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Co-hosts Mexico became the first nation to reach the knockout stage of the World Cup They achieved this after edging past South Korea in Guadalajara. Author | James Y Stadium | Estadio Guadalajara Mexico midfielder Luis Romo was perfectly placed to tap into an empty net in the 50th minute after goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu spilled the ball following a collision with team-mate Lee Gi-hyuk. South Korea's best opportunity arrived three minutes from time when Cho Gue-sung's close-range header was saved by Raul Rangel, with the Mexico goalkeeper reacting again to deny Yang Hyun-jun from the rebound. Earlier, captain Son Heung-min had chipped Rangel only for Edson Alvarez to clear off the line, although the former Tottenham forward was eventually flagged offside. Roared on by a passionate home crowd that had voiced its frustration at half-time after a lacklustre opening period, Mexico almost doubled their lead in the 75th minute, but Raul Jimenez's effort from a tight angle was kept ...

A first point for both Czech Republic and South Africa at the World Cup. Teboho Mokoena's penalty cancelled out Michal Sadilek's early goal for the Czechs. Author | Ajay  Stadium | Atlanta Stadium South Africa trailed after five minutes and seven seconds when Michal Sadilek latched onto a clever lay-off and rifled home the earliest goal of the tournament so far. The Bafana Bafana, who also conceded early against Mexico in their tournament opener, eventually settled into the game, but they struggled to create chances and only managed their first shot on target in the 74th minute. But their fortunes finally changed as Thapelo Maseko's shot thundered into Pavel Sulc's arm in the Czech box with less than 10 minutes of normal time remaining. Mokoena made no mistake with the finish, slotting into the left corner. Both sides then fought to determine a winner, but neither could. This means they’ll have to beat the group favourites in order to get out of the group and reach the ...

Colombia marked their return to the World Cup with a victory over debutants Uzbekistan. Former Liverpool forward Luis Diaz and Crystal Palace defender Daniel Munoz both found the net. Author | Jack L Stadium | Azteca Stadium Having missed out on the 2022 tournament, Colombia secured all three points at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City to move to the top of Group K. A closer analysis of what happened Munoz opened the scoring with an outstanding full-stretch volley after meeting a superb forward pass from Diaz, who had earlier struck the post. Uzbekistan, managed by Italy's World Cup-winning defender Fabio Cannavaro, levelled on the hour when Abbosbek Fayzullaev headed home from close range after Colombia goalkeeper Camilo Vargas had pushed away Eldor Shomurodov's effort. But the South Americans restored their advantage almost immediately, with Diaz's shot finding the net despite Uzbekistan keeper Utkir Yusupov getting both hands to the ball. Uzbekistan, ranked 50th in the w...

The other game in England’s group wasn’t quite as exciting Ghana's Caleb Yirenkyi scored a 95th-minute winner to deny Panama a first-ever World Cup point in Toronto, Canada. Author | Josh T Stadium | Toronto Stadium With six minutes of added time played in a match short on clear chances, Brandon Thomas-Asante surged down the left, beat his marker and squared for Yirenkyi, who applied a simple finish. The outcome was cruel on Panama, who had matched the four-time African champions in only their fourth World Cup appearance since making their debut in 2018. Ghana's next assignment is against Group L leaders England in Boston on Tuesday, while Panama will hope to end their losing World Cup record when they face Croatia in Toronto on Wednesday. A closer analysis of what happened Panama almost went ahead inside two minutes when Cecilio Waterman's effort was pushed over the bar by Ghana goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi. After the break, Panama's Cristian Martinez fired into the si...

Best game of the tournament so far? England made a winning start to their World Cup campaign as they edged past Croatia in a pulsating contest in Dallas. Author | George B Stadium | Dallas Stadium Thomas Tuchel's side showed their attacking quality but also some defensive vulnerability, although they had enough firepower to finally see off Croatia and lay the foundations for progress in Group L A closer analysis of what happened Harry Kane gave England the lead after 12 minutes with a penalty that had to be retaken after Luka Modric fouled Noni Madueke. Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic saved the first effort but was ruled to have moved off his line too early. Croatia, as ever dangerous opponents, levelled after 36 minutes when Martin Baturina's fierce drive flew past Jordan Pickford, who got a hand to the ball but could not keep it out. Kane restored England's advantage three minutes before the interval with a powerful header from Declan Rice's corner, drawing level...

