Numbers game: stats that tell stories from the first 24 World Cup matches

T he first round of fixtures at the World Cup is in the bank so we’ve finally seen all 48 teams. But what have we learned? Who was good, bad, lucky or fired after just one game? A dig into the Opta data has revealed some facts that may not have been immediately apparent from the scorelines. Mexico moved the ball upfield slower than any other team in the first round of fixtures. They could afford to take their time as South Africa offered next to no threat. It’s unlikely to end well when a team receive as many red cards as they have touches in the opposition penalty area, which was the case for the losing side. This game was the first to feature one of the trademarks of the 2025-26 Premier League season. The former West Ham defender Vladimir Coufal launched a long throw-in, which the Wolves centre-back Ladislav Krejci headed home to give Czechia the lead. South Korea were worthy winners, with the 25-pass buildup to Hwang In-beom’s equaliser the joint-fifth longest passing sequence leading to a goal in the World Cup since records begin in 1966. Czechia’s set-play prowess looked weak compared with what Bosnia and Herzegovina offered. Seven of their eight shots against Canada were from set pieces. Sergej Barbarez will need his team to generate more than one open play chance per match. Their remaining opponents being as wasteful as the Canadians will help too. Canada fans finally got the equaliser they wanted but their team were wasteful. …