A Look Back at the Bumpy Start of the First World Cup Nearly a Century Ago
The 2026 FIFA World Cup: A Historic Event Awaits
Next summer, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to become the largest and most lucrative sporting event ever, involving 48 teams competing in 104 matches across three countries. Anticipation is mounting, with estimates suggesting a global TV audience nearing 5 billion viewers. FIFA, the organizer of the event, projects revenues between $10 billion and $14 billion, a factor that notably influences ticket pricing; for instance, lower-bowl tickets for the match between Iran and New Zealand at SoFi Stadium are priced at nearly $700.
Reflecting on the event’s humble beginnings, Jonathan Wilson, an English writer and podcaster, remarked on the near-failure of the tournament’s inaugural edition in 1930. According to Wilson, author of “The Power and Glory: The History of the World Cup,” the first tournament faced numerous challenges due to poor planning, financial constraints, and a lack of interest.
“1930, it’s incredibly amateurish in many ways,” Wilson noted, describing the event’s almost playful atmosphere reminiscent of a school sports day.
The inaugural World Cup saw participation from only 13 countries, falling short of the anticipated 16. Egypt missed its boat to Uruguay, while Japan and Siam (now Thailand) withdrew due to financial constraints. England declined to participate, and much of Europe ignored the event. This skepticism appeared justified, especially as the tournament was hampered by adverse weather. The opening games were affected by snow, and one match attracted a mere 4,444 spectators. Remarkably, another first-round game between Romania and Peru drew only around 300 fans, and television coverage was nonexistent as the technology had yet to emerge.
Controversy surrounded officiating; Romania’s manager officiated two games as a linesman, and an incident during a semifinal match between the U.S. and Argentina saw U.S. trainer Jack Coll incapacitated after inhaling fumes from a shattered chloroform bottle in his pocket.
Further irregularities marred the tournament, including mis-marked penalty spots — 16 yards from goal instead of the standard 12 — which went unnoticed. “Some of the details don’t make sense,” Wilson commented, reflecting on how drastically the event contrasts with the professionalism seen today.
Among the players, Guillermo Stábile emerged as a standout, scoring a record eight goals in four matches after taking over for Argentine captain Nolo Ferreira, who left to sit for his law exams. Despite Stábile’s success, he would not represent the national team again, although he later coached Argentina to six South American titles and a 1958 World Cup appearance.
The lackluster beginnings of the tournament might have suggested its demise, yet 1930 became the cornerstone for the growth and evolution of future competitions. FIFA had previously recognized the Olympic competition winner as the world champion, but the amateur status of that event prompted the governing body to launch its own competition, hosted in Uruguay, a country that had won two consecutive Olympic titles.
Preparing for the tournament in a world increasingly affected by the Great Depression posed challenges, as many countries struggled to fund travel to South America. Leading up to the games, only a handful of European teams had confirmed their participation. However, the tide turned when Romania’s King Carol II personally selected his nation’s roster, prompting France and Belgium to follow suit. These teams traveled together aboard the SS Conte Verde, an Italian ocean liner, for a 15-day journey.
“Even the four European nations who go, it’s not entirely clear how seriously they took it,” Wilson observed. The French and Romanians recorded their experiences, treating the tournament with a degree of levity.
Once the games commenced, the atmosphere became even more eccentric. The Bolivian team wore berets, while some referees donned formal attire, including knickers and blazers. Match play was notoriously violent, resulting in broken bones, while the semifinal showdown between the U.S. and Argentina devolved into chaos, with one player losing four teeth and another hospitalized.
Ultimately, Uruguay claimed victory, defeating Argentina 4-2. The match ended in discord; Argentina’s players severed diplomatic relations with their neighboring country, leading to a violent response in Buenos Aires as an angry mob rallied against the Uruguayan embassy.
Reflecting on the chaos surrounding the inaugural World Cup, Wilson summarized, “It ended with everybody sort of fighting each other.”
Notably, the Argentine magazine El Gráfico questioned the future of the tournament, proclaiming, “The World Cup is over.” Despite the tumultuous beginnings, the World Cup has endured nearly a century later, with a legacy stemming from events like those surrounding Romanian midfielder Alfred Eisenbeisser. After contracting pneumonia on the return journey from Uruguay, Eisenbeisser was believed to be close to death, prompting a wake organized by his mother. When he unexpectedly appeared, she fainted, illustrating the persistence of surprises in the tournament’s history.
The story of Eisenbeisser, along with the inaugural World Cup itself, proves that initial failures can pave the way for remarkable achievements.