Was this another shock result, or did everyone underestimate one side here?  Portugal were held to a frustrating draw by an impressive DR Congo side in their opening World Cup match. Author | Ed Stadium | Houston Stadium Midfielder Joao Neves headed them into an early lead after six minutes, but Roberto Martinez's side failed to turn their dominance of possession into meaningful chances. They were punished in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time when Newcastle striker Yoane Wissa was left unmarked six yards out to head home Arthur Masuaku's cross, scoring DR Congo's first ever World Cup goal. In their only previous appearance in 1974, when the country competed as Zaire, they lost all three matches with an aggregate score of 14-0. READ MORE |  How DR Congo qualified But the side ranked 46th in the world look a far sterner proposition 52 years later and deserved their point, defending resolutely and posing a threat on the counter-attack. Cedric Bakambu struck the post...

It was a day for football's biggest names.  Yet even amid such star quality, Lionel Messi still commanded centre stage. Author  | Jamie P Hours after France's Kylian Mbappe and Norway's Erling Haaland had illuminated the World Cup with two goals apiece, the scene was set. This, though, was no supporting role. This was the main attraction. The Messi show. His first World Cup hat-trick, a record-equalling 16th goal at the finals, and another reminder that, even at 38, he remains a force of remarkable influence. Argentina secured a 3-0 victory over Algeria, with Messi at the heart of everything. As the sun dipped behind the Kansas City skyline, the 38-year-old became the first player in history to appear at six World Cups, eclipsing rival Cristiano Ronaldo by a single day. World Cup 2026 | Argentina 3 - 0 Algeria Lionel Messi became the World Cup's joint all-time leading scorer with a hat-trick as reigning champions Argentina opened their title defence with an emphati...

A rare World Cup win for Austria They secured their first World Cup finals victory since 1990 with a hard-fought win over debutants Jordan in San Francisco. Author | Peter Grainger Stadium | San Francisco Bay Area Stadium The Europeans went ahead through a superb strike from Romano Schmid in the 21st minute, but Jordan responded five minutes after the break when Ali Olwan curled an excellent effort beyond the goalkeeper. Former Stoke City and West Ham United forward Marko Arnautovic believed he had restored Austria's lead after pouncing on a loose ball when Jordan goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila failed to deal with a corner. However, following a review by the video assistant referee, the goal was ruled out after replays showed the ball had struck the arm of Stefan Posch. READ MORE |  Iran 2 - 2 New Zealand READ MORE |  Argentina 3 - 0 Algeria Austria were not to be denied and regained the advantage in the 76th minute when Yazan Al Arab inadvertently turned the ball into his own ne...

Lionel Messi makes history again He became the World Cup's joint all-time leading scorer with a hat-trick as reigning champions Argentina opened their title defence with an emphatic victory over Algeria. Author  | Jamie P Stadium  | Kansas City Stadium Making his 200th appearance for his country, Lionel Messi scored the first World Cup hat-trick of his illustrious career. In doing so, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner took his tally of goals in World Cup finals to 16, drawing level with Germany's all-time leading marksman, Miroslav Klose. The three-time world champions were forced to work hard for the win It was also the first time Argentina had won their opening match at a World Cup as defending champions, having lost their first games in 1982 and 1990. Much of that was down to the brilliance of Messi, who curled home a superb opener in the 17th minute. The 38-year-old collected the ball from his Inter Miami team-mate Rodrigo De Paul before bending a precise finish beyond ...

Norway start World Cup with emphatic win They overcame a determined Iraq side in their opening Group I encounter as Erling Haaland marked his World Cup debut with two goals.  Author | Sean M Stadium | Boston Stadium The 25-year-old took his international tally to 57 goals in 51 appearances as Norway returned to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years. He came close to becoming the 55th player to score a World Cup hat-trick, only for Jalal Hassan to produce an excellent late save. Competing on football's biggest stage for the first time in 40 years, Iraq more than matched their opponents during the opening 25 minutes. However, the breakthrough arrived just 58 seconds after the first-half hydration break when David Moller Wolfe surged down the left and delivered a low cross that Haaland slid in at the far post. Iraq deservedly drew level in the 39th minute. Amir Al-Ammari's cross was met by Aymen Hussein, whose powerful downward header found the corner. Hussein had already s...

Kylian Mbappe became France's all-time leading goalscorer with a brilliant double Les Bleus opened their World Cup campaign with victory over Senegal in New Jersey. Author | James Y Stadium | New York New Jersey Stadium Mbappe broke Senegal's resistance in the second half with a low finish before adding a stunning long-range strike deep into stoppage time. The Real Madrid forward's second goal took him to 58 for France, moving him one clear of former record holder Olivier Giroud. Bradley Barcola had earlier doubled France's advantage before Ibrahim Mbaye pulled one back for Senegal, but Mbappe's late effort extinguished any hopes of a comeback. Watch |  Clips from the crowd It had been an underwhelming display by France prior to Mbappe's opener Senegal created the clearer chances and may feel unfortunate not to have broken the deadlock after an impressive first-half display. Nicolas Jackson came closest for the Lions of Teranga when his low strike cannoned off...

