Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterThe 2026 World Cup has already seen its first three red cards, with South Africa's Yaya Sithole and Themba Zwane and Mexico's Cesar Montes all sent off during the opening fixture.With that in mind, it's not surprising that there could easily be more red cards at this year's tournament than at any World Cup before.In order to achieve that record, 26 more players will need to be sent off between now and the end of the final, with 28 the current record.Zinedine Zidane's red card set the current recordThat tally belongs to the Germany 2006 World Cup, with Zinedine Zidane's famous headbutt on Marco Materazzi earning the final one from that tournament.In second place with 22 red cards is France '98, followed by both South Korea & Japan 2002 and South Africa 2010 with 17 each. In Qatar 2022, there were just four, meaning World Cup 2026 is already three-quarters of the way to reaching that. You may like Why there could be more cards than ever before at World Cup 2026 How to watch World Cup 2026: FREE live streams, groups, next matches FIFA World Cup 2026 fixtures & complete schedule The introduction of new rules means it's more likely that red cards will be brandished at the North American tournament this year. Included in that is automatic red cards for players covering their mouths while arguing with opponents.The rule was brought in following an incident in the Champions League in which Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni was accused of racially abusing Real Madrid and Brazil star Vinicius Jr.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Prestianni denied making racial comments, but was eventually banned for six matches, three of them suspended for two years, after admitting to making a homophobic insult.While this new rule could have an impact, there's also the case of the number of games being played this year.This year's tournament will see the number of matches ramped up from 64 to 104, with the number of teams competing upped from 32 to 48. What to read next Why 2026 FIFA World Cup could be the hottest ever World Cup 2026: Every team to have qualified World Cup 2026 penalty shootouts: Every nation's record from the spot Among them, of course, are the competition's most successful nation Brazil, who have picked up 11 red cards in total across all tournaments.Their South American neighbours Argentina have the second-worst discipline record with 10, while Cameroon and Uruguay both have nine.The Mexico vs South Africa opener went close to matching the World Cup game with the most red cards in it, with the Battle of Nuremberg between Portugal and the Netherlands seeing four players sent off.Costinha and Deco were given their marching orders for Portugal, while Khalid Boulahrouz and Giovanni van Bronckhorst were red-carded for the Netherlands.TOPICSSouth AfricaMexicoWorld Cup 2026World Cup 2006Ryan GraySocial Links NavigationFreelance WriterRyan Gray is a freelance writer, covering mainly travel and occasionally sport. He previously spent two years as Sports Editor at the Watford Observer before turning his hand to travel writing, with his work appearing in various national UK publications. He has gone from providing matchday commentary for Blyth Spartans to covering FA Cup and Euros finals, as well as interviewing the likes of Claudio Ranieri, Alan Shearer and Glenn Hoddle, among other big names.
