Just seven days into the FIFA World Cup, the 2026 season has already lived up to the hype. The latest edition has delivered plenty of excitement, drama and unexpected turns of events, managing to keep fans on the edge of their seats.While traditional powerhouses such as Argentina and France have showcased their exceptional gaming with commanding performances, underdogs like DR Congo and Cabo Verde have emerged as surprise packages with impressive displays in their opening matches. From dominant victories to shocking results, the tournament has offered a bit of everything so far.
The World Cup 2026 has already witnessed 24 matches, with all 48 sides completing their opening fixtures.
The first round of matches concluded with a series of blockbuster performances from some of football's biggest stars and fan favourites.It began with France's 3-1 victory over Senegal, where Kylian Mbappé stole the spotlight by scoring a brilliant brace. That wasn’t the end of it as Norway's "Vikings" pounced to a commanding win, powered by a two-goal display from star footballer Erling Haaland.However, the showstopper was yet to come. Argentina arrived at Kansas City Stadium to face Algeria, and Lionel Messi turned back the clock with a sensational display.
The 38-year-old superstar netted a hat-trick to lead the defending champions to a commanding 3-0 victory, giving fans a day to reminisce.Following three blockbuster encounters came one of the tournament's biggest shockers, as DR Congo held Portugal to a 1-1 draw. Cristiano Ronaldo struggled to leave his mark on the contest, especially after his long-time rival Messi had delivered such a tremendous performance.The drama quickly returned the next day when England faced Croatia in another entertaining clash. Harry Kane led the side as England secured a 4-2 victory, while Croatia endured a disappointing outing as the Luka Modrić side opened their campaign with defeat.The opening round of the group stage ended with 12 teams registering victories in their first match. Co-hosts USA and Mexico started off strong, winning their openers and securing the top spot of their respective groups.
Meanwhile, Canada had to settle for a draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina.Many tournament favourites enjoyed positive starts, but few failed to meet expectations. Brazil, Spain and Portugal, these three contenders commenced their campaigns with draws against underdogs, leaving room for improvement as they head into the second round of the group stage.
FIFA 2026 Points Table After first round
Group A
PosTeamPlayedWonDrawLostGDPts
| 1 | Mexico | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| 2 | Korea Republic | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 3 | Czechia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 4 | South Africa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
Group B
PosTeamPlayedWonDrawLostGDPts
| 1 | Switzerland | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Canada | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Qatar | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Group C
PosTeamPlayedWonDrawLostGDPts
| 1 | Scotland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 2 | Morocco | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Brazil | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Haiti | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
Group D
PosTeamPlayedWonDrawLostGDPts
| 1 | USA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +3 | 3 |
| 2 | Australia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| 3 | Türkiye | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
| 4 | Paraguay | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -3 | 0 |
Group E
PosTeamPlayedWonDrawLostGDPts
| 1 | Germany | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +6 | 3 |
| 2 | Côte d'Ivoire | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 3 | Ecuador | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 4 | Curaçao | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -6 | 0 |
Group F
PosTeamPlayedWonDrawLostGDPts
| 1 | Sweden | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +4 | 3 |
| 2 | Japan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Netherlands | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Tunisia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -4 | 0 |
Group G
PosTeamPlayedWonDrawLostGDPts
| 1 | New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | IR Iran | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Belgium | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Egypt | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Group H
PosTeamPlayedWonDrawLostGDPts
| 1 | Uruguay | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | Saudi Arabia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Spain | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Cabo Verde | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Group I
PosTeamPlayedWonDrawLostGDPts
| 1 | Norway | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +3 | 3 |
| 2 | France | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| 3 | Senegal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
| 4 | Iraq | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -3 | 0 |
Group J
PosTeamPlayedWonDrawLostGDPts
| 1 | Argentina | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +3 | 3 |
| 2 | Austria | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| 3 | Jordan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
| 4 | Algeria | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -3 | 0 |
Group K
PosTeamPlayedWonDrawLostGDPts
| 1 | Colombia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| 2 | Congo DR | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Portugal | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | Uzbekistan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
Group L
PosTeamPlayedWonDrawLostGDPts
| 1 | England | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 3 |
| 2 | Ghana | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 3 | Panama | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 4 | Croatia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
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