Qatar 2022 has already seen some big wins with England beating Iran 6-2 and Spain hitting Costa Rica 7-0. But what World Cups had the most goals scored over all 21 tournaments?
FIFA is holding the 22nd edition of its quadrennial tournament in Qatar this winter. As well as being the first edition not to be held during the summer, it is also the first in the Middle East. Additionally, it is the last with 32 teams competing ahead of the limit rising to 48 from 2026.
The 2026 World Cup in the United States of America, Mexico and Canada should usher in a new record for the most goals scored in one tournament. But after a prolific start to Qatar 2022, the record could fall this winter having come close at the Russia World Cup in 2018.
1. France 1998 and Brazil 2014 returned the most goals scored at one World Cup
France 1998 and Brazil 2014 returned the most goals scored across one edition of the FIFA World Cup. On both occasions, 32 teams competed over 64 games and saw a total of 171 goals. Germany won their fourth title in 2014 as the top scorers with 18 goals in seven ties.
Only five teams scored 10 or more goals in 2014 with Germany (18), the Netherlands (15), Colombia (12), Brazil (11) and France (10). Just five sides also scored 10 or more in 1998 in hosts and winners France (15), Brazil (14), the Dutch (13), Croatia (11) and Argentina (10).
France 1998 was also the first World Cup to feature 32 teams and 64 games. It could now retain the co-record with Brazil 2014 for the most goals at one tournament with 64 games if Qatar 2022 does not return more than 171 goals across the 64 games that will be played.
3. Russia 2018 came within two goals of matching the World Cup record
The 2018 World Cup in Russia came within two goals of matching the record from France 1998 and Brazil 2014. Across the 64 games played four years ago, the 32 teams combined for 169 goals. France won their second title to date having hit the back of the net 14 times.
Runners-up Croatia also scored 14 goals in 2018 but third-place finishers Belgium were the top scorers with 16. Only England (12) and Russia (11) also registered double-digit tallies.
4. Japan and South Korea 2002 had 161 goals at the first edition held in Asia
FIFA took its World Cup to Asia for the first time in 2002 as Japan and South Korea became the first nations to co-host the event. That summer would include 161 goals across 64 ties. Brazil won the most recent of their record five titles after beating Germany 2-0 in the final.
No nation scored more goals in 2002 than Brazil, either, as the Selecao slotted home 18 in seven games. Germany finished as runners-up and with the second-most goals after hitting 14. Only Turkey, who finished in third, and quarter-finalists Spain (10) also hit 10 or more.
5. Germany 2006 featured 147 goals as Italy won their fourth title to date
Germany 2006 featured 147 goals for an average of 2.3 per match across the 64 games to be played. Die Mannschaft would also end the tournament as the top scorers as the hosts hit 14 goals. But Germany finished in just third as Italy beat France in the final on penalties.
France went within a couple of missed Azzurri penalties from winning the title despite only scoring nine goals. Italy (12) plus quarter-finalists Argentina (11) and Brazil (10) outscored Les Bleus. Spain, who lost 3-1 to France in the Round of 16, also scored nine goals in 2006.
6. Spain 1982 set the goal record at the time with 146 across 52 games
Spain 1982 set the record for the most goals scored during one World Cup at the time with 146. As the tournament also only featured 24 teams from six FIFA confederations, the total averaged at 2.81 goals per fixture. France were the top-scorers with 16 yet finished fourth.
Italy won the third of their four titles at Spain 1982 with 12 goals scored, the same total as runners-up West Germany. Yet Brazil scored 15 goals, while Poland fired home 11 to finish third. Hungary hit 12 despite crashing out in the first round after beating El Salvador 10-1.
7. South Africa 2010 only featured 145 goals over the 64 games played
South Africa 2010 returned the fewest goals yet from the World Cups to have 32 sides and 64 games. When FIFA took its tournament to the African continent for the first time, it saw 145 goals 12 years ago. Qatar 2022 will hope to avoid a repeat before the rise to 48 teams.
Spain also won their maiden – and so far only title – in 2010 despite scoring just eight goals in seven ties. La Roja topped Group H after losing 1-0 to Switzerland and beating Honduras 2-0 and Chile 2-1. Spain edged Portugal, Paraguay, Germany and the Netherlands all 1-0.
Germany, on the other hand, were the top scorers with 16 goals yet finished third after La Roja’s semi-final win. The Netherlands also made the final with 12 goals, ahead of Uruguay on 11 goals and Argentina with 10. Only Spain could stop the Dutch from scoring any goals.
8. USA 1994 featured 141 goals at the last World Cup with 24 teams and 52 games
FIFA saw 141 goals scored across 52 games at USA 1994 during the last World Cup with 24 teams. The nations from five confederations produced enough efforts to average 2.71 per tie. Bulgaria’s Hristo Stoichkov and Russia’s Oleg Salenko shared the Golden Boot with six.
Sweden finished with the bronze spoon on their trip across the pond 28 years ago as the top scorers with 15. Brazil would win the fourth of their five titles to date having scored 11 goals. While defeated finalists Italy only found the back of the net eight times in seven ties.
Thanks heavily to Stoichkov’s goals, Bulgaria finished fourth and had the third-best offence with 10. Romania and Spain also found the net 10 times over their five games respectively.
Despite Salenko’s haul of six, Russia only scored seven and crashed out in the group stage. The former Dynamo Kyiv and Rangers forward hit five goals in a 6-1 win against Cameroon.
9. Switzerland 1954 set the World Cup record at the time with 140 goals scored
Switzerland 1954 set the record for the most goals scored at one World Cup at the time at 140. It marked a huge increase on the previous four editions of the FIFA tournament since its conception in 1930. The previous high was just 88 set at Brazil 1950 after World War II.
The 140 goals scored at the 1954 World Cup also remained the record for the most in one edition with 16 or fewer teams. Only 13 nations competed in 1930 and 1950, while just 15 played in 1938. FIFA did not increase the limit for another six editions to 24 teams in 1982.
The free-scoring nature of Switzerland 1954 returned an average of 5.3 goals a game over 26 matches. Hungary topped the scoring charts with 27 from five games but lost 3-2 in the final to West Germany. Die Mannschaft were the second-best scorers with 25 in six games.
West Germany needed a play-off with Turkey, which they won 7-2, to make the knockout stages from Group 2 with Hungary. Defeated semi-finalists Austria (17) and Uruguay (16) were the next-best scorers. Switzerland (11) and Turkey (10) also achieved double digits.
10. Mexico 1986 saw just 132 goals as Argentina won their most recent title
Since FIFA increased the limit of teams competing to 24 for Spain 1982 and then 32 teams from France 1998, only the 1986 Mexico World Cup (132), 1990 tournament in Italy (115), USA 1994 (141) and South Africa 2010 (145) have featured fewer than 146 goals to date.
Argentina won the second of their two titles so far in Mexico having scored 14 goals across seven games. No team outscored La Albiceleste that summer as runners-up West Germany hit just eight. Defeated semi-finalists France and Belgium both scored 12 across seven ties.
The Soviet Union (12) and Denmark (10) also struck double digits despite crashing out after the Round of 16. While Spain (11) and Brazil (10) achieved double digits but they could not go beyond the quarter-finals. Golden Boot winner Gary Lineker had six of England’s seven.
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