# Quick World Cup question (no spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 15, 2002, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-world-cup-question-no-spoilers/114219 "2002-06-15T14:34:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jet\_Jaguar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jet_jaguar/32/3562_2.png) [@Jet\_Jaguar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jet_Jaguar)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-world-cup-question-no-spoilers/114219/1 "2002-06-15T14:34:00Z")
I don’t follow soccer very much but from what I understand, the World Cup host nation gets a bye into the WC. With the WC hosted by two nations this year, did both of them get byes? ---
**Author:** ![Juggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/juggler/32/3194_2.png) [@Juggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juggler)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-world-cup-question-no-spoilers/114219/2 "2002-06-15T14:37:33Z")
Yes. But FIFA has said they probably won’t let several nations host a cup together again. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2002, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-world-cup-question-no-spoilers/114219/3 "2002-06-15T17:23:02Z")
The defending champion also got a bye into this year’s tournament (France), but FIFA said that will not be the case in the future. It has turned out to be a disadvantage for that team not to get the experience of playing crucial, top-flight games. I would also think that the defending champ will draw well in qualifying, although most people will like to go see Brazil or Germany or England play anyway. (Just tossing out examples of who could win, not making any predictions.)