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The current FIFA World Cup has officially made history, and in spectacular fashion, even before the group stage has concluded. Thanks to a veritable goal-fest across North American pitches, a record 137 goals have already been scored in the 45 matches played so far. This means the current World Cup has become the highest-scoring group stage in history, shattering previous standards for offensive output in past editions of the tournament.
The previous record for most goals in a group stage was held by the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where 136 goals were scored across 48 matches. It's important to note that the current World Cup is being held under an entirely new format with more teams (48) and consequently many more matches on the schedule, making such a high number of goals entirely logical and expected as the tournament progresses.
Looking at the all-time statistics for the highest-scoring World Cups overall, the peak achievement is jointly held by France 1998, Brazil 2014, and Qatar 2022, where a total of 172 goals were scored across each entire tournament. Considering that dozens more matches are yet to be played in this year's edition, including the brand-new Round of 32 and subsequent knockout stages, the absolute record of 172 goals is only 35 strikes away. All indications suggest it will not just be surpassed, but literally smashed in the coming weeks.
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