FIFA World Cup future boycotts or controversy, FIFA began a pattern of alternating the hosts between the Americas and Europe, which continued until the 1998 FIFA World Cup. The 2002 FIFA World Cup, hosted jointly by South Korea and Japan, was the first one held in Asia, and the first tournament with multiple hosts. South Africa became the first African nation to host the World Cup in 2010. The 2014 FIFA World Cup was hosted by Brazil, the first held in South America since Argentina 1978, and was the first occasion where consecutive World Cups were held outside Europe. The host country is
2002 Beach Soccer World Championship Soccer League (EBSL). The winners, runners up and third placed nations in the previous World Cup also gained automatic qualification for their performances a year earlier; reigning champions Portugal had already gained their spot through being runners-up in the EBSL, however runners-up of last years World Cup France, who did not finish in the top three of the ESBL, and third placed Argentina, gained their spots this way. The other entries received invites. Africa, North America and Oceania were unrepresented. Asian Zone (1): European Zone (4): South American Zone (2): Hosts: "Matches are listed as local time in Vitória and