We are about ten days into the biggest FIFA World Cup ever made, and it has not held back. Forty-eight teams, three host countries, and matches running deep into the night for those of us watching from Nepal. If you have been setting alarms for those 5 and 6 am kickoffs, the football has paid you back. Big names have stumbled, smaller nations have walked in like they belong, and the goals have not stopped.
Here is everything worth knowing from the group stage so far, with the standings still shifting every single matchday.
2026 FIFA World Cup Picture: Ten Days, Forty-Eight Teams, Plenty of Drama
This is the first 48-team FIFA World Cup, split into 12 groups of four. The top two from each group go through, plus the eight best third-placed sides, which means 32 teams move into the round of 32. So a slow start does not end your tournament the way it used to. That single rule change has made the early matches more open, and a few favourites are quietly grateful for it.
The hosts have set the tone. Mexico and the USA both have a perfect six points, and Canada put six past Qatar in one night. Meanwhile some of the usual heavyweights are still finding their feet. That gap between the confident and the nervous is what makes this group stage fun.
Shock Results: The Upsets Nobody Saw Coming
Portugal are the headline. Held to a 1-1 draw by Congo DR, they sit third in their group with a single point, and the pressure is already building. For a side with this much talent, dropping points this early was not in anyone’s plan.
Croatia have had it even worse. The 2018 finalists were beaten 4-2 by England and sit bottom of their group with zero points. That is a long way from the side that reached the final and then finished third four years later.
Spain were also pegged back in their opener, leaving every team in their group level on a single point. And do not skip past the smaller stories. Cape Verde, playing in their first ever World Cup, held their own and walked away with a point. New Zealand fought back to draw 2-2 with Iran. The minnows are not here to make up the numbers.
Form Teams: Who Looks Like a Contender
A handful of sides look genuinely sharp.
Mexico and the USA are flying at home, both with two wins from two. The crowd, the familiar conditions, and a bit of momentum have them looking dangerous. Canada belong in this group too after that 6-0 demolition.
Among the traditional powers, England look the most convincing of the lot. Four goals against Croatia, attacking with freedom, and topping their group. Argentina opened with a controlled 3-0 win, Switzerland brushed aside Bosnia 4-1, and France and Norway both got their campaigns off to winning starts. Morocco, the team that reached the semi-finals last time, beat Scotland and continue to play like they have unfinished business.
Underwhelming Favourites: Big Names Struggling
Not everyone has settled in.
Portugal, as mentioned, are the biggest worry. The Netherlands were held to a draw and sit third in their group, far from the swagger you expect from them. Belgium also dropped points and look short of rhythm. Spain stumbled in their opener and will want a sharper response.
None of these teams are in real danger of going out yet, thanks to that expanded format. But the World Cup is unforgiving, and a slow start has a way of catching up with you in the knockouts. The next match is suddenly a must-win for a few of these sides.
Breakout Stars and Standout Performers - FIFA World Cup 2026
The headline act, as always, is Lionel Messi. In what is likely his last World Cup, he opened with a hat-trick against Algeria and drew level with Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading scorer in the tournament’s history. The man simply refuses to fade out quietly.
He has company at the top, and from an unlikely place. Canada’s Jonathan David matched him with a hat-trick of his own in that 6-0 win over Qatar. Kylian Mbappe rolled on with a brace, moving past Olivier Giroud to become France’s all-time top World Cup scorer. Erling Haaland marked his World Cup debut with two goals in Norway’s 4-1 win, finally bringing that ridiculous club form to the international stage.
A few fresher names have stolen the spotlight too. Canada’s Cyle Larin has scored in both group games. New Zealand’s Elijah Just announced himself with a brace against Iran. And Sweden’s Yasin Ayari outshone bigger names with two long-range strikes that flew into the top corner. These are the players neutrals will remember.
Group-by-Group Snapshot: Who's Through, Who's Sweating
No one is mathematically safe just yet, but the picture is forming.
Standings as of the latest matchday — this changes every day as more games are played.
Group A
| Team | P | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Korea Republic | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Czechia | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| South Africa | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Group B
| Team | P | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Switzerland | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Bosnia & Herz. | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Qatar | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Group C
| Team | P | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Morocco | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Scotland | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Haiti | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Group D
| Team | P | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Australia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Turkiye | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Paraguay | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Group E
| Team | P | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Ivory Coast | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Ecuador | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Curacao | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Group F
| Team | P | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Japan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Netherlands | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Tunisia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Group G
| Team | P | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| IR Iran | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Belgium | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Egypt | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Group H
| Team | P | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uruguay | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Saudi Arabia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Spain | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Cape Verde | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Group I
| Team | P | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norway | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| France | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Senegal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Iraq | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Group J
| Team | P | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Austria | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Jordan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Algeria | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Group K
| Team | P | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colombia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Congo DR | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Portugal | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Uzbekistan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Group L
| Team | P | W | D | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Ghana | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Panama | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Croatia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Sitting pretty: Mexico and the USA on six points each are in commanding positions and close to sealing top spot. Canada, Switzerland, England, Ghana, Argentina, Austria, Norway, France, Colombia, and Sweden have all made strong starts.
Right on the edge: Haiti have lost both games and are all but out. Croatia, with zero points, are in real trouble and need a turnaround fast. Paraguay, Turkiye, Jordan, Algeria, Iraq, Senegal, and Panama are all staring at early losses and now have little room for error.
The middle groups are a mess in the best way. In two of them, every single team is still level on a point, so the next round of matches will completely redraw the table.
The Race for the Knockouts: What to Watch Next
The third round of group games is where things get tense. With the round of 32 reachable even for some third-placed sides, almost every team still has something to play for, which is rare this deep into a group stage.
Keep an eye on the favourites who slipped. Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain all need a clean, convincing win to settle nerves and lock in their spot. The bigger group deciders, like Argentina against Austria and the contests in those all-level groups, could swing top spot and shape who lands the kinder side of the bracket. Avoiding a heavyweight in the round of 32 is worth fighting for.
For Nepali fans, that means a few more late nights are coming, and they are the ones you will not want to miss.
Verdict: Early Favourites and Dark Horses
Based on what we have seen, England, Argentina, and France look like the cleanest of the contenders, with Brazil and Germany still expected to climb as they find their rhythm. The host nations, Mexico and the USA, have given their fans real belief.
The dark horses are easy to spot. Morocco are carrying their 2022 momentum and look the part. Colombia, Switzerland, and Norway all have the quality to upset someone big in the knockouts. And the team nobody wants to draw might just be one of these in-form outsiders.
The group stage has done its job. It has sorted the confident from the shaky and handed us a few new heroes. Now the real pressure begins, and from here, one bad night ends your summer. Set those alarms.