The 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America runs from June 11 to July 19 and will be the first edition expanded from 32 to 48 teams, increasing the number of matches from 64 to 104. That larger slate of games creates significantly more opportunities for players, managers and nations to chase tournament marks, according to the source.
One managerial record in focus is most matches won at a World Cup. Helmut Schön’s haul with West Germany — 16 wins and 25 matches managed across the 1966–1974 tournaments — still stands, but France coach Didier Deschamps enters 2026 with 14 wins in 19 matches. Barring a shock early exit, Deschamps could surpass Schön and might even move closer to Vittorio Pozzo’s distinction of leading teams to two World Cup titles, according to the source.
The record for most total goals in a single World Cup also appears poised to fall. Qatar 2022 produced a tournament-high 172 goals across 64 matches, an average of 2.69 per game. With 104 matches on the 2026 schedule, even a conservative scoring rate would produce far more than the current record: matching the low 1990 average of 2.21 goals per game would yield roughly 230 total goals, while a repeat of Qatar’s 2.69 average would approach 280, according to the source.
Another mark likely to change involves player age. Since the first World Cup in 1930, only seven players aged 40 or older have appeared in the tournament. The 2026 edition could feature one of the oldest groups of veterans, with potential participants including Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (41), Germany’s Manuel Neuer (40), Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Edin Dzeko (40), Scotland’s Craig Gordon (43) and Croatia’s Luka Modric (40), according to the source.
The expanded format and added matches mean several long-standing records are vulnerable in 2026, while others may remain out of reach. The tournament’s larger footprint almost guarantees new statistical milestones, according to the source.
