FIFA World Cup Day 16 recap: Belgium wins group; Egypt ties Iran to advance

SEATTLE — Egypt advanced past the group stage at the World Cup for the first time while Iran, which had a potential late winning goal called back due to an offside, will have to wait one day to find out its fate after the two teams played to a 1-1 draw.

At the conclusion of what was promoted as a “Pride Match” in Seattle, one which neither Iran nor Egypt wanted any part in, the Pharaohs finished in second place in Group G. Belgium, which played to a 1-1 draw against Egypt on June 15, beat New Zealand 5-1 in Vancouver, British Columbia to win the group outright.

Iran could still advance to the knockout round for the first time in the expanded 48-team pool at this year’s tournament. But, they no longer control their own destiny after Friday’s game.

Egypt took an early lead on a goal by Mahmoud Saber in the fifth minute. Former Liverpool star Mohamed Salah provided some strong play in the box before Saber fired a shot between the legs of Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand.

Iran tied the match nine minutes later on a goal by Ramin Rezaeian, and nearly won the game in stoppage time. Shoja Khalilzadeh fired a shot past Beiranvand in the 93rd minute, but it was overturned for offside after a video review.

Had the goal counted, Iran would have clinched a berth to the knockout round.

Iran could still advance to the knockout round for the first time in the expanded 48-team pool at this year’s tournament. But, they no longer control their own destiny after Friday’s game.

Egypt took an early lead on a goal by Mahmoud Saber in the fifth minute. Former Liverpool star Mohamed Salah provided some strong play in the box before Saber fired a shot between the legs of Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand.

Destin writes for the Associated Press.

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VANCOUVER, Canada — Leandro Trossard scored a pair of goals and Belgium overcame a slow start at the World Cup to advance to the knockout round with a 5-1 victory over New Zealand on Friday night.

With a scoring outburst, Belgium finished atop Group G and will face a third-place finisher on Wednesday in Seattle. The match was played simultaneously to the other group finale in Seattle between Egypt and Iran, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

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The Belgians went into the match a surprising third in its group after opening the World Cup with a 1-1 draw against Egypt and a scoreless draw against Iran.

Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Saelemaekers also scored for the Belgians, who were eliminated in the group stage in Qatar four years ago after finishing third at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Elijah Just scored for New Zealand, which needed to win outright to have a chance at advancing. The All Whites head home without a first-ever World Cup win.

Should Belgium win its knockout round opener, it will face the winner of the match against the United States and Bosnia-Herzegovina in the round of 16.

Trossard came oh-so-close to scoring early in the match, but goal-line technology determined that the ball did not cross the line.

New Zealand defender Finn Surman was called for a handball in the box in the 23rd minute, giving Belgium a penalty kick, but video determined that his arm was in a natural position and play continued.

In a scramble in front of the net, Trossard popped the ball up into the cross bar and it fell into the goal to put Belgium in front in the 28th minute.

It was Belgium’s first goal at the World Cup since Michy Batshuayi’s goal against Canada in the group opener in Qatar in 2022. Belgium’s goal in its 1-1 draw against Egypt in the opener of this tournament was an own goal.

Trossard scored his second early in the second half, striking a rebound off a New Zealand player past goalkeeper Max Crocombe.

De Bruyne added a stunning strike from outside the box in the 66th minute to all but put the game away for Belgium. He celebrated by making a heart with his hands for the sellout Vancouver crowd.

There was a flurry of late goals. Elijah Just’s goal avoided the shutout for New Zealand in the 84th minute, but two minutes later Romelu Lukaku scored on a header for Belgium and blew a kiss to the fans. Saelemaekers scored in stoppage time.

Winger Jérémy Doku started for Belgium after missing Sunday’s scoreless draw with Iran with an illness. He then flew to London for the birth of his son. He had only trained with the team once in seven days.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made his 18th World Cup appearance for Belgium, breaking the mark set by Enzo Scifo.

New Zealand fell 3-1 to Egypt on Sunday in Vancouver, as the Pharaohs won for the first time at a World Cup. The All Whites tied 2-2 with Iran in their group opener.

Peterson writes for the Associated Press.

Here’s where things stand in each group after Friday’s matches.

Belgium 4, New Zealand 1 — 86th minute

Elijah Just scored in the 84th minute for New Zealand on the Kiwis’ second shot of the game, but Belgium responded two minutes later with Romelu Lukaku scoring.

Just scored off a corner kick, corralling the ball off a teammate’s header and scoring from deep within the box.

Egypt 1, Iran 1 — 70th minute

Even with Mo Salah being subbed out, Egypt continues to put pressure on Iran as it looks to stay in contention for the Group G win.

Egypt has three shots on goal and 12 shots overall. It also has controlled the ball for 65% of the match so far.

As things stand now, Belgium would beat Egypt for the Group G win — unless Egypt can score again and beat Iran.

Belgium 3, New Zealand 0 — 66th minute

Kevin De Bruyne scored to give Belgium a commanding lead and put them ahead of Egypt in the race to first in Group G.

De Bruyne scored on a turnover outside the box.

Belgium 2, New Zealand 0 — 50th minute

Leandro Trossard scored his second goal of the match, find the net on his second shot from the box immediately after his first shot hit a teammate.

Belgium hasn’t slowed down after a dominant first half. It has five shots on goal and 19 shots. New Zealand has zero shots on goal and just one attempt.

