Saliba scores World Cup's first direct free-kick goal

Nathan-Dylan Saliba scored the first direct free-kick goal of the 2026 World Cup in Canada's 6-0 victory over Qatar on Thursday. The Canadian midfielder's set-piece finish came against low expected goals (xG) of 0.06, indicating the difficulty of direct free-kick conversion at international level.

Saliba's finish represents a notable tournament milestone, with set-piece goals remaining relatively rare even at the highest level of World Cup competition. The goal contributed to Canada's dominance in the Group B fixture at BC Place in Vancouver.