Brazil out as 2026 World Cup shatters goals and attendance records

Brazil were eliminated in the Round of 16, losing 2‑1 to Norway as Norway’s striker Erling Haaland scored both goals, ending Brazil’s 24‑year knockout‑stage winless streak against the Scandinavians. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, expanded to 48 teams, has already broken several historic benchmarks: 215 goals were scored in the group stage, surpassing the previous all‑time record of 172 set in Qatar 2022, and the total rose to 257 after the first knockout round. Stadium attendance topped 5 million spectators, eclipsing the 1994 record of 3.6 million. Individual milestones also emerged—Lionel Messi moved to the top of the all‑time World Cup scoring list with 20 goals, Kylian Mbappé leads the knockout‑stage goal chart with ten, and Cristiano Ronaldo tied the record for six World Cup appearances. FIFA’s analysis estimates the tournament’s carbon footprint at about 7.7 million tonnes of CO₂e, roughly double that of the 2022 edition, driven mainly by long‑distance fan travel. Recent matches have featured unusually long stoppage‑time periods, such as Portugal’s 90+18‑minute game against Croatia, reflecting new IFAB guidelines on added time. The competition continues with the Round of 16 fixtures, quarter‑finals and beyond scheduled across the United States, Canada and Mexico.