That’s how you know a World Cup is doing its job.
June 15, 2026 — Updated as games come in
Right, let me tell you something. My wife told me to go to bed at 1am on Friday night. I told her “five more minutes.” That was during extra time of the Switzerland vs Qatar game, and those five minutes turned into forty-five, and I regret absolutely nothing.
That’s what a World Cup does to you. It doesn’t matter how sensible your sleep schedule normally is. It doesn’t matter that you’ve got work in the morning. When there’s a team in red and white clearing the ball off their own line in the 93rd minute and the commentary team is losing their minds — you’re not going anywhere.
Five days into the 2026 FIFA World Cup and I’m already running on coffee and pure adrenaline. So let me save you some time and break down everything that’s happened so far, what today looks like, and why I think this might be one of the most watchable World Cups we’ve had in a long time.
The Format Change — Bigger Than It Sounds
Look, most people know by now that FIFA bumped the tournament up to 48 teams. What people don’t always realize is how much that actually changes the experience of watching it.
Twelve groups. Four teams in each. The top two from every group go through automatically, same as always. But then the eight best third-placed teams from across all twelve groups also make the cut — straight into a brand new Round of 32. It means teams that lose their first game aren’t dead yet. It means groups stay alive for longer. It means you genuinely cannot switch off a group game just because one result has already gone.
I was one of the people who thought this would water things down before it started. More teams, more dead rubber games, less intensity. Hand on heart, through five days I haven’t felt that once. Every single game has had something riding on it for somebody. That might change as the group stage goes on, but right now? The format is working.
The Results — Everything That’s Happened
Group A — Mexico 2–0 South Africa / South Korea 2–1 Czechia
Mexico opened the whole tournament at the Azteca on June 11 and did exactly what a home side needs to do — won comfortably, kept the crowd happy, didn’t do anything stupid. Two goals, clean sheet, job done. South Africa barely got a look in.
South Korea’s game against Czechia was a much tighter watch. Czechia went toe to toe with them and it could have gone either way, but South Korea had just enough quality to nick it 2–1. Both sides with three points and three conceded between the pair of them heading into matchday two — Group A is very much alive.
Group B — Canada 1–1 Bosnia / Qatar 1–1 Switzerland
Canada will be disappointed with a draw at home. They had the crowd, they had the occasion, and Bosnia just refused to lie down. It ended 1–1 and the Canadian dressing room would have been quiet afterwards, I reckon. Not a disaster but not what they were hoping for on their own patch.
Now. Qatar versus Switzerland. I need you to understand what that 94th minute goal meant. Qatar went to their own World Cup in 2022 as hosts and left without scoring. Not one goal. They were embarrassed, honestly, and the football world noticed. Fast forward three years and they’re in the 94th minute against Switzerland — a proper European side — level at 1–1 because of a header from Boualem Khoukhi in stoppage time. The Qatar bench went absolutely berserk. Their supporters in the stands were crying. That’s what football does, and moments like that are exactly why I watch.
Group C — Brazil 1–1 Morocco / Scotland 1–0 Haiti
Scotland are back. Twenty-eight years away from the World Cup. Nearly three decades of hurt and near-misses and watching everyone else go while they stayed home. And their return? A professional 1–0 win, John McGinn slotting home a rebound just after the half hour, clean sheet, three points. Nothing flashy. Nothing that’ll end up in a goals-of-the-tournament compilation. Just a winning start and a nation exhaling for the first time since 1998.
Brazil and Morocco drew 1–1. Both teams probably feel they left something on the pitch. Brazil especially — they’re carrying a lot of expectation and a draw against Morocco in the group stage isn’t the statement they wanted to make.
Group D — USA 4–1 Paraguay / Australia 2–0 Türkiye
The USA did what was expected in front of their home fans. Paraguay had a tough night and the Americans were ruthless. Four goals, controlled from start to finish, exactly the kind of performance you need in front of your own supporters to set the tone.
