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
FIFA Women's World Cup hosts FIFA Women's World Cup hosts Six countries have been chosen FIFA Women's World Cup hosts in the competition's eight editions from the inaugural tournament in 1991 until the next planned tournament in 2019. The decision to hold the first tournament in China was made by FIFA, football's international governing body, after China hosted a prototype world championship three years earlier, the 1988 FIFA Women's Invitation Tournament. The first Women's World Cup was sponsored by Mars, Incorporated. With FIFA still reluctant to bestow their "World Cup" brand, the tournament was officially known as the 1st FIFA World Championship for Women's Football