Egypt 1, Iran 1 — Halftime

In what has been a mostly evenly matched game so far, Egypt and Iran are tied after an energetic first half.

Iran has three shots on goal to Egypt’s two, with Ramin Rezaeian scoring an equalizer for Iran in the 14th minute. Mahmoud Saber scored for Egypt in the fifth minute.

Belgium 1, New Zealand 0 — Halftime

Belgium dominated the first half and it was only some near-miraculous plays by New Zealand’s defense in the six-yard box that has kept this a one-goal game.

Belgium had four shots on goal and took 16 shots overall. New Zealand has no shots on goal. Belgium also possessed the ball 61% of the first half and had 44 touches in the box compared to New Zealand’s one.

Belgium 1, New Zealand 0 — 28th minute

Belgium’s Leandro Trossard scored off a corner kick when the New Zealand defense failed to clear away the ball despite it dropping deep into the box.

Trossard scored at very close range in a botched defensive play by the Kiwis.

New Zealand 0, Belgium 0 — 25th minute

Belgium continues to put massive pressure on the New Zealand defense. It nearly scored in the 11th minute when a shot by Leandro Trossard is blocked at the goal line.

Egypt 1, Iran 1 — 14th minute

Iran turned on the pressure, and Ramin Rezaeian scored in the 14th minute to tie the score.

Rezaeian scored off a rebound from a shot by Milad Mohammadi, sprinting the kick the ball in immediately after a save by Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir.

Three minutes earlier, Shobeir stopped a penalty kick by Iran’s Mehdi Taremi.

Egypt 1, Iran 0 — fifth minute

Mahmoud Saber capitalized on a botched save attempt by Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand, scoring into a wide-open net to give Egypt an early lead.

The sequence started when Egypt start Mo Salah shot the ball, forcing Beiranvand into a save. Saber then scored from the left side of the box with a shot between Beiranvand’s legs.

New Zealand is looking to win its first-ever World Cup game and advance to the round of 32 against a Belgium squad that has so far failed to meet pre-tournament expectations. If the Kiwis can win, there’s a chance they can even win Group G.

For Belgium, it will be looking for its first win in this tournament after draws with Egypt and Iran. If Belgium loses, it would become the highest-ranked team at this year’s World Cup to not reach the round of 32.

A win over Iran would give Egypt the Group G win, although a draw could be enough depending on the score of the New Zealand-Belgium match. Either way, Egypt is advancing.

Unbeaten Iran will advance with a win, but a loss would devastate its hopes of advancing.

HOUSTON — Cape Verde completed an improbable run through the group stage with a third straight World Cup draw to become the smallest country to earn a spot in the knockout round following a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia on Friday night.

The small island nation off the western coast of Africa, which is making its debut on soccer’s grandest stage, already held 2010 champion Spain to a 0-0 draw and then came from behind to get a 2-2 result against Uruguay.

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Cape Verde’s three points put the team in second place behind Spain, which beat Uruguay on Friday night and won the group.

Cape Verde will play reigning World Cup champion Argentina in Miami on July 3.

Drawing all three group matches does not guarantee advancement at major soccer tournaments. But several teams have done it in the past, including Wales in 1958, Ireland and the Netherlands in 1990, and Chile in 1998. New Zealand, however, also got three draws at the 2010 World Cup and was eliminated.

On the eve of the match, Cape Verde coach Bubista mused, “everyone is entitled to dream and nothing is impossible.”

The Blue Sharks proved him right, overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds as this country of just more than 500,000 reached the round of 32.

A woman, her face painted with a flag of the archipelago, held a sign that read: “Small Islands, Big Dreams.”

A dream that these underdogs have made reality as they continue their charmed run on the world stage.

They did it with another strong game from Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper whose tournament success has helped him amass more than 16 million Instagram followers.

He had a save in first half stoppage time, grabbing a header from Mohamed Kanno to keep Saudi Arabia scoreless. Another save came in the 66th minute when he leaped to deflect a shot from Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat.

A third came in the 92nd minute when he stopped a shot by Abdullah Al-Hamdan.

Rieken writes for the Associated Press.

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Spain defeated Uruguay 1-0 after another goalkeeping mistake by Fernando Muslera to advance to the knockout stage of the World Cup and eliminate the South American powerhouse on Friday.

Uruguay, a two-time champion, will go home without any victories in its three Group H games. Spain, the European champion, won the group with seven points and will face the second-place team from Group J — either Austria or Algeria — on Thursday in Inglewood, California.

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Álex Baena scored in the 42nd minute after Muslera couldn’t fully swat away his shot from inside the area. It was the third blunder of the tournament by the 40-year-old Muslera, who was pulled at halftime by coach Marcelo Bielsa.

At 19th in the FIFA rankings, Uruguay is the highest-ranked team to be eliminated so far.

Cape Verde, which played Saudi Arabia to a 0-0 draw in the other group game on Friday, finished second in the group with three points, one more than both Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. Uruguay finished third but without enough points to be among the best eight third-place teams that will advance.

A few Uruguay players cried on the field after the final whistle. Many fans booed the team as it left.

The match was one of the most anticipated of the group stage, but it featured few significant scoring chances by either team.

Uruguay players loudly advocated for a penalty in the final minutes after Federico Viñas went down inside the area.

