World Cup 2026 / History

1994 FIFA World Cup

Hosted by United States. First final decided by penalties. Roberto Baggio's miss is one of football's most iconic moments.

Champion
Brazil
Runner-up
Italy
Top scorer
Oleg Salenko & Hristo Stoichkov (6)
Total goals
141

The 1994 FIFA World Cup at a glance

The 1994 FIFA World Cup was hosted by United States and contested by 24 teams over 52 matches, producing 141 goals (2.71 per match). First final decided by penalties. Roberto Baggio's miss is one of football's most iconic moments. The final, Brazil 0-0 Italy (3-2 pens), was played at Rose Bowl, Pasadena.

Oleg Salenko & Hristo Stoichkov of Russia & Bulgaria won the Golden Boot with 6 goals. Scoring rate of 2.71 goals per match was 0.5 higher than the previous edition's 2.21. Final standings: 1st Brazil, 2nd Italy, 3rd Sweden, 4th Bulgaria.

Final

Score
Brazil 0-0 Italy (3-2 pens)
Venue
Rose Bowl, Pasadena

Tournament

Host
United States
Teams · Matches
24 teams · 52 matches
3rd / 4th place
Sweden / Bulgaria

1994 FIFA World Cup records

ChampionBrazil
Runner-upItaly
Third placeSweden
Fourth placeBulgaria
Final scoreBrazil 0-0 Italy (3-2 pens)
Final venueRose Bowl, Pasadena
Host countryUnited States
Teams24
Matches52
Goals141
Goals per match2.71
Top scorerOleg Salenko & Hristo Stoichkov (6 goals)
Top scorer nationalityRussia & Bulgaria

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won the 1994 FIFA World Cup?

Brazil won the 1994 FIFA World Cup, beating Italy 0-0 Italy (3-2 pens) in the final at Rose Bowl, Pasadena.

Where was the 1994 World Cup held?

The 1994 FIFA World Cup was hosted by United States. The final was played at Rose Bowl, Pasadena.

Who was the top scorer at the 1994 World Cup?

Oleg Salenko & Hristo Stoichkov of Russia & Bulgaria was the top scorer at the 1994 FIFA World Cup with 6 goals.

How many teams and matches were at the 1994 World Cup?

24 teams played at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in United States, totalling 52 matches and 141 goals — an average of 2.71 goals per match across roughly 30 days.

Who finished 3rd and 4th at the 1994 World Cup?

Sweden finished third and Bulgaria finished fourth at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

How did the 1994 World Cup differ from the previous edition?

The previous FIFA World Cup, in 1990, was won by West Germany (115 goals across 52 matches; 2.21 goals per match). The 1994 edition produced 141 goals across 52 matches (2.71 per match) and was won by Brazil.

What is the significance of the 1994 World Cup?

First final decided by penalties. Roberto Baggio's miss is one of football's most iconic moments.

Can I get 1994 World Cup historical data via API?

Yes. TheStatsAPI provides historical FIFA World Cup data going back to 1930, including match results, lineups, top scorers, final standings, and team appearance records. Query historical endpoints with year=1994 to retrieve the full dataset.

Get historical World Cup data via API

Match results, top scorers, finals, and team records from 1930 to today. 7-day free trial.