With the 2026 FIFA World Cup now officially underway across the United States, Canada and Mexico, football fans could witness history on multiple fronts as players and nations chase some of the sport’s most enduring records.
According to data compiled by ActionNetwork.com, a number of World Cup records could be tied, broken or extended during the tournament, with global stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo among those poised to rewrite the record books.
From Argentina’s bid to become only the third nation to successfully defend a World Cup title, to Cristiano Ronaldo’s pursuit of a goal in a sixth World Cup edition, the tournament presents several opportunities for historic achievements. France could reach a third consecutive World Cup final, while Kylian Mbappé could become the first player ever to score in three World Cup finals.
Here are some of the most interesting records that could potentially be broken during the 2026 FIFA World Cup:
Records that could be broken by Players:
Among the most notable individual milestones is the possibility of Messi or France’s Kylian Mbappé challenging the all-time World Cup scoring record. Germany’s Miroslav Klose currently holds the mark with 16 goals, while Messi has scored 13 and Mbappé 12.
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Cristiano Ronaldo could also achieve a historic first by becoming the first player to score in six different World Cup editions. The Portuguese star is already the only player to have scored in five editions, having found the net in every tournament since 2006.
Both Ronaldo and Messi are set to become the first players ever to appear in six World Cup editions, having featured in every tournament since Germany 2006. Messi is also expected to extend several records he already holds, including the most World Cup matches played (26), most minutes played (2,314), and most matches played as captain (19).
The Argentine captain could further strengthen his legacy in the assists category. Having recorded assists in each World Cup since 2006, Messi currently has eight career World Cup assists and could challenge records held by Brazil’s Pelé and Germany’s Fritz Walter, depending on the methodology used.
Meanwhile, Mbappé could potentially hold a unique place in football history by becoming the first player to score in three World Cup finals. The French forward scored in both the 2018 and 2022 finals and would become the first player to score in three separate and consecutive finals if he scores again in 2026.
Records that could be broken by Nations:
On the international stage, defending champions Argentina have the opportunity to join an exclusive club. Following their triumph in Qatar in 2022, Argentina could become only the third nation to win consecutive World Cup titles and the first to do so in 64 years. Only Italy (1934 and 1938) and Brazil (1958 and 1962) have previously achieved the feat.
Brazil, the most successful nation in World Cup history with five titles, could extend its record with a sixth championship. Germany, however, could tie that total if it lifts the trophy in 2026.
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France is also chasing a rare achievement. After winning the World Cup in 2018 and finishing as runners-up in 2022, Les Bleus could become only the third nation to reach three consecutive World Cup finals, joining Germany and Brazil.
Several long-standing national records could also fall. England or Uruguay could surpass Italy’s record for the longest gap between successive World Cup titles. Italy waited 44 years between its 1938 and 1982 triumphs, while England’s drought stands at 60 years since 1966 and Uruguay’s at 76 years since 1950.
There is also a possibility of a host nation winning the World Cup for the first time in 28 years. With hosting duties shared among Mexico, Canada and the United States, any one of the three could become the first host champion since France won the tournament on home soil in 1998.