What are the biggest FIFA World Cup upsets in history?

Nothing captures attention quite like an underdog or low-ranked team achieving a surprising result at the FIFA World Cup.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to be one of the most highly anticipated sporting events of the year.

Fans are eagerly awaiting to see who will emerge as the highest goal-scorer, who will shine on football's grandest stage, and who will claim the coveted trophy.

Throughout the tournament's history, numerous remarkable upsets have occurred, including the elimination of defending champions in the group stages and underdogs triumphing over the game’s giants. One notable example is when Saudi Arabia stunned eventual champions Argentina at Qatar 2022.

Here is a closer look at some of the notable upsets in World Cup history.

USA 1-0 England (1950)

The post-war England squad, featuring renowned players like Alf Ramsey, Tom Finney, and Billy Wright, was considered one of the favorites to win the tournament during its World Cup debut. Conversely, the American team was composed of part-time players, including a dishwasher, a letter carrier, and a teacher, who practiced together for just one day before their journey to Brazil.

Joe Gaetjens scored a header in the 38th minute, giving the USA a surprising lead. Despite a relentless offensive display by England in the second half, USA goalkeeper Frank Borghi proved to be formidable, securing a historic victory for his team.

West Germany 3-2 Hungary (1954)

A German comeback in a World Cup match might not raise eyebrows today, but this instance involved a lesser-known West German team in the 1950s facing the formidable Hungarian side, known as the Mighty Magyars, spearheaded by the legendary Ferenc Puskas.

Hungary entered the World Cup in Switzerland as favorites, showcasing their dominance with a staggering 9-0 victory over South Korea and an 8-3 thrashing of West Germany in the group stage.

In the final, Hungary took an early lead, scoring two goals in the first half, seemingly adhering to expectations. However, the German squad equalized, and in a dramatic twist, Helmut Rahn netted what would be the winning goal in the 84th minute, marking the match as "The Miracle of Bern" and a significant upset.

North Korea 1-0 Italy (1966)

The mere appearance of North Korea at the World Cup in England was surprising, as the English FA had considered denying the team's visa amidst the ongoing Cold War tensions with South Korea.

Italy’s squad, anchored by Giacomo Bulgarelli, faced challenges when he suffered an injury, leaving the team with only ten men as substitutions were not allowed at the time.

In a pivotal moment, Pak Doo Ik scored in the 7th minute, leading to one of World Cup history’s most significant upsets and ultimately eliminating the two-time champions. The original match ticket is now preserved in the FIFA football museum, and the spot of the goal remains marked despite the stadium’s demolition.

Algeria 2-1 West Germany (1982)

West Germany entered the 1982 World Cup as reigning European champions and two-time World Cup holders, boasting a star-studded lineup that included Hansi Mueller, Wolfgang Dremmler, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, and Lothar Matthaus.

In contrast, Algeria featured lesser-known players but had demonstrated noteworthy performances leading up to the tournament.

The German team’s overconfidence led to complacency. Rabah Madjer scored in the 54th minute, marking the beginning of the shock. Although Rummenigge equalized shortly after, the decisive moment came when Algerian forward Lakhdar Belloumi scored, resulting in one of the tournament's biggest surprises.

Cameroon 1-0 Argentina (1990)

With reigning world champions and favorites led by the iconic Diego Maradona, Argentina anticipated an uncomplicated start to the 1990 World Cup.

Cameroon, making its World Cup debut as the only sub-Saharan African nation in the tournament, played at the prestigious San Siro stadium.

Though Argentina showcased their strength initially, Cameroon gained confidence, ultimately leading to Francois Omam-Biyik's header from a free kick that secured a historic victory for the underdogs.

France 0-1 Senegal (2002)

The 2002 World Cup opener featured a marquee matchup between the defending champions and debutants, infused with narratives of former colonizers versus their former colonies.

Despite the pre-match predictions favoring France, they failed to anticipate Senegal’s disciplined defensive strategy, combined with the pace of El Hadji Diouf and a 30th-minute goal from Papa Bouba Diop, which handed Senegal a stunning victory and the top spot in the group.

France's campaign ended in disappointment as they were eliminated with a loss followed by a draw, while Senegal made history as only the second African country to reach the quarterfinals.

Germany 7-1 Brazil (2014)

The 2014 World Cup presented Brazil with an opportunity to redeem themselves after the heart-wrenching loss to Uruguay in the 1950 final on home turf.

All seemed poised for Brazil to claim their sixth title, yet they were faced with Germany, a perennial powerhouse in the World Cup knockout stages. With both teams progressing through the elimination rounds in similar fashion, Brazil suffered a significant blow as they lost key player Neymar Jr. to injury and captain Thiago Silva to yellow card suspension before the semifinal.

What transpired in the semifinal was nothing short of shocking. Germany took an early lead and followed it with a staggering four goals in a span of just six minutes, overwhelming Brazil. After two additional goals in the second half, Brazil managed to net a consolation goal, resulting in a staggering 7-1 defeat, which was dubbed "the Agony of Mineirao" and marked a national humiliation for Brazil.

Germany advanced and ultimately claimed their fourth title against Argentina in the final.

Netherlands 5-1 Spain (2014)

The opening match of Group B during the 2014 World Cup featured a showdown between the finalists from the previous tournament. Spain entered the competition as the reigning European and world champions.

After Xabi Alonso opened the scoring in the 27th minute, Spain appeared to be in control. However, just before halftime, Robin van Persie delivered a stunning equalizer with a remarkable header that stunned Spain’s goalkeeper Iker Casillas and set the tone for the remainder of the match.

The Dutch continued their dominance, scoring four more goals, marking Spain's second-largest World Cup loss and the biggest defeat for a defending champion in the tournament's history. Spain’s journey ended in the group stage after another loss, while the Netherlands finished in third place.

South Korea 2-0 Germany (2018)

The World Cup history is replete with instances where defending champions faced early exits, a trend that persisted into the 2018 tournament.

Germany entered their final group match against South Korea, needing a victory to progress in the tournament while South Korea sought to restore pride after being nearly eliminated.

As the match approached injury time, it seemed destined for a draw until South Korea's Kim Young-gwon scored from a corner. In a moment of desperation, German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer advanced into South Korea’s half to assist in the attack. The South Koreans seized the opportunity, intercepting a misplaced pass from Neuer and securing their success with a second goal.

This result marked Germany's first time failing to progress beyond the group stage since 1938 and their first-ever defeat to an Asian nation in a World Cup fixture.

Saudi Arabia 2-1 Argentina (2022)

Entering the match with a remarkable 36-match unbeaten streak, Argentina was a top contender in the tournament. They initially took the lead with a penalty converted by Lionel Messi in the 10th minute, and further goals were disallowed, suggesting a routine victory was in store.

However, the match took an unexpected turn in the second half. Saleh Al-Shehri equalized in the 48th minute, followed shortly by Salem al-Dawsari, who delivered a stunning goal that gave Saudi Arabia a lead they maintained until the final whistle.

Despite their subsequent elimination from the tournament following losses to Poland and Mexico, Saudi Arabia's victory over Argentina sent shockwaves throughout the football community and is celebrated as one of the great upsets in World Cup history.