All 72 Group Stage Matches at the 2026 World Cup—Ranked
The legendary figure of Alfredo Di Stéfano, arguably the greatest player never to grace the grand stage of a World Cup, knew what he wanted from a soccer match. “A game without a goal is like a day without sunshine,” he once wistfully mused.
Yet, some consider the exact opposite to be true. The former Italian manager Annibale Frossi infamously claimed that a 0–0 was the “perfect game” because “it is an expression of the balance between the attacks and defenses.”
Goals alone do not define the quality of a contest. The flow, fluency and feel of those 90 minutes is just as important as the context. Taking all these factors into consideration, while dispensing with any inherent bias, here’s how every match at the biggest World Cup ever compare.
Compete against the world. / SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
73. Uruguay 0–1 Spain
Spain was unimpressive, but got the win anyway. / Ryan Pierse/FIFA/Getty Images
A genuine travesty of a match. This was more of a fight than fútbol as Uruguay dragged Spain down to its pitiful level while crashing out of the group stage for the second World Cup on the spin.
72. Paraguay 0–0 Australia
It was honors even in a bruising encounter between Australia and Paraguay. / Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images
The World Cup is littered with games in which both teams have gone through the motions of achieving a result that suits everyone. Most of them did a better job of pretending than Paraguay and Australia.
71. Czechia 1–1 South Africa
South Africa nabbed a late equalizer against Czechia. / Molly Darlington/Getty Images
South Africa boss Hugo Broos claimed that Czechia “don’t like to play football.” He may have a point. Whatever those two served up in the second round of group games certainly didn’t resemble the beautiful game.
70. Ghana 1–0 Panama
Ghana (right) left it late. / Cole Burston/AFP/Getty Images
Who doesn’t love a late goal? Caleb Yirenkyi and the rest of his Ghana teammates certainly enjoyed his last-gasp winner against Panama. The less said about the 94 minutes which preceded it, the better.
69. South Africa 0–1 Canada
A late goal proved the difference for Canada. / Dave Bernal/ISI Photos/Getty Images
South Africa’s quest to grind out a win clashed with Canada’s shaky search for victory in the first match of the round of 32. The wait for any real quality went on until the 92nd minute, when Stephen Eustáquio struck to seal the win.
68. England 2–0 Panama
Jude Bellingham delivered. Again. / Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated
This was even worse than England’s goalless stalemate with Ghana (see below) chiefly because Panama didn’t defend nearly as well as Carlos Queiroz’s battling outfit. Chronic incompetence largely kept the Three Lions at bay for so long before Jude Bellingham belatedly showed up.
67. Qatar 1–1 Switzerland
Switzerland’s draw with Qatar featured a particularly confusing moment. / Fran Santiago/Getty Images
Switzerland came into its World Cup opener pranking the media with a hoax snake pit next to the training ground. The joke was on Murat Yakin’s team who slithered towards a pair of dropped points against a far inferior opponent.
66. England 0–0 Ghana
Has Ghana laid bare England weakness? / Mattia Ozbot/Getty Images
“It was never going to be the prettiest game,” Harry Kane conceded with lashings of understatement. Ghana’s 11-man defensive block duly repelled England’s tame attempts to find a breakthrough in an ugly contest that produced a beautiful result for the African outfit, who qualified for the knockouts with the draw.
65. Mexico 1–0 South Korea
Mexico has won its first two games for only the third time in World Cup history. / Manuel Velasquez/FIFA/Getty Images
The only type of goal befitting a game of such scant quality was precisely the howler which South Korea’s goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu committed to gift Mexico the decisive strike. The boos at halftime from a demanding home crowd were entirely justified.
64. Haiti 0–1 Scotland
Dreamland. pic.twitter.com/Te35wS6u4D
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A real slog of contest on a sticky night in Boston did not bother Scotland’s joyous contingent one bit. “Everyone said must win... we won,” Steve Clarke beamed. When is everyone going to start saying the Scots must play entertaining soccer?
63. Belgium 1–1 Egypt
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The greatest example of a super sub in World Cup history—Romelu Lukaku forced an own goal 22 seconds after his introduction—was the highlight in a stodgy contest which left both nations dissatisfied.
62. Belgium 0–0 Iran
Alireza Beiranvand made an outstanding save. / Etienne Laurent/AFP/Getty Images
This tournament has been treated to some thoroughly entertaining goalless draws. This was not one of them.
