The World Cup: Much More Than A Championship

The FIFA World Cup is one of the great spectacles known to man. It carries more weight for some people than for others, but it is a part of everyone’s life. It is a common topic of conversation, even for those who are not normally soccer fans, even in countries whose teams are not participating in the World Cup.

It has taken place every four years since 1930, with the exceptions of 1942 and 1946, when it was suspended because of World War II. There are other “World Cups” in existence, most notably the Rugby World Cup, so it is officially known as the FIFA World Cup, but people almost always refer to it simply as “THE World Cup”, at least in English.

It has its own name in other languages, which I will post below…though I am completely unfamiliar with some of them. If any native speakers or professional translators would like to correct or add to the list below, please feel free to comment below!

Afrikaans: wêreld beker

Arabic: كأس العالم

Catalan: Copa del Món

Czech: Mistrovství světa ve fotbalu

Danish: verdensmesterskab (or VM)

Dari: Jaame Jahaani

Dutch: Wereldkampioenschap

Farsi: جام جهانی

French: Coupe du monde

German: Weltmeisterschaft

Greek: Παγκόσμιο Κύπελλο

Hindi: विश्व कप

Hungarian: Világbajnokság

Italian: Coppa del mondo

Japanese: ワールドカップ

Korean: 월드컵

Mandarin Chinese: 世界杯

Polish: Mistrzostwa Świata w piłce nożnej

Portuguese: Copa do mundo (Portugal) or Mundial (Brazil)

Romanian: Campionatul mondial

Russian: Чемпионат мира

Slovakian: Svetový pohár

Spanish: Copa del mundo or Copa mundial

Thai: บอลโลก

Turkish: Dünya Kupası

Urdu: ورلڈ کپ

(Spanish version: https://www.trustedtranslations.com/copa-mundial-mucho-mas-que-un-campeonato-2010-06-23.html)