Four matches were played overnight Tuesday to Wednesday in the 2026 World Cup, and the opening round produced a memorable set of results. Two of the leading title contenders started strongly with convincing wins, as France beat Senegal 3-1 behind a standout display from Kylian Mbappe, and defending champions Argentina thrashed Algeria 3-0 thanks to an iconic hat trick by Lionel Messi in his 200th appearance for the national team.
Austria also began the tournament with a 3-1 win over stubborn Jordan, marking a dream return to the World Cup after 28 years away. Norway completed the night’s standout performances with a 4-1 rout of Iraq, powered by a debut to remember from Erling Haaland, who scored twice.
The article highlighted all four matches from the opening night of the tournament: France versus Senegal, Argentina versus Algeria, Iraq versus Norway, and Austria versus Jordan. The report described the evening as historic and emphasized the major individual performances that defined it.