The 2026 FIFA World Cup has officially become the highest-scoring tournament in the competition’s history, reaching the milestone during Thursday’s Group D showdown between the United States and Turkey in Inglewood, California.
It was an early goal by Auston Trusty that did it — his opener became the record-breaking 173rd goal of the tournament, topping the previous all-time high of 172 goals set during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Turkey then added two more goals in the first half, pushing the tournament’s running total to 175 goals by the end of that match.
What makes the record especially remarkable is when it happened: the milestone was reached in just the 59th match of the 2026 tournament. By contrast, Qatar 2022 needed all 64 of its matches to accumulate that previous record of 172 goals.
The 2026 World Cup features a significantly expanded format, with 104 total matches scheduled — 40 more than Qatar 2022 — after FIFA grew the field from 32 to 48 national teams.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino celebrated the achievement on Instagram, writing: “Surpassing the previous highest of 172 goals from Qatar underscores the excitement and attacking prowess that have already made the 2026 @fifaworldcup so unforgettable.”
