World Cup Stadiums: Homes of the Beautiful Game

Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay, 1930
The first ever FIFA World Cup was staged in the tiny South American nation of Uruguay, then a soccer powerhouse. Most of the matches were played in the capital Montevideo, and the big ones, including the final, were all staged at the Estadio Centenario, a vast bowl of a ground built specifically for this inaugural tournament. 93,000 crammed in to watch the hosts beat Argentina 4-2. The stadium to this day remains something of a fortress for the Uruguayans, who, despite their small population, have consistently competed with the sport's elite teams.

• A Brief History of the World Cup
• What Becomes of Olympic Stadiums?