While Iran boss Amir Ghalenoei may have called it “a beautiful game,” the only aspect with any claim to attractiveness was Alireza Beiranvand’s dramatic save.
61. South Africa 1–0 South Korea
For the first time ever, Bafana Bafana are in the World Cup knockout stage. pic.twitter.com/fvApRBWMPq
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Hong Myung-bo devised the harebrained scheme of benching Son Heung-min, South Korea’s greatest ever player, to try and take advantage of South Africa’s tiring legs. Yet, it was Bafana Bafana who scored the only goal in the second half while Son mustered one blocked shot. “I guess I made the wrong decisions,” Hong would later concede.
60. Scotland 0–1 Morocco
Ismael Saibari could not believe he had scored for a second game on the spin. / Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images
The thousands of Scots which flooded into Gillette Stadium, still riding high from a week of well-documented celebrations draining breweries, booing anyone not buying alcohol and filling water fountains with dish soap, were silenced by Ismael Saibari’s opener after 69 seconds. There wasn’t much else for either set of fans to cheer thereafter.
59. Canada 1–1 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Canada earned its first World Cup point. / Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images
“History is about to be made,” the stadium announcer at BMO Field blurted out ahead of Canada’s first men’s World Cup match on home soil. That prediction was doubly true as the Canucks secured their first World Cup point.
However, the emotional toll of such an occasion weighed down on the fluency of the match.
58. Curacao 0–2 Cote d’Ivoire
Nicolas Pépé upstaged his more illustrious teammates. / Sean M. Haffey/FIFA/Getty Images
When all eyes were on Manchester United’s Amad Diallo and the hottest transfer target of the summer, Yan Diomande, it was the unassuming figure of former Arsenal forward Nicolas Pépé who stole the show with two goals.
However, everyone came together, including players from Côte d’Ivoire and Curaçao, to form a touching huddle of support at the end of the group stage.
57. Jordan 1–2 Algeria
Algeria just about battled back. / Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images
The scenes back in Jordan of fans waking up early to squash into vast arenas and watch their players take on Algeria were only slightly more impressive than the stubborn resolve which Jamal Sellami’s side put up.
56. Switzerland 2–1 Canada
Jonathan David struggled to make an impact. / Sarah Stier/FIFA/Getty Images
Despite Jesse Marsch’s impenetrable ruse of pretending that a visible injured Alphonso Davies was fit, Switzerland managed to get the better of a Canada side which was oddly listless in a defeat which robbed the Canucks of home advantage.
55. Croatia 2–1 Ghana
Luka Modrić (center) teed up the winner. / Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
The dozens of Ghanaian fans who were locked out of Lincoln Financial Field after a ticketing snafu missed a game which only flickered into life in the closing stages.
54. Austria 3–1 Jordan
Austria took on Jordan on Tuesday night. / Stu Forster/Getty Images
A match hidden in the shadowy folds of every conceivable time zone may not have been worth an all-nighter, but it would have offered a bit of spice to those in Austria and Jordan who rose in the small hours to see a spiky back-and-forth.
53. Switzerland 4–1 Bosnia & Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s clash with Switzerland was packed. / Harry How/Getty Images
Up until the second hydration break—the end of the third quarter, if you will—the most fascinating aspect of Switzerland’s clash with Bosnia & Herzegovina was how many fans had packed into SoFi Stadium.
The carnage really cranked up across the final 20 minutes, with five goals, two screamers and one red card stuffed into the closing stages.
52. Tunisia 1–3 Netherlands
The Oranje are a frightful foe. / Jose Hernandez/Anadolu/Getty Images
This could have turned into something even more emphatic had the Netherlands stopped playing at halftime. “At some point we got too comfortable,” Ronald Koeman said of the group stage finale, “but it won’t happen in the next match.”
51. New Zealand 1–3 Egypt
Mohamed Salah made history against New Zealand. / Alex Grimm/Getty Images
Mohamed Salah called it a “great achievement,” “a great win,” and “a great vibe.” It was undoubtedly great in a historical sense.
Egypt’s first ever World Cup win, 96 years after the nation missed its connecting boat to the inaugural tournament following a storm in the Mediterranean, was hardly straightforward. Salah and Co. were deservedly trailing to New Zealand with almost an hour elapsed before a late surge swung the balance of play unmistakably in favor of the proud African power.
50. Czechia 0–3 Mexico
Is it even a World Cup without this man?
