The
1970 FIFA World Cup was the ninth
FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international
football championship for
men's national teams. Held from 31 May to 21 June in Mexico, it was the first World Cup tournament staged in North America, and the first held outside Europe and South America. Teams representing 75 nations from all six populated continents entered the competition, and its
qualification rounds began in May 1968. Fourteen teams qualified from this process to join host nation
Mexico and defending champions
England in the sixteen-team final tournament.
El Salvador,
Israel, and
Morocco made their first appearances at the final stage, and
Peru their first since
1930.