2026 World Cup penalty conversion falls to lowest level in 60 years

At the 2026 men's World Cup, only 39 of 60 penalty kicks were scored, a 65 % success rate – the poorest conversion rate since the tournament’s records began in 1966. Defenders accounted for about 30 % of all attempts but missed at a rate roughly six percentage points lower than midfielders and forwards. Analysts point to heightened pressure, the influence of VAR interruptions and changing shooting techniques as factors behind the slump. High‑profile misses included Kylian Mbappé’s halted run‑up against Morocco and Lionel Messi’s two missed penalties, while several defenders such as Germany’s Jonathan Tah and Switzerland’s Manuel Akanji also failed their spot‑kick duties.