Expect to see a lot of soccer balls stuck in the back of the net come this summer.
The 2026 World Cup will feature a large uptick in games played now that there are 48 teams in the fold as opposed to 32. With that, 104 matches will be played.
In 2022, 64 matches were played.
Let’s check out the odds for total goals scored at DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 11.
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World Cup total goals scored
Over 290.5: -425 (bet $10 to win $12.35 total)
Under 310.5: -250 (bet $10 to win $14 total)
Over 300.5: -155 (bet $10 to win $16.45 total)
Under 300.5: +110 (bet $10 to win $21 total)
Over 310.5: +175 (bet $10 to win $27.50 total)
Under 290.5: +275 (bet $10 to win $37.50 total)
Let’s go back in time first. Here are the goal totals from the last 10 World Cups:
2022: 172
2018: 169
2014: 171
2010: 145
2006: 147
2002: 161
1998: 171
1994: 141
1990: 115
1986: 132
As you can see, the last three World Cups have been goal-heavy, with the previous record of 171 tied in 2014 and that record broken in 2022 with 172.
But those numbers are going to go out the window this year and in the coming years presumably.
If 64 matches were played in 2022 in Qatar, and 172 goals were scored, that’s about 3.583 goals per match. With 104 matches taking place in 2026, if that same goals-per-match rate keeps up, that’s about 373 goals scored.
In terms of per country, Brazil has the most goals scored with 237, followed by Germany (232), Argetina (152), France (136) and Italy (128). The USA is at 40.
