THE FACTS ABOUT THE WORLD CUP

Here's some background information about the World Cup football (soccer) tournament. The "world's most widely viewed sporting event," it takes place every four years to determine the world champion. The World Cup is held by FIFA, the Federation Internationale de Football Association.

Brazil will host the next World Cup, scheduled from June 12 to July 13, 2014.

Games in the 2014 World Cup will be played in twelve Brazilian cities: Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Cuiaba, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Sao Paulo.

Other Facts:
Thirty-two teams participate in the World Cup.

A phase called the "Preliminary Competition" takes place in the three years preceding each World Cup, where teams must compete in qualifying matches in order to be eligible for 31 slots. The host nation automatically qualifies to enter.

The teams are drawn into eight groups of four teams each at the beginning of the tournament. The top two teams in each group will advance to the second round group of 16 teams, which play in successive rounds to reach the finals.

There is also a third place game, where the two teams that lose in the semifinals play each other.

The Adidas Golden Ball award is presented to the most outstanding player at each World Cup finals, with a list generated by the FIFA technical committee and the winner voted on by members of the media - 2010 Winner: Diego Forlan (Uruguay).

The Adidas Golden Shoe award is presented to the top goal scorer at every World Cup finals - 2010 Winner: Thomas Müller (Germany).

3.2 billion people worldwide watched the 2010 World Cup - 46.4 percent of the world.

Most wins - Brazil has won the World Cup five times, in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002.

All-time rankings by country

2010 World Cup Statistics

Timeline:
July 13, 1930 - The first World Cup begins in Montevideo, Uruguay.

1942 and 1946 - The tournament is not held because of World War II. Play resumes in 1950.

June 11-July 11, 2010 - The World Cup takes place in South Africa. Spain wins its first World Cup championship by defeating the Netherlands in the final, 1-0.

June 12-July 13, 2014 - The World Cup is scheduled to take place in Brazil.

2018 - The World Cup is scheduled to take place in Russia.

2022 - The World Cup is scheduled to take place in Qatar.