Only eight nations have ever won the World Cup, three from South America and five from Europe and one of that octet, Italy, did not qualify this time.

 

Only twice have participants from other Confederations made the final four, the USA in the first ever World Cup in 1930 when only 13 teams took part and South Korea as joint host in 2002.

 

South American nations have appeared in the final four 21 times, with two teams doing so on six occasions, but never in an event held outside the Americas.There are only four CONMEBOL entrants for the first time since 2006, that year and four years ago in 2018, none of them made the semi-final stage.

 

There have been at least two European (UEFA) teams in the semi finals of the last 20 World Cups (only missing out in the first of 1930 ,when only four teams entered from Europe and all made the journey to Uruguay by boat. They have formed 3 of the final 4 teams on 14 occasions (66.7% of the time) and provided both finalists nine times ( 42.86%). There have been an average of 3.0 European semi finalists (15 total) in the last five World Cups held outside Europe or South America and 1.4 (7) finalists.

 

Good luck!