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What records and firsts were set during the 1994 FIFA World Cup?

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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The 1994 FIFA World Cup set a total attendance record of 3,587,538 people, the highest in the tournament’s history until it was broken during the 2026 edition. The average game attendance of 68,991 is also a World Cup record. Other major records and firsts from the tournament include the first goalless World Cup final decided through a penalty shoot-out, the first time three points were awarded for a win, and the first edition in which goalkeepers were prohibited from handling deliberate back passes from teammates. Other firsts included the first indoor World Cup match, the first time the FIFA anthem was played, and the first appearance of a reunited Germany. Player records set during the competition included Russian forward Oleg Salenko scoring five goals in one match, Cameroonian player Roger Milla becoming the oldest World Cup goal scorer at 42, and Italy’s Gianluca Pagliuca becoming the first goalkeeper to be sent off in a World Cup match.