Guillermo Ochoa has official made it number six. pic.twitter.com/aRZLUQGdE2
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) June 25, 2026
It said everything about Czechia’s pitiful attempt to turn this group stage finale into a contest that Javier Aguirre felt comfortably enough sending Guillermo Ochoa on for the closing stages of what turned into an emotional testimonial.
49. DR Congo 3–1 Uzbekistan
DR Congo achieved its first ever World Cup win. / Steph Chambers/FIFA/Getty Images
“I think that today,” DR Congo’s decisive goalscorer Fiston Mayele breathlessly reflected, “we showed the world that, listen, in Congo we have very, very good players.”
Mayele was right, but Uzbekistan’s impressive first half, capped by a lob from Eldor Shomurodov which was softer than candle light, showed that both sides had decent talents.
48. Colombia 1–0 DR Congo
After three goals in his first 46 Colombia caps, Daniel Muñoz scored his second in as many World Cup games against DR Congo. / Juancho Torres/Anadolu/Getty Images
For 76 minutes, Lionel Mpasi-Nzau threatened to join the likes of Vozinha and Eloy Room in keeping a heroic clean sheet for one of the World Cup’s minnows.
Yet, after repelling the first seven shots on target he faced from a Colombia attack as sparky as their support, DR Congo’s goalkeeper was deceived by a heavily deflected Daniel Muñoz shot. How cruel the fickle fates can be.
47. Scotland 0–3 Brazil
Neymar made his long-awaited return against Scotland. / CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP/Getty Images
It would have been interesting to see what Brazil could have done against an opponent that didn’t so actively help them win the game. Vinicius Junior was certainly grateful for Scotland’s incompetence, as was Carlo Ancelotti, who had the perfect semi-competitive setting to send Neymar out for his first World Cup appearance.
46. Germany 7–1 Curacao
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For 17 tantalizing minutes, the greatest World Cup shock of all time threatened to materialize as proud minnow Curaçao sat level at 1–1 four-time champion Germany.
However, the Mannschaft has suffered through enough schadenfreude at the previous two World Cups, romping back to put Curaçao in its place.
45. Cabo Verde 0–0 Saudi Arabia
Cabo Verde became the first World Cup debutant since 2010 to advance to the knockout stages. / Michael Steele/Getty Images
There were no heroics required from Vozinha, whose mother watched him make just the three saves in Houston, but this 0–0 was even more historic than the stalemate with Spain. A third straight draw sent Cabo Verde through to the round of 32, becoming the smallest nation by population to reach the knockouts in World Cup history.
“We have shown that nothing is impossible,” Cabo Verde boss Bubista told reporters while draped in his country’s flag.
44. New Zealand 1–5 Belgium
A potent version of Belgium was finally spotted. / Alex Grimm/Getty Images
Belgium had Manchester United’s first-choice goalkeeper on its bench. New Zealand boasted the services of Tommy Smith, who plies his trade for Braintree Town in England’s six tier.
The chasm is class was eventually exposed but the circuitous (at times calamitous) route taken to get to that point was entertaining.
43. Jordan 1–3 Algeria
Lionel Messi can’t be stopped this summer. / Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images
Argentina’s first team plays at half-speed at the best of times. Lionel Scaloni’s second string barely broke out of a stroll while getting the best of Jordan in a contest which still found time for another Lionel Messi record.
42. Brazil 3–0 Haiti
Brazil is back on top. / Howard Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Thierry Henry, a French World Cup winner thanks to a victory over Brazil in 1998, cheekily requested a return to “samba soccer” for a must-win fixture over minnow Haiti. Whether that illusion of beautiful play has ever existed is a debate for another time (it hasn’t), and it didn’t spark into existence in Philadelphia.
Brazil won comfortably thanks chiefly to Haiti’s ineptitude. When the lowly Concacaf qualifier stopped playing directly into the Seleção’s hands—and Brazil stopped playing at all—it was Haiti who dominated the second half.
41. Spain 4–0 Saudi Arabia
304 on the world stage. pic.twitter.com/sDWpK38DLr
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The game that saw Lamine Yamal score his first ever World Cup goal was effectively over as a contest when Luis de la Fuente substituted his teenage talisman at halftime with Spain already 3–0 up.
40. Portugal 5–0 Uzbekistan
Did you really think? pic.twitter.com/GzO6NSdiCe
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Cristiano Ronaldo had two goals and two words: “I’m back.” In terms of goals at World Cups, Ronaldo hasn’t been away since 2002, finding the net for the sixth successive tournament in a fun, fizzy flourish for Portugal against Uzbekistan.
