In this post, I’ll take you through the complete history of FIFA World Cup logo since 1930.
The FIFA World Cup is the undisputed king of sporting events. Every four years, it brings together the best national teams in a global battle for soccer supremacy.
And the logo is a major part of this event. It gives a unique identity and recognition to each edition of the World Cup.
But logos haven’t always been a part of the World Cup image. In the early days, FIFA World Cup had posters instead of emblems or logos.
We’ll go through each of them in this post.
So, if you’re curious about the FIFA World Cup logo history, you’re in the right place.
Curious about more World Cup stuff? Then you can check out our articles about World Cup winners and the most successful countries in the tournament.
1930
Host Nation: Uruguay
Designed By: Guillermo Laborde
The 1930 FIFA World Cup did not have a distinct logo. Instead, the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930 featured a beautiful Art Deco-style poster. It captured the spirit of the game and the aesthetic of the time.
The poster featured an abstract, stylized image of a goalkeeper making a save, clad in the Uruguay national colors.
1934
Host Nation: Italy
Designed By: Filippo Tommaso Marinetti
The 1934 World Cup followed the strategy of the 1930 tournament by using a stylized poster.
1938
Host Nation: France
Designed By: Henri Desmé
1950
Host Nation: Brazil
1954
Host Nation: Switzerland
Designed By: Herbert Leupin
The 1954 World Cup poster featured a football swelling the back of the goal net. It also had an open-mouthed and outstretched goalkeeper looking back in surprise.
The goalkeeper, frozen in a moment of intense drama, appears distressed at the moment of defeat.
1958
Host Nation: Sweden
The 1958 World Cup poster was one of the simplest designs in the tournament. The logo included an illustration of a soccer player and a ball.
It also had the letters “VM,” which stands for “Varldsmasterskapet” (“World Cup” in Swedish).
1962
Host Nation: Chile
The 1962 FIFA World Cup logo featured a large soccer stadium with the Chilean flag. It was placed over a large round shape representing a globe and a soccer ball.
1966
Host Nation: England
Designed By: Whitestone Agency
The 1966 FIFA World Cup logo featured the Jules Rimet Trophy with the FA crest placed in the ball as the globe.
This was also the first World Cup to feature a mascot. It was a lion wearing a Union Jack jersey emblazoned with the words “WORLD CUP”.
1970
Host Nation: Mexico
Designed By: Lance Wyman
The 1970 World Cup was the first edition to use an actual logo instead of a poster.
It was a simple logo inspired by the official ball design of the tournament.
1974
Host Nation: West Germany
The 1974 FIFA World Cup logo featured a ball with three stripes inside a box. It also had the text “WM 74” (“Weltmeisterschaft”, or “World Cup” in German).
1978
Host Nation: Argentina
The logo of the 1978 FIFA World Cup has a very interesting story.
It was based on Argentinian President Juan Perón’s signature gesture. It represented the ball raised by his hands.
The design was created in 1974.
But there was a coup in Argentina in 1976 and Juan Perón was removed from his position.
The new military leadership attempted to change the logo but it was too late. The logo was already commercialized, so they had to abandon their efforts to modify it.
1982
Host Nation: Spain
Designed By: Joan Miró
1986
Host Nation: Mexico
Designed By: Rubén Santiago Hernández
1990
Host Nation: Italy
The 1990 World Cup logo had a stylized soccer ball in the Italian tricolors.
1994
Host Nation: United States
Designed By: Pentagram Agency
The 1994 FIFA World Cup logo features a stylized soccer ball with the text “1994 FIFA WORLD CUP USA”.
The ball is composed of red, white, and blue triangles, representing the colors of the United States flag.
1998
Host Nation: France
Designed By: ASDA Agency
2002
Host Nation: South Korea and Japan
Designed By: Interbrand Agency
The 2002 World Cup logo was the first time that the World Cup trophy was incorporated into the logo.
2006
Host Nation: Germany
Designed By: Whitestone Agency
The 2006 FIFA World Cup tournament was officially called Die Welt zu Gast bei Freunden (A time to make friends).
That’s why the World Cup logo was also designed to celebrate the camaraderie of the game
The logo featured laughing faces in the ‘0’ and ‘6’ symbols.
It also had elements of the German flag and the previous Korea/Japan 2002 logo.
2010
Host Nation: South Africa
Designed By: Gaby De Abreu
The 2010 FIFA World Cup logo went a different way from the typical circular World Cup logos. It had a distinctive rectangular design.
The logo also featured the colors of the host nation, South Africa, with a green and gold color scheme. The design was inspired by local and regional African culture and landscapes.
2014
Host Nation: Brazil
Designed By: Africa Agency
The 2014 FIFA World Cup logo depicts three hands “holding” the trophy and giving it shape. It represents the humanitarian notion of hands helping each other.
The green and yellow colors on the logo represent Brazil’s national colors.
The logo was selected by a panel of seven Brazilian celebrities. This drew criticism from a prominent Brazilian graphic designer who felt the panel lacked professional graphic designers.
2018
Host Nation: Russia
Designed By: Miguel Viana
The 2018 World Cup logo features a World Cup trophy swirling upward in plumed panels of gold, red, blue, and black.
It took inspiration from Russia’s rich artistic tradition.
2022
Host Nation: Qatar
Designed By: Brandia Central Agency
The FIFA World Cup 2022 logo features sweeping curves that represent Qatar’s dunes. Then, the central logo resembles an “8,” which signifies the eight stadiums hosting the event and also represents infinity.
Additionally, the logo incorporates elements of Qatar’s traditional wear, the woollen shawl, as a nod to the tournament being held in winter.
2026
Host Nation: Canada, Mexico, United States
The official logo for the 2026 FIFA World Cup features an image of the FIFA World Cup trophy sitting on top of the number 26.
This is also the first time that the image of the World Cup trophy has been used in a logo.
Thank You For Reading
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Read more about the FIFA World Cup:
- 50 FIFA World Cup Facts and Records
- FIFA World Cup Golden Boot Winners: Top Scorers in Every Tournament
- Who Has the Most Goals in FIFA World Cup? (All-time Top Goal Scorers)
- Countries With The Most FIFA World Cup Wins
- Complete FIFA World Cup Winners List: Every Winner Since 1930
- All The Major Soccer Trophies in the World (Club and International Level)