Maxi Araujo scored a late equaliser for Uruguay This denied Saudi Arabia another memorable opening-match victory at a World Cup. Author | Peter Grainger Stadium | Miami Stadium Saudi Arabia stunned the footballing world when they defeated eventual champions Argentina in their opening fixture at the 2022 tournament in Qatar. This time, however, they could not withstand a relentless second-half assault from Uruguay, who finished with 28 attempts on goal, as Marcelo Bielsa's side battled back to claim a point in the Group H encounter. A closer analysis of what happened Abdulelah al Amri bundled home four minutes before half-time after Hassan al Tambakti's powerful header from a corner was parried by Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, putting Saudi Arabia ahead and raising hopes of another famous World Cup upset. Pictures taken by readers Thommo and JP Former Leeds manager Bielsa responded with a double substitution at the interval, including the withdrawal of the ineffective for...

New Zealand still searching for their first win at a World Cup Iran twice came from behind in Los Angeles to deny them that elusive victory. Author  | Josh T Stadium  | Los Angeles Stadium Motherwell forward Elijah Just gave New Zealand a dream start, thumping home a half-volley after Chris Wood held the ball up and played it into his path. New Zealand continued to show promise but, as has often been the case at this World Cup, the first hydration break midway through the opening half proved costly. The momentum shifted and Iran found a route back into the contest when Ramin Rezaeian flicked the ball beyond Max Crocombe. Before drawing level, Iran's star forward Mehdi Taremi had gone close when he struck the post with a powerful effort from outside the area. After making it 1-1, Iran also had a goal ruled out for offside. New Zealand took time to regain their rhythm after the break However, Just struck again to restore their lead. The forward combined cleverly with Wood b...

Belgium and Egypt play out an entertaining draw A second-half own goal denied Egypt a first ever World Cup win as Belgium rescued a point from their Group G opener. Author  | Jamie P Stadium  | Seattle Stadium The Pharaohs took the lead in the 21st minute through Al Ahly midfielder Emam Ashour, who thundered a 20-yard strike into the bottom corner past Thibaut Courtois. Lukaku has an impact from the bench However, Thomas Meunier's low cross was turned into his own net by Egypt defender Mohamed Hany in the 66th minute, under pressure from substitute Romelu Lukaku. Egypt were backed by a passionate support base on the USA's west coast as they hunted their first World Cup win in eight games, having made their tournament debut back in 1934. Instead the seven-time African champions spent the final moments holding on and managed to avoid defeat at a World Cup for only the third time. Best reaction Reading through all the hundreds (and maybe thousands comments about the game online) ...

No goals but a remarkable 90 minutes in Atlanta. Debutants Cape Verde produced one of the biggest World Cup shocks in recent memory by holding Spain.  Author | Ed Stadium | Atlanta Stadium Cape Verde, the third-smallest nation by population ever to qualify for a World Cup, arrived ranked 67th in the latest FIFA standings and were widely expected to be overwhelmed by second-ranked Spain in their opening Group H fixture. Instead, the reigning European champions struggled to find fluency in attack for long periods and, when they did threaten, 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha stood firm with a series of outstanding saves. Spain tried to change things from the bench The introduction of Lamine Yamal as a second-half substitute injected fresh energy into both his side and the Spain supporters inside the stadium. However, the Barcelona teenager, making his first appearance in almost eight weeks after recovering from a hamstring injury, was unable to provide a decisive moment on his World Cup...

Ivory Coast edged past Ecuador in Philadelphia Manchester United winger Amad Diallo scored a superb 90th-minute winner to give Ivory Coast a great start to the tournament. Author | James Y Stadium | Philadelphia Stadium It was a brilliant finish from the substitute, who guided the ball into the corner with his left foot after a powerful run from Wilfried Singo. The goal also brought an end to Ecuador's 19-match unbeaten run, which had stretched for almost two years. Making a huge impact from the bench Amad's omission from the starting line-up was a surprise as Ivory Coast returned to the World Cup for the first time in 12 years. However, he made a decisive impact from the bench, scoring the goal that gives his side a significant chance of progressing from Group E, which also features Germany and Curacao , and reaching the knockout stages for the first time in their history. Ecuador struck the woodwork three times but were unable to make the breakthrough, with John Yeboah and A...

