FIFA World Cup penalty statistics show record 29 in 2018, while 2026 tournament sits at just two

The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia produced 29 penalties. The 2026 edition, now underway across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, has produced exactly two. That is not a typo.

How 2018 became the penalty World Cup

The 2018 tournament was the first World Cup to deploy Video Assistant Referee technology. VAR gave officials the ability to review incidents inside the penalty area with replay precision, and the result was a flood of spot kicks that dwarfed every previous tournament.

Of those 29 penalties awarded, 22 were converted. Both figures set single-tournament records.

2026: a different tournament entirely

The 2026 World Cup kicked off on June 11, and as of mid-June, only two penalties have been awarded across all matches played.

This is not because VAR has disappeared. The technology is still in place, still reviewing incidents, still theoretically catching the same infractions it flagged in Russia.

The expanded format of 2026, featuring 48 teams instead of 32, also changes the competitive dynamics. More group stage matches between unevenly matched sides could mean fewer desperate, last-ditch tackles in the area.

Where crypto meets the penalty spot

Platforms facilitating on-chain betting using digital assets have seen volume surges tied to match results during the early stages of the tournament. The low penalty count has not itself been a major driver of trading spikes, but the broader event is fueling engagement across multiple crypto verticals.

Chiliz, the blockchain platform behind many sports fan tokens, has seen its CHZ token actively traded during the tournament window. Various national team fan tokens built on the Chiliz ecosystem are seeing heightened interest as fans look for ways to express allegiance, and sometimes speculation, beyond just watching matches.

No official FIFA token exists for the 2026 tournament. The activity instead centers on third-party fan tokens and Solana-based meme coins that have registered increased attention amid World Cup festivities.

What this means for investors

Fan tokens and event-driven meme coins tend to follow a predictable arc during major tournaments. Volume and prices often climb during the group stages, spike around knockout rounds, and then deflate rapidly once the final whistle blows.

The key risk is straightforward: these are speculative assets reacting to unpredictable match outcomes. Effective strategies during events like this typically involve tight position sizing and a clear exit plan.

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