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The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off its Group L stage with a blockbuster clash between two European heavyweights, England and Croatia, at Dallas Stadium in Texas on 17 June. The encounter marked a long-awaited rematch of the 2018 World Cup semi-final in Russia, where Croatia eliminated England in a devastating defeat for the Three Lions. Eight years on, five of the players who featured in that 2018 match returned to the starting line-up for England, hungry to rewrite history, and they delivered a memorable 4-2 victory in a six-goal thriller.

The action got off to a blistering start inside the opening 10 minutes. Just five minutes into the game, Kieran Trippier got the packed crowd on their feet with a spectacular free kick that came inches away from breaking the deadlock. Four minutes later, England won a penalty, and captain Harry Kane stepped up to take it. Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic denied Kane’s first attempt, but a VAR review ordered a retake after an infringement was spotted. Kane made no mistake on his second chance, slotting the ball home to give England an early 1-0 lead. Despite the early advantage, Croatia dominated possession in the opening quarter of the match, but the Three Lions held firm and grew in confidence.

Croatia leveled the score in the 36th minute, capitalizing on a misplaced pass from Jude Bellingham. Young midfielder Martin Baturina collected the loose ball and fired a precise, powerful shot past England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to draw the sides level. England quickly recovered from the setback, however, and retook the lead just six minutes before half time. Declan Rice delivered a pinpoint cross into the box, and Kane rose highest to nod a brilliant header into the back of the net, notching his second goal of the game and proving why he remains one of the tournament’s top contenders for the Golden Boot.

Just before the halftime whistle, Croatia struck again to equalize. Veteran winger Ivan Perisic launched a beautiful attacking move, cutting the England defense open before playing a square pass to striker Petar Musa, who smashed the ball first-time into the net to make the score 2-2 going into the break. The two-goal first half set the stage for a dramatic second 45 minutes that did not disappoint.

The second half opened with a moment of individual brilliance from Bellingham, who made amends for his earlier error. In the 47th minute, the Real Madrid midfielder went on a stunning solo run down the right flank, cutting inside before unleashing a fierce low shot into the bottom corner to restore England’s lead at 3-2, before celebrating with his iconic trademark celebration. England piled on the pressure after that, creating a string of clear chances, including a close-range effort from Nico O’Reilly from a corner that looked destined to hit the back of the net. But Livakovic kept Croatia in the game with a string of outstanding saves, highlighted by a remarkable triple stop in the 56th minute that denied three successive England efforts.

Despite England’s dominance – they recorded 18 total shots, 10 on target and six clear big chances – they had to wait until the 85th minute to extend their lead. A quick counter-attack involving Bukayo Saka put Marcus Rashford through one-on-one with Livakovic, and the Manchester United forward coolly slotted the ball home to make the score 4-2, all but sealing the three points for the Three Lions.

In the fifth minute of stoppage time, Croatia had one final chance to pull back a third goal. From a corner, defender Josko Gvardiol found himself unmarked at the near post, poised to score from close range. In a moment that encapsulated Kane’s all-around contribution to the win, the England captain threw himself in front of the shot to block it, producing a crucial defensive intervention to preserve his side’s two-goal lead.

When the final whistle blew, England held on for a statement opening victory in Group L. The match was a thrilling showcase of attacking football, world-class individual talent and game-changing defensive moments, putting the Three Lions firmly in the driving seat in their push for group stage progression.

In the latest round of 2026 FIFA World Cup Group K action, European powerhouse Portugal and African contender the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) battled to a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Boston’s iconic tournament venue, with referee Abdulrahman Al-Jassim of Qatar overseeing the 90-minute contest.

This tournament marks just the second time DR Congo has qualified for a World Cup final stage, while Portugal is making its ninth appearance at football’s biggest global event, cementing its status as one of the most consistent sides in international football.

