Havertz, Ayari and Balogun Lead 2026 World Cup Golden Boot Race

Germany's Kai Havertz, Sweden's Yasin Ayari and the United States' Folarin Balogun are currently tied at the top of the Golden Boot race for the 2026 World Cup. Each of these players has scored two goals after the first round of matches has been completed across the groups.

Havertz scored his two goals in Germany's comprehensive 7-1 victory over Curaçao. Ayari netted twice as Sweden secured a 5-1 win against Tunisia. Meanwhile, Balogun scored two goals in the United States' 4-1 triumph over Paraguay during their Group D encounter. This performance by Balogun represents the first instance of an American player scoring more than once in a single World Cup match since the year 1930.

A number of additional players have managed to score one goal each during the opening matches of the tournament. Among those with a single goal are Musiala, Vinicius Junior and several other participants.

Because many teams have not yet played their first match in the 2026 World Cup, the race for the Golden Boot award is still very much open to change in the coming rounds.

The rules for determining the winner of the Golden Boot in case of tied goal tallies begin with the total number of assists provided by the players. Should the assists also be equal, the award goes to the player who has played fewer minutes on the pitch.

The Ariana Radio and Television Network is providing live coverage of all matches from the 2026 World Cup to audiences across Afghanistan.