The record fell during the United States’ Group D clash with Turkey, when Auston Trusty’s early strike became the tournament’s 173rd goal, eclipsing the previous mark of 172 set at Qatar 2022.
What makes the achievement even more striking is the speed at which it arrived – the 2026 record was broken in just the 59th match, while the 2022 tally of 172 took the full 64 matches to accumulate.
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The numbers tell the story of football’s steady rise in attacking output across the decades. The very first World Cup in 1930 produced 70 goals, a tally matched again in 1934.
📊 Number of goals scored at each FIFA Men’s World Cup:
1930 – 70
1934 – 70
1938 – 84
1950 – 88
1954 – 140
1958 – 126
1962 – 89
1966 – 89
1970 – 95
1974 – 97
1978 – 102
1982 – 146
1986 – 132
1990 – 115
1994 – 141
1998 – 171
2002 – 161
2006 – 147
2010 – 145
2014 – 171
2018 – 169… pic.twitter.com/ceiwEyUc7z— Squawka (@Squawka) June 26, 2026
The 1954 tournament in Switzerland produced a then-extraordinary 140 goals, before 1958 and 1982 pushed the totals to 126 and 146 respectively. The modern era saw 1998 reach 171, with 2014, 2018 and 2022 all hovering between 169 and 172.
With 45 matches still to be played in the expanded 48-team format, the 2026 tournament is on course to finish well clear of any previous edition. FIFA president Gianni Infantino welcomed the milestone, saying it underscored the excitement and attacking quality on display throughout the competition.
The record, once thought untouchable after Qatar, has been broken with weeks of football still to come.
Photo: REUTERS/Claudia Greco
