Brazil's Pele celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Italy in the 1970 World Cup final at the Azteca Stadium, Mexico City. Brazil would win the match 4-0 and lift the World Cup for a third time. Action Images
Brazil's Pele celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Italy in the 1970 World Cup final at the Azteca Stadium, Mexico City. Brazil would win the match 4-0 and lift the World Cup for a third time. Action Images
Brazil's Pele celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Italy in the 1970 World Cup final at the Azteca Stadium, Mexico City. Brazil would win the match 4-0 and lift the World Cup for a third time. Action Images
Brazil's Pele celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Italy in the 1970 World Cup final at the Azteca Stadium, Mexico City. Brazil would win the match 4-0 and lift the World Cup for a third

Which team has appeared at every World Cup finals?


Steve Luckings
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The 2022 World Cup kicks off in Qatar on November 20 - the first time the tournament will be held in the Middle East.

Thirty-two teams will take part, with the hosts Qatar kicking off proceedings against Ecuador. Sixty-four matches will have been played by the time we know the winners on December 18.

Qatar 2022 will be the 21st World Cup finals, with the first having been staged in Uruguay, who beat South American rivals Argentina in the final to become the first world champions in football.

Which team has played at every World Cup finals?

Brazil are the only team to have appeared in every World Cup. The Selecao also hold the record for most wins with five (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002). They have also been the losing finalists twice (1950, 1998).

Four-time winners Germany have participated in 19. Italy, also world champions on four occasions, have appeared in 18. Two-time winners Argentina have taken part in 17 editions and Mexico in 16.

Which team is making its debut at a World Cup?

As hosts Qatar automatically qualified for the 2022 World Cup. It also marks their first appearance at the global finals.

Qatar have been drawn in Group A alongside Ecuador, Senegal and Netherlands.

Canada (1986) and Wales (1958) have both previously played at one World Cup each.

Longest gap between World Cup appearances

Wales have had to wait 64 years to reappear at a Fifa World Cup. They went undefeated in World Cup qualifying, and a 1-0 victory against Ukraine in the play-off final secured their place in Qatar.

US tops drug cost charts

The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.

Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.

In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.

Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol. 

The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.

High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.

In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

Updated: October 04, 2022, 7:04 AM`