The conditions could be a factor too. Unlike Qatar 2022, which took place in the middle of the European club season, players have arrived in North America at the end of long domestic campaigns.
Several matches have been played in temperatures approaching or exceeding 30C, while the geographical scale of the tournament has increased travel demands.
Fatigue is difficult to quantify, but it can affect concentration and decision-making, particularly when teams are attempting to play through an opposition press in dangerous areas.
The expanded 48-team format may have played a role as well. With only 16 of the 48 teams eliminated after the group stage, an opening draw carries less jeopardy than in previous tournaments.
Three draws may even be enough to progress in some groups, reducing the urgency to chase victories at all costs and potentially contributing to a more cautious approach.
There have also been suggestions that the official match ball could be influencing some of the mistakes. Speaking to BBC Sport, former England goalkeeper Joe Hart said he had noticed shots appearing to reach goalkeepers quicker than expected, arguing that the ball can seem to be “on him before he’s got his hands up there in the right position”.
Hart pointed to several goals during the opening week when goalkeepers appeared slow to react, including strikes conceded by Edouard Mendy and Algeria’s Luca Zidane.