World Cup 2026 statistics: UEFA qualification in numbers
The 2026 World Cup is approaching quickly, and the European qualification campaign has produced a series of historic moments, remarkable statistics and new milestones. This article provides a structured overview of the key events from the UEFA qualification phase, including records, unusual match developments and standout individual performances that secured players a place in football history.
226
226 marked an exceptional moment in Cristiano Ronaldo’s career, as his record number of international appearances included his first-ever sending-off. In the penultimate qualifier against Ireland, an off-the-ball incident led to a red card, after which Portugal suffered a 2–0 defeat. This event became a defining moment in the wider qualification campaign for the World Cup.
94
94 illustrated how unexpected results continue to play a role in UEFA qualification. Malta, ranked 166th in the FIFA world rankings at the time, achieved a surprising win over Finland, which was placed 94 spots higher. It marked the largest ranking gap for a winning team since Andorra’s upset against Hungary in the Russia 2018 preliminaries.
60
60 percent of Albania’s five conceded goals were scored by Harry Kane, who proved decisive in two 2–0 defeats. Despite these setbacks, Albania remained defensively disciplined and secured second place in Group K, earning a first-ever appearance in the UEFA Play-off competition. The low number of goals conceded highlighted the team’s efficiency during qualification.
50
50 international goals in fewer than 50 caps became a milestone for Erling Haaland, achieved through a hat-trick against Israel. He finished the qualification phase with 16 goals, equalling Robert Lewandowski’s record from the Russia 2018 qualifiers. His career total of 55 goals in 48 appearances underscored his exceptional impact on the journey to the 2026 World Cup.
48
48 years had passed since the last European player scored in every qualifier for his team. Haaland broke this long-standing pattern by scoring in each match and became the only player to achieve this in more than six games. The previous player to do so was Tomas Sjoberg ahead of the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.
41
41 goals in 52 qualifiers set a new record for Cristiano Ronaldo. He equalled Carlos Ruiz with his 39th goal against Hungary before taking the outright lead with two additional goals in the return match. His consistent scoring continued to define the European qualification campaign.
39
39 unbeaten qualification matches extended England’s historic run. With eight consecutive victories, the team maintained a dominant streak dating back to October 2009. Belgium also extended its own run to 36 unbeaten matches during the same UEFA qualification cycle.
32
32 years had passed since San Marino last held a lead in a qualification match. A rare early goal by Nicolas Giacopetti against Romania gave them a brief advantage of 11 minutes before an own goal shifted the match. The game ended in a 7–1 defeat.
28
28 years of waiting ended for Austria, Norway and Scotland, as all three secured qualification by winning Groups C, H and I. Their last World Cup appearance had been at France 1998.
22
22 consecutive World Cup finalists will once again appear at the following tournament, with France securing qualification and Argentina already through. The last finalist to miss the next World Cup was the Netherlands in 1982.
17
17 years and 290 days was the age at which Konstantinos Karetsas became the youngest goalscorer in more than 30 years of European qualification. His early strike against Belarus placed him alongside John Jensen, who scored in 1993 at age 16.
11
11 goals in a single match marked Norway’s highest tally since 1948. The 11–1 victory over Moldova became one of the largest wins in European qualifying history, just short of West Germany’s 12–0 record against Cyprus in 1969.
9
9 goals were shared in a dramatic match between Italy and Israel, ending 5–4. It was the first European qualifier ever to finish with this score. Four late goals in the final ten minutes mirrored a rarity last seen in Denmark’s win over Portugal in 2008.
6
6 UEFA play-off appearances set a new record for Ukraine. As runners-up in Group D, the team entered the play-off path once more, although it has yet to qualify for a World Cup through this route. Its last appearance at a World Cup was in 2006.
4
4 wins from eight matches marked significant progress for the Faroe Islands. Their tally of 12 points was a historic achievement, though insufficient for qualification, as Croatia and Czechia finished ahead of them in Group L.
2
2 hat-tricks in one match occurred both in Norway vs. Moldova and Portugal vs. Armenia. Haaland and Asgaard scored three each for Norway, while Fernandes and Neves did so for Portugal. This was the first time since the 1970 qualifiers that two European matches featured two hat-trick scorers.
1
1 historic away hat-trick was produced by Troy Parrott, who scored the 96th-minute winner against Hungary. The result pushed Ireland into second place in Group I and secured a play-off berth.
0
0 goals conceded in all qualifiers made England the first European team ever to complete qualification with a perfect defensive record. With eight wins and ten consecutive clean sheets from Jordan Pickford, the team set a remarkable benchmark in the history of the 2026 World Cup qualification.
Overview of key insights
The UEFA qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup produced a wide range of records, noteworthy statistics and historic achievements. Players such as Erling Haaland, Cristiano Ronaldo and Konstantinos Karetsas made a decisive impact, while nations like England, Norway and Malta delivered remarkable performances in European football.
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Discover the most notable World Cup 2026 statistics from the UEFA qualification campaign, including records, breakthroughs and historic achievements.
About the author
Author of this content is Patrick. I have been playing soccer for more than 25 years and follow the daily news closely. My hobbies include playing football, running and maintaining various websites, in addition to my job as a financial professional.
I do not work for any related company or institution, so the information is reliable and independent. The information has been collected accurately from reliable sources and is regularly updated.