World Cup Round Delivers Major Upsets and Confirmations

The 2026 World Cup produced another dramatic night of group-stage action. France crushed Norway 4-1 to finish top of the group, while Senegal beat Iraq 5-0 to secure its place in the knockout round. The biggest surprise came from tiny Cape Verde, which advanced to the next stage from second place in its group.

At the other end of the table, Uruguay was the major disappointment, losing 1-0 to Spain and being eliminated already in the group stage. Belgium also finally found its form, routing New Zealand 5-1 to advance as the winner of Group G.

The final two matches added more uncertainty. Iran appeared close to booking a place in the next round, but drew 1-1 with Egypt, leaving its qualification still unresolved. The article also highlighted the main knockout schedule, with the round of 32 set for June 28 to July 3, the round of 16 from July 4 to 7, the quarterfinals on July 9 to 11, the semifinals on July 14 and 15, the third-place match on July 18, and the final on July 19.

The roundup pointed readers to highlights of Spain-Uruguay, Cape Verde-Saudi Arabia, Belgium-New Zealand, Senegal-Iraq, and Egypt-Iran.