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The 2026 FIFA World Cup is almost here, and the expanded format promises a tournament packed with potential new records and milestones.

Here’s a look at some of the notable records that could be broken during this summer’s global football spectacle.

Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup goal record faces a serious challenge this year. With more matches on the schedule than ever before, two players are within striking distance of his 16-goal benchmark. The German striker currently stands just three goals ahead of Lionel Messi, who will once again lead Argentina as they defend their title.

One goal behind Messi is Kylian Mbappe, who has netted 12 goals across his previous two World Cup appearances. At only 27 years old, it seems inevitable that Mbappe will overtake Klose’s long-standing total sooner rather than later.

In the 96-year history of the FIFA World Cup, no player has ever managed to top the scoring charts in more than one edition of the tournament. That remarkable statistic could change in 2026, as all three of the most recent Golden Boot winners are set to participate once again.

Kylian Mbappe, who led the scoring charts in 2022, will captain a strong French side considered one of the favourites to win. Meanwhile, Harry Kane enters the competition following a sensational 61-goal club season and will aim to secure his second World Cup Golden Boot after first achieving the feat in 2018.

Colombian forward James Rodriguez, now 34, will also feature in the tournament, returning after claiming the Golden Boot at the 2014 World Cup.

Debutants Curaçao are poised to make history as the smallest nation by both population and land area to ever compete at a FIFA World Cup.

The Caribbean island, home to fewer than 150,000 people, will surpass Iceland’s previous record for the smallest country to qualify for the tournament.

Football icons Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Guillermo Ochoa all have the chance to create history by appearing in their sixth World Cup — an unmatched achievement. The trio have been ever-present since making their debuts in the 2006 edition and are once again included in their national squads.

Remarkably, no coach has ever guided a foreign national team to a World Cup title. Only two foreign managers have reached the final in the tournament’s history, but that could change in 2026.

Several major teams will be led by non-native managers this time, including England under Thomas Tuchel, Brazil under Carlo Ancelotti, and Portugal under Roberto Martinez.

France’s Didier Deschamps is also closing in on Helmut Schön’s managerial record of 16 World Cup wins. Having steered France to victory in 2018 and to a runners-up finish in 2022, Deschamps currently boasts 14 wins at the tournament.

With 19 matches under his belt, Deschamps also has Schön’s record of 25 total World Cup games within his reach.

Curaçao will be guided by the vastly experienced Dick Advocaat, who led them through qualification. At 78 years old, Advocaat is set to become the oldest manager in World Cup history, surpassing Otto Rehhagel, who was 71 when he managed Greece’s 2010 campaign.