World Cup 2026 Top Scorers: Five Share the Lead So Far
Updated 17 June 2026.
The World Cup 2026 Golden Boot race is wide open after the opening round, with five players level on two goals each: Folarin Balogun, Kai Havertz, Yasin Ayari, Kylian Mbappé and Elijah Just. No player has pulled clear yet, and with most nations having played only once, the scoring charts will move fast. Here is who leads, and how they got there.
| Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Folarin Balogun | USA | 2 |
| Kai Havertz | Germany | 2 |
| Yasin Ayari | Sweden | 2 |
| Kylian Mbappé | France | 2 |
| Elijah Just | New Zealand | 2 |
The five leading the race
Folarin Balogun set the early pace with a brace in the United States’ 4-1 win over Paraguay, the most emphatic result of the opening days. Kai Havertz matched him with two in Germany’s 7-1 demolition of Curaçao, and Yasin Ayari struck twice as Sweden swept Tunisia aside 5-1. Kylian Mbappé then joined them with a double in France’s 3-1 win over Senegal, while Elijah Just was the surprise name, scoring both of New Zealand’s goals in a 2-2 draw with Iran.
Read the full stories: the USA 4-1 Paraguay report, the Germany 7-1 Curaçao report, the Sweden 5-1 Tunisia report and the France 3-1 Senegal report.
Who is chasing
A long list of players sit on a single goal, including Vinícius Júnior, Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres, all of whom carry the threat to surge up the chart in the second round of fixtures. With Isak and Gyökeres both firing for Sweden, that front line could quickly produce a leader.
The outlook
Goals have flowed early, with the rout-makers Germany and Sweden setting the tone. Expect the Golden Boot picture to change with every matchday. We will keep this tracker updated through the tournament, with live goals on our live scores page and the format in our complete World Cup 2026 guide.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the top scorer at World Cup 2026?
After the opening round, five players share the lead on two goals each: Folarin Balogun (USA), Kai Havertz (Germany), Yasin Ayari (Sweden), Kylian Mbappé (France) and Elijah Just (New Zealand).
Has anyone scored a hat-trick at World Cup 2026?
Not yet. The highest individual tally after the first round of group games is two goals, shared by five different players.
Sources: 2026 FIFA World Cup.
