Eight personal goals in 10 days! FIFA World Cup 2026 race to break Russia 2018’s unwanted record

Damian Bobadilla (16) of Paraguay scores an own goal during the World Cup Group D soccer match between the United States and Paraguay in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo)

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has scored eight own goals in just 10 days of the tournament, the second-highest total in the tournament’s history.Only the 2018 World Cup in Russia has seen more, with 12 own goals recorded during the tournament. With the 2026 edition featuring 48 teams and 104 games, the current number may increase in the coming weeks.The latest own goal came on Sunday when Saudi Arabia defender Hassan Al Tambakti turned the ball into his own net during his team’s 4-0 loss to Spain.The United States have benefited from own goals in both of their matches so far. Paraguay’s Damián Bobadilla scored an own goal during the USA’s 4-1 win, while Australia’s Cameron Burgess netted in a 2-0 loss to the co-hosts. As a result, the United States became the first team in men’s World Cup history to benefit from own goals in consecutive games.Bobadilla’s own goal came seven minutes into Paraguay’s loss to the United States. Switzerland defender Miro Muheim then scored an own goal that gave Qatar a stoppage-time equalizer. Soon, Qatar was on the receiving end of an own goal when Mohamed Manai turned the ball into his own net during a 6-0 rout of Canada.Egypt’s Mohamed Hany, Iraq’s Aymen Hussein and Jordan’s Yazan Al-Arab also scored own goals in the tournament. Hussein also scored for Iraq in the same match against Norway and became one of only three players in World Cup history to score for both teams in one match.Saudi Arabia’s Hassan Al Tambakti joined the list with an own goal against Spain on Sunday.There are now 62 own goals in World Cup history, with nearly 12 percent of them coming in the 2026 tournament alone.The first own goal in a World Cup was scored by Mexico’s Manuel Rosas during a 3-0 defeat of Chile in the inaugural tournament in 1930. Rosas was 18 years old at the time.Five editions of the World Cup have ended without an own goal, the most recent being in 1990.The two own goals conceded in favor of the United States this year have tied the record for the most own goals by a team in a World Cup. France also benefited from two own goals in the 2014 and 2018 tournaments.The record for most own goals scored by a team in a World Cup is also two, shared by Bulgaria in 1966 and Russia at the 2018 World Cup on home soil.