A fiery harvest before the start of the 2026 World Cup quarter-finals

Hours before the start of the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, all eyes are on the four highly anticipated matches, promising plenty of excitement and fierce competition. The tournament has already produced some remarkable statistics reflecting the intense rivalry among the teams that have reached the quarter-finals . The quarter-finals kick off on Thursday evening, July 9, with a thrilling encounter between France and Morocco at Boston's All-Star Stadium. Spain will then face Belgium on Friday, July 10, at Los Angeles Stadium . The quarter-finals continue on Sunday, July 12, with Norway taking on England at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, before concluding with Argentina playing Switzerland in the early hours of Monday morning at Kansas City Stadium . The 2026 World Cup has seen 96 matches played so far, with teams scoring a total of 280 goals, averaging 2.92 goals per game – a testament to the attacking prowess and excitement that has characterized the tournament since its inception . France leads the list of the strongest attacking teams in the 2026 World Cup, having scored 14 goals, making "Les Bleus" the highest-scoring team among the eight quarter-finalists . Defensively, Spain continues its impressive form, keeping five clean sheets, the most in the tournament so far, before the knockout stage . In the race for the Golden Boot, Argentine star Lionel Messi tops the scoring charts with eight goals, continuing his exceptional performances for his national team and moving closer to adding another milestone to his illustrious career . As for the assists, France's Michael Aulis leads the way with five, making him the tournament's top assist provider and highlighting his significant impact on the French attack . The quarter-final matches feature high-caliber encounters, as each team seeks to secure a place in the semi-finals, amidst a struggle between the strongest attacking and defensive lines, and a competition between the tournament's top stars to achieve individual records and lead their teams towards the world title. 

Here are the key statistics and figures for the 2026 World Cup:

96 matches have been played so far.

280 goals, averaging 2.92 goals per game.

14 goals – France is the strongest attacking team.

5 matches – Spain has kept the most clean sheets.

8 goals – Lionel Messi tops the tournament's scoring charts.

5 assists - Michael Ulises is the top assist provider.