When all fans and football pundits were busy tracking superstars like Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane in the race for the Golden Boot, an unlikely contender has stolen the spotlight at the FIFA World Cup 2026, own goals.

Just ten days into the tournament, an astonishing eight own goals have already been recorded, putting the competition firmly on course to shatter previous World Cup records.

What was once considered a rare and unfortunate event has suddenly become one of the biggest talking points of the tournament.

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Back at the FIFA World Cup 2018, a record-breaking 12 own goals were scored across the entire competition. With the 2026 edition featuring an expanded 104-match format, there is now a very real possibility that record could be comfortably surpassed before the knockout rounds are even completed.

The latest addition to the list came during Spain's dominant victory over Saudi Arabia. Defender Hassan Al Tambakti endured a moment to forget when Marc Cucurella's powerful volley from a corner rebounded off the goalkeeper before striking the Saudi defender and ending up in the back of the net.

What's Behind The Rise In Own Goals?

One of the biggest reasons behind the surge in own goals has been the increasing pressure applied by attacking teams inside the penalty area. Defenders are being forced to make split-second decisions while facing relentless pressing, dangerous crosses and crowded penalty boxes.

Throughout FIFA World Cup 2026, even experienced defenders have struggled under pressure, leading to costly mistakes. Teams are increasingly using tactics that involve surrounding goalkeepers during set-pieces, limiting their ability to claim crosses comfortably. Once a goalkeeper is forced into a hurried punch or weak clearance, chaos often follows.

Another factor has been the quality of deliveries from wide areas. Modern full-backs and wingers are producing fast, low crosses and dangerous cutbacks that leave defenders with little room for error. In many cases, defenders attempting to clear the danger have only succeeded in diverting the ball into their own net.

This trend was evident when Egypt's Mohamed Hany unknowingly turned Belgium's equaliser into his own goal under immense pressure. Qatar defender Mohamed Manai suffered a similar fate against Canada after a panicked miskick, while Iraq's star striker Aymen Hussein unluckily redirected a cross beyond his own goalkeeper during their clash against Norway.

Which Matches Have Seen Own Goals?

Along with several closely contested encounters ending in draws, FIFA World Cup 2026 has also witnessed an extraordinary number of own goals across multiple groups. Here is the complete list so far:

Match

Own Goal (PLayer/Team)

United States vs Paraguay

Damián Bobadilla (Paraguay)

United States vs Australia

Cameron Burgess (Australia)

Switzerland vs Qatar

Miro Muheim (Switzerland)

Canada vs Qatar

Mohamed Manai (Qatar)

Belgium vs Egypt

Mohamed Hany (Egypt)

Norway vs Iraq

Aymen Hussein (Iraq)

Austria vs Jordan

Yazan Al-Arab (Jordan)

Spain vs Saudi Arabia

Hassan Al Tambakti (Saudi Arabia)

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Previous Own Goal Records In World Cups

The all-time World Cup record for own goals was set at the FIFA World Cup 2018, where 12 own goals were scored across the tournament.

The previous editions saw considerably fewer incidents, highlighting just how unusual the recent surge has been.

Tournament Edition

Total Own Goals

2026 United States/Mexico/Canada 

8*

2022 Qatar

2

2018 Russia

12

2014 Brazil

5

2010 South Africa

2

2006 Germany

4

2002 South Korea/Japan

2

1998 France

6

1994 United States

1

1990 Italy

0

1986 Mexico

2

1982 Spain

1

1978 Argentina

2

1974 West Germany

3

1970 Mexico

1

1966 England

2

1962 Chile

0

1958 Sweden

0

1954 Switzerland

4

1950 Brazil

0

1938 France

2

1934 Italy

0

1930 Uruguay

1

With eight own goals already recorded and more than 80 matches still left to be played, FIFA World Cup 2026 is firmly on track to rewrite the record books.

Unless defenders find a way to cope with the relentless pressure, own goals may continue to be one of the tournament's most unexpected highlights.