The game got off to a flying start for Portugal, who seized control of possession and attacking momentum from the opening whistle. Just six minutes in, João Neves put the European side ahead with a well-placed header, giving Portugal an early 1-0 lead that looked set to open the floodgates for a dominant victory. In the 18th minute, Nuno Mendes broke dangerously into DR Congo’s penalty area, but goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi read the play perfectly and made a key save to stop Portugal from doubling their advantage.

After the early opening exchanges, both sides created clear scoring opportunities, but wasteful finishing kept the scoreline unchanged. As the first half ticked into stoppage time at 45+5 minutes, it appeared Portugal would take their one-goal lead into the half-time break. That was until Yoane Wissa produced a moment of brilliance, heading a stunning effort past Portuguese keeper Diogo Costa to level the score for DR Congo right on the stroke of half time, sending the two sides into the break on level terms after an entertaining opening 45 minutes.

Shortly after the interval, substitute Francisco Conceição had a golden chance from close range to restore Portugal’s lead, but he failed to convert. The Portuguese side then launched a relentless wave of attacks on the DR Congo goal, but the African side’s defense held firm to weather the storm. On a rare counter-attack, DR Congo’s Cédric Bakambu saw his effort hit the post, coming inches away from putting his side in front.

As the match progressed, DR Congo gradually ceded possession and initiative back to Portugal, who looked to capitalize on their territorial advantage. Before the mandatory water break, Cristiano Ronaldo had a clear opening to put his side ahead, but he produced an uncharacteristically poor finish that missed the target. With just over 15 minutes remaining, Ronaldo was presented with another good chance from a cross into the box, but he again failed to test the DR Congo keeper. DR Congo also struggled to make their own opportunities count, with Bakambu unable to convert their best late chances.

In the closing minutes, both sides created late goal-scoring chances that could have snatched a winner, but neither side could find a decisive finishing touch. The match also saw unsportsmanlike conduct from several Portuguese players, who escaped punishment for multiple fouls that could have changed the outcome of the contest. With no further goals added after full time, the Group K clash ended in a 1-1 share of the points. The result leaves both sides still in contention to progress from the group stage, with their next matches set to determine their fate in the tournament.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup continues its group stage action on Wednesday, with four more teams kicking off their tournament campaigns across three host nations in North America, alongside a growing list of historic milestones and off-field talking points capturing global football fans’ attention.

Wednesday’s fixture list kicks off at 14:00 local time in Houston, United States, where Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal face off against the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The second fixture of the day follows at 17:00 local time in Dallas, with England and Croatia renewing their long-running modern tournament rivalry in what stands as the most anticipated match of the day. Later, Ghana and Panama will meet in Toronto, Canada at 20:00 local time, before the day’s final fixture sees World Cup debutant Uzbekistan take on Colombia in Mexico City, Mexico at 23:00 local time.

Looking ahead to the opening group clash, Portugal enters the contest as clear favorites. Ranked 5th in the latest FIFA world rankings, the side is led by 5-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo, who is chasing a historic record that no other men’s player has ever achieved. If he finds the back of the net against DRC, he will become the first player in men’s World Cup history to score in six different tournament editions. While DRC has climbed 11 places to 45th in the FIFA rankings since qualifying for their first World Cup in decades, head coach Sebastien Desabre acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge his side faces. Desabre even offered a lighthearted good luck message to Ronaldo, joking that he only hoped the Portuguese star would hold off on scoring against his team.

The day’s standout fixture, England versus Croatia, marks the fourth time these two sides have met in a major international tournament this century. Their rivalry dates back to the 2018 World Cup semi-final, where Croatia eliminated England in extra time to advance to the final. Since then, England has gotten revenge in both of their European Championship meetings, setting the stage for another tense battle for three group points.

In the day’s third contest, Ghana and Panama meet for the first time in men’s international football, with both sides viewing the fixture as a critical opportunity to get their first points of the tournament. Historically, Ghana has had the upper hand against CONCACAF opposition at the World Cup, winning two of their three previous matches against teams from the confederation. For Panama, the matchup is only their second against an African side at the World Cup; their first came in 2018, when they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Tunisia.

