Home > Events > Football > Football World Cup > Countries > Australia > History

Home | History | Trivia | Squad | 2006 | 2010 | 2014 | 2018

• Australia first entered qualifying for the FIFA World Cup in 1966.
• In the first qualifying campaign, Australia were drawn to play against North Korea, a controversial match up as North Korea was not recognized by many nations including the United Kingdom. The match was played in neutral Cambodia.
• Australia have reached the World Cup Finals six times: 1974, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022.
• In 2006, striker Tim Cahill scored the first-ever goal in World Cup finals for Australia (and the second too).
• By the time Australia had secured their place at Russia 2018, becoming the 31st of 32 teams to do so, they had played 22 matches, more than any other side in World Cup qualification history.
• The top goal scorer for Australia at the World Cup is Tim Cahil with 5 (out of the total 11)
• The most appearances by an Australian at the World Cup is 9, by Marco Bresciano between 2006 and 2014 and Tim Cahill from 2006 to 2018.
• The first VAR on-field video review in World Cup history involved Australia in 2018. Referee Andres Cunha awarded France a penalty early in the second half against Australia after going to the pitchside monitor to review the play.
• Tim Cahill is the first Australian to play at four World Cups.
• Only three Australian players have scored more than one World Cup goal, Tim Cahill (5 goals), Mile Jedinak (3) and Brett Holman (2).
• Garang Kuol, at 18 years old in 2022, was the youngest player to ever play for Australia at a FIFA World Cup.
• Of all Australia's World Cup Games, they have only once had one clean sheet, when they drew with Chile in 1974.
• Australia's coach at the 2022 World Cup, Graham Arnold, was the first Australian-born coach to lead the Socceroos at a World Cup.

---

---

Related Pages

• History of Australia at the World Cup
• FIFA World Cup Trivia
• Sports Trivia
• World Cup History
• Index of Australia at the World Cup.