How Many Times Has France Hosted the World Cup?
Updated 27 September 2026. Hosting facts aligned with FIFA tournament history on FIFA.com.
How many times has France hosted the World Cup? Twice.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Times hosted (men’s FIFA World Cup) | 2 |
| Years | 1938 and 1998 |
| Won as host? | Once — 1998. Italy won the 1938 tournament |
| Hosting 2026? | No — United States, Mexico, Canada |
| Hosting 2030? | No — Morocco, Portugal, Spain |
| UEFA European Championship hosts | Not World Cups — France hosted Euro 1984 and Euro 2016 |
That last row is why this query gets so many impressions and so many wrong snippets. Euros are not World Cups.
The Sentence Google Should Show
France has hosted the FIFA World Cup two times: 1938 and 1998.
Not three. Not 2026. Not 2030. Not Euro 2016.
Why People Think the Answer Is Three
| Event people mix in | What it actually was |
|---|---|
| Euro 1984 | UEFA European Championship, France won at home. Not a World Cup. |
| Euro 2016 | UEFA European Championship in France. Portugal won. Not a World Cup. |
| 2026 World Cup | Hosts are USA, Mexico and Canada. France are a competing team only. |
| 2030 World Cup | Hosts are Morocco, Portugal and Spain, plus centenary matches in South America. France are not a host. |
| 1998 “modern France” memory | This is a World Cup — the second and most recent French hosting. |
If a box on another site adds 2016 to the World Cup count, it is wrong.
1938 — First Time France Hosted
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Role | Sole host |
| Format | Straight knockout, 15 teams (Austria withdrew after qualifying) |
| France’s finish | Quarter-finals |
| Champion | Italy (beat Hungary 4–2 in the final) |
| Final venue | Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes |
| France’s World Cups hosted after this | One more, 60 years later |
Italy were the defending champions and won again. Hosting did not carry France.
1998 — Second Time France Hosted
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Role | Sole host |
| Format | First 32-team World Cup |
| Matches | 64 |
| Champion | France, 3–0 Brazil |
| Final | 12 July 1998, Stade de France, Saint-Denis |
| Golden Boot | Davor Šuker (Croatia), 6 goals — not a French striker |
| France’s finish | Champions |
Venues included Saint-Denis, Marseille, Lyon, Lens, Nantes, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Saint-Étienne, Montpellier and Paris (Parc des Princes). The final was in Saint-Denis, not central Paris. City guide: which city hosted the 1998 final.
Scoring guide: 1998 World Cup Golden Boot winner.
This is the only time France won the World Cup as host. They also won in 2018, in Russia — that does not add a hosting year.
France Next to Other Host Nations
| Nation | Men’s World Cups hosted | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 3 | 1970, 1986, 2026 |
| Italy | 2 | 1934, 1990 |
| France | 2 | 1938, 1998 |
| Germany | 2 | 1974 (as West Germany), 2006 |
| Brazil | 2 | 1950, 2014 |
| United States | 2 | 1994, 2026 |
Mexico is the only country on three men’s World Cups as host once 2026 is counted. France are on two, level with Italy, Germany, Brazil and the United States.
Full list: all World Cup host countries.
Did France Win When They Hosted?
- 1938: No. Italy won.
- 1998: Yes. France won.
Separate article: did France win the World Cup as host?.
Frequently Asked Questions
how many times has france hosted the world cup
Twice — 1938 and 1998.
how many times have france hosted the world cup
Same answer. Two times.
has france hosted the world cup 3 times
No. Euro 1984 and Euro 2016 are European Championships.
is france hosting the world cup in 2026
No. USA, Mexico and Canada.
is france hosting the world cup in 2030
No. Morocco, Portugal and Spain. Predict that tournament here: 2030 simulator.
when did france host the world cup
1938 and 1998 only.