<P> As of the 2018 FIFA World Cup , 79 national teams have competed at the final tournaments . Brazil are the only team to have appeared in all 21 tournaments to date , with Germany having participated in 19 , Italy in 18 , Argentina in 17 and Mexico in 16 . To date , eight nations have won the tournament . The inaugural winners in 1930 were Uruguay ; the current champions are France . The most successful nation in the competition are currently Brazil , who have won the cup on five occasions . Five teams have appeared in FIFA World Cup finals without winning , while twelve more have appeared in semi-finals . </P>
<P> As of the 2018 FIFA World Cup , 79 national teams have competed at the final tournaments . Brazil are the only team to have appeared in all 21 tournaments to date , with Germany having participated in 19 , Italy in 18 , Argentina in 17 and Mexico in 16 . To date , eight nations have won the tournament . The inaugural winners in 1930 were Uruguay ; the current champions are France . The most successful nation in the competition are currently Brazil , who have won the cup on five occasions . Five teams have appeared in FIFA World Cup finals without winning , while twelve more have appeared in semi-finals . </P>
the only country in the world to have played in every tournament of world cup football
the only country in the world to have played in every tournament of world cup football
Brazil
Brazil