Mbappé, one of the big stars of the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico

Kylian Mbappé remains one of the main reference points at the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. With eight goals and three assists, the French forward is right at the center of the stage in a World Cup that is being played for the first time with 48 teams and across three host countries.

His statistical output puts him in a top-level debate with Leo Messi, who also has eight goals and two assists in this tournament. In a competition of enormous scale, where attention is split between venues, the schedule and decisive matchups, Mbappé has managed to keep his starring role intact from one game to the next.

Mbappé’s impact in a World Cup with a new format

The 2026 edition is defined by the debut of the expanded format with 48 teams, a change that altered the overall structure of the World Cup and widened the field of contenders. In that context, names like Mbappé have become central to the tournament narrative.

The France forward is not only among the top scorers, but also among the most influential players when it comes to deciding matches. His numbers place him among the footballers who have made the best use of the stage provided by this World Cup, according to records released in recent hours.

A tournament spread across three countries and multiple venues

The 2026 World Cup is being played in Estados Unidos, México y Canadá, with an organization designed for a packed schedule of matches and a logistics setup that forces fans to keep a close eye on the calendar. For those planning trips or transfers, FIFA has been organizing the information around the host cities, stadiums, fixture and groups as the competition has progressed.

• Venues and stadiums where the matches are played.
• The fixture and schedule of the competition.
• The makeup of the groups and the road to the knockout ties.
• The availability of tickets and the updates released by FIFA.

The edition has also made clear that the scale of the tournament affects other calendars: the World Cup’s impact has already forced a reshuffle of 2026-27 de LaLiga kick-off times, a sign of how the competition alters the normal football schedule.

The tournament agenda remains marked by the semifinals

In the final stretch of the World Cup, attention is focused on the semifinals of the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, where predictions remain wide open. The tournament is entering a high-tension phase, with the leading contenders in sight and every detail of the World Cup journey under the microscope.

Against that backdrop, Mbappé’s starring role once again confirms that football’s biggest international showcase still has individual names capable of making the difference. In a competition that has expanded in number of teams, host countries and logistical demands, the Frenchman remains among the most closely watched players of the edition.