Sunday, June 21, 2026: Spain wake up, Belgium sink deeper, Cape Verde keep writing history, Egypt take control

The day began with a clear response from Spain. After the frustrating 0-0 against Cape Verde, La Roja had to show that their opening block was only an accident. They did it with a clean 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia. Lamine Yamal scored early, Mikel Oyarzabal followed with a quick double, and a Saudi own goal closed the story early in the second half. Spain recovered verticality, aggression and, above all, control.

Belgium against Iran offered a different kind of tension. The 0-0 may look poor, but it was full of nerves, missed chances and consequences. Belgium dominated for long spells, yet they could not break Iran's wall. Alireza Beiranvand produced a huge goalkeeping performance for Iran, while Nathan Ngoy was sent off in the second half, forcing Belgium to finish with ten men. After two matches, Belgium still have no win and their tournament is starting to look like a fight against themselves.

Uruguay against Cape Verde then produced one of the great stories of the tournament. Uruguay led and seemed to regain authority, but Cape Verde again refused to fall into line. After their 0-0 against Spain, the small island nation earned a 2-2 draw against Uruguay, scoring their first goals in World Cup history. Kevin Pina and Helio Varela gave the match a historic dimension. Cape Verde are no longer just the brave team that defends well. They score, they come back, they stand up to major nations and they can genuinely believe in qualification.

The day ended, in Paris time, with Egypt waking up against New Zealand. Trailing after Finn Surman's header, Egypt came back to win 3-1. Mohamed Salah scored the decisive goal and gave his country a major victory. The win carries sporting and symbolic weight: Egypt move top of Group G, Salah finally has his defining World Cup moment, and New Zealand, despite another brave start, are bottom of the group.

Group H remains very open, but its hierarchy has changed. Spain have moved top with four points and a much healthier goal difference. Still, they are not completely safe. Uruguay have only two points after two matches, Cape Verde also have two, and Saudi Arabia remain alive with one. The final matchday, Spain against Uruguay and Cape Verde against Saudi Arabia, will therefore carry real tension. No major scenario is fully closed yet.

Group G is even tighter in its logic. Egypt lead with four points, but Iran and Belgium both have two, and New Zealand still have one. Belgium needed to use the Iran match to put themselves in a comfortable position. They did the opposite: they condemned themselves to a high-pressure qualification match against New Zealand.

The 48-team format makes these two groups especially interesting. The top two will qualify, but the best third-placed teams can also advance. That changes the psychology of the final group games: a draw can sometimes be enough, but it can also lead to dangerous calculations. Cape Verde, Iran, Belgium, Uruguay and even Saudi Arabia will need to manage that mix of ambition and caution.

France did not play on Sunday, but the day still speaks directly to them. Spain showed what a major nation must do after a difficult first match: respond quickly, score early and kill the doubt. That is exactly the kind of reaction Les Bleus will need to keep in mind if a match becomes complicated later in the tournament.

Belgium, on the other hand, are becoming the example to avoid. Two draws, little efficiency, an attack struggling to convert and a red card adding more nerves: Belgium are not eliminated, but they have already lost control of their story. At a World Cup, there is a huge difference between being alive and being in control.

Uruguay are also under pressure. Two draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde are not a mathematical disaster, but they are worrying for a nation that wants to matter deeper in the tournament. Spain corrected their start. Uruguay are still searching for their real reference match.

Cape Verde are now the strongest story of the early tournament. After blocking Spain, they scored their first World Cup goals and held Uruguay. This is no longer an isolated accident. It is a trajectory. A team that strings together two results of that level in such a hard group earns the right to be taken very seriously.

Iran also confirmed they can make life difficult for everyone. Their 0-0 against Belgium does not carry the same emotional weight as Cape Verde's draw, but it has real competitive value. With two points from two matches and a goalkeeper full of confidence, Iran enter the final group game with good reasons to believe.

New Zealand remain brave, but they lost a match that could have changed their tournament. After leading Egypt, and after already taking a point against Iran, they had a huge opportunity. They remain alive, but they will now need a major result against Belgium.

The following day puts France at the centre. France against Iraq must confirm the strong start from Les Bleus after the win over Senegal. Iraq were beaten 4-1 by Norway and will already play with huge urgency. The danger for France would be to treat this match as a formality, even though a win could almost open the door to the knockout phase.

Norway against Senegal will be the other key match in Group I. Norway are ahead of France on goal difference after their 4-1 win over Iraq, and another victory could set up a direct France against Norway fight for first place. Senegal, beaten by Les Bleus, must react immediately to avoid being trapped.

Group J will also have a heavy day. Argentina against Austria can give the reigning world champions a major option on first place. Jordan against Algeria already looks like a survival match for two teams beaten in their opening games. June 22 can therefore move France closer to qualification and clarify two very important groups.