Quidditch World Cup

The Quidditch World Cup (also called the World Cup or World Championship) has been held every four years since 1473. The competition sees Quidditch teams representing countries around the world compete for the World Cup.

Format and Qualifying
The number of participating countries varies from tournament to tournament. Any country may enter a team within twelve months of the previous final.

Quidditch World Cup Qualifying
Sixteen separate groups of teams are formed. Each team plays all of the other teams in their group over a two year period. During the group phase there is a cap of four hours on every game to avoid player exhaustion. On the occasion that the game ends after four hours of play and the Snitch isn't caught, the result is decided on goals. A win earns two points. In addition to these two points a win by 150 points earns five points, by 100 points an extra three points and by 50 points an extra one point. If two teams are level on points, they are separated by whichever team captured the Snitch most often, or most quickly during their matches. The sixteen teams who have finished top of the sixteen groups qualify for the World Cup.

The Quidditch World Cup
The tournament proper is straight knockout. The sixteen qualified countries are ranked according to how many points they obtained in the qualifying groups. The team who won the most points play the team who earned the least, the team who earned the second most play the team who earned the second least, and so on. This theoretically allows the two best teams from the qualifying phase to meet in the final. For the 2014 Quidditch World Cup though, Nigeria and Norway were the top seeded teams and could face each other as early as the semi-finals.

1473
This was the first ever Quidditch World Cup. Only European teams participated. The final was contested between Flanders and Transylvania. During the match, all 700 known fouls were committed (and several new ones subsequently created), including the Transfiguration of a Chaser into a polecat, the attempted decapitation of a Keeper with a broadsword, and the release of a hundred vampire bats from underneath the robes of the Transylvanian Captain.

17th century
Non-European teams compete in the tournament for the first time.

1809
The ghastly climax of the 1809 final between Romania and New Spain (what is now known as Mexico) has gone down in wizarding history as the worst exhibition of temper ever given by an individual player. Niko Nenad’s teammates had become so concerned by his ferocious outbursts during the quarter- and semi-finals that they tried to persuade their manager to substitute him for the final, advice that was sadly ignored by the ambitious old wizard. After the game, Nenad’s teammate Ivan Popa (winner of an International Wizarding Order of Merit for his life-saving actions during the catastrophe) told an international inquiry, ‘over the preceding weeks we’d seen Niko beat himself over the head with his broom and set fire to his own feet in frustration. I’d personally stopped him strangling two referees. However, I had no suspicion about what he was planning to do if the final didn’t go our way. I mean, who’d suspect that? You’d have to be as mental as he was.’ Precisely when and how Nenad managed to jinx an entire forest on the edge of the West Siberian Plain is open to speculation, although he is thought to have had accomplices among unprincipled fans and was later proven to have paid local Dark wizards substantial sums. After two hours of play, Romania were behind on points and looking tired. It was then that Nenad deliberately hit a Bludger out of the stadium into the forest beyond the pitch. The effect was instantaneous and murderous. The trees sprang to life, wrenched their roots out of the ground and marched upon the stadium, flattening everything in their path, causing numerous injuries and several fatalities. What had been a Quidditch match turned swiftly into a human versus tree battle, which the wizards won only after seven hours’ hard fighting. Nenad was not prosecuted [since] he had been killed early on by a particularly violent spruce.

1878
The 1878 Cup was a restaging of the 1877 Cup (dubbed 'The Tournament That No One Remembers').

20th century
Argentina and Brazil reached the quarter finals.

c.1964
Britain hosted the World Cup.

1966
Australia won this tournament, with Chaser Royston Idlewind.

1974
Syria won this tournament over Madagascar. During the tournament, the crowd's Dissimulators became wands, breaking Royston Idlewind's new wand ban, who promptly resigned.

1986
The American National Quidditch team participated in the Quidditch World Cup. Maximus Brankovitch III was their captain and Seeker.

1990
The U.S.A. participated in this year's World Cup. Brankovitch III was their captain again. The final went on for five days, in which Scotland suffered a bitter defeat against Canada.

1994
The 422nd World Cup was organised by the International Quidditch Association. Its official sponsors were Butterbeer, Pumpkin juice, Gringotts Wizarding Bank and Nimbus 2001.

Ireland flattened Peru in the semi-finals to set up a meeting with Bulgaria. The Bulgarians had won the last twelve Eastern European Championship and had a "rock solid defence". Ireland were another defensively strong team, but they also managed to score as many points as nearly every team in the World Cup.

The British nations didn't fare well; England were beaten 390 to 10 by Transylvania, Scotland lost to Luxembourg, and Wales lost to Uganda.



The stadium built for the 422nd World Cup took a Ministry of Magic task force a year to construct, and could hold one hundred thousand spectators.

The 422nd Quidditch World Cup final was held on 22 August, 1994 in England, between Ireland and Bulgaria. Ludovic Bagman provided the match commentary. Ireland wore green robes with each player's name embroidered in silver on their back. They all flew Firebolt broomsticks and Leprechauns served as the team's mascots. Veela were Bulgaria's mascots and they played in robes of scarlet. Irish Chaser, Troy scored the first goal of the match. After another two Irish goals, Ivanova registered Bulgaria's opening score. Then Ireland's Seeker Aidan Lynch was fooled by Viktor Krum's Wronski Feint, but managed to continue play after the aid of some mediwizards. Fifteen minutes later Ireland had stretched their lead to 130-10, when their Chaser Mullet was fouled by the Bulgarian Keeper, Zograf, and was awarded a penalty. This led to anarchy, with another penalty being awarded to Ireland and referee Hassan Mostafa being distracted by the Veela. Quigley sent a Bludger towards Krum which broke his nose. Lynch then spotted the Snitch, but was beaten in the race for it by Krum. Despite this, Ireland still ran out the victors. The final score was 170-160. The Irish team performed a lap of honour before being presented with the Quidditch World Cup in the stadium's Top Box (Lynch had to be supported by Moran and Connolly).



