(A) Gerd Müller
(B) Eusébio
(C) Miroslav Klose
(D) Just Fontaine
✅ Answer: (D) Just Fontaine
📝 France’s Just Fontaine scored 13 goals at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. That record has stood untouched for over 65 years.
Q19. The Santosh Trophy is associated with which sport in India?
(A) Hockey
(B) Cricket
(C) Basketball
(D) Football
✅ Answer: (D) Football
📝 The Santosh Trophy is India’s inter-state national football championship, first held in 1941. It is named after the Maharaja of Santosh.
Q20. Brazil is the only nation to have played in all 22 FIFA World Cups. How many titles have they won?
(A) 4
(B) 6
(C) 3
(D) 5
✅ Answer: (D) 5
📝 Brazil won the World Cup in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002. Their record of appearing in every single edition makes them a perennial exam favourite.
Q21. Who won the Golden Glove (Best Goalkeeper award) at the 2022 FIFA World Cup?
(A) Hugo Lloris
(B) Thibaut Courtois
(C) Alisson Becker
(D) Emiliano Martínez
✅ Answer: (D) Emiliano Martínez
📝 Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez was decisive across multiple penalty shootouts in 2022, including the final against France. His performances were central to Argentina’s title win.
Q22. Which was the first Asian nation to reach the semi-finals of a FIFA World Cup?
(A) Japan
(B) Saudi Arabia
(C) Iran
(D) South Korea
✅ Answer: (D) South Korea
📝 South Korea reached the semi-finals at the 2002 World Cup, co-hosted with Japan. They finished 4th overall which is the best result ever by an Asian nation.
Q23. In which year did Sunil Chhetri retire from international football?
(A) 2022
(B) 2023
(C) 2025
(D) 2024
✅ Answer: (D) 2024
📝 Sunil Chhetri played his farewell international match against Kuwait in June 2024. He retired with 94 international goals in 150 appearances, placing him among the highest-scoring internationals in football history.
Q24. What was the scoreline after extra time in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final between Argentina and France?
(A) 2-0 to Argentina
(B) 2-2
(C) 3-1 to Argentina
(D) 3-3
✅ Answer: (D) 3-3
📝 Argentina led 2-0, France levelled at 2-2 by the 90th minute, and both sides scored again in extra time. Argentina won 4-2 on penalties to claim their third World Cup title.
Q25. France won their first FIFA World Cup title in 1998. Which country did they beat in the final?
(A) Argentina
(B) Netherlands
(C) Germany
(D) Brazil
✅ Answer: (D) Brazil
📝 France beat Brazil 3-0 in the 1998 final on home soil in Paris. Zinedine Zidane scored twice with headers. The match is also remembered for Ronaldo’s mysterious pre-match illness.
FIFA World Cup 2026 With Key Facts
Mark the calendar: the 2026 World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026 and it’s already making history before a single ball is kicked.
- Host nations: United States, Canada, Mexico which makes this the first World Cup co-hosted by three countries
- Number of teams: 48, expanded from 32
- Total matches: 104 (up from 64 in previous editions)
- Venues: 16 stadiums across 3 countries
- USA host cities: New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Dallas, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Miami, Kansas City, Philadelphia
- Canadian cities: Toronto, Vancouver
- Mexican cities: Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey
- India connection: India did not qualify. However, the 2022 experience in Qatar has reinvigorated AIFF’s long-term planning, with a stated ambition around the 2047 timeline. For exam purposes, the host nations, team count, and match count are the facts to know.
India and Football: Exam GK Points
- AIFF founded: 1937 | FIFA membership: 1948
- 1950 World Cup withdrawal: India qualified when other teams in their qualifying group withdrew. They pulled out before travelling to Brazil. Financial constraints and travel costs are the reasons most consistently cited by historians. The popular “barefoot” story that FIFA refused to allow India to play without boots is disputed and not supported by official records.
- Sunil Chhetri: India’s greatest footballer and long-time captain. Retired June 2024. 94 international goals in 150 appearances. At his peak, he ranked among the top international scorers globally which is ahead of many far more celebrated names.
- Durand Cup — est. 1888, among the world’s oldest football tournaments
- Santosh Trophy — est. 1941, India’s national inter-state championship
- I-League — India’s top professional football league
- Indian Super League (ISL) — est. 2013/14, franchise-based competition that significantly raised the profile of Indian club football
FIFA World Cup GK Questions Free PDF
Conclusion
FIFA World Cup GK is a compact but reliable scoring topic in competitive exams and it rewards students who revise systematically rather than randomly. Know Brazil’s five titles, lock in the 1950 India connection, and make sure your 2026 facts are up to date. For more MCQs on sports GK, static GK, and daily current affairs, visit daily and keep practising.