There was some tension near the end. Uruguay’s Agustín Canobbio was sent off in stoppage time for a tackle on Spain defender Paul Cubarsi. His teammates had to escort him off the field, and after the final whistle he returned to try to talk to the referee.

Uruguay, the World Cup winner in 1930 and 1950, came into the final group match in turmoil after draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde. Uruguayan media said there were reports of players not being happy with veteran Argentine coach Bielsa.

Spain, seeking its second World Cup title, opened with a shocking 0-0 draw against Cape Verde but was coming off a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia. La Roja haven’t made it past the round of 16 since winning their lone title in 2010.

Spain striker Lamine Yamal, who entered the tournament nursing a left hamstring injury, had a lackluster outing and again didn’t play the entire match, being replaced by Ferran Torres in the 76th. The 18-year-old Yamal was replaced at halftime against Saudi Arabia and came off the bench in the second half against Cape Verde.

Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte had to replaced because of an apparent knee injury near the end of the first half. He was on the ground seeking medical assistance when Spain opened the scoring, and was eventually taken off the field on a stretcher.

King Felipe VI of Spain was among the crowd of 45,065 at Estadio Akron.

A moment of silence was observed before the match in memory of those who died when back-to-back earthquakes struck Venezuela late Wednesday.

Azzoni writes for the Associated Press.

Spain 1, Uruguay 0 — 70th minute

Uruguay is putting more pressure on Spain’s defense, but it has been unable to generate a single shot on goal. Spain continues to dominate possession.

Uruguay’s chances in the Spain box have been limited — it has just three shot attempts, with two off target and one being blocked.

If the score holds, Uruguay would be eliminated and Spain will win Group H. Uruguay, a former World Cup winner, would be the highest-ranked team (No. 19) to be eliminated in this World Cup.

Cape Verde 0, Saudi Arabia 0 — Halftime

With both teams in need of a win to ensure a spot in the round of 32, neither established an advantage.

Both teams had a shot on goal, with Cape Verde putting up four total shots to Saudi Arabia’s three. Possession was nearly equal, with Cape Verde controlling the ball 54% of the half.

Spain 1, Uruguay 0 — 42nd minute

Alex Baena scored on a right-footed shot that Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera got his hands on, but couldn’t stop.

The came on Spain’s first shot on goal. Spain has controlled the tempo of the game against an Uruguay squad that has not had a shot on goal yet.

Uruguay needs to win to ensure itself a spot in the round of 32. If it loses, it will be eliminated.

Cape Verde 0, Saudi Arabia 0 — 28th minute

Neither team has asserted itself so far. Both teams have just one shot attempt each and there have been limited touches in the opposition box. Possession time has been nearly 50-50.

Cape Verde’s Willy Semedo had a shot on goal in the 22nd minute that Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Mohammed Al Owais stopped.

Uruguay 0, Spain 0 — 20th minute

Spain, in the hunt for first in the group, has dominated the early stages of the match, controlling the ball for 75% of the first 20 minutes.

Spain has had three shots and five corner kicks, but Uruguay has limited its chances in the box.

Spain will look to take the Group H crown with a win or draw over Uruguay as long as it can maintain a goal-differential advantage over Cape Verde.

Uruguay also has a chance at winning at the top of the table, but it needs to win. If it posts a third consecutive draw, that would probably be enough for it to advance. However, it can’t afford to lose if it wants to reach the round of 32.

Cape Verde could win Group H provided it beats Saudi Arabia and Spain falls to Uruguay. The island nation of 530,000 people is unbeaten after draws with Spain and Uruguay and stands a strong chance of advancing if it can secure a win or draw.

Saudi Arabia desperately needs a win to stay in round of 32 contention. A win over Cape Verde and an Uruguay loss would vault it into second in the group.

It’s crunch time at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with teams looking to stay in contention for the knockout stage or improve their placing in the round of 32.

Many teams, including tournament hosts the U.S., Mexico and Canada have clinched spots in the round of 32.

Here’s everything you need to know about World Cup matches being played Saturday and Sunday across the U.S., Mexico and Canada (all times Pacific).

As group play winds down at the World Cup, the biggest intrigue might not be who finishes first in a four-team group.

It’s who finishes third.

Teams that are first and second in their groups move on automatically to the Round of 32. The United States, Canada and Mexico, co-hosts of the tournament, have all advanced, along with France, Germany, Brazil, Norway and others.

The U.S. will face Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday in Santa Clara, Calif., while Canada heads to Southern California to face South Africa on Sunday. Other marquee matchups are set, including Morocco versus the Netherlands, Japan versus Brazil and Norway versus Ivory Coast.

Third place is no guarantee. The eight best third-place teams also get in, with ties broken by goal differential and goals scored, if necessary.

Teams with four points — a win, a draw and a loss — almost certainly will make the Round of 32. Bosnia-Herzegovina, Sweden and Ecuador already advanced that way, and Paraguay is poised to join that group, which would mean four qualifiers left.

That leaves eight other third-place teams for the final four spots, including Senegal, which routed Iraq 5-0. Others with three points are also hoping for the best.

“I personally didn’t want to end up in this kind of situation, where we have to wait and see if we will reach the knockouts,” South Korea forward Son Heung-min said. “It’s disappointing that we didn’t get the outcome we deserved, considering the amount of hard work we’ve done, but it’s out of our hands now and we will have to accept our fate, whatever it will be.”

