World Cup 2026 news: Five records that could be broken at the FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, the biggest festival in football, kicks off across the United States, Canada, and Mexico this week, and one thing is sure: old records will disappear, and new ones will emerge.
As the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaches, it will be one of the biggest tournaments in FIFA history.
This year's tournament structure has been revamped, with teams participating from 32 to 48, and the number of matches will automatically increase from 64 to 104.
This summer could bring the breaking of numerous records, from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo's last World Cup preparations to Kylian Mbappe breaking Miroslav Klose's record for goals scored.
Here, Sports News Blitz’s Varun Sarwate takes a look at five records that could be broken at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Players with the most FIFA World Cup appearances
Participating in five World Cups has long been regarded as one of the most uncommon accomplishments in sports.
Only five men's players - Antonio Carbajal, Lionel Messi, Rafael Marquez, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lothar Matthaus - have accomplished the feat.
But both Ronaldo and Messi might make history in 2026 by being the first men's players to participate in six World Cup competitions.
It would only take one appearance to make history.
However, both players have rewritten many records in the game of football.
Most total goals in the FIFA World Cup
In Qatar 2022, teams scored 172 goals in 64 games, setting the current record for the most goals scored during a World Cup.
With 40 more games in the World Cup 2026, that number seems very uncertain.
The sheer number of games might easily surpass 200 goals, even if scoring rates drop in comparison to previous competitions.
Teams are almost certain to set a new tournament scoring record unless they suddenly adopt an extremely defensive strategy.
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Top goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history
Miroslav Klose, who scored 16 goals in four World Cup competitions, has long held the men’s record.
Kylian Mbappé has 12 World Cup goals going into the competition, whereas Messi has 13.
Both stars have a genuine chance of surpassing the German legend's historic total, even if Klose's record is still hard to surpass.
Meanwhile, both Messi and Mbappe are in great form, and both of them faced each other in the last FIFA World Cup final.
Youngest player to win the Golden Ball
A 21-year-old Ronaldo Nazário holds the record since 1998, when he won the Best Player award at the tournament.
The top contender to break this record is Lamine Yamal, an 18-year-old sensation from Spain.
The Spaniard and other young players will be of age to beat the record when they arrive at the World Cup, but none will have the same impact as the Barca star.
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Most wins as a player in the FIFA World Cup
Klose now holds the record with 17 victories for Germany - and with 16 wins, Argentina star Messi is the front-runner.
Messi has the opportunity to surpass the German as early as the group stage, where Argentina will play Algeria, Austria, and Jordan, just one win away from the record.
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