How many penalties have there been in World Cup 2018 so far and is it a new record?

Phil HaighPublished Jun 26, 2018, 7:07am|Updated Dec 12, 2019, 4:56pm

If you are thinking that there have been a lot of penalties in the World Cup this summer, you would be right, there have been an awful lot.

In the first World Cup to use the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), spot-kicks have been given at incredibly regular intervals.

England have now had three penalties given in their two matches so far, one against them and two in their favour.

So how many have been scored, how many missed and what is the record number of penalties at a World Cup?

How many penalties have there been at the World Cup 2018?

Following Karim Ansarifard’s penalty for Iran against Portugal, there have been 20 penalties taken at the World Cup so far over 36 matches.

Of those, 15 have been scored and five missed.

Nine of the 20 penalties have been given thanks to VAR.

The previous most penalties ever awarded at a World Cup was the 18 given in 2002, so we have now gone past that that.

In 2014 there were just 13 given.

Penalties are being given, on average, every 0.55 games this tournament and if that continues, 35 will be awarded over the entire World Cup.

All stats accurate up to and including the games on Monday, 25 June.