Shortly after the final match at the World Cup, a riot broke out as Death Eaters began attacking the tents of wizards and witches as well as a Muggle family. They levitated, tormented, and humiliated Mr. and Mrs. Roberts. Various Ministry officials such as Arthur Weasley tried to help the Muggles.

In the chaos that erupted, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley ended up wandering in the woods, where they ran into Draco Malfoy. He taunted them over the fact that the Death Eaters would target a Muggle-born like Hermione if they found her. Also during this time, Barty Crouch Jr. managed to break out of his father's Imperius Curse, steal Harry's wand, and cast Morsmordre. When the Death Eaters spotted the Dark Mark in the sky, they fled, something Lord Voldemort scorned them for upon his return in the following year.

The results of the Cup were:
 * Transylvania defeated England, 390-10
 * Luxembourg defeated Scotland
 * Uganda defeated Wales
 * Semi-final: Ireland defeated Peru
 * Final: Ireland defeated Bulgaria, 170-160

1998


"YOU-KNOW-WHO CLAIMS ANOTHER VICTIM: QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP CANCELLED AMID DEATH THREATS."

- The Quibbler headline. During the Death Eater regime over Britain in 1997-1998, the Quidditch World Cup was reportedly cancelled. This resulted in a number of death threats directed to the British Ministry of Magic. After the Battle of Hogwarts, the de-corrupted Ministry (now led by Kingsley Shacklebolt) still managed to organise the World Cup, in which Malawi won over Senegal in the finals.

2002
Egypt won against Bulgaria when Rawya Zaghloul caught the Snitch right before Viktor Krum. It was such a loss that Viktor Krum then tearfully resigned.

2006
Burkina Faso won against France. The Burkinabé Seeker Joshua Sankara, became the Minister of Magic in his country for 2 days before he resigned to continue playing Quidditch.

2010
Moldova won against China. The match lasted 3 days, and contained some of the finest Quidditch ever seen.

2014
This tournament occurred in 2014. Viktor Krum went out of retirement to play in this Cup. During the openings, Nigeria and Norway became the highest-ranked teams. For the opening ceremony, the Argentinian Council of Magic planned it to be mascot-themed. Crowds cheered in the stadium on 12 April, 2014 as teams displayed their mascots with pride. Strangely, Norway brought a Selma instead of the usual troll. Norwegian manager Arnulf Moe explained this by saying that the Selma represented the "steely determination and ferocity of the Norwegian players".



The ceremony went well, with the Ivorian Genies dancing, until disaster struck. The Norwegian Selma and Fijian Dukuwaqa clashed in the small space of the lake. Handlers had to plunge into the waters to contain the mascots, but were hampered by the Brazilian Curupiras, who thought the handlers were harming the Selma and Dukuwaqa. With panic in the stadium and blood flowing both from humans and creatures, the Nigerian Sasabonsams grew crazed and joined the fray. Previous rumors of Haitian Inferi proved true, as they joined in to attack the stampede, devouring those who tripped. In the end, 300 casualties from shock, broken bones, and bites resulted from the disastrous opening ceremony. Although the Argentinian Council of Magic has been ashamed by the record number of injuries before the matches even started, one source of pride is the 10,000 Portkeys transported for the ceremony, another record.

On 13 April 2014, Norway played against Ivory Coast, winning 340 to 100. Ivory Coast seemed not up to their usual level, and were easily beaten in two hours by Norway. Norwegian Chaser Lars Lundekvam was twice the target of jinxes from wizards still angry about the disaster at the opening ceremony in the crowds, and the match had to be halted twice as security wizards tried to find out the source of the jinxes. Ivorian Chaser Elodie Dembélé scored 7 of Ivory Coast's 10 goals. In the end, Norwegian Seeker Sigrid Kristoffersen beat Sylvian Boigny to the Snitch in the 128th minute.

Winners

 * 1473 - Transylvania or Flanders
 * 1966 - Australian.png Australia
 * 1974 - Syria
 * 1990 - Canada
 * 1994 - Irelandcrest.JPG Ireland
 * 1998 - Malawi
 * 2002 - Egypt
 * 2006 - Burkina Faso
 * 2010 - Moldova

Behind the scenes

 * The cup was held every four years until the Tournament that Nobody Remembers, at which point it was held two years in a row because nobody recalled it. Then it was held every four years again from 1878 onwards.
 * The mathematics relating to the World Cup are contradictory, as if 1994 cup was the 422nd, the tournament should have begun in 310 rather than 1473, as it is a proud boast of the International Confederation of Wizards' Quidditch Committee that the competition has been held only every four years, not more or less, since 1473.
 * In chapter 3 of, Mrs Weasley mentions in her letter to Harry that "Britain hasn't hosted the Cup for thirty years"; thirty, however, is not a multiple of four, and so it could be assumed that she was simply rounding.
 * The Quidditch World Cup seems to corresponds to the Muggle Football World Cup, which takes place every four years, is hosted by a different nation at each occurrence, and has the best players from many countries participating in it. Furthermore, British nations frequently disappoint at this tournament, despite characteristic high hopes.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
 * Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup
 * Quidditch Through the Ages
 * Harry Potter Film Wizardry
 * Pottermore

Notes and references
Coupe du Monde de Quidditch Чемпионат мира по квиддичу