Some matches to watch closely Friday night on the third-place front:

Group G

Egypt (four points) vs. Iran (two points): Egypt would likely be a third-place qualifier even with a loss, provided that loss isn’t by a ton of goals. Iran would be heavily favored to advance as a third-place team with a draw. (Belgium and New Zealand each has a mathematically possible chance of finishing third in Group G.)

Group H

Cape Verde (two points) vs. Saudi Arabia (one point): Cape Verde will advance (as a first- or second-place team) with a win. The Saudis need a win to advance, as well.

Uruguay (two points) vs. Spain (four points): Uruguay would likely qualify as a third-place team with a draw. If it loses, it goes home.

Here are the Round of 32 matchups already set:

US vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, July 1

The Americans had their powerful momentum from two consecutive victories stalled in the loss to Turkey. But in the knockout round, they’ll face a Bosnia-Herzegovina team that is 62nd in the FIFA rankings — the lowest-ranked World Cup qualifier from Europe. Bosnia finished third in Group B with four points. U.S. star Christian Pulisic entered as a substitute in the second half against Turkey. He had not played since leaving an opening win over Paraguay at halftime with a calf injury. “We play every game like a knockout game,” said U.S. midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, who scored against Turkey. “You saw that in our intensity and the way we worked. For us, it’s keep doing what we’ve been doing.”

South Africa vs. Canada, June 28

These nations have already made history. It’ll be the first time both are in the knockout stage of the World Cup. Co-host Canada advanced as runner-up in Group B with four points — one win, one draw and one loss. South Africa was runner-up in Group A, also with four points, including a surprising win over South Korea.

Brazil vs. Japan, June 29

Japan advanced as Group F runner-up with a hard fought 1-1 draw against Sweden and the Samurai Blue’s reward is a knockout match against five-time World Cup champion Brazil. It’ll be a full-circle moment for Japan, which welcomed Brazilian soccer legend Zico in 1991. He was brought in to professionalize the country’s new domestic league and support Japan’s successful bid to co-host the World Cup in 2002. Now, the Japanese have a chance to show how far they’ve come against a country that has set the standard.

Netherlands vs. Morocco, June 29

The Netherlands won Group F after a draw with Japan and outscoring Sweden and Tunisia by a combined 8-2. Morocco went unbeaten to finish second in Group C in pursuit of becoming the first African winner of the World Cup. Morocco reached the semifinals four years ago in Qatar.

Norway vs. Ivory Coast, June 30

It would have taken beating favored France for Norway to win Group I. Instead, coach Ståle Solbakken opted to rest Erling Haaland and all but one starter. That sets up a matchup against the Ivory Coast at the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday.

NEW YORK — Roberto Martínez knows that in his younger days coaching at the World Cup, he would have placed a high priority on his team finishing first in its group.

“You sit down and you are so inexperienced, you want to plan everything,” Martinez said.

Now in his third World Cup and first with Portugal, he has realized those plans do not always materialize — and he is not alone. Norway’s Ståle Solbakken also put a priority on rest and avoiding injuries to key players rather than going all-out to win Group I on Friday, which would have taken beating tournament favorite France.

Without standout striker Erling Haaland and nine other starters in the lineup, Norway lost 4-1 but with no coaching regrets about load management now that the knockout stage has arrived and with a Round of 32 game against Ivory Coast on Tuesday.

“The break that we had from the last game to this game is the shortest of any team, and we have another match in just a couple of days, so it’s a no-brainer,” Solbakken said. “Fans around Norway and also in the arena would have liked to see Erling, but that is not really the issue here. We want to proceed as long as we can here in the tournament, so that’s what we focus on.”

The loss sends Norway to Arlington, Texas, to face Ivory Coast, in a bracket with the winner of Brazil versus Japan up next in the Round of 16. Unbeaten France is set to play the same day in East Rutherford, New Jersey, against an opponent — likely Sweden — to be determined, followed by a potential showdown against European rival Germany.

Solbakken thinks his team will be better off after getting an extra day of rest.

“I think it’s smart,” midfielder Patrick Berg said. “It’s hopefully for us a long tournament. Being able to rest somebody and, at the same time, give somebody who has been here for some weeks now training really hard — give them the opportunity to perform against one of the best teams, I think it was a win-win situation for us.”

France went with its regular lineup, and the result was a first-half hat trick by Ousmane Dembélé on the way to the convincing win. Assistant coach Guy Stéphan understood what Solbakken was thinking and, as a result, was not surprised by Norway’s lineup with an eye toward the future.

“We will see the result in four days,” Stéphan said after filling in for Didier Deschamps, who returned to France for his mother’s funeral.

Martinez, who coached Belgium at the World Cup in 2018 and ’22, wants Portugal to beat Colombia in the teams’ Group K finale on Saturday, though it was not clear exactly how he would he approach his lineup. Portugal is all but certainly assured a spot in the Round of 32.

“I believe that the focus should be trying to win every game, trying to create the best possible atmosphere in your dressing room, forget about the opponent,” Martinez said. “Respect the opponent, but if you want to do well in the tournament, you have to be able to beat everybody and anybody.”

