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2010 FIFA World Cup

The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th edition of FIFA's men's football World Cup and was held in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th edition of FIFA's men's football World Cup and was held in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010. It was the first World Cup staged in Africa, and Spain won the tournament by defeating the Netherlands 1–0 after extra time in the final.

Host nation and venues

South Africa hosted the tournament, with matches staged in 10 stadiums across 9 cities. The opening match and final were both played at Soccer City in Johannesburg.

Tournament format

The competition featured 32 teams split into eight groups of four, followed by a knockout stage. Teams qualified through confederation-based qualification tournaments organized by FIFA.

Final

Spain and the Netherlands met in the final on 11 July 2010 at Soccer City. Spain won 1–0 after extra time, with Andrés Iniesta scoring the decisive goal.

Legacy

The tournament is widely noted as the first World Cup in Africa and as Spain's first World Cup title. It also became known for its distinctive atmosphere, including the widespread use of vuvuzelas.

Key facts

  • The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the first held in Africa.
  • Spain won the tournament, beating the Netherlands 1–0 after extra time.
  • Andrés Iniesta scored the winning goal in the 116th minute.
  • Thomas Müller of Germany was the top scorer with 5 goals.
  • A total of 145 goals were scored across 64 matches.
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Canadian context

The tournament mattered to Canadian readers mainly as a major international sporting event that shaped global football interest, though Canada did not qualify for the 2010 finals.

Frequently asked questions

Who won the 2010 FIFA World Cup?
Spain won the tournament, defeating the Netherlands 1–0 in the final after extra time.
Where was the 2010 FIFA World Cup held?
It was held in South Africa, across 10 stadiums in 9 host cities.
Why is the 2010 World Cup historically significant?
It was the first FIFA World Cup held in Africa.
Who scored the winning goal in the final?
Andrés Iniesta scored Spain's winning goal in the 116th minute.
How many teams took part?
Thirty-two teams competed in the finals.
Who was the top scorer?
Thomas Müller of Germany was the top scorer with 5 goals.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FIFA_World_Cup
    Supports: Host country, dates, venue count, team count, final result, Iniesta goal, first World Cup in Africa.
  2. ESPN — https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37364058/2010
    Supports: Teams, qualifiers, matches, goals, format, top scorer.
  3. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FIFA_World_Cup_final
    Supports: Final match date, venue, finalists, and result.
  4. Al Jazeera — https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/17/profile-fifa-world-cup-2010
    Supports: First World Cup in Africa and general tournament context.