The opening round of matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has come to an end, and several teams have underlined their ambitions with victories in their first group games. Twelve nations left their opening fixtures with maximum points, while a number of headline match-ups played out as draws as the tournament’s early storylines began to take shape.
Germany delivered the most striking statement of the first round, piling on seven goals as they overcame Curaçao. Sweden also produced a commanding performance, recording a convincing win against Tunisia. Traditional football heavyweights such as France, Argentina and England all got their campaigns underway with victories, joining the hosts Mexico in making an immediate impact, along with Ghana, Australia, Scotland, Norway, South Korea and Ivory Coast.
Here are the results from all teams that won their opening match:
- Ivory Coast 1-0 Ecuador
- Sweden 5-1 Tunisia
- Ghana 1-0 Panama
Not every pre-tournament favourite managed to collect a win in their first outing, with several tightly contested games ending level.
With the first round now completed, every side in the tournament has played one group-stage match. Winning teams have taken an early foothold in their respective groups, while those that drew will look to respond in the next round of fixtures as they push for qualification to the Round of 32.
As the competition gathers pace, supporters can expect a sharper intensity across the host nations, with the race to the knockout stage continuing to unfold match by match.
