World Cup: Why 2026 edition could end up breaking red cards record
By Luke Oluoch, June 19, 2026The ongoing 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico could be on course for making it to the history books for the worst disciplinary record.
This is after Qatar became the culprits of two send-offs during their 6-0 hiding at the hands of Canada on Friday, June 19, 2026, at British Columbia Place in Vancouver.
In only 27 matches across the seven days of the competition, the referees have been just as busy, with a total of six red cards having been brandished, surpassing both the tally from the previous edition in Russia and Qatar.
28 red cards
The record for red cards in a single World Cup stands at 28 in 2006. With nine of them being straight dismissals. There are still way more games to play in the expanded 48-team tournament, unlike the 64 games in the previous editions.
The Republic of South Africa and Qatar rank as the worst of the offenders with two dismissals apiece.
The opener in Mexico, Guadalajara, set the stage for what could be the worst tournament as far as the disciplinary record goes.
A 2-0 loss and red cards for two of Bafana Bafana’s players ranked far from how South Africans planned their 2026 World Cup return would have panned out.
Themba Zwane and Sphephelo Sithole received their marching orders as the tourney kicked off on a feisty front and unprecedented disciplinary chaos.
Cesar Montes was also sent off late on in the clash, marking it three dismissals overall in the clash.
The tally is two more than the four issued in the past two tournaments in Qatar in 2022 (four), as well as in 2018 in Russia (four).
In the ongoing edition, five direct red cards have been issued across the opening week of play.
Sent off
Qatar’s Homam Mohammed also had his marching orders in the first half of their Group B clash against Canada for preventing a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
Matters were compounded for the Asian nation after Madibo’s rash challenge was upgraded to a straight red card via VAR review following a dangerous challenge from behind that injured Ismaël Kone.
Other players to have been sent off are Tarik Muharemović, who tackled Swiss striker Breel Embolo just outside the 18-yard box, preventing a one-on-one between Embolo and the goalkeeper.