FIFA World Cup 2026: How Does FIFA Decide the Golden Boot If Players Score the Same Number of Goals? (Assists and Minutes Explained)

The Golden Boot is one of the most prestigious awards that is presented at the FIFA World Cup. This award is given to the player who scores the most goals in the tournament. Many a times two or three players finish the FIFA World Cup with same number of goals and this raises a question as to who will receive the Golden Boot. 

FIFA doesn’t toss a coin or asks fan to vote but uses a clear set of rules to determine the Golden Boot winner. If players are tied on goals, FIFA looks at assists first. If they are still tied, it looks at minutes played on the field. 

This exact situation might happen in FIFA World Cup 2026 where Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi are quite close to winning the Golden Boot. However Kylian took the lead with 2 more goals in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Bronze Final and now stands at 10 goals. 

If Messi reaches the same number of goals then the winner will be decided by a system and here is everything you need to know about it. 

How Does FIFA Decide the Golden Boot If Players Have the Same Goals?

FIFA has a three step system that decides who will be the winner of Golden Boot: 

Step 1: Total Goals

The first and most important criteria is the total number of goals that the player has scored in a particular season. Goals scored in every match count and it includes the extra time. However, penalty shoots are not counted as they are done to break the tie. 

Step 2: Assists

If two players have the same number of goals in a FIFA World Cup season then FIFA turns towards assists and looks at how many assists the player has given in the season. This is the first tie breaker. These assists are counted only after confirmation of FIFA's Technical Study Group. 

Step 3: Fewer Minutes Played

Two players have scored the same number of goals but one player has taken less time overall to score them is how FIFA decides who will get the Golden Boot. If both goals and assists are tied then this is the other criteria that is measured by FIFA. The player who scored the same number of goals in fewer minutes wins as a player who scored more in less time is considered to be more efficient. 

Why Does FIFA Use Assists Before the Minutes Played?

Football is a team game and scoring goal matters but helping create goals is important too. A player who has set up the environment for teammates to score a goal shows vision and team work. That is why FIFA checks assists first. 

Golden Boot Tie-Break Examples in FIFA World Cup History

There have been a few instances where two players have tied for Golden Boot in the FIFA World Cup history. Here is a brief overview: 

Golden Boot vs Golden Ball vs Golden Glove

There are three major awards that are presented in FIFA World Cup every season. Here is a brief overview as to why they are presented: 

Messi and Mbappe are competing for the Golden Boot in the 2026 season. Both players were tied at 8 goals however Mbappe took the lead when he scored two goals against England in the third place play off also known as the Bronze Final. If Messi scores 2 goals in the final against Spain on 19 July 2026 then the tie will be broken by assists first. However, if he scores more than 2 goals then Messi will be a clear winner of the Golden Boot.