The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to be an exhilarating encounter, with a notable 25% increase in goals compared to the last tournament. (AP photo)
The ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup has turned into an absolute goal fest, offering global football fans the chance to score historic goals. The tournament witnesses a staggering 25 percent increase in the number of goals compared to the same period in the previous edition, making it one of the highest scoring performances in football history.121 goals were scored in the first 40 matches, an average of three goals per match. Experts point to three unique factors behind this rush for goals: a highly advanced official ball designed with deep seams for more speed, longer matches due to stoppage time related to newly introduced dampening, and an expanded 48-team field that has widened the competitive talent gap.
“This ball is as fast as a cannonball. If you kick it correctly, it will be very difficult to save it,” noted Austria coach Ralf Rangnick.
The English Premier League rules the roost
More than half of the tournament’s total goals have come from stars playing in the top flight in England, Germany and Spain, with the Premier League leading with 28 goals. England’s dominance was perfectly highlighted during the Netherlands’ 5-1 win over Sweden, with all six goals converted by players who competed in the Premier League during the 2025-26 season.Arsenal and Brazil winger Gabriel Martinelli said: “I think the English Premier League is more intense than the current World Cup, but it is still a beautiful tournament with high-quality matches.”
Ranking of Madrid, Liverpool and Messi
At the club level, European giants Real Madrid and Liverpool occupy first place, along with Inter Miami, a competitor in the American Football League. Real Madrid stars scored six times, thanks to a Kylian Mbappe hat-trick, a Vinicius Junior double, and a shot from Jude Bellingham.Liverpool tied for the top of the league with six goals, thanks to the Dutch trio Cody Jacobo, Virgil van Dijk, Egyptian Mohamed Salah, and Swedish Alexander Isak. Meanwhile, Inter Miami’s high ranking rests solely on the shoulders of Lionel Messi, who followed up a hat-trick in the opener against Algeria with another crucial brace against Austria on Monday.With only three goalless draws recorded so far, the tournament is comfortably on pace to break the all-time record of 172 goals set at Qatar 2022.