The opening round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup continued to deliver unforgettable moments on Sunday, with Scotland ending a 36-year wait for a World Cup finals victory and Australia pulling off one of the tournament’s first major upsets.
Elsewhere, Qatar earned a historic result against Switzerland, while Morocco frustrated five-time champions Brazil in a gripping Group C encounter.
McGinn Fires Scotland to Top of Group C
Scotland’s return to the World Cup stage could hardly have gone better.
A deflected strike from John McGinn in the 28th minute proved enough to secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Haiti in Boston, giving the Tartan Army their first World Cup finals win since 1990.
The Aston Villa midfielder’s effort may have benefited from a fortunate touch on its way in, but Scotland fully embraced the moment as they celebrated a landmark result.
The victory became even more significant after Brazil and Morocco played out a 1-1 draw earlier in the day. As a result, Scotland finishes the opening round alone at the top of Group C, putting itself in a strong position to challenge for a place in the knockout stages.
For Scottish supporters, it was a day decades in the making.
Morocco Hold Brazil as Vinicius Rescues a Point
While Scotland celebrated, Brazil were left with work to do after being held to a 1-1 draw by a disciplined Moroccan side at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Morocco struck first in the 21st minute through Ismael Saibari, who finished a devastating counterattack by calmly lifting the ball over goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
Brazil responded ten minutes later when Vinícius Júnior showcased his world-class quality. Collecting a loose pass from Bruno Guimarães, the winger drove into the box before curling a brilliant effort into the top corner.
The five-time world champions struggled to find their usual attacking flow amid injuries to several key players, including Neymar, Rodrygo, and Estevao.
Morocco nearly stole all three points deep into stoppage time, but Alisson produced an outstanding double save in the 99th minute to preserve the draw.
The result leaves Group C wide open heading into the second round of matches.
Teen Star Irankunda Leads Australia Past Türkiye
Australia produced one of the biggest surprises of the tournament so far with a convincing 2-0 victory over Türkiye at BC Place in Vancouver.
The Socceroos spent much of the opening stages absorbing intense Turkish pressure before their breakthrough arrived through one of the country’s brightest young talents.
At just 18 years old, Nestory Irankunda announced himself on the World Cup stage with a composed finish in the 26th minute, giving Australia an unlikely lead.
Türkiye continued to push forward in search of an equalizer, but Australia’s defensive organization frustrated the heavily favored Europeans throughout the match.
The victory was sealed in the 74th minute when Connor Metcalfe doubled the advantage, sending Australian supporters into celebration.
The result represents a massive boost for the Socceroos and immediately changes the outlook of Group D, placing Australia in a strong early position.
Qatar Earn First-Ever World Cup Point
One of the most emotional moments of the day came in Group B, where Qatar secured their first-ever point in FIFA World Cup history.
Switzerland appeared set for victory after Breel Embolo converted a penalty in the 16th minute following a foul by goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada.
The Swiss dominated possession and created numerous opportunities, finishing with 26 shots and an impressive expected goals tally of 3.24.
Despite their control, Switzerland failed to find a second goal.
That missed opportunity proved costly in stoppage time.
In the 94th minute, Homam Ahmed delivered a pinpoint cross toward the far post, where captain Boualem Khoukhi rose highest to head home a dramatic equalizer.
The late goal sparked celebrations among Qatari players and supporters as the hosts secured a historic result.
Focus Shifts to Heavyweights Entering the Tournament
With Scotland and Australia already making early statements and several favorites dropping points, attention now turns to the remaining opening-round fixtures in Groups E and F.
Some of the tournament’s biggest names are set to begin their campaigns, with Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, and Sweden all looking to avoid the slow starts that have already caught out several contenders.
Germany opens its World Cup journey against Curaçao in Houston, while the Netherlands faces a dangerous Japan side in what could be one of the most intriguing matchups of the opening round.
Group E also features Ivory Coast against Ecuador in Philadelphia, a contest that could prove crucial in the battle for qualification, while Sweden takes on Tunisia in Monterrey to complete the day’s action.
After a day filled with late drama, historic milestones, and surprise results, the pressure is now on the next wave of contenders to deliver a stronger opening statement.
