June 18, 2026
Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio shows a red card to South Africa’s midfielder #11 Themba Zwane during the 2026 World Cup Group A football match between Mexico and South Africa at the Mexico City Stadium in Mexico City on June 11, 2026. (Photo by Yuri CORTEZ / AFP)
The opening round of matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered far more than goals and upsets, it gave football fans breathtaking and exciting action to delight in.
As the first World Cup featuring 48 teams, the tournament has already rewritten parts of football history, with several players and nations setting new records or reaching significant milestones during the first set of group-stage fixtures.
From Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo extending their legendary World Cup legacies to Kylian Mbappe becoming France’s all-time leading scorer and Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha making history at 40, here is a list of the major records broken during Round 1 of the 2026 World Cup.
