From England’s 60 years to Korea’s barren run - the longest major-title droughts in international football | OneFootball

England's agonising wait for a major trophy goes on after defeat to Argentina at the 2026 World Cup. It's been 60 years since the Three Lions won their sole major tournament, making it one of the longest droughts in international football.

The international football teams on the longest trophy droughts

Sudan - 56 years

Sudan claimed the first and onlyAfrica Cup of Nations title as host nation in 1970.

Hasabu El-Sagheir scored the decisive goal in the 1-0 final win over Ghana, to secure Sudan's sole major tournament. Sudan, who have never qualified for the World Cup, have progressed out the group stage at AFCON just twice since.

England - 60 years

England are on the longest trophy drought of any European team to have won a major tournament. The Three Lions won theWorld Cup on home soil in 1966, where a Geoff Hurst hat-trick inspired a 4-2 win over West Germany.

Since then, England have lost three World Cup semi-finals and two European Championship finals, with four of those defeats having come since 2018. For a nation that prides itself as being one of the world's most reputable, the tangible success has been modest.

Israel - 62 years

A recurring theme on this list has been nations to have won one major tournament, achieved as host nation. Israel won the 1964 Asian Cup by beating South Korea in the final.

In the 1990s, Israeli club sides and the national team began competing in UEFA competitions, more than two decades after leaving Asia, due to political protests from other Asian nations.

Israel have never qualified for a European Championship or World Cup.

Ethiopia - 64 years

Ethiopia were a prominent part of the early Africa Cup of Nations. Across the first three tournaments, Ethiopia finished runners-up, third, and then champions in 1962.

After reaching at least the semi-finals in five of the first six editions, Ethiopia have qualified only four times since and have never progressed from the group stage.

South Korea - 66 years

South Korea hold the unwanted record for the longest major tournament drought. South Korea won back-to-back Asian Cup titles in 1956 and 1960, but have endured a wretched record since.

Across the last 66 years, South Korea have finished as runners-up on four occasions and reached the semi-finals a further four times. The Taegeuk Warriors did also reach the World Cup semi-finals during a memorable underdog run on home soil in 2002.