Germany began their 2026 World Cup campaign with a dominant performance, thrashing debutants Curacao 7-1 in their opening Group E match in Houston.

• Germany scored seven goals, with multiple players contributing to the lopsided victory.
• Key scorers for Germany included Nico Schlotterbeck, Kai Havertz (with a brace), Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown, and Deniz Undav.
• This marks Germany's first opening match win at a World Cup since their triumph in 2014.

Japan staged a dramatic comeback, twice equalizing to secure a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in their opening World Cup match on Sunday.

• The decisive equalizer came in the 88th minute.
• Key goals were scored by Keito Nakamura and Daichi Kamada for Japan, and Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville for the Netherlands.
• The match took place at the Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in front of 69,285 spectators.

In a dramatic turn of events at the 2026 World Cup, Ivory Coast secured a stunning 1-0 victory over Ecuador thanks to a last-gasp goal.

• Manchester United forward Amad Diallo scored the lone goal in the 90th minute.
• The win marks Ivory Coast's first World Cup victory in 12 years, boosting their chances of reaching the knockout stage.
• Despite Ecuador's strong defensive record and hitting the woodwork twice, they were unable to find the net in the tight Group E encounter.

Sweden demolished Tunisia 5-1 to seize control of World Cup Group F, shattering Tunisia's previously unblemished defensive record. The convincing victory saw multiple Swedish players find the back of the net, underlining their dominant performance.

• Sweden scored 5 goals against Tunisia.
• Key contributors included Brighton midfielder Yasin Ayari and Liverpool forward Alexander Isak.
• Tunisia, who had not conceded a goal in qualifying, were unable to contain Sweden's potent attack.