The opening matchday of the 2026 FIFA World Cup concluded with a mix of expected results and notable upsets across the expanded 48-team field. While several favorites secured victories, Portugal’s campaign began with a frustrating draw in Houston.
Cristiano Ronaldo delivered a quiet performance in his record sixth World Cup appearance as Portugal drew 1-1 with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Despite dominating possession at 75 percent, the European powerhouse struggled against Texan humidity. PSG midfielder Joao Neves opened the scoring in the sixth minute, but Congo equalized via header before halftime. Ronaldo missed key chances late in the match and failed to become the first player to score in six tournaments. Coach Roberto Martínez defended keeping the 41-year-old on the pitch, citing his tactical importance despite the scoreless outing.
England produced the most commanding display of the round, defeating Croatia 4-2 in a heavyweight clash. Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane scored twice, recovering from an early saved penalty to secure a brace. Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford added second-half goals for the Three Lions, overcoming strikes from Martin Baturina and Petar Musa. The victory signals strong intent for England as they chase their first title since 1966.
Austria comfortably defeated Jordan 3-1 in Group J action. Romano Schmidt and Marko Arnautovic found the net for the Europeans, while an own goal proved decisive after Jordan had briefly equalized through Ali Olwan. In other fixtures, Ghana edged Panama 1-0 with a stoppage-time winner despite lower possession statistics. Colombia topped Group K with a 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan, led by Bayern Munich star Luis Diaz who scored the go-ahead goal shortly after the opposition had leveled the match.