08 November 2022

A closer look at the key numbers ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar

08 November 2022

The World Cup starts in Qatar in a little under two weeks’ time and here, the PA news agency takes a look at the tournament in numbers.

5 – Brazil’s record number of World Cup wins, one ahead of Italy and Germany. Pele played in three of those for an individual record.

8 – nations to have won the tournament – also including Uruguay, Argentina and France, twice apiece, and England and Spain.

16 – former Germany striker Miroslav Klose is the World Cup’s all-time record goalscorer. Compatriot Thomas Muller is the leading active player, on 10.

13 – Just Fontaine’s goal tally in 1958 for France remains the record for a single World Cup.

25 – Germany’s Lothar Matthaus holds the record for games played at the World Cup finals. Lionel Messi, on 19, could break his record if Argentina go all the way to the final or the third-place play-off.

2 – FIFA confederations to have supplied a World Cup finalist – UEFA, with 12 winners and 16 runners-up, and South American confederation CONMEBOL with nine and five.

4-2 – the score as France beat Croatia in the 2018 final.

22 – 2022 sees the 22nd edition of the World Cup.

1 – it is the first World Cup hosted in the Middle East and only the third outside of Europe and the Americas, after 2002 in South Korea and Japan and 2010 in South Africa.

32 – teams at the tournament, following the format in use since 1998, before an expansion to 48 in 2026.

29 – duration of this year’s tournament in days, from November 20 to December 18, for 64 matches.

26 – players allowed in each nation’s squad, matching the increased numbers introduced by UEFA for Euro 2020.

3 – female referees selected, the first ever at a men’s major international tournament. Stephanie Frappart, Salima Mukansanga and Yoshimi Yamashita will make history along with three female assistant referees.

64 – years between World Cup appearances for Wales, qualifiers for the first time since 1958.

8 – goals for Gareth Bale in Wales’ qualifying campaign and play-offs, after he was awarded their winner against Ukraine which had initially been credited as an own goal.

26 – points for England in the qualifying campaign after eight wins and two draws, trailing only Germany and Denmark in the UEFA section.

51 – international goals for England captain Harry Kane, needing two to match Wayne Rooney’s national record during the World Cup.

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