The final match of Wednesday closes out with a historic moment for Uzbekistan, who are making their first-ever appearance at the men’s World Cup. They face a tough test against Colombia, who are competing in their seventh World Cup campaign. Colombia’s 2018 campaign followed a familiar script: they dropped their opening match before going on to win the group, a trajectory they will be hoping to repeat in 2026.

Beyond Wednesday’s upcoming fixtures, the tournament already continues to deliver historic milestones off the previous matchday. Argentina’s Lionel Messi added another entry to his legacy after scoring his first ever World Cup hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria, which also marked his 200th senior international cap. The treble brought Messi’s World Cup goal tally to 16, leveling the all-time tournament record held by Germany’s Miroslav Klose.

France’s Kylian Mbappé also climbed the all-time World Cup scoring charts after netting a brace in Les Bleus’ 3-1 win over Senegal. The double took Mbappé’s senior France goal tally to 58, making him the country’s all-time top men’s goalscorer, and his World Cup tally to 14, leveling the record of Germany’s Gerd Müller and putting him just behind Messi and Klose on the all-time list.

In the two other matches from Day 6 of the group stage, Norway secured a solid 4-1 win over a fighting Iraq side, while Austria picked up a 3-1 opening match victory over Jordan.

Off the pitch, teams competing across host venues in the United States have encountered an unexpected challenge: venomous snakes near their training camps. Germany, Switzerland and Norway have all reported run-ins with the dangerous reptiles at their facilities, with Germany captain Joshua Kimmich joking that his side now has to stay alert for snakes as well as opposition strikers.

Further off-field tensions made headlines ahead of the Argentina-Algeria clash, when fans from both nations clashed in New York’s iconic Times Square. Police were forced to intervene to break up fighting that involved object throwing, before the teams faced off in Kansas City.

For millions of fans across the globe, the biggest off-pitch challenge remains adjusting to the unusual kickoff times. With the tournament spread across three North American countries, 16 host cities and four separate time zones, matches are often scheduled in the middle of the night or early morning for supporters in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and other regions outside the Americas. For fans in these areas, simply staying awake to watch matches has become one of the most talked-about hurdles of the 2026 tournament.

In a rain of late twists and dramatic moments that had fans on the edge of their seats, Austria has secured its first FIFA World Cup win in 36 years, defeating first-time tournament qualifier Jordan 3-1 in a tense Group J clash held in Santa Clara, California on Wednesday.

The match got off to a fast start, with Austria dominating possession in the opening 20 minutes. The European side broke the deadlock with a clinical finish from Romano Schmid, who capped off a smooth, well-orchestrated attacking sequence by slotting a perfectly placed shot into the top corner of Jordan’s net, leaving goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila with no chance to save.

The second half brought a complete shift in momentum. Just five minutes after halftime, Jordan leveled the score through a blistering counterattack finished by Ali Olwan, who outpaced Austria’s backline and slid the ball past goalkeeper Alexander Schlager. The large contingent of Jordanian supporters packed into the stadium erupted into wild celebrations, as the debutant side proved they could compete with their more experienced opponents.

Austria thought they had retaken the lead in the 69th minute, when veteran striker Marko Arnautovic pounced on a mistake from Abulaila to tap the ball into an empty net. However, a video assistant referee (VAR) review overturned the goal after officials spotted a handball by Austria’s Stefan Posch in the build-up to the chance. Posch would later leave the match with a fractured jaw, leaving his availability for upcoming group stage matches uncertain.

The decisive break finally came for Austria shortly after the second hydration break. A corner from Marcel Sabitzer took an unlucky deflection off Jordanian defender Yazan Al Arab, wrongfooting Abulaila and rolling into the back of the net for an own goal that put Austria back in front. Deep into 12 minutes of stoppage time, Austria won a penalty after Saleem Obeid handled the ball in the box. Arnautovic stepped up coolly to convert the spot kick, setting the final score at 3-1.

