Highest goal-scoring match in FIFA World Cup: When Austria-Switzerland played a 12-goal thriller

The FIFA World Cup has witnessed some high-scoring matches in the 22 editions completed so far.

In the last edition, Qatar 2022, England defeated Iran 6-2 and Spain thrashed Costa Rica 7-0, giving the fans plenty of goals to celebrate.

But the all-time record for the highest goal-scoring match in the football World Cup stands at a whopping 12 goals. Let’s look at the record.

Highest goal-scoring match in FIFA World Cup

12 goals: Austria 7-5 Switzerland at Switzerland 1954

Austria and Switzerland produced a goal-fest at the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland, scoring 12 goals in all. It is the highest goal-scoring match in the football World Cup.

Playing in the quarter-finals at Lausanne, two players, Theodor Wagner of Austria and Switzerland’s Josef Hugi, scored twice in the opening half. 

The hosts led 3-0 in the first 20 minutes but Austria struck five times in the next 15 to go into the break with a 5-4 lead.

However, the second half, owing to the high temperature that day (40°C), was a quieter affair with just three goals as Wagner and Hugi completed their hat-tricks. Austria went on to win the match 7-5.

The scoreline would have been even higher had Robert Korner of Austria not missed a penalty in the 42nd minute.

11 goals: Hungary 10-1 El Salvador at Spain 1982

Hungary became the first team to score 10 goals in a football World Cup match when they beat El Salvador 10-1 in Elche at Spain 1982.

Six Hungarian players found the back of the net in this group-stage fixture, led by a second-half hat-trick from Laszlo Kiss. Tibor Nyilasi and Laszlo Fazekas scored a brace each to help Hungary reach double figures. 

Luis Ramirez found a consolation goal for El Salvador.

However, both Hungary and El Salvador were eliminated in the group stage by Belgium and Argentina.

11 goals: Hungary 8-3 Germany at Switzerland 1954

Considered one of the best teams of the ’50s, Hungary handed Germany an 8-3 drubbing in Basel at the 1954 World Cup.

Hungary came to the World Cup in Switzerland as the reigning Olympic champions, having clinched the top prize at Helsinki 1952.

Their dream run continued at the World Cup, with this big win against Germany in the group stage match. Sandor Kocsis netted four times, which is second on the list of most goals scored in a FIFA World Cup match.

This fixture held the highest goal-scoring match in a football World Cup record for six days before Austria and Switzerland played out the 12-goal thriller.

11 goals: Brazil 6-5 Poland at France 1938

At the third edition of the global showpiece in 1938, Brazil defeated Poland 6-5, which was the highest goal-scoring match in the World Cup until the 1954 edition.

The round of 16 match saw Polish striker Ernst Willimowski become the first player to score four times in a single World Cup match. 

Willimowski’s heroics helped Poland draw 4-4 in regulation time but Brazil’s Leonidas also completed his hat-trick in extra time to take the South American nation to a thrilling win.

10 goals: France 7-3 Paraguay at Sweden 1958

The 1958 World Cup is famous for the record-breaking performance of French striker Just Fontaine, who slammed 13 goals in the tournament - the most by any player in a single FIFA World Cup.

One such outing by Fontaine helped France defeat Paraguay 7-3 in the group stage of Sweden 1958.

Buoyed by Fontaine’s hat-trick, France scored five times in the second half to come back from a goal down and win the match convincingly.

France eventually finished third in the World Cup after going down to Brazil in the semi-final.