39. Panama 0–1 Croatia
Ante Budimir (center) was the unglamorous game-winner. / Sanjin Strukic/Pixsell/MB Media/Getty Images
Croatia’s manager Zlatko Dalić likes to say that Ante Budimir “would have scored 40” goals if he played for a club like Barcelona or Real Madrid. Yet, the ones he scores for Osasuna “are worth more.” The one he bundled in for Croatia against Panama was worth three massive points after his teammates had been subjected to a flood of decent chances from their Central American foes.
38. France 3–0 Iraq
Mbappé is unplayable at the World Cup. / Hannah Peters/FIFA/Getty Images
Even if there hadn’t been a two-hour storm delay, it would have felt like an awfully long afternoon for an Iraq rearguard trying (and failing) to contain a French frontline spearheaded by a record-chasing Kylian Mbappé.
37. Japan 1–1 Sweden
Japan and Sweden are two fun teams. / Lars Baron/Getty Images
Sweden is such a confusing team even its own players can lose track of what’s going on. At the end of a concussive contest, Anthony Elanga didn’t realize that a 1–1 draw would be enough for his side to advance along with Japan.
“Bless him,” Sweden boss Graham Potter said afterwards. “We did tell him.”
36. Portugal 1–1 DR Congo
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For a team with a player seemingly so hellbent on scoring—even if it is at the detriment of his teammates—Portugal did an awfully good job of not trying to score a second goal after an early opener. DR Congo remembered what its aim was and punished the complacency.
35. Egypt 1–1 Iran
Iran went through the ringer against Egypt. / Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images
What a ridiculous final five minutes. Iran thought it had nudged ahead of Egypt, in the same and Group G table, only for Shoja Khalilzadeh to be belatedly flagged offside.
Egypt’s manager Hossam Hassan was still thanking a higher power by the time Saeid Ezatolahi crashed a header off the crossbar to add one more loop on a roller coaster of a stoppage-time period. The first 90 minutes were a little less dramatic.
34. Spain 0–0 Cabo Verde
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The only thing more noteworthy than Vozinha’s saves were his tears after the realization of a childhood dream. Spain had 51 touches inside Cabo Verde’s box, rattled off 27 shots and forced the 40-year-old shot-stopper into seven saves.
Yet, there would be no breakthrough and Cabo Verde even flirted with a stunning winner during a chaotic few closing minutes.
33. Mexico 2–0 South Africa
Raúl Jiménez started in the World Cup for the first time. / Carl Recine/Getty Images
It’s remarkable to think that there were some audible whistles from the Mexican home crowd directed at their own team during this dreamy World Cup opener. There wasn’t much dissent elsewhere in a match with three red cards, two goals and one very happy Raúl Jiménez.
32. Ecuador 0–0 Curaçao
Eloy Room could not be beaten. / JUAN MABROMATA/AFP/Getty Images
“I think I need a statue in Curaçao,” Eloy Room said, only half in jest, after making a record-equalling 15 saves to deny the luckless Ecuador in a goalless draw feverishly celebrated the World Cup’s smallest ever team.
31. Norway 1–4 France
France achieved a perfect group stage finish. / Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated
This was a case of what could have been. The world was robbed of a direct head-to-head battle between Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé by Ståle Solbakken’s preference for rotation. Regardless, the day was painted a distinct shade of Ousmane Dembélé with the second quickest hat-trick in men’s World Cup history.
30. USMNT 2–0 Paraguay
American Dreamin’. pic.twitter.com/i61xI8Vdpp
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) June 19, 2026
This could have been an even better contest if the USMNT maintained its momentum in the second half. The co-host would have to suffice with its best start to any World Cup since 1930.
29. Turkiye 3–2 USMNT
Let’s not overreact to the USMNT’s loss in its group stage finale. / Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated
A true dead rubber was treated as such by Mauricio Pochettino, who couldn’t understand why everyone else was so bothered. The vacuum of jeopardy was filled by a sparky to-and-fro between the USMNT’s B team and a Türkiye side playing to avoid a torrent of rotten fruit upon its return home.