Colombia coach Néstor Lorenzo did not want to leave anything to chance. Asked whether he had a preference for being first or second in the group, Lorenzo said: “Depending on your position, you play against one team or another. Some think that maybe you could meet a tougher opponent later on.”

Going into the World Cup, Spain’s Luis de la Fuente downplayed the standings, and his thinking has not changed.

“I believe that to reach the final you have to play against all the great teams, and it will always be difficult,” de la Fuente said. “I can’t approach a match thinking about winning, losing or drawing. I only know how to prepare to win, win and win. It’s always about trying to be better.”

Whyno writes for the Associated Press. AP writers Alanis Thames in Miami Gardens, Florida, Kyle Hightower in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Tales Azzoni in Guadalajara, Mexico, and AP freelance writer Jimmy Golen in Foxborough contributed to this report.

TORONTO — Senegal racked up the goals on 10-man Iraq in a 5-0 victory Friday that boosted their hopes of reaching the World Cup knockout stages.

Pape Gueye scored two second-half goals as the Senegalese — vying to advance from third place in Group I — took advantage of a first-half red card on Iraq defender Rebin Sulaka for preventing Sadio Mane from going in on goal alone.

Habib Diarra scored in the fourth minute and even though Sulaka was sent off in the 13th, Senegal didn’t score again until Ismaila Sarr’s goal in the 56th minute.

Gueye then added his two goals and Iliman Ndiaye netted Senegal’s fifth.

With the victory, Senegal now has three points and a plus-two goal differential.

The eight best third-place teams advance to the Round of 32, with ties broken by goals scored and goal differential if necessary.

Iraq was eliminated without a point in its first World Cup appearance since 1986.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — France forward Ousmane Dembele scored a first-half hat trick, including one off a feed from Kylian Mbappe, to help his team beat Norway 4-1 at the World Cup on Friday.

Dembele’s goals came in the seventh, 20th and 32nd minutes. It was the first first-half hat trick at the World Cup since Russia forward Oleg Salenko scored three of his five goals in the opening 45 minutes against Cameroon at the 1994 World Cup in the United States.

Desire Doue scored France’s final goal in second-half injury time.

Dembele, who has now scored four goals at this year’s World Cup, left the game in the 65th minute. He was replaced by Bradley Barcola. Dembele won Ballon d’Or as Europe’s top player in 2025.

Thelo Aasgaard got Norway on the scoreboard after Dembele’s second goal, finding the back of the net only 14 seconds after the restart. But Dembele added his third goal less than nine minutes later to push the lead back to two.

France 4, Norway 1 stoppage time

A header by Desire Doue added to France’s lead in the fourth minute of stoppage time in Foxborough, Mass.

Senegal 5, Iraq 0 82nd minute

Iliman Ndiaye joined the scoring party for Senegal to make it a five-goal advantage over Iraq in Toronto.

Senegal 4, Iraq 0 71st minute

Pape Gueye scored his second goal since coming on as a substitute in the second half as Senegal closes in on its first win of this World Cup.

Senegal 3, Iraq 0, 59th minute

Pape Gueye made his mark immediately after coming in a second-half substitute, netting one from distance to open up a three-goal lead for Senegal in Toronto.

France 3, Norway 1 65th minute

France continues to stay in control deeper into the second half. Norway had a golden opportunity to draw closer immediately after halftime when it was awarded a penalty kick, but Strand Larsen’s right-footed shot was easily knocked away by Mike Maignan in the 50th minute.

Senegal 2, Iraq 0 56th minute

Senegal has extended its lead over short-handed Iraq on a goal by Ismaïla Sarr.

France 3, Norway 1

Senegal 1, Iraq 0

We’ve reached halftime in Foxborough, Mass., and Toronto and if both results hold, France would win Group I with nine points, Norway would finish second with six points and Senegal would finish third with three points. Iraq will be hard pressed to rally because they’ve been playing with 10 men after Rebin Sulaka received a red card in the 13th minute.

Meanwhile, a reminder that Ousmane Dembele put up a hat trick in 32 minutes:

France 3, Norway 1 32nd minute

Ousmane Dembele scored his third goal of the first half to put France up 3-1 over Norway in Foxborough, Mass. It’s the third hat trick of this World Cup, after Lionel Messi scored three against Algeria and Jonathan David had three against Qatar.

France 2, Norway 1 21st minute

Ousmane Dembele extended France’s lead over Norway in Foxborough, Mass., by scoring his second of the match in the 20th minute. But Norway cut France’s lead to 2-1 on a goal by Thelo Aasgaard in the 21st minute.

France 1, Norway 0 seventh minute

France went out in front on Norway in Foxborough, Mass., thanks to a goal by Ousmane Dembele.

Senegal 1, Iraq 0 fourth minute

Senegal broke through on a goal by Habib Diarra off a corner kick to take the early lead against Iraq in Toronto.

Senegal and Iraq, both losers in their first two games, have a chance of advancing as a third-place team, but they need a win to make that happen. For Iraq, a victory would be its first in World Cup competition while Senegal, a quarterfinalist in 2002, would like to get a win for Sadio Mane, one of Africa’s most iconic players, who may be playing in his final World Cup.

