I.

Introduction

World Cup (soccer), two international soccer tournaments, one for men and one for women, each held every four years. Both tournaments are the pinnacle of international competition in the sport.

The men’s World Cup is considered the most popular sporting event in the world and is followed with passionate interest around the globe—the final game of the 2002 tournament was played to a television audience of more than 1 billion viewers. Founded in 1930 with just 13 teams, the tournament now attracts entries from more than 200 countries. The teams must participate in elimination games within their own regions before qualifying to become one of the 32 nations participating in the final tournament.

The women’s World Cup was first played in 1991 and has gained popularity steadily since then. More than 90,000 fans attended the finals of the 1999 tournament—one of the largest crowds ever to witness a women’s sporting event. Nearly 100 nations attempted to qualify for the 2003 event, a 16-team elimination tournament.