The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by three North American nations—the United States, Mexico and Canada—featured record-breaking and history-making moments that kept football lovers across the globe glued to their TVs for more than a month.

From June 11 to July 19, when the final will be played, the 2026 World Cup brought together 48 nations, 1,248 players and a total of 104 matches, featuring action that sparked arguments, emotion, excitement and hysteria among football fans.

Curaçao

Among the 48 teams that featured in the 2026 World Cup was Curaçao, a country with a population of 150,000, making it the smallest nation ever to qualify for and play on football’s biggest stage. Cape Verde, Jordan and Uzbekistan also made their historic World Cup debuts.

World Cup goalscoring record broken

Lionel Messi of Argentina made history by scoring against Austria to break the World Cup goalscoring record. Messi, 38, gave Argentina the lead with a brilliant strike to take his World Cup goal tally to 17, breaking the all-time men’s World Cup scoring record.

Merlin the duck

While players representing their respective countries in the competition traded tackles amid the cheers of fans, an animal, a pet duck christened Merlin, rode the wave to global stardom.

Merlin, the family’s pet duck, owned by Carla Gómez, a petty trader who sells water and soft drinks on the streets of Mexico, became an internet sensation during the street celebrations of Mexico’s 2-0 opening-game victory over South Africa on June 11, 2026.

Red card withdrawal/Trump’s intervention

FIFA’s withdrawal of Folarin Balogun’s red card and the suspension of his one-match ban during the 2026 World Cup became one of the tournament’s biggest controversies.

Although Balogun received a straight red card in the 64th minute for a bad tackle on the ankle of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic in the Round of 32, FIFA, following President Donald Trump’s intervention, withdrew the red card and allowed the U.S. top goalscorer to play in the knockout-stage match against Belgium.

FIFA to present winners with first-ever championship rings

FIFA will present first-ever championship rings to the World Cup-winning team after Sunday’s final between Argentina and Spain at the New York New Jersey Stadium.

“In a momentous first for a FIFA competition, the tournament winners will also receive bespoke championship rings, bringing one of the most recognisable American sporting traditions to the global game,” FIFA announced in a statement.

Messi vs Yamal

With Argentina and Spain both fighting their way from the group stage to the final, two footballers whose paths crossed about 19 years ago,  Messi and Spain’s Lamine Yamal, will face each other in the final scheduled for July 19.

The prospect of vintage Messi and Yamal trading tackles in the 2026 World Cup final could mark the end of an era for the Argentina star while ushering in a new generation of football stars. Or it could represent the passing of the baton from the legendary Messi to the budding Yamal.