We are not even halfway through the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, yet the number of red cards shown so far has already caught global attention.

In the tournament opener between Mexico and South Africa, three players were sent off. Now, as the Group B matches continued on Thursday, another three red cards were issued.

This time, Bosnia’s centre-back Tarik Muharemović, along with Qatar’s Homam Ahmed and Assim Madibo, were the unfortunate recipients of the referee’s red card.

With these incidents, the total number of red cards in the 2026 competition has reached six — surpassing the totals recorded during both Qatar 2022 and Russia 2018.

For context, the Brazil 2014 World Cup saw 10 red cards throughout the tournament, while South Africa 2010 witnessed an astonishing 17 dismissals.

As the 2026 edition continues, the big question now is: how high will the count go by the end of the tournament? The all-time record for red cards in a single World Cup still stands at 28, set during Germany 2006.