Strikers hit form as 2026 World Cup tops 2014 for goals per game

Strikers hit form as 2026 World Cup tops 2014 for goals per game The 2026 FIFA World Cup looks like a strong contender to be remembered as one of the best of all time. A survey published by the newspaper O Globo reveals that the current edition has already surpassed the 2014 World Cup in average goals scored in the first round. The data shows that, across the 24 matches of the first round in 2026, the ball hit the back of the net 75 times. An average of 3.1 goals per game. In addition to setting a new record for the absolute number of goals in an opening round, this is the highest rate recorded since the 1958 World Cup — the first tournament of its kind to use a group-stage format similar to the current standard. So far, only the World Cup in Brazil had managed to break the three-goal average barrier in its opening round, with a rate of 3.06 (49 goals in 16 matches). To find a World Cup start as lethal as 2026’s, you have to go all the way back to 1958, the year Brazil won its first world title. On that occasion, the average reached an extraordinary 3.6 goals per match (29 goals in just 8 games). According to the survey, that number was boosted by high-scoring clashes, such as France’s 7-3 rout of Paraguay, a match that featured a hat-trick by the legendary striker Just Fontaine. History: Average goals in the opening rounds Check below the evolution of the statistics in the opening rounds of the World Cups, according to data compiled by O Globo: 2026: 75 goals in 24 matches (Average of 3.1) 2022: 41 goals in 16 matches (Average of 2.5) 2018: 38 goals in 16 matches (Average of 2.3) 2014: 49 goals in 16 matches (Average of 3.06) 2010: 25 goals in 16 matches (Average of 1.56) 2006: 39 goals in 16 matches (Average of 2.4) 2002: 42 goals in 16 matches (Average of 2.6) 1998: 37 goals in 16 matches (Average of 2.3) 1994: 30 goals in 12 matches (Average of 2.5) 1990: 27 goals in 12 matches (Average of 2.25) 1986: 24 goals in 12 matches (Average of 2.0) 1982: 34 goals in 12 matches (Average of 2.8) 1978: 22 goals in 8 matches (Average of 2.75) 1974: 17 goals in 8 matches (Average of 2.1) 1970: 20 goals in 8 matches (Average of 2.5) 1966: 21 goals in 8 matches (Average of 2.6) 1962: 16 goals in 8 matches (Average of 2.0) 1958: 29 goals in 8 matches (Average of 3.6) This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.