With a three moment keel trip required to travel between Europe and South America - both of whose countries were urgent to the competition since both happened to be considered the strongest soccer continents - the competition ' s locus seemed a senior contention every four years. Return the first World Cup in Uruguay had meant onliest four European teams would compete. When the time came for the second World Cup, in 1934, it was the South American teams that were nullifying to travel the far distance overseas to Europe, where the competition was to be responsible in Italy. Annoyed by the limited response from the European countries to partake in the first Cloakroom when it had been hosted on the contrary end of the Atlantic - and also primo by the financial burdens of the international depression bewitching place during the spell - American nations Argentina and Uruguay opted to boycott that year ' s championship, which was won further by the year ' s host country ( this time Italy ). The same controversy was the case for the third tournament, in 1938, held in France; very few South American teams made an appearance. In addition, the United States withdrew out of a reluctance to demonstrate any involvement in the midst of tensions brewing on the brink of war in Europe. Again, Italy won, in spite of distractions from the hostile protests and anti - fascist demonstrations they faced at every turn of the championship. The next two competitions, in 1942 and 1946, were not held due to a twelve year hiatus for the World Cup due to World War II. During the wartime hiatus, FIFA kept its WC Trophy hidden under an Italian official ' s bed, in a shoebox for safekeeping from Nazi soldiers they worried might confiscate it if found.
In 1946, for the first time since withdrawing from FIFA in 1920, Britain accepted FIFA ' s invitation to compete in the 1950 WC in Brazil ( whose location had been chosen because South American had been the region least impacted by World War II ) - making it the first WC to take place including British participants. This was also the first time that the inaugural WCChampions of Uruguay participated in the World Cup since the very first in 1930. Upon Uruguay ' s return, they were again victorious, defeating Brazil in 1950 and acquiring the title of WC Champions. The next championship, in 1954, was the World Cup ' s first televised tournament. West Germany won the championship in Switzerland after having been excluded among the invitations for the previous tournament, which had been the first after World War II.
To avoid further controversies, conflicts, or boycotts, beginning with the 1958 WC and lasting through the 1998 World Cup, FIFA developed the pattern of alternating hosts every four years between American nations and European nations. In 2002, the WC was held in Asia for the first time in the history of the championship, hosted jointly by Japan and South Korea. In 2010, South Africa was the first African nation to host the World Cup.
Currently, FIFA ' s Executive Committee, made up of representatives from various international soccer organizations, uses a ballot system to vote for the host country of each World Cup, usually deciding the host of each upcoming WCtournament as early as seven years in advance. Countries interested in formally bestowing the internationally coveted sports award must place their bids eight years prior to the World Cup tournament year of their interest, and the Executive Committee will make its decision around six years in advance of the World Cup year in question. First, they send a copy of the Hosting Agreement - a document detailing the requirements that constitute a strong bid - to the national soccer associations of each host country hopeful, along with a form they will each need to submit in order to make their candidacies official. Upon receiving the candidacy forms from each prospective host country ' s soccer association, FIFA sends inspectors to visit the countries to confirm that the specified requirements for qualifications to host the event have been met. The inspectors draw up reports on each country, upon which the Executive Committee will ultimately base its decision.
So far, only Italy, France, and Mexico have had the honor of hosting the World Cup tournaments more than once.
