2026 World Cup: group standings after the first matchday

The first matchday of the 2026 World Cup wrapped up in the early hours between Wednesday and Thursday. Jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, this historic edition of the tournament brings together 48 national teams and will run until July 19.

The opening round was packed with intensity and featured numerous tightly contested results, with several groups seeing teams level on points after the first whistle.

Among the standout moments, Lionel Messi showcased his trademark brilliance once again. The Argentine forward netted a hat-trick in Argentina's 3-0 win over Algeria, propelling La Albiceleste to the top of Group J right from the outset.

The second round of group stage action kicks off this Thursday with South Africa facing the Czech Republic. Kick-off is set for 16:00 GMT.

Group standings after the first matchday

1. Group A

   Mexico – 3 points

   South Korea – 3 points

   Czech Republic – 0 points

   South Africa – 0 points

2. Group B

   Switzerland – 1 point

   Canada – 1 point

   Qatar – 1 point

   Bosnia and Herzegovina – 1 point

3. Group C

   Scotland – 3 points

   Morocco – 1 point

   Brazil – 1 point

   Haiti – 0 points

4. Group D

   United States – 3 points

   Australia – 3 points

   Turkey – 0 points

   Paraguay – 0 points

5. Group E

   Germany – 3 points

   Ivory Coast – 3 points

   Ecuador – 0 points

   Curaçao – 0 points

6. Group F

   Sweden – 3 points

   Japan – 1 point

   Netherlands – 1 point

   Tunisia – 0 points

7. Group G

   New Zealand – 1 point

   Iran – 1 point

   Belgium – 1 point

   Egypt – 1 point

8. Group H

   Uruguay – 1 point

   Saudi Arabia – 1 point

   Spain – 1 point

   Cape Verde – 1 point

9. Group I

   Norway – 3 points

   France – 3 points

   Senegal – 0 points

   Iraq – 0 points

10. Group J

    Argentina – 3 points

    Austria – 3 points

    Jordan – 0 points

    Algeria – 0 points

11. Group K

    Colombia – 3 points

    DR Congo – 1 point

    Portugal – 1 point

    Uzbekistan – 0 points

12. Group L

    England – 3 points

    Ghana – 3 points

    Panama – 0 points

    Croatia – 0 points

World Cup 2026: Top scorers after the opening matchday

Mohamed Rek |

Editorfr, ar, en

Mohamed Rek- sports content writer with over 10 years of experience creating football content in Arabic and French for platforms such as Foot Africa and Starafrica, combining accuracy, creativity, and audience engagement.

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