The expanded 2026 World Cup, being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, is only getting started, but with 104 matches and 48 teams, the tournament is already putting several historic records within reach. The article highlights the main milestones that could fall as the competition continues.
Lionel Messi is at the center of the record chase. His hat trick against Algeria lifted him to 16 World Cup goals, tying Germany’s Miroslav Klose atop the all-time scoring list. One more goal would make the 38-year-old Argentine the outright leader. If he scores in his next two matches, he would become the first player to score in seven straight World Cup games. He is also one win away from setting a new World Cup wins record, already leads in appearances with 27 matches and 2,394 minutes, and could break the assist record, now shared with Diego Maradona at eight. A further penalty would also make him the tournament’s all-time leader from the spot. If Argentina reaches the final and Messi scores, he would add to his record as the oldest scorer in a World Cup final, set at age 35 years and 177 days against France in Qatar.
Cristiano Ronaldo has already set one mark by becoming the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match, at 41 years and 132 days. He and Messi are the first players to appear in six World Cups. If Ronaldo scores in this tournament, he will become the first player to net in six different World Cups.
Kylian Mbappe already became France’s all-time leading scorer with 58 goals and has 14 World Cup goals, just two behind Messi and Klose. He also has eight knockout-stage goals, level with Ronaldo Nazario and Leonidas da Silva, and one more would give him the record alone. If he wins the Golden Boot again, he would be the first player to do it twice. Harry Kane tied Gary Lineker as England’s top World Cup scorer with 10 goals and can move ahead with one more. Erling Haaland became Norway’s first player to score a World Cup brace and matched his country’s all-time World Cup scoring record, while Didier Deschamps is one victory from matching the all-time World Cup coaching wins record and could also reach the record for most matches coached. In goal, Manuel Neuer and Thibaut Courtois are chasing the shutout record, each standing on seven clean sheets, three behind the leaders. The tournament is also on pace to break the all-time goal record of 172 set in Qatar, has already produced six red cards, and is approaching the 3,000th goal in World Cup history.
