Competition Info

• World Cup Finals

• 1950-present

• England declined invitations from FIFA and the Uruguayan FA to attend the first World Cup in 1930 - the FA had fallen out with FIFA about the exact definition of amateurism (most English players by this time were professionals) and had resigned from FIFA membership in 1928. As a result, England did not re-join FIFA until 1946 and participated in their first World Cup in 1950.
  The World Cup in 1966 saw England victorious on home soil but the resulting eight years playing only international friendlies (England qualified automatically as hosts in '66 and as champions in '70) took its toll and they failed to make it to the next two editions. 1994 was the only other tournament that England have failed to qualify for.
  England have played tournament hosts on three occasions - Switzerland 1954, Spain 1982, Italy 1990.
  Apart from being winners in 1966, England have reached two semi-finals; losing out on a final place on penalties to West Germany in 1990 and in extra-time to Croatia in 2018.