List of highest scoring soccer games in history 

Soccer is a team sport, it requires a large soccer field with permitted dimensions, match officials, managers or Head coaches with their own set of tactics and formation and most importantly — players for all the different positions which is required to play the sport. 

In soccer, Scoring goals is the primary purpose of any team or player to edge past their opposition and secure victory. It surely brings more thrill and excitement to the fans and viewers, though not every low-scoring or goalless game is deemed as boring for those who understand all the ins and outs of the game are denoted as seasoned fans. 

However, what about those who are more neutrals and seek some goal-scoring action in a soccer match? Well, this game never disappoints the mentioned set of viewers as well.  In this article, we are going down memory lane to revisit some of the most bizarre and historic matches that have been played ever and are recalled for the highest goal-scoring records in a single match. 

Preston North End 26-0 Hyde United 

In 1885, exactly 137 years ago, one of the best English clubs at that time Preston North End FC registered a record-breaking 26 – 0, victory over Hyde United F.C. in the first round of the FA Cup clash at the Deepdale Stadium. Preston North had won two English League titles and an FA Cup trophy in the 1880s. The Lilywhites established three records with that win over Hyde, scoring the most goals in a single game and enjoying the biggest home win. 

Villareal 27-0 Navata 

First, we have the most recent game on the list of highest scoring soccer games which dates back to 2009. Even though, it was just a friendly clash, the difference in the scoreline is still amusing and shows the gap in the squad quality between professional top-tier and semi-professional sides.  La Liga giants Villareal who lifted the UEFA Europa League in the 2020-21 season, defeated Navata (a local club from the Catalonia region) with a huge margin of 27 goals without conceding a single goal in response in a pre-season friendly. 

Australia 31-0 American Samoa

Now going back in time to the beginning of the 21st century in the year 2001 to our next high scoring soccer fixture. In 2001, the Australian men’s soccer team hosted American Samoa by a record margin of 31 goals to nil in the Oceiana 2002 World Cup qualification match. With the victory, the Socceroos set the world record for the biggest win in an International soccer game. However, Australia failed to qualify for the World Cup after losing to Uruguay in the Play-offs.

Vanuatu 46-0 Micronesia 

The Pacific Ocean region has various tiny island nations and overseas territories that regularly play soccer fixtures with limited resources, funds and players, while many of them are semi-professionals. In the 2015 edition of the Pacific Games — the men’s football tournament is regarded as the most prestigious tournament. Vanuatu scored 46 goals against fellow Western Pacific Ocean nation Micronesia who fielded their Under-23s squad and crashed out of the tournament. Micronesia is among the weakest national soccer teams in the world in the group stage match. 

Arbroath 36-0 Bon Accord 

In  September 1885, Scottish club Arbroath beat the newly formed club Bon Accord club on record for the largest margin scoring 36 goals in a competitive fixture — a record that still stands tall after 138 years of history. This game was held in the first round of the Scottish FA Cup at the den of Arbroath, the Gayfield ground.  Nicknamed ‘The Red Lichties’ they netted 24 goals in the first half and extended the scoreline by adding 20 in the latter half, however, seven goals were cancelled due to an offside call. Presently, Arbroath are competing in the third division of the Scottish Football system. 

Also Read: Top 10 players with the most free-kick goals in football history 

Police Machine FC 67-0 Bubayaro FC

Our next highest scoring soccer match is from Nigeria, Africa. It was in the lower division play-off match and the birth of qualification to the Nationwide League division (3rd division) was on the line. When Police Machine FC a club based in Lokoja, Kogi State in Nigeria scored a thumping 67 goals against Bubayaro in 2013. Not only it, things got more controversial later, as the investigation conducted by The Nigerian Football Federation revealed that ‘a fraudulent conspiracy among the teams’ deemed it a scandal for match-fixing and banned all the players and the team.

Plateau United Founders 79-0 Akurba

Another bizarre story of a high-scoring soccer game from Nigeria, that happened at the same time when Police Machine FC played Bubayaro FC. The stakes were similar as all four teams including Plateau United Founder, Akurba were fighting for a promotion to the Professional third tier of the Nigerian soccer pyramid. This game followed a similar pattern as Akurba conceded 72 goals in the second half, among which many of them were own goals. Again, the consequences were also the same considering that all the teams were involved in the scandal of match-fixing and faced bans, till date it remains the most notorious scandal in soccer history. 

AS Adema 149-0 Stade Olympique de l’Emyrne

At last, let’s revisit the clash between As Adema and Stade Olympique de l’Emyrne in the Madagascar top division on 31st October 2002. The defending Malagasy champions Stade Olympique de l’Emyrne (SOE) had already lost their hope of retaining their title with As Adema after winning their previous game against SO Emyrne in four-team robin Play-off fixtures. The SOE players and staff walked into the game carrying frustration and fuming over the refereeing decision which according to them had cost them the trophy.  

The moment the game kicked off, the Stade Olympique players started smashing goals in their own net and scored a staggering 149 own goals in 90 minutes an average of a couple of goals every minute to demonstrate their protest against the Match officials as a result the game ended on an unreal scoreline of 149-0 with AS Adema walking out as winners. Interestingly, this game holds the Guinness World Record for ‘Most own goals scored in a football (soccer) match by a team.’ Several players received bans and the head coach of SOE was sacked following the game. This Madagascar soccer game remains the highest scoring soccer game in the entire history.

FAQ