This game will not only decide the group winner but it could affect who wins the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer. Both teams won their first two games and are on to the round of 32, and Norway’s Erling Haaland and France’s Kylian Mbappé each have scored four goals. Mbappe, whose eight goals led the tournament four years ago, already has 16 World Cup goals for his career, tied for second all-time. Haaland is not in the starting lineup for Norway.

Playing in goal for the U.S. men’s national soccer team is a little like playing right field for the Yankees. You’re following a long line of great players, making the comparisons — and the high expectations — unavoidable.

Matt Freese is the latest to be thrown into that crucible. But he considers that pressure to be a privilege, not a problem.

“I wouldn’t say it’s intimidating, I would say it’s inspiring,” he said before the U.S. training session Tuesday morning in Irvine. “It’s a long line of goalkeepers that I’ve looked up to for my whole life — and there were some before my life as well.”

GUADALAJARA, Jalisco — Before the World Cup, critics and fans of the Mexican national team debated whether Javier Aguirre’s third stint as head coach was the right decision. Two games later, the coach has led Mexico to the tournament’s knockout round.

Thursday’s 1-0 victory over South Korea at Guadalajara Stadium made the World Cup co-host the first in the tournament to advance while also clinching the top spot in Group A with one group play game remaining. After South Korea’s goalkeeper fumbled a ball, Luis Romo scored the goal that gave the Mexicans six points and pushed them to the top of the standings.

SEATTLE — Jaysen Dickinson flew to Seattle from Vermont to cross an item off his lengthy bucket list.

“To see the World Cup and the U.S. play in the World Cup,” he said.

Kim Fletcher and her 17-year-old son Kelan caught a 5 a.m. flight from Sacramento last week for the same reason.

“It’s a must-do right now,” she said.

They weren’t alone. Tens of thousands of people poured into Seattle on Friday morning for the U.S. team’s group-stage game with Australia, turning the Emerald City into a sea of red, white and blue. Some had tickets, most did not.

MEXICO CITY —  Mexico’s national team overcame a lackluster first half to beat Czechia thanks to a dream second half that allowed it to finish the group stage undefeated on a night that will be remembered as one of the greatest in Mexican World Cup history.

The celebration of Mexico’s 3-0 win Wednesday at Azteca Stadium turned into a tribute to legendary goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who entered the game in the final minutes to receive a standing ovation unlike any other for a Mexican player in the history of the tournament.

Czechia was eliminated after failing to earn more than one point in the tournament. In the other group match, South Africa defeated South Korea 1-0 in Monterrey and advanced in second place. South Korea will have to wait to find out whether it advances as one of the eight best third-place teams.

Christian Pulisic is back. Back like Captain America, revived and ready to go after being put on ice for a spell, needed to save the day.

Forget everything else about Thursday’s match against Turkey at SoFi Stadium and marinate on that.

SEATTLE — Seattle’s stadium is expected to be brimming with rainbow flags on Friday for a World Cup match between teams representing two of the most repressive countries for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

It was just a coincidence that the city’s “Pride Match” ended up as a high-stakes matchup between Iran and Egypt — with advancement from Group G still up in the air — and the move has come with plenty of pushback from both countries. But Seattle officials and its soccer community say this distinctive pairing is an opportunity to showcase the city’s inclusivity as well as the common ground that can be found at the World Cup.

Jess Fishlock, captain of the National Women’s Soccer League club Seattle Reign, said this is what the World Cup is all about.

“I don’t think there is a sport that has a global event that creates unity and diversity and a bringing together of so many cultures quite like the World Cup,” she told The Associated Press on Thursday. “I think we get to see that firsthand at the Pride Match.”

Same-sex relations are illegal in Iran, where gay men have been executed on sodomy charges, while Egypt has prosecuted gay and lesbian people and suppressed outward expressions of gay pride, including rainbow flags.

The countries complained to FIFA in December about the “Pride Match” and have asked that the celebrations be canceled. In a statement Friday, Iran’s federation said it had made its position clear to FIFA in multiple letters and meetings and was assured “that no ceremonies or promotional activities related to this issue will take place inside the stadium or as part of the official match programme.”

“Iran and Egypt are two Muslim countries with deep cultural and religious commonalities, and the views expressed by both federations reflect the shared values and beliefs of the people of the two nations,” Iran’s federation said in the Friday statement.

FIFA treats the rainbow flag as a statement of human rights and will allow fans to wave it inside the stadium, according to Hana Tadesse, a spokesperson for Seattle’s World Cup organizing committee.

When asked Thursday about the pride celebration, Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said the team was focused on soccer.

“We are concerned with football on the pitch,” he said in Arabic. “We respect fair play and rules for everybody to abide by.”

Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei made similar remarks during a news conference Thursday when asked about what will happen at the stadium.

“We are only going to speak about football, what a beautiful game it is, and how enjoyable it’s going to be,” Ghalenoei said in response to a reporter’s question in Farsi.

The match on Friday coincides with Seattle’s annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and Pride watch parties are planned in some neighborhoods. Over the weekend, the city will hold its popular Pride parade.

Ilona Lohrey, president and CEO of the Greater Seattle Business Association, an LGBTQ+ chamber of commerce, described Seattle as one of the most inclusive cities in the country.

“I think it gives us an opportunity to showcase who we are as a city, who we are as a people and how diversity makes us stronger,” Lohrey said in an interview.

“Do you have an extra ticket?” a man shouted outside SoFi Stadium last Thursday.