But Australia. Australia were something else entirely. Nobody — and I mean nobody — had Türkiye losing 2–0 in their pre-tournament predictions. Nestory Irankunda scored in the 27th minute with a touch and finish so clean that I genuinely rewound it three times just to watch it again. Then Connor Metcalfe — who doesn’t even get a mention in most people’s World Cup conversations — drove one in from outside the box late on and it was done. Australia won 2–0 and it wasn’t even as close as the scoreline made it look. Türkiye were poor. Australia were brilliant. Group D just got very interesting.
Today — Group G Opens and Belgium Finally Play
Today is a big one. Four games on the schedule and the day starts with Spain against Cabo Verde in Atlanta at lunchtime local time, which will be most people’s first proper look at one of the tournament favourites. Spain were extraordinary in qualifying and Yamal — still only 18 — has been playing like someone who doesn’t know he’s supposed to be nervous yet.
Then at 8pm local time in Seattle, Belgium vs Egypt. This is the one I’ve been waiting for all week.
Belgium’s squad honestly looks built for a deep tournament run. Youri Tielemans captains them, fresh off winning the Europa League with Aston Villa — there’s a leader who comes into this on a high. Thibaut Courtois is in goal and when he’s fit and focused, there’s nobody better at this level. Kevin De Bruyne doesn’t need an introduction. And then there’s Leandro Trossard — he was everywhere for Arsenal this season, the kind of player who makes things happen in small spaces, who pops up in the right place at the right time.
Egypt aren’t going to try to play Belgium at their own game. They’ll be deep, compact, organized, and they’ll look for Mo Salah on the break whenever they can. That’s their plan, it’s a sensible plan, and it puts all the pressure on Belgium to break them down. If Belgium are patient and clinical, they’ll win comfortably. If they get frustrated and start throwing men forward carelessly — that’s when Egypt will fancy their chances.
Iran versus New Zealand kicks the day off in Los Angeles and honestly? Don’t sleep on that one. Iran are experienced at this level and New Zealand are capable of making life difficult for anyone.
By the end of tonight we’ll know what Group G looks like after matchday one. I’ll update this as the results come in.
What Nobody’s Talking About Enough — Germany
Seven goals. One conceded. One game.
Germany beat Curaçao 7–1 in their group opener and it looked like a training session by the end. Not in a lazy way — in an absolutely ruthless, well-drilled, clinical machine kind of way. Every team remaining in this tournament should be doing the maths on whether they could end up facing Germany in the knockouts, because right now that looks like a very bad draw for whoever gets them.
France, England, Argentina — Still to Come
It’s worth remembering that some of the biggest names in this tournament haven’t even kicked a ball yet. France start on June 17 against Iraq in Boston. England are coming. Argentina are coming. Messi’s last World Cup is behind him now but this Argentine squad still has teeth and they’ll be dangerous.
The second round of group stage matches begins June 18 and that’s when the real pressure starts. Teams who dropped points in matchday one start to feel the squeeze. Teams who won start looking at who they might face in the knockouts. The group stage stops being about results and starts being about survival.
The Road to New Jersey
| Stage | Dates |
|---|---|
| Group Stage Matchday 1 | June 11–17 |
| Group Stage Matchday 2 | June 18–23 |
| Group Stage Matchday 3 | June 24–27 |
| Round of 32 | June 28 – July 3 |
| Round of 16 | July 4–7 |
| Quarterfinals | July 9–11 |
| Semifinals | July 14–15 |
| Third Place | July 18 |
| The Final | July 19 — MetLife Stadium, New Jersey |
Honestly? I Think We’re in For Something Special
I know it’s early. I know saying a World Cup is going to be brilliant after five days is the kind of thing that comes back to bite you when matchday two throws up a week of 0–0 draws and tactical misery. Maybe that’s coming.
But right now — Qatar grabbing their first ever point in injury time, Australia beating Türkiye out of nowhere, Scotland finally back where they belong and winning — the stories are already there. The football has been watchable. The upsets have been real. And we’ve still got Belgium, France, Spain, Germany and about forty more reasons to stay up way past midnight before any of this is done.
My wife has already accepted that bedtimes are flexible until July 19.
Come back here for updates after tonight’s Group G games. Things are only going to get better from here.
Last updated June 15, 2026
