Iran, Belgium, Uruguay held in opening World Cup 2026 matches
Shafaq News
New Zealand, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia all took points from higher-profile opponents on a lively World Cup night, as Groups G and H opened with draws instead of early control from the expected favorites.
The results followed Spain’s 0-0 draw with Cape Verde earlier Monday, extending a pattern in which bigger names had more reputation, possession, and pressure, but not enough to turn that into wins.
Iran vs New Zealand
The most open match came at Los Angeles Stadium, where Iran and New Zealand drew 2-2 in a Group G game that swung repeatedly before leaving Iran frustrated and New Zealand with a valuable point.
Before more than 70,000 fans, New Zealand twice went ahead through Elijah Just, forcing Iran, FIFA’s 21st-ranked team, to chase a match they were expected to win against the 85th-ranked All Whites. Just’s first goal gave New Zealand an early platform, and his second restored the lead after Iran had found a way back.
Iran responded through Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebbi, rescuing a point but failing to complete the comeback.
For New Zealand, the draw carried clear weight. The All Whites twice led a team appearing at its fourth straight World Cup, stayed compact when Iran pushed forward, and left Los Angeles with a result that gives them something to build on before facing Egypt. But for Iran, while the result prevented an opening defeat, it also removed the comfort of a win before meeting Belgium.
Egypt vs Belgium
Egypt had earlier set the tone in Group G by holding Belgium 1-1 at Seattle Stadium, where high on-field temperatures added another layer to a match shaped by pressure, missed chances, and a Belgian rescue act.
The ranking gap was clear before kickoff: Belgium entered as FIFA’s ninth-ranked team, while Egypt stood 29th. But Egypt struck first through Emam Ashour, who scored in the 19th minute with his first international goal after Belgium had controlled the early possession.
The goal gave Hossam Hassan’s side a clear route into the match: absorb pressure, break quickly, and force Belgium to chase.
Belgium came close before halftime, with Jeremy Doku wasting a chance and Kevin De Bruyne hitting the post from a free kick, but Egypt reached the break ahead and increasingly confident.
The match shifted after Romelu Lukaku came on in the second half. His presence gave Belgium a fixed point in attack, and the equalizer followed when Mohamed Hany turned the ball into his own net under pressure.
Lukaku later missed a chance to complete Belgium’s comeback, while Egypt also had a late penalty appeal rejected. Hassan said after the match that Egypt were” closer to winning.”
The point gives Egypt a strong base before facing New Zealand, while turning Belgium’s next match against Iran into a sharper test than expected.
Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay
Saudi Arabia and Uruguay were in the same frustration in Miami, taking a 1-1 draw from a match that Marcelo Bielsa’s side were expected to control.
Uruguay entered as FIFA’s 17th-ranked team and a two-time world champion, while Saudi Arabia stood 61st. On the pitch, however, the Green Falcons stayed disciplined long enough to make Uruguay chase.
Uruguay dominated long spells of the first half, but Saudi Arabia stayed in the game and struck before the break. Fernando Muslera failed to deal with a set piece, and Abdulelah Al-Amri turned in the loose ball to put the Green Falcons ahead in the 41st minute.
The goal brought back the memory of Saudi Arabia’s shock win over Argentina in Qatar 2022. This time, the Green Falcons did not finish the job, but they again forced a South American heavyweight to play under pressure.
Uruguay pushed hard after halftime and spent much of the second half in Saudi territory. Maxi Araujo eventually equalized after Mohammed Al-Owais failed to hold a save, leaving both goals tied to goalkeeping errors.
The draw still reflected Saudi Arabia’s discipline. Georgios Donis had said before the match that his team would not be passive or play only for a draw, and the performance matched that message for long stretches.
The result left Group H completely open. Spain had already been held by Cape Verde, meaning Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay all ended the opening round with one point.
That makes Saudi Arabia’s next match against Spain sharper than expected, while Uruguay move toward Cape Verde knowing that their opening draw removed the early advantage they were expected to take.
The wider message is becoming clear: the favorites still have the deeper squads and cleaner routes through the group stage, but the opening round has shown that lower-profile teams are taking points rather than waiting to be beaten, which matters in the expanded 48-team format, where the top two teams in each group qualify for the round of 32, along with the eight best third-placed sides, giving every early point added value.
