The smallest country that competed in the 2022 FIFA World Cup also happened to be the host.
With a population of approximately 2.9 million, Qatar was the smallest of the 32 countries in this year’s World Cup field. The Middle Eastern nation had never made the World Cup in the event’s 90-plus-year history, but made its debut in 2022 after automatically qualifying as the host.
While Qatar quietly bowed out in the group stage, losing all three games with a 7-1 goal differential. But two other small nations -- Croatia and Morocco -- have seen more success. Croatia (3.8 million population) and Morocco (37.3 million population) both made the semifinals in Qatar, four years after Croatia lost in the final.
So, has a country of similar size to Qatar ever made it all the way to the World Cup final?
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
What is the smallest country to reach a FIFA World Cup final?
Qatar wouldn't have been the smallest country to pull off the feat.
As host of the inaugural 1930 World Cup, Uruguay reached the final with a population of about 1.5 million. And the Uruguayans made even more history by defeating Argentina 4-2 in the final, becoming the first World Cup champions, first World Cup host champions and the smallest country to ever win the tournament.
Uruguay was crowned World Cup champion yet again 20 years later, this time with a population of around 2.2 million. However, its second World Cup triumph didn’t come as a result of winning a traditional one-match final.
The 1950 World Cup featured a four-team final round between Uruguay, Brazil, Spain and Sweden. Host country Brazil held a one-point advantage over Uruguay in the standings through two round robin games, with the two South American sides set to square off in what was essentially a final match that would determine the World Cup champ. Uruguay needed a victory to overtake Brazil for the first-place championship position, and did just that with a 2-1 win.
The matchup was a true David vs. Goliath showdown, as Brazil boasted a population more than 20 times the size of Uruguay.
The 2018 World Cup actually featured the smallest country other than Uruguay to ever make the final. With a population of approximately 4.15 million, Croatia won its first three knockout stage games in either extra time or via penalties to reach its first ever final. The Croatians’ improbable run came to an end with a 4-2 final loss to France, which had a population over 15 times greater.
Here’s a full look at the smallest countries to ever record a World Cup final appearance (all population numbers via Statista and Worldometers):
1. Uruguay, 1930, 1.5 million: Defeated Argentina 4-2
2. Uruguay, 1950, 2.2 million: Defeated Brazil 2-1
3. Croatia, 2018, 4.15 million: Lost to France 4-2
4. Sweden, 1958, 7.39 million: Lost to Brazil 5-2
5. Hungary, 1938, 9.12 million: Lost to Italy 4-2
6. Hungary, 1954, 9.77 million: Lost to West Germany 3-2
