FIFA World Cup 2026 becomes highest-scoring edition in history, surpassing Qatar 2022’s record

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is barely past the group stage and is already the highest-scoring edition in the history of the tournament. The ongoing edition of soccer’s biggest event broke records on Thursday, June 25, during the United States’ Group D final against Turkey, when defender Auston Trusty scored the 173rd goal of the competition to surpass the previous record of 172 goals set at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

And the goals didn’t stop there. Turkey and the United States combined for another four strikes in a dramatic match that ended in a 3-2 win for the Turkish side, taking the tournament total to 177 goals, with the group stage still not quite complete.

What makes the number stand out is the speed with which it arrived. The previous record of 172 goals required the completion of all 64 World Cup matches in Qatar. The 2026 FIFA World Cup only surpassed this mark in its 59th match – in the group stage.

Of course it depends on the context. This edition is the first under FIFA’s expanded 48-team format and will feature a total of 104 matches – 40 more than the previous structure. More plays naturally create more scoring opportunities.

Still, even with the expansion, the tournament has a noticeable attacking flavor, with several traditional heavyweights relying on aggressive football and elite forwards delivering consistently.

LIONEL MESSI NEXT TO THE TABLE

Leading the race for the Golden Boot is Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who already has five goals to his name and has re-emerged on football’s biggest stage. Messi scored his first ever World Cup hat-trick against Riyad Mahrez’s Algeria. Photo: Reuters

Close behind are Norway’s Erling Haaland, France’s Kylian Mbappe and Brazil’s Vinicius Junior, all sitting on four goals after strong starts to the tournament.

Even Cristiano Ronaldo, who entered the competition under scrutiny due to his placement in Portugal’s set-up, scored two goals and still has the final group stage game to play.

Attacking quality has become one of the defining themes of the tournament so far.

Reacting to the milestone, FIFA President Gianni Infantino celebrated the achievement on social media.

“Becoming Qatar’s all-time high of 172 goals underlines the excitement and attacking prowess that make the 2026 FIFA World Cup so memorable,” Infantino wrote.

With the knockouts yet to begin and almost half of the tournament remaining, the final scoring could end up setting a benchmark that he may struggle to match in future editions.

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Issued by:

Kingshuk Kusari

Published on:

June 26, 2026 10:07 AM IST