The 2026 World Cup has seen an increase in the number of red cards, with the total number of send-offs reaching 14 so far, placing the current edition seventh in the list of tournaments with the most red cards in the history of the competition.

The 2006 World Cup still tops the list with 28 red cards, followed by the 1998 edition with 22, then the 2002 and 2010 editions with 17 each, while the 1990 edition ranked fourth with 16, followed by the 1994 World Cup with 15.

With the 2026 World Cup reaching 14 send-offs, the tournament surpasses many editions, most notably 2014 which saw 10 red cards, 1986 with 8, 1962 with 6, while the 1966, 1974, and 1982 editions recorded five each, compared to only four in the 1938, 2018, and 2022 editions.

The total number of red cards in the history of the World Cup has reached 191, an indicator reflecting the competitive nature and great excitement that the tournament witnesses across its various editions, with the possibility of this number increasing in the 2026 World Cup as matches in the semi-finals, third-place play-off, and final remain.