The 2026 FIFA World Cup has delivered a historic wave of records, with Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and several nations rewriting football history during the group stage and Round of 32.
FIFA reported that the expanded tournament became the biggest World Cup ever, attracting a record 4.64 million spectators across 72 matches while averaging three goals per game.
Messi became the first player to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches, the tournament’s all-time leading scorer with 19 goals, and the oldest player to net a World Cup hat-trick. Ronaldo became Portugal’s all-time leading World Cup scorer and the only player to score in six World Cup editions.
Nine African teams reached the knockout stage, setting a new record, while Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón established the longest World Cup clean-sheet streak at 519 minutes.
Several countries also reached the knockout stage for the first time, highlighting the tournament’s expanded competitiveness.