Premier League stars shine in attack for Sweden Alexander Isak marked his first World Cup appearance with a goal as Sweden swept aside Tunisia in their opening match of the tournament in Monterrey. Author  | James Lees Stadium  | Estadio Monterrey The Liverpool forward, who has been hampered by injuries since completing a £125m move to Anfield in September, found the bottom corner with an emphatic finish after a powerful run from the left on the half-hour mark. The goal came after a neat link-up with strike partner Viktor Gyokeres, with the Arsenal forward holding off his marker on the halfway line before sliding the ball into the path of his fellow Premier League attacker. His strike doubled Sweden's advantage after Yasin Ayari had rifled a shot into the top corner after seven minutes following a careless piece of defending from Tunisia. The 22-year-old Brighton midfielder, who made his senior international debut while on loan at Coventry City in 2023, declined to celebrate a...

The best 45 minutes of the tournament so far came in this match... Daichi Kamada's late header earned Japan a deserved point against the Netherlands in their opening World Cup match in Dallas. Author  | Jamie P Stadium  | Dallas Stadium One of the most eagerly awaited fixtures of the group stage took time to ignite before developing into a gripping second-half contest, with the Dutch side's Premier League contingent appearing to have put them on course for a valuable victory. Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk and West Ham United forward Crysencio Summerville found the net before Crystal Palace's Kamada struck with a clever header, diverting Koki Ogawa's effort with two minutes remaining to secure a draw. READ MORE | Germany 7 - 1 Curaçao Many were expecting an early World Cup classic but it just didn't happen initially. Ronald Koeman's side carried the greater threat in a subdued first half, with Donyell Malen proving the main danger and forcing three saves from...

The first thrashing of the 2026 World Cup Germany overcame an early scare from World Cup debutants Curacao before finding their rhythm to claim a convincing victory in their Group E opener in Houston. Author | Ed Stadium | Houston Stadium Die Mannschaft took the lead in the sixth minute through the tournament's earliest goal so far, a delightful curling effort from former England youth international Felix Nmecha after an exquisite touch from Florian Wirtz. There was a shock a few moments later Germany were jolted by a historic equaliser from the smallest nation, by both size and population, ever to appear at a World Cup. With a population of around 155,000, the Caribbean island of just 171 square miles is smaller than the Isle of Man and home to roughly the same number of people as Huddersfield. Zurich midfielder Livano Comenencia etched his name into Blue Wave folklore on 21 minutes when his left-footed strike from the edge of the area took a deflection and beat Germany ...

Australia upset Turkey in their World Cup opener Nestory Irankunda became Australia's youngest World Cup goalscorer as a youthful Socceroos side stunned Turkey. Author | Josh T Stadium | BC Place Vancouver The Watford forward struck a superb first-half goal before Connor Metcalfe added a second to hand Tony Popovic's team the ideal start to their Group D campaign in Vancouver. At 20 years and 125 days old, Irankunda eclipsed the record previously held by Brett Holman, who scored against Ghana at the 2010 World Cup aged 26 years and 84 days. The former Bayern Munich player was one of 10 World Cup debutants named by Popovic in Australia's starting XI, making it the country's youngest side at a World Cup since their meeting with France in 2018. Irankunda's finish was of the highest quality. A deft touch after collecting a pass from Paul Okon-Engstler created the space he needed before he drove a low effort beyond the goalkeeper. Turkey are appearing at a World Cup for ...

A memorable night for Scotland They held out to beat Haiti and get their first World Cup win in a generation, but will they regret not scoring more goals? Author | Sean M Stadium | Boston Stadium John McGinn repaid head coach Steve Clarke's faith by firing Scotland to their first World Cup victory in 36 years as they edged past Haiti on their return to the men's tournament after a 28-year absence. Clarke said before the match that selecting the Aston Villa captain ahead of Ryan Christie was "probably the hardest decision I've ever had to make" and challenged the 31-year-old to justify his choice. It is fair to say McGinn did exactly that, sending his country to the top of Group C and taking a significant step towards reaching the knockout stage for the first time, even if it came on a tense and nerve-racking night. A difficult selection decision for the Scotland boss Usually among the first names on the teamsheet, McGinn's place had come under scrutiny after C...

A poor Brazil performance means Carlo Ancelotti has a lot to think about  Vinicius Jr spared them the embarrassment of an opening World Cup defeat for the first time since 1934 as his brilliant solo effort earned the five-time champions a draw against Morocco Author | James Y Stadium | New York New Jersey Stadium Brazil fell behind in the 21st minute when Ismael Saibari lofted the ball over the advancing Alisson Becker from outside the penalty area following a breakdown in communication between the Liverpool goalkeeper and his defenders, Gabriel and Marquinhos. It was the first time the African champions had scored against South American opposition at a World Cup, having previously drawn blanks against Peru in 1970 and Brazil in 1998. READ MORE |  Qatar 1 - 1 Switzerland Morocco continued to dictate proceedings and, by the half-hour mark, had registered 12 shots, the most Brazil have faced in a World Cup match since their meeting with Mexico in 2018. Watch | Pre...