Speaking after the match, Austria manager Ralf Rangnick described the contest as a “very intense evening” and praised Jordan’s resilient performance. “They made it extremely difficult for us, but we did enough to deserve the win,” Rangnick said. For Austria, the result marks a historic milestone: the side had not claimed a World Cup win since beating the United States in the 1990 group stage, and had missed out on qualification for the tournament for the previous 28 years.

Despite the loss, Jordan and manager Jamal Sellami had plenty to be proud of, as the World Cup newcomer pushed one of Europe’s solid mid-tier teams all the way to the final whistle. “Nobody expected us to play with this much courage and aggression going forward,” Sellami said. “That was exactly the message we wanted to send to the world.”

Both teams return to action next Monday. Jordan will face Algeria back in Santa Clara, while Austria will take on tournament favorites Argentina, led by superstar Lionel Messi, in the Dallas area. Wednesday’s result puts Austria in a strong position to advance out of the group, while Jordan’s impressive performance has already marked them as one of the tournament’s most surprising debutants in recent memory.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off its group stage action in Kansas City on Monday, with defending champions Argentina launching their title defense campaign with a dominant 3-0 victory over Algeria, who returned to the World Cup finals for the first time in 12 years. The night belonged entirely to 38-year-old Lionel Messi, who delivered a masterclass performance to score the tournament’s first hat-trick, leveling Miroslav Klose’s long-standing record of 16 World Cup goals as the competition’s all-time leading scorer.

The match got off to a dramatic start, with two goals disallowed for offside inside the opening 10 minutes. First, Messi saw an early effort ruled out by the tightest of offside calls, before Algeria’s Fares Chaibi also had his opening goal wiped out by the assistant referee’s flag. It did not take much longer for Messi to break the deadlock in legitimate fashion, however. In the 17th minute, Rodrigo De Paul played a pinpoint through ball that put Messi clear on goal. The Argentine icon drove forward from 25 yards out and fired an unstoppable, precise shot past Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane, putting Argentina ahead. This goal marked not only a key milestone in the tournament, but also Messi’s 14th World Cup goal, coming in his 200th senior international cap for his country.

Buoyed by the early opener, Argentina took control of the match, dominating possession with crisp combination play and a formidable midfield press. Algeria failed to register a meaningful attempt on goal until the 41st minute, when Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez produced a solid save to keep his sheet clean going into halftime.

After the break, Algeria put up a stubborn defensive fight. In the 49th minute, Luca Zidane showcased his reflexes with a well-timed headed clearance to deny Lautaro Martinez a clear scoring opportunity from a dangerous Argentine attack. Messi came close to doubling his tally shortly after, curling a stunning effort just over the crossbar. Even NFL Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, in attendance at the Kansas City Stadium, was spotted soaking in the generational talent on display.

Messi’s second goal finally arrived in the 60th minute, thanks to a defensive mistake from Zidane. Alexis Mac Allister hit a powerful low strike that the Algeria goalkeeper could only parry directly into the path of Messi, who coolly slotted home with his right foot. This strike took his World Cup goal tally to 15, moving him past Cristiano Ronaldo into sole second place on the all-time World Cup scoring list, just one goal behind Klose’s record.

Zidane managed to deny Messi a third goal minutes later with a spectacular one-on-one save, but he could not stop history in the 76th minute. Substitute Nico Gonzalez played a perfectly weighted assist to Messi, who converted his third chance of the night to complete the first hat-trick of the 2026 World Cup and draw level with Klose’s record of 16 World Cup goals.

When Messi was substituted off later in the match, the entire crowd in Kansas City rose to give the legend a thundering standing ovation, as spectators recognized they had just witnessed a historic moment in World Cup history. After his substitution, Argentina held firm to maintain their clean sheet, despite late efforts from Algeria to pull a goal back.

With this commanding opening win, Argentina’s title defense got off to a perfect start. Messi now heads into his next group stage match with a golden opportunity to break Klose’s record and cement his status as the greatest World Cup goalscorer of all time. Monday’s performance was yet another reminder that even at almost 39 years old, Messi remains at the peak of world football, capable of carrying his team to glory on the biggest global stage.