A rough World Cup. The 2026 World Cup has already doubled the previous tournament’s red card tally
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
The ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup continues to stun fans with its relentless intensity, uncompromising physicality, and, as a result, a wave of strict refereeing decisions.
Details: The tournament is still far from over, but it has already set a bold and aggressive record, leaving the numbers from the previous World Cup in Qatar far behind. At the 2026 World Cup, referees have shown players 8 red cards—exactly double the total for the entire 2022 tournament, where only 4 players were sent off throughout all matches.
This historic milestone, highlighting the refereeing trend, was reached during a tense clash between Belgium and Iran. In the 66th minute, young Belgian defender Nathan Ngoy committed a last-man foul, immediately earning a straight red from the referee.
Ngoy’s dismissal officially made the 2026 World Cup one of the most card-heavy tournaments in recent memory—and with the intensity only rising, this number is set to climb even higher.
It’s worth noting that the match itself ended goalless—neither side managed to find a winner, with the game finishing 0-0.
Reminder: Ronaldo fans lashed out at Conceição after he said they don’t always have to pass to Ronaldo.
