Goals are being scored at a record pace at the World Cup. The ball is one reason for the surge
FIFA says deep seams and added grip are helping shots travel faster as 121 goals were scored in the first 40 matches.
- The World Cup has produced nearly 25% more scoring than the previous tournament, with 121 goals in the first 40 games, prompting scrutiny of FIFA's new ball design featuring deep seams for "optimal in-flight stability."
- Tournament expansion to 48 teams creates a bigger talent gap, while increased stoppage time for hydration breaks allows more scoring opportunities and extends match duration.
- The English Premier League leads with 28 goals, while Real Madrid, Inter Miami, and Liverpool are the clubs whose players produced the most scoring output across all competitions.
- Lionel Messi of Inter Miami recorded a hat trick in Argentina's opening match and two additional goals on Monday, driving Major League Soccer's eight-goal contribution to the tournament.
- With 121 goals recorded early, the World Cup is on pace to shatter the 172-goal record from Qatar in 2022, marking a historic scoring trajectory for the expanded tournament.
17 Articles
17 Articles
NBC Dallas-Fort Worth
NBC New York'Fast as a cannonball': Goals are being scored at a record pace at the World Cup
It’s been goals galore so far at the World Cup. The tournament has been one of the highest-scoring in history so far and produced nearly 25% more scoring than the same span of games in the previous World Cup. One reason for the increase in scoring might be the ball that FIFA is using for this tournament. FIFA says the ball has been designed with deep seams to produce “optimal in-flight stability,” and players and coaches say it has been rocketin…
Associated Press News
Goals are being scored at a record pace at the World Cup. The ball is one reason for the surge
It’s been goals galore so far at the World Cup. The tournament in the U.S., Mexico and Canada has been one of the highest-scoring in history.
The tournament records an unprecedented effectiveness with 121 scores in 40 games, driven by the technological design of the ball, the expansion of the pitches and the new rules of play. Read more
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