28. Saudi Arabia 1–1 Uruguay
The pressure pays off. pic.twitter.com/uUU17aReK8
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) June 15, 2026
This was a fun back-and-forth which inspired more joy than Marcelo Bielsa’s demeanor may have suggested. Although, with his perennially sullen expression, as though he’s sitting on an upturned nail jutting out of his cooling box perch, that isn’t hard.
27. Turkiye 0–1 Paraguay
It was not a moment for Miguel Almirón to cherish. / Stu Forster/Getty Images
Türkiye could still be playing now and Vincenzo Montella’s desperately underwhelming outfit wouldn’t yet have found a goal against Paraguay.
The lame dark horse was playing against 10 men for half the match after an historic red card for Miguel Almirón—who committed the new offense of covering his mouth to have a casual chat—on the cusp of the interval. Türkiye racked up 32 shots, took 50 (fifty!) touches in Paraguay’s box and amassed an xG of 2.12, but still couldn’t find a way back from Matías Galarza’s second-minute opener.
“A match like this might occur once every 50 games,” Montella lamented, thinking back to Türkiye’s opening defeat to Australia which followed a similar pattern, “so it is surprising to see it happen twice in a row.”
26. Canada 6–0 Qatar
Ismaël Koné. Sending you all the love and strength. pic.twitter.com/ZCjDGpkFMq
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This game had the things that commentators like to pretend that people “don’t want to see”—mass scuffles, managers bickering with a windmill of arms—and the sort of stuff that no one actually wants to witness, namely, Ismaël Koné’s gruesome injury.
25. Senegal 5–0 Iraq
Senegal had a point to prove. / Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
This fixture (and the convoluted new group stage format) created the rare scenario in which the fourth and fifth goals in a blowout were as important as the first and second. Senegal needed to win big to harbor any hope of sneaking through as one of the best third-placed sides and the team duly obliged.
Iraq played its part in the entertainment, offering a raucous soundtrack which peaked at 120 dB ahead of kickoff.
24. Bosnia & Herzegovina 3–1 Qatar
Bosnia & Herzegovina ended the group stage on a high. / DIRK WAEM/BELGA MAG/Belga/AFP/Getty Images
The sort of sneaky thriller which has been such a welcome feature of this tournament. Few could have imagined a few weeks ago that Bosnia & Herzegovina and Qatar would serve up a dizzying back-and-forth in front of a raucous crowd in Seattle, but that is precisely what took place.
23. Sweden 5–1 Tunisia
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There was plenty of reason for Graham Potter to go back and pour over the tape of Sweden’s emphatic World Cup opener; the linkup play between Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres, another chance to see Yasin Ayari’s ripsnorters or maybe even working out what went wrong at the set piece which Sweden conceded.
However, Potter also revealed that he would be reviewing the footage to find out who gave him a bloody ear during some excessive celebrations.
22. Cote d’Ivoire 1–0 Ecuador
Amad Diallo. pic.twitter.com/CfqrblHvQC
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Every celebrity with even a vague connection to New York descended upon San Antonio to see the Knicks clinch the NBA Finals at the home of the Spurs. Yet, the city’s most famous rapper, Jay-Z, was instead in Philadelphia to watch a seemingly random group stage clash between Côte d’Ivoire and Ecuador.
The music mogul was treated to an entertaining contest with a jab-jab, thrust-thrust rhythm that was capped off by Amad Diallo’s well-taken late winner. It’s unclear if Jay-Z regrets his selection.
21. Argentina 2–0 Austria
Messi broke the record with a vintage strike. / Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images
The greatest trick the human brain ever pulled was convincing everyone that Lionel Messi is perfect. He’s not. The World Cup’s greatest scorer of all time bleeds, cries and even shanks penalties.
The power of selection bias—only remembering Messi’s magical feats while the many errors he commits every game are allowed to wash away—has created a false narrative which was shattered by his wayward spot kick against Austria.
However, it is how Messi reacts to those errors which belies his greatness. The Argentine hero ended the night with two goals, a new record and another chapter in his scarcely believable legend.
20. Iraq 1–4 Norway
Halland debuted his trademark celebration at the World Cup. / Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Erling Haaland was promised and Erling Haaland delivered. Iraq also put up a fight—drawing level with Norway in the first half—and it was only a late flurry which put the self-styled Vikings out of reach.
19. Uruguay 2–2 Cabo Verde
Cabo Verde are defining what it all means. pic.twitter.com/IQLrxlOhPa
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“We could have won the match and we also could have lost the match,” Uruguay boss Marcelo Bielsa accurately surmised with his usual bluntness. The recklessness of a wild ride of a game was almost as captivating as the underdog spirit displayed by Cabo Verde, who went unbeaten for a second game on the spin in its World Cup debut.
