The 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage got underway with a full slate of fixtures across North America, as Portugal, England and Colombia all began their campaigns on a competitive opening day.
Portugal opened Group K with a 1-1 draw with DR Congo at NRG Stadium in Houston. Cristiano Ronaldo featured as expected, helping Portugal assert control through their attacking quality but failed to secure a convincing win for the star studded side.
In one of the most anticipated fixtures, England defeated Croatia in their Group L opener at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Dallas. Managed by Thomas Tuchel, England produced a strong performance against a Croatian side featuring veteran midfielder Luka Modrić, taking an early advantage in a group widely expected to be tightly contested.
Ghana also began their campaign with a victory over Panama at BMO Field in Toronto. The West African side’s greater experience at World Cup level proved decisive as they claimed three important points in Group L, while Panama showed resilience but were unable to take a result.
Later in the day, Colombia secured victory over Uzbekistan at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City in Group K. Colombia were widely tipped as group favourites and lived up to expectations by controlling the match and taking all three points against the tournament newcomers.
Earlier action in the tournament saw Austria record a historic 3-1 win over Jordan, marking their first World Cup victory in 36 years. Jordan also made history with their first-ever World Cup goal, scored by Ali Olwan.
Key talking points from the day included strong starts from European sides, standout performances from experienced stars such as Harry Kane and Luka Modrić, and early confirmation that several favourites appear in good form heading into the remainder of the group stage.
The tournament continues with further group-stage fixtures as teams look to build momentum in the race for knockout qualification.