The 2026 FIFA World Cup is already making history before a ball has even been kicked. With three host countries, an expanded field of teams, more matches than ever before and unprecedented prize money, this edition is set to become the largest World Cup tournament ever staged.
For the first time, the competition will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Matches will be played across 16 cities, while the tournament expands from 32 nations to 48, resulting in a total of 104 matches.
FIFA believes the tournament could break the World Cup attendance record of 3.5 million spectators, established during the 1994 World Cup in the United States. However, recent reports of slower ticket sales have raised questions about whether that milestone will actually be surpassed.
As football fans prepare for another summer of global competition, here are some of the most notable World Cup records and statistics.
Most Successful Nation in World Cup History
⚽ Brazil – 5 Titles
Brazil remains the most decorated team in World Cup history, lifting the trophy in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002.
The South American giants are also the only country to have participated in every World Cup since the tournament began in 1930. They have reached seven finals and advanced to the semifinals 11 times.
Germany and Italy follow closely with four championships each. Germany still has an opportunity to add another title in 2026, while Italy failed to qualify for a third straight World Cup.
On the individual side, Pele stands alone with three World Cup triumphs (1958, 1962 and 1970), more than any other player in history. Brazilian legends Bellini, Castilho and Cafu also won multiple titles with the national team.
Most Goals Scored in World Cup History
⚽ Miroslav Klose – 16 Goals
Germany’s Miroslav Klose remains the all-time leading World Cup scorer with 16 goals across four tournaments.
Most Goals at a Single World Cup
⚽ Just Fontaine – 13 Goals
French striker Just Fontaine produced one of football’s greatest scoring performances by netting 13 goals in just six matches at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.
Other notable single-tournament scoring records include:
- Sandor Kocsis (Hungary, 1954) – 11 goals
- Gerd Muller (West Germany, 1970) – 10 goals
- Ademir (Brazil, 1950) – 9 goals
- Eusebio (Portugal, 1966) – 9 goals
- Guillermo Stabile (Argentina, 1930) – 8 goals
- Ronaldo (Brazil, 2002) – 8 goals
- Kylian Mbappe (France, 2022) – 8 goals
Youngest Player at the 2026 World Cup
⚽ Gilberto Mora (Mexico)
At 17 years and 240 days old on opening day, Mora enters the tournament as the youngest player in the competition.
The midfielder became Mexico’s youngest senior international in January 2025 at age 16 and had already made history in Mexico’s top division by becoming the youngest starter and scorer at just 15 years old.
A total of 22 players under the age of 20 are expected to participate.
Oldest Player at the 2026 World Cup
⚽ Craig Gordon (Scotland)
Goalkeeper Craig Gordon will be 43 years and 162 days old when the tournament begins.
Remarkably, this marks his first World Cup appearance despite earning his first international cap back in 2004.
The oldest player ever to appear at a World Cup remains Egypt’s Essam El Hadary, who played in 2018 at the age of 45.
Seven players at this tournament are aged 40 or older.
Among the veterans are:
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – 41 years, sixth World Cup
- Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico) – 40 years, sixth World Cup
- Manuel Neuer (Germany) – 40 years, fifth World Cup
- Luka Modric (Croatia) – 40 years, fifth World Cup
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 38 years, sixth World Cup
Nations Making Their World Cup Debut
⚽ Four Teams
Four countries will appear at the World Cup for the first time:
- Cape Verde
- Uzbekistan
- Jordan
- Curacao
This represents the largest group of debuting nations since eight teams made their first appearances at the 2006 tournament.
Overall, 891 players will be experiencing their first World Cup.
Richest Player at the Tournament
⚽ Cristiano Ronaldo – Estimated Net Worth: $1.4 Billion
According to Forbes, Ronaldo became football’s first billionaire and remains among the highest-paid athletes in the world thanks to sponsorship deals and his contract with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.
Most World Cup Matches Played
⚽ Lionel Messi – 26 Appearances
Messi currently holds the record for the most World Cup matches played, featuring in 26 games across five tournaments between 2006 and 2022.
The players closest to him are:
- Lothar Matthaus – 25 matches
- Miroslav Klose – 24 matches
- Paolo Maldini – 23 matches
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 22 matches
Youngest Squad by Average Age
⚽ Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast is expected to bring the youngest team to the tournament, with an average squad age of 25.48 years.
Oldest Squad by Average Age
⚽ Colombia
Colombia enters the competition with the oldest squad, averaging 29.98 years.
Teams With No Domestic-Based Players
⚽ Six Nations
The following countries selected squads made entirely of players competing abroad:
- Cabo Verde
- DR Congo
- Ivory Coast
- Curacao
- Senegal
- Uruguay
At the opposite end of the spectrum, Qatar and Saudi Arabia each selected 25 of their 26 players from domestic leagues.
Record Prize Money on Offer
⚽ $727 Million Total Prize Fund
FIFA confirmed a record-breaking prize pool of $727 million for the 2026 World Cup.
The eventual champions will receive $50 million, while every participating nation is guaranteed at least $10.5 million.
The figure represents a significant increase from the $440 million awarded at the 2022 World Cup, where Argentina collected $42 million after winning the title.
With more teams, more matches and more money than ever before, the 2026 World Cup is set to redefine the scale of football’s biggest tournament.
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