what fraction of world cup games are 0-0
The fraction is about 8.3% overall: one source says there have been 78 goalless matches out of 937 World Cup fixtures across 22 editions, which works out to roughly 1 in 12 games ending 0-0.
What that means
- In plain terms, a 0-0 result is uncommon, but not rare in World Cup history.
- Another source notes that the World Cup record for scoreless draws in a single tournament is seven.
- That helps explain why some tournaments feel unusually open or unusually tight depending on the era and teams involved.
Quick math
- 78÷937≈0.08378\div 937\approx 0.08378÷937≈0.083, or 8.3%.
- So if you watched 100 World Cup matches, you’d expect about 8 or 9 to finish 0-0 on long-run historical averages.
Small caveat
- The exact fraction can change a bit depending on whether you count only final tournament matches, whether you include play-in formats, and what cutoff date the stat uses.
- But the best single-number answer from the available data is about 8%.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Goalless World Cup matches | 78 |
| Total World Cup fixtures counted | 937 |
| Fraction of matches ending 0-0 | About 8.3% |