The mother of goalkeeper Vozinha, granted a last-minute visa after her son’s tears and heroics against Spain, was not the only one to enjoy the ding-dong.
18. Uzbekistan 1–4 Colombia
Luis Díaz opened his World Cup account. / Alfredo ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images
In what other setting would Uzbekistan ever play Colombia? And when would so many people without any connection to either country make a point of watching this unlikely pairing?
Those who fully bought in to the myth of the World Cup were treated to an entertaining affair enlivened by a jangly medley of expert finishing and goalkeeping incompetence.
17. Australia 2–0 Turkiye
Boxing corner flags like it’s ‘06. Nestory Irankunda just took us back.
This is Socceroo heritage. pic.twitter.com/oIDpFWlx00
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) June 14, 2026
Who doesn’t like a revenge story? Türkiye bizarrely spent the buildup to this contest telling anyone who would listen how much better they were than Australia. Tony Popovic’s players heard those jibes and channeled them into the fuel for a glorious, entirely deserved victory.
16. USMNT 4–1 Paraguay
Christian Pulisic’s injury scare stained an otherwise sensational USMNT performance. / Katelyn Mulcahy/FIFA/Getty Images
Weston McKennie had a message of defiance after growing up with soccer consistently considered an inferior sport in the U.S. landscape. “For the people [who] maybe say, ‘Oh, soccer’s boring’—well, you had five goals today,” he scoffer. The heaviest victory in USMNT World Cup history was anything but boring.
15. Morocco 4–2 Haiti
A first World Cup goal in 52 years. pic.twitter.com/GHTfXKLm0h
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Haiti emerged beaten but soccer was the real winner from a triumph of World Cup play, befit with screamers and screaming fans, staggering saves and moments for both nations to savor.
14. South Korea 2–1 Czechia
Hwang In-beom had a brilliant game against Czechia. / Julian Finney/FIFA/Getty Images
This is precisely what the World Cup is all about. Two teams from different continents full of contrasts, trading very different types of blows as they figure out how each other is trying to play before even getting onto the issue of stopping them.
13. Argentina 3–0 Algeria
The oldest hat-trick scorer in World Cup history.
Lionel Andres Messi will not be stopped. pic.twitter.com/JcOoN7Unxq
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After months of doubts over whether Lionel Messi would even show up—before a hamstring injury on the eve of the tournament threatened to take that decision out of his hands—there was the fear that Messi may be limping towards a sad farewell. Few elite sportspeople can ever bring themselves to leave when they are actually on top.
However, Messi proved to have at least a few more good performance left up his tattoo sleeves with a hat-trick display almost too perfectly scripted.
12. Brazil 1–1 Morocco
Brazil settled for a draw in their World Cup opener. / Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images
The much-hyped clash of two top-10 ranked teams in the group stage lived up to its lofty billing. The only minor surprise was that Morocco looked so much better than the five-time champion. Carlo Ancelotti felt compelled to apologize to the Brazilian public, but no neutral needed consoling.
11. Japan 4–0 Tunisia
Daichi Kamada got the scoring underway. / David Ramos/Getty Images
“Do you know what would happen if we went back home today?” Hervé Renard asked the frazzled mess of Tunisian players he had inherited after a 5–1 pummelling from Sweden.
Whatever would have been awaiting them got a whole lot worse in the wake of a 4–0 thrashing from Japan, who should be treated to a hero’s welcome when they return to Tokyo for the beguiling brand of versatile attacking play they conjure up.
10. France 3–1 Senegal
Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring in France’s victory over Senegal. / Hannah Peters/FIFA/Getty Images
Senegal very much threatened to pull off a repeat of 2002 for large swathes of a high-spec affair between two technically gifted teams before the Kylian Mbappé show kicked into gear.
The pilloried forward failed to attempt a single shot across the opening 45 minutes. He would end the match as France’s all-time record scorer with two more goals for his personal tally. “I’ve always wanted to go down in history,” Mbappé smiled after the match. Mission accomplished.
9. Norway 3–2 Senegal
Erling Haaland (center) suppressing his glee. / Tom Weller/picture alliance/Getty Images
Two talented teams trading blows in front of a feverish atmosphere is the recipe for any engrossing encounter.
