The 2026 FIFA World Cup has already set the record for being the grandest tournament ever, with most host countries, most matches in attendance and organizers claiming record attendance numbers.
For the first time ever, Canada, Mexico and the United States will host a global show across 16 cities, featuring 104 matches. This tournament features an expanded format of 48 teams, up from the previous 32 teams.
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FIFA has repeatedly insisted that the “record of 3.5 million cumulative attendance” set at the 1994 World Cup, also held in the United States, is likely to be surpassed during this year’s tournament, but slow ticket sales suggest otherwise.
As fans wait for the tournament to write a new chapter in history, Al Jazeera Sports presents the key statistics from the World Cup over the years.
Who has won the most titles?
⚽️ Brazil (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
Brazil has dominated the World Cup with five wins and is the only team to have appeared in every edition of the tournament since 1930. In total, Canarinhas has appeared in seven finals and 11 semi-finals.
Germany and Italy are tied with four titles each, with only the former having a chance of winning another this year as the Azzurri missed out on a third straight World Cup.
On an individual level, none other than Brazilian legend Pele holds the record for most World Cup wins (1958, 1962, 1970). Teammates Bellini and Castillo took part in the 1958 and 1962 tournaments, while Cafu helped Brazil win trophies in 1994 and 2002.
Who has scored the most goals in the World Cup so far?
⚽️ Miroslav Klose (16 goals)
The German has a unique record of 16 goals in 24 games in four World Cups.
Other notable names on the list include:
Ronaldo (Brazil) – 15 goals in 19 games in 4 World Cups Gerd Muller (West Germany) – 14 goals in 13 games in 2 World Cups Juste Fontaine (France) – 13 goals in 6 games in 1 World Cup Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 13 goals in 26 games in 5 World Cups Kylian Mbappé (France) – 12 goals in 14 games in 2 World Cups Pele (Brazil) – 12 goals in 14 games in 4 World Cups
Which player has scored the most goals in a single World Cup?
⚽️ Just Fontaine (13 goals)
The Frenchman scored a whopping 13 goals in six games at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.
Other top scorers include:
Sándor Kocsis (Hungary), 1954 World Cup – 11 goals Gerd Muller (West Germany), 1970 World Cup – 10 goals Ademir (Brazil), 1950 World Cup – 9 goals Eusebio (Portugal), 1966 World Cup – 9 goals Guillermo Stabile (Argentina), 1930 World Cup – 8 goals Ronaldo (Brazil), 2002 World Cup – 8 goals Kylian Mbappé (France), 2022 World Cup – 8 goals
Who will be the youngest player at the 2026 World Cup?
⚽️ Gilberto Mora (17 years and 240 days old at tournament opener on June 11th)
In January 2025, Mora made his senior international debut as the youngest player to represent Mexico at the age of 16. In August 2024, he became the youngest player to start and score in the Mexican First Division at the age of 15.
This tournament will feature 22 players under the age of 20.
Who will be the oldest player at the 2026 World Cup?
⚽️ Craig Gordon (43 years and 162 days old in tournament opener June 11)
This will be Gordon’s first World Cup debut since his first international cap in 2004. The all-time record is still held by Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, who was 45 years old when he played in the 2018 World Cup.
A total of seven players are over 40 years old.
Other veteran players include:
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), 41 years old – 6th World Cup appearance Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico), 40 years old – 6th World Cup appearance Manuel Neuer (Germany), 40 years old – 5th World Cup appearance Luka Modric (Croatia), 40 years old – 5th World Cup appearance Lionel Messi (Argentina), 38 years old – 6th World Cup appearance
How many teams will debut?
⚽️ 4 (Cape Verde, Uzbekistan, Jordan, Curacao)
This marks the highest number of teams to qualify for the World Cup since 2006, when eight teams debuted.
A total of 891 players will take part in their first World Cup.
Which player has the highest net worth?
⚽️Cristiano Ronaldo ($1.4 billion)
Ronaldo becomes the first billionaire soccer player with a net worth of $1.4 billion, according to Forbes magazine, and his brand endorsements and lucrative contract with Saudi club Al Nasr keep him consistently on the list of the world’s highest-paid athletes.
Who is the player who has played in the most World Cups?
⚽️ Lionel Messi (26 matches)
The Argentine icon played 26 matches in five tournaments (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022).
Just below him are Germany’s Lothar Matthaus and Klose, who have played 25 and 24 games respectively. Italy’s Paolo Maldini has played 23 World Cup matches, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with 22.
Which team is the youngest in terms of average age?
⚽️ Ivory Coast will be the youngest team with an average age of 25.48 years.
Which team is the oldest in terms of average age?
⚽️Colombia. The average age was 29.98 years.
What is the minimum number of domestically based players in a team?
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⚽️ Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Curaçao, Senegal, and Uruguay have called up all teams from overseas leagues.
In contrast, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have 25 of their 26 players competing domestically.
What is the top prize at the World Cup?
In December, FIFA announced a record total prize pool of $727 million for the World Cup, with the winner receiving $50 million and each team receiving at least $10.5 million. This is a significant increase from the previous tournament’s total prize money of $440 million, when Argentina won $42 million along with the champion’s trophy.
What is the minimum country to qualify?
⚽️Curaçao (158,000 people)
First-timers Curaçao will be the smallest country to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, and the smallest country in history to qualify.
How many countries are represented?
⚽️71
The global nature of soccer is on full display with 71 nationalities.
35, UEFA 14, AFC 8, CONMEBOL 7, CONCACAF 6, CAF 1, OFC
Which club has participated in the most World Cups?
⚽️Manchester City (19 people)
Premier League clubs lead the list, followed by:
FC Bayern (18 players) Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal (16 players each) FC Barcelona (15 players) Manchester United, Crystal Palace, Atletico Madrid, Al Hilal (12 players each)
The FIFA World Cup begins on June 11th. Check out Al Jazeera’s dedicated 2026 World Cup page for all the latest news, fixtures and live text commentary, and stay up to date with group standings, real-time results and schedules.
