In which year was the first FIFA World Cup held?

The first FIFA World Cup was held in 1930. Uruguay hosted the inaugural tournament from July 13 to July 30, with every match played in the capital, Montevideo.

FIFA had approved the idea of a separate international championship after football’s success at the 1924 and 1928 Olympic Games. FIFA president Jules Rimet helped advance the project, and Uruguay was selected partly because it had won both of those Olympic football tournaments and was celebrating the centenary of its first constitution.

Thirteen teams entered the first competition, including seven from South America, four from Europe, and two from North America. Travel from Europe was difficult and expensive, so several European nations declined invitations. There were no qualifying matches: all participating teams were invited directly. Uruguay defeated Argentina 4–2 in the final at the newly built Estadio Centenario. France’s Lucien Laurent scored the first goal in World Cup history, in the opening round against Mexico.