1994 FIFA World Cup
United States • June 17 - July 17, 1994
🇧🇷
Champion
24
Teams
52
Matches
141
Goals
2.71
Goals/Match
3,597,042
Attendance
Overview
The 1994 FIFA World Cup was the fifteenth edition held in the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. Despite soccer's relative lack of popularity in the host nation, the tournament was the most financially successful in World Cup history, breaking records with an attendance of 3.6 million and an average of 68,991 per game – figures that remain unsurpassed to this day.
Brazil won their fourth World Cup title, defeating Italy 3-2 on penaltiesafter a 0-0 draw at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. It was the first World Cup final to be decided by penalties and the first goalless final in history. Roberto Baggio, who had carried Italy through the knockout stages with crucial goals, missed the decisive penalty, shooting over the crossbar while playing injured.
The tournament introduced three points for a win and the back-pass rule, resulting in more attacking play with 2.71 goals per game (up from 2.21 in 1990). Bulgariasurprised everyone by reaching the semi-finals led by Hristo Stoichkov. Oleg Salenkoscored a record 5 goals in one game against Cameroon, while Roger Milla at 42 became the oldest World Cup scorer. The tournament was marred by tragedy when Colombian defender Andrés Escobar was murdered after scoring an own goal, and Diego Maradona was expelled after failing a drug test.
Final Standings
All 24 participating teams with detailed statistics
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
🥇1 | 🇧🇷 Brazil Champion | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 3 | +8 | 17 |
🥈2 | 🇮🇹 Italy Runner-up | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 14 |
🥉3 | 🇸🇪 Sweden Third | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 8 | +7 | 12 |
4 | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria Fourth | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 11 | -1 | 10 |
5 | 🇩🇪 Germany | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 7 | +2 | 10 |
6 | 🇷🇴 Romania | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 9 | +1 | 10 |
7 | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 9 |
8 | 🇪🇸 Spain | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 8 |
9 | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 6 |
10 | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 | +2 | 6 |
11 | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
12 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 6 |
13 | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
14 | 🇺🇸 United States | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 4 |
15 | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | -2 | 4 |
16 | 🇮🇪 Republic of Ireland | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 4 |
17 | 🇳🇴 Norway | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
18 | 🇷🇺 Russia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 6 | +1 | 3 |
19 | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 3 |
20 | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 2 |
21 | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 1 |
22 | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 11 | -8 | 1 |
23 | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 0 |
24 | 🇬🇷 Greece | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | -10 | 0 |
Legend: Pld = Played, W = Won, D = Drawn, L = Lost, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, GD = Goal Difference, Pts = Points
Golden Boot
Hristo Stoichkov
Bulgaria
Oleg Salenko
Russia
Romário
Brazil
Jürgen Klinsmann
Germany
Kennet Andersson
Sweden
Roberto Baggio
Italy
Gabriel Batistuta
Argentina
Tomas Brolin
Sweden
Martin Dahlin
Sweden
Gheorghe Hagi
Romania
Semi-finals & Final
First final decided by penalties
Knockout Stage
Semi-finals
Third Place
Final
Stadiums
Giants Stadium
Foxboro Stadium
Stanford Stadium
Cotton Bowl
Soldier Field
Key Moments
- Brazil won their fourth World Cup title
- First World Cup final decided by penalties (3-2)
- First goalless World Cup final (0-0 after 120 min)
- Hristo Stoichkov & Oleg Salenko: 6 goals (joint Golden Boot)
- Romário: Golden Ball winner with 5 goals
- Record attendance: 3.6 million (68,991 per game)
- First World Cup with 3 points for a win
- First World Cup with back-pass rule
- Oleg Salenko scored 5 goals in one game vs Cameroon
Historic Firsts
- Brazil: Fourth World Cup title
- First final decided by penalties
- First goalless World Cup final
- Record attendance: 3.6 million
- Salenko: 5 goals in one game
- Roger Milla: Oldest scorer at 42
- First indoor game (Pontiac Silverdome)
- Three points for a win introduced