The World Cup has been drawing fans from around the globe. But for many, getting a seat in the stadium has come at a steep price.

VIDEO | 01:28

How much did people spend to go to the World Cup?

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Some were lucky enough to nab $400 to $500 tickets through official World Cup lotteries, others paid thousands of dollars to catch the action IRL. Tickets for the upcoming USA versus Turkey match were selling for more than $1,400 on resale sites.

The demand has been so high that authorities have been warning fans about how to avoid ticket scams.

As crowds flocked into the stadium, we asked attendees about how much they paid to get into the most-watched sporting event in the world. Here’s what they shared.

Through the first two games of this summer’s World Cup, the U.S. was about as perfect as a team could be. It won both games, never trailed, gave up just a goal and won its group handily, playing with a verve and confidence that erased all the doubts that had shadowed it coming in.

Then came Thursday.

SEATTLE — If a pregnant Nigerian woman had been allowed to board a plane 25 years ago, the U.S. team’s path through this summer’s World Cup may have unfolded much differently. Instead, a gate agent turned her away, insisting it wasn’t safe for her to fly from New York to London.

So Florence Balogun returned to Brooklyn, where she had been visiting relatives, and waited for her second son to be born. And when Folarin arrived a few weeks later, entering the world just hours before Independence Day dawned, he did so as an American citizen.

It was that quirk of fate that allowed Balogun, who lived just two months in the U.S., to represent the country on soccer’s biggest stage.

Béla Guttmann may be the most consequential soccer coach you’ve never heard of. But if it weren’t for Guttmann, you may never have heard of Pelé.

And Brazil may never have become the greatest soccer-playing country on Earth.

That’s because Guttmann changed the shape of modern Brazilian soccer — and changed the sport forever — when he imported the revolutionary 4-2-4 system from Hungary to Sao Paulo in 1957. A year later, Brazil won the first of five World Cups and the joga bonito was born.

SEATTLE — Growing up the son of an NFL wide receiver, Alex Freeman said he felt a lot of pressure to play the American version of football, not the one the rest of the world plays.

“I always got asked if football was the path,” he said last summer. “But I always had a secret love for soccer.”

The run-up to the World Cup in Los Angeles was marked by anxiety over how immigration enforcement, travel restrictions and anti-Trump backlash would affect the spirit and attendance of the games.

But on the streets of L.A. over the last week, something very different has happened.

Fans from a kaleidoscope of cultural backgrounds have come together to act out the kind of world — and city — they want to live in.

May was a great month for L.A. Metro. And then came the World Cup, with droves of fans making their way to local stadiums and watch parties.

After the leap in ridership last month, early numbers in June show that game-day ridership is high for Metro. As for the experience of taking public transit in L.A. amid the crush, the reviews are mixed.

VANCOUVER, Canada — When the first men’s World Cup game played in Canada kicked off last week, Anthony Totera sat in the stands and wept.

“It was a dream come true,” said Totera, who has spent most of his 57 years on earth promoting Canadian soccer. “I can’t describe the emotions. It was something surreal.”

If the 1994 World Cup, the first held in the U.S., forever altered the direction of American soccer, this summer’s tournament, which Canada is sharing with the U.S. and Mexico, has the potential to do the same for that country.

Two games, two wins and the U.S. is already through to the knockout stage of a World Cup it is hosting.

For forward Folarin Balogun, things couldn’t be going any better.

“You know, if someone said before the tournament, two games and you’d be through to the knockouts, I think we all would have taken it,” he said. “We’re delighted.”

Fox has adopted a new split-screen approach to ads during the World Cup’s mandatory hydration breaks, after a stir among viewers over how it had been handling the pauses.

At the start of the tournament, the network aired full-screen ads during the three-minute breaks, cutting away from the field during the opening match between Mexico and South Africa. Soccer fans complained that they were missing on-field action, and the backlash mounted.

By the Mexico-South Korea match last week, Fox had changed course, running split-screen advertisements for the first time: two side-by-side panels, one keeping the camera on the stadium while the other played a commercial. The approach hasn’t been consistent, though. For Friday’s U.S.-Australia match, the network reverted to full-screen ads.

A bowl of lemons sits on a table in the conference room Mauricio Pochettino has turned into an office at the U.S. men’s soccer team’s beachfront resort in south Orange County. The citrus fruit, the coach believes, has the spiritual ability to absorb negative energy. On the corner of another table, the flame from a candle flickers.

“I like candles,” says Pochettino, who believes they release therapeutic fragrances and create a calming environment.

But it is the massive, blood-red mural covering the entire south side of the room that truly reveals what Pochettino believes. In the center of the wall, just behind the coach’s desk, white block letters spell out “Why Not” above a script “U.S.,” which, despite the periods, is meant to be read as “us.”

SEATTLE — Cristian Roldan and Haji Wright grew up less than three years and 30 miles apart, Roldan in Pico Rivera and Wright in Culver City. The odds that they would go on to become teammates on not one, but two, U.S. World Cup teams seem astronomical.

Yet despite starting at the same time and place and arriving together at the same destination, the two players followed completely different paths to get there.

Wright joined the Galaxy’s academy at 14 and signed with Schalke of the top tier German Bundesliga days after his 18th birthday. Roldan was still playing for El Rancho, when he was 17, making him the only member of the U.S. World Cup team to play four years at a public high school.

