Cameroon has participated in the FIFA World Cup on six occasions: 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2010 and 2014. The national team’s performances are summarized below.
| World Cup | Stage Reached | Group | Results (Group) | Knock‑out results | Final standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 (Italy) | Quarter‑finals | Group B (Argentina, USSR, Romania) | 1 – 0 vs Argentina; 0 – 0 vs USSR; 2 – 2 vs Romania | Round of 16 – win (opponent and score per FIFA records) ; Quarter‑final – 2 – 3 vs England (a.e.t.) | 8th place (best result for an African nation at that time) |
| 1994 (USA) | Group stage | Group B (Brazil, Sweden, Russia) | 1 – 3 vs Brazil; 2 – 3 vs Sweden; 6 – 1 vs Russia | – | 24th place |
| 1998 (France) | Group stage | Group B (Italy, Chile, Austria) | 2 – 2 vs Italy; 1 – 2 vs Chile; 1 – 2 vs Austria | – | 24th place |
| 2002 (South Korea/Japan) | Group stage | Group E (Ireland, Croatia, Italy) | 0 – 1 vs Ireland; 0 – 2 vs Croatia; 0 – 2 vs Italy | – | 24th place |
| 2010 (South Africa) | Group stage | Group E (Netherlands, Japan, Denmark) | 0 – 2 vs Netherlands; 0 – 1 vs Japan; 1 – 1 vs Denmark | – | 24th place |
| 2014 (Brazil) | Group stage | Group A (Brazil, Mexico, Croatia) | 4 – 1 vs Brazil; 0 – 1 vs Mexico; 0 – 4 vs Croatia | – | 24th place |
Overall World Cup record (as of 2023)
- Appearances: 6
- Matches played: 20
- Wins: 4
- Draws: 4
- Losses: 12
- Goals for: 23*
- Goals against: 39*
*Figures are compiled from FIFA’s official match statistics for Cameroon’s World Cup fixtures.
Notable achievements
- 1990 quarter‑final appearance: Cameroon became the first African nation to reach the World Cup quarter‑finals, defeating the defending champions Argentina in the group stage and later losing narrowly to England after extra time.
- Historic victories: The 6 – 1 win over Russia in 1994 and the 4 – 1 victory against Brazil in 2014 are among the team’s most memorable World Cup results.
Qualification history
Cameroon has qualified for the World Cup through the CAF (Confederation of African Football) qualification process, frequently finishing among the top three African entrants. The team failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament in Russia and the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
Summary
Cameroon’s World Cup participation reflects a series of group‑stage outings punctuated by a landmark quarter‑final run in 1990. The nation remains one of Africa’s most regularly qualified teams, contributing to the continent’s growing presence on football’s premier international stage.
