FIFA World Cup Completes Opening Round as Mexico, Canada Shine

The first round of group-stage action at the 2026 FIFA World Cup officially wrapped up Thursday, providing the first clear picture of where teams stand heading into the critical second set of matches.

Through the opening week, traditional powers such as France, Argentina, Germany, England, and Mexico have strengthened their positions, while several favorites including Spain, Brazil, Belgium, Portugal, and the Netherlands dropped points in surprising results.

The tournament’s expanded 48-team format has already produced several memorable moments. Cape Verde’s scoreless draw against Spain, Portugal’s draw with DR Congo, and Australia’s victory over Türkiye highlighted the increased parity across the field. Meanwhile, host nations Mexico, Canada, and the United States have all enjoyed positive starts in front of home crowds.

Thursday’s slate completed the opening round and featured several teams looking to strengthen their positions before the decisive final week of group play begins.

Thursday Results

Mexico 1, South Korea 0

Mexico continued its strong start to the tournament by defeating South Korea to move to six points atop Group A. After opening with a win over South Africa, El Tri now sits in excellent position to advance to the Round of 32 and potentially secure the group’s top spot.

Canada 6, Qatar 0

One of the most impressive performances of the tournament came from Canada, which overwhelmed Qatar in a dominant victory. The six-goal outburst dramatically improved Canada’s goal differential and moved the Canadians into a strong position in Group B ahead of a pivotal matchup with Switzerland.

Switzerland 4, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1

Switzerland answered Canada’s challenge with a