Historic Milestones at the Expanded 2026 World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has already produced a series of historic milestones, with players, teams, coaches and goalkeepers rewriting the tournament’s record books.
The expanded competition has seen established stars, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane, further cement their places in football history with record‑breaking performances.
According to a report released by FIFA after the group stage, the tournament had already become the biggest in World Cup history, attracting a record 4.64 million spectators across 72 matches.
The competition also averaged three goals per game during the period.
Key Records Set So Far
The milestones underline the historic nature of the expanded 2026 World Cup, which has produced record attendances, goals and unprecedented achievements for countries from Africa, Asia and the CONCACAF region.
With the knockout rounds continuing, more records could yet tumble as Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé, Kane and other stars continue their pursuit of football’s biggest prize.
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