You couldn’t even take your eyes off the match after the final whistle, as Erling Haaland and Co. sat on the pitch to perform the “Viking Row” which Norway’s fans have been showing off in the stands, streets and escalators of local malls.
8. Ecuador 2–1 Germany
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This was a game so good a national holiday was declared in its honor. The real Ecuador belatedly stepped up to bloody Germany’s nose and book a spot in the knockout rounds with a dramatic comeback.
“We make mistakes,” Sebastián Beccacece beamed, “but we have purity in our group.”
7. Iran 2–2 New Zealand
A second fightback, and a point rescued. pic.twitter.com/po3y8W6zW2
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) June 16, 2026
The soccer match which no one cared about just so happened to be one of the most entertaining affairs of the entire tournament. Go figure.
Months of fraught political tension culminated in protests from Iranian Americans against their own national team ahead of kickoff, with fans promising to actively root against a set of players framed, unfairly or not, as the regime’s propaganda tool. Yet, when the whistle blew and Iran twice pegged New Zealand back, the SoFi Stadium was soon transformed into a feverish pit of frazzled excitement.
“Two good teams, playing good football,” New Zealand boss Darren Beazley summarised with a smile.
6. Germany 2–1 Côte d’Ivoire
Der Joker. A German football term for a substitute player who comes off the bench and makes an important impact on the game, often by scoring.
Also known as Deniz Undav. pic.twitter.com/5s2mP4NuYz
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This game will be remembered for Deniz Undav’s decisive contribution off the bench—once against justifying Julian Nagelsmann’s insistence that he thrives against tired opponents and “tends to fade a bit when he has to work hard during the match”—but Côte d’Ivoire played its role in making this a fascinating encounter by taking the lead and threatening to extend it before a dramatic collapse. As Emerse Faé rightly surmised; “We had a great game.”
5. England 4–2 Croatia
Jude Bellingham, again. pic.twitter.com/PyqfobrHyY
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) June 17, 2026
England only scored five goals while suffering through to the final of Euro 2024. This new, disarmingly fun iteration under Thomas Tuchel racked up four in one entertaining clash with Croatia to kickstart its World Cup campaign.
The German manager’s message to his players at halftime was telling—and entirely un-English: “Let the shackles off,” he told his players while the score was 2–2, “What’s the worst that could happen?”
4. Netherlands 5–1 Sweden
Brian Brobbey (right) was unplayable. / Molly Darlington/Getty Images
After finding his Sweden side well and truly bullied by the human embodiment of a clench bicep that is Brian Brobbey, Graham Potter picked a fitting Mike Tyson quote to paraphrase: “You get a smack in the face and then you have to change your plan.”
3. Netherlands 2–2 Japan
Something about footballers walking through the tunnel just looks different. Pure aesthetic. pic.twitter.com/SVG4HB2giT
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) June 14, 2026
This was an instant epic. A game that didn’t so much ebb and flow as wildly zig-zag as two tactically astute coaches exchanged as many duels as the wonderfully gifted players on the pitch.
And to think, it could have been even better if Japan hadn’t wasted the first 45 minutes playing with an inferiority complex it emphatically banished in the second half.
2. Algeria 3–3 Austria
Absolute bedlam. / Francois Nel/Getty Images
The greatest conclusion to any group stage in any World Cup ever. Algeria and Austria weren’t only playing with their own tournament futures while exchanging a pair of stoppage time goals, Iran’s qualification was also at risk during a dizzying conclusion.
Sixteen days of 72 group games came down to the final 60 seconds as Algeria snatched a 3–2 lead which bumped them up to second, knocked Austria out of the competition and handed Iran a lifeline. Fast forward a matter of moments and Saša Kalajdžić’s headed equalizer has Austria going through, tosses Algeria to the other side of the bracket and dashes Iran’s hopes at the death.
To quote Sir Alex Ferguson, “Football, bloody hell.”
1. Colombia 0–0 Portugal
Colombian fans were the overwhelming majority against Portugal. / Carmen Mandato/FIFA/Getty Images
There were more than five million requests for tickets to see the group stage finale between Colombia and Portugal in Miami at the end of June. Even Portugal boss Roberto Martínez had to use his influence to secure tickets for his loved ones back in December.
Those that did squash into the Hard Rock Stadium were treated to a dazzling spectacle of end-to-end soccer. The only thing missing was a goal, but that absence didn’t detract from the brilliance of the occasion.
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