The 2026 World Cup’s header trends: more assists, higher precision

Footballers are using their heads differently in the 2026 World Cup. Here’s what the data shows.

Enzo Fernandez of Argentina scores a goal with a header against Egypt in the World Cup. Photo by VCG/VCG via AP

Footballers are using their heads differently in the 2026 World Cup.

Headers have accounted for a shrinking percentage of World Cup goals: dropping from 23.7% in 2018, to 18.4% in 2022, to 17.9% in 2026 through the Round of 16, according to Northeastern’s NetSI Sport research group analyzing this year’s tournament data. However, headers are getting more accurate – converting at a higher rate (11.4%) and getting on-target shots (33.5%) than in the two previous World Cups.

Northeastern researchers are analyzing the Hudl Statsbomb dataset, which logs over 3,400 events per match.

Additionally, header assists have increased significantly over the past eight years, from two in the entire 2018 and 2022 tournaments to 10 already through the Round of 16 in 2026. A trend from the past season of international club soccer offers a potential explanation: there are more pre-planned strategies executed on set pieces, specifically throw-ins and corner kicks.

The 2026 World Cup has seen 2.54 long throw-ins into the box per match, compared to 1.83 in 2018 – a 38.8% increase. Off of corner kicks and throw-ins, more players are making flick-on passes with their heads – a quick, redirecting touch of the ball – to teammates for finishers, instead of attempting header shots directly off corner kicks.

One example from the Bosnia-Canada match: On a corner kick, Bosnia defender Sead Kolasinac redirected the ball with his head toward the center of the box, where his teammate, forward Jovo Lukić, headed the ball into the net.

A closer look at all of the goals scored in the 2026 World Cup through the Round of 16 offers another pattern related to headers. Thirty-three percent of the header goals occurred late in the game (76’-90’+). The largest share of footed goals (26%) also occurred late in the game, but it’s during the rest of the match where the numbers diverge between headers and footers. Nearly one-quarter (24%) of header goals came toward the end of the first half (31’-45’+), while footed goals were more equally distributed across the rest of the match.

So why did the majority (57%) of header goals come toward the end of the halves? One explanation is desperation. Teams tried to get higher-quality scoring chances toward the end of the halves by moving players higher up the pitch toward the net, seeking to either gain momentum with a goal before halftime or try to tie or take the lead in the game’s final minutes.

The graphic below shows the breakdown of when headers and footed goals were scored in the 2026 World Cup matches through the Round of 16.

One final thought on headers. The most dangerous team in the air remains in the tournament: England, which faces Norway in the quarterfinals on Saturday. England has significantly higher total xG from headed shots (2.9 xG, with four goals on 22 attempts) than any other team. The next highest is Brazil at 2.3 xG. See the graphic below for the list of teams with the highest xG from headed shots.