I rose from my living room couch before Mexico’s World Cup match against Czechia when the Telemundo announcer stated it was time for the Mexican national anthem.

The public address system at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City played a short string intro. My back straightened. I pressed my right hand against my chest horizontally in the traditional gesture that accompanies the tune. And then I recited the opening lyrics to a song I’ve heard all my life but that I only began committing to memory this month:

Mexicanos al grito de guerra / El acero aprestad y bridón / Y retiemble en sus centros la tierra / Al sonoro rugir del cañon

Mauricio Pochettino has made the unconventional conventional since taking over as coach of the national team 18 months ago. He’s experimented with formations and tactics, shaken up his roster and motivated players by demanding to know why they can’t make a deep run into this World Cup.

On Thursday he may have pushed that contempt for convention a little too far, with Kaan Ayhan goal’s deep in stoppage time giving Turkey a 3-2 win and spoiling the Americans’ unbeaten start.

With the U.S. having already locked down a spot in the knockout stages of the tournament, Pochettino emptied his bench, making nine changes to his lineup for the group-stage finale with Turkey and giving 21 players a start in the first round. And this time the roll of the dice didn’t work, with Turkey getting its only win of the tournament on its last touch of the World Cup.

Here’s where the FIFA World Cup round of 32 schedule stands heading into Friday’s games. All matchups will be finalized when group play ends Saturday.

• Sunday, South Africa vs. Canada, noon, Fox
• Monday, Brazil vs. Japan, 10 a.m., Fox
• Monday, Germany vs. TBD, 1:30 p.m., Fox
• Monday, Netherlands vs. Morocco, 6 p.m., Fox
• Tuesday, Ivory Coast vs. TBD, 10 a.m., Fox
• Tuesday, Mexico vs. TBD, 6 p.m., Fox
• Wednesday, U.S. vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, 5 p.m., Fox
• Thursday, Switzerland vs. TBD, 8 p.m., FS1
• Friday, July 3, Australia vs. TBD, 11 a.m., Fox
• Friday, July 3, Argentina vs. TBD, 3 p.m., Fox

Here are the results of every game played at the 2026 FIFA World Cup heading into Friday’s matches.

The first 15 days of the 2026 FIFA World Cup offered plenty of memorable moments.

Check out The Times’ daily recaps ahead of Friday’s six-game slate.

Soccer

FIFA World Cup Day 15 recap: Netherlands wins group; Japan, Sweden advance

Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.

June 25, 2026

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World Cup recap: South Africa beats South Korea, advances to play at SoFi Stadum

South Africa pulled off a stunning 1-0 win over South Korea Wednesday night, advancing to the World Cup knockout stage for the first time.

June 24, 2026

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FIFA World Cup recap: Colombia edges Congo; Harry Kane and England are held scoreless

Cristiano Ronaldo snapped out of his goal scoring slump to lead Portugal to a win, while Ghana held Harry Kane and England and Colombia rallied to beat Congo.

June 23, 2026

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FIFA World Cup Day 12 recap: Lionel Messi breaks scoring record; Algeria wins

Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.

June 22, 2026

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FIFA World Cup Day 11 recap: Mo Salah and Egypt defeat New Zealand

Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.

June 22, 2026

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FIFA World Cup Day 10 recap: Japan, Netherlands dominate; Curaçao makes history

Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.

June 20, 2026

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FIFA World Cup Day 9 recap: U.S. wins its group after Paraguay defeats Turkey

Recapping what happened at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.

June 19, 2026

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FIFA World Cup Day 8 recap: Switzerland, Canada and Mexico win

Live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.

June 18, 2026

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FIFA World Cup Day 7 recap: Colombia fends off Uzbekistan; Harry Kane ties record

Harry Kane tied a World Cup record during England’s win, Cristiano Ronaldo was held scoreless during a draw, Ghana stunned Panama and more during Day 7.

June 17, 2026

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FIFA World Cup Day 6 recap: Austria beats Jordan; Lionel Messi scores hat trick

Stars Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi all scored while leading France, Norway and Argentina to wins on Day 6 of the 2026 World Cup.

June 16, 2026

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FIFA World Cup Day 5 recap: Spain plays to a draw with Cape Verde

Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday. Get the latest news, results, standings and highlights from the 48-team tournament.

June 15, 2026

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FIFA World Cup Day 4 recap: Sweden dominates; Netherlands plays to draw

Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.

June 14, 2026

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FIFA World Cup Day 3 recap: Australia and Scotland win their openers

Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.

June 13, 2026

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FIFA World Cup Day 2 recap: Canada plays to draw; U.S. wins its opener

Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.

June 12, 2026

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World Cup recap: U.S. defeats Paraguay with dominant offensive display

Folarin Balogun scores twice and Christian Pulisic sets up two goals to lead the U.S. to a 4-1 win in its World Cup opener over Paraguay on Friday.

June 12, 2026

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FIFA World Cup Day 1 recap: Mexico and South Korea open with victories

Follow along for live updates from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday. Get the latest news, results and highlights from the 48-team, 39-day tournament.

June 11, 2026

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World Cup: Mexico defeats South Africa in game marred by 3 red cards

Mexico defeats South Africa 2-0 in a game that featured three red cards. Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scored for Mexico in front of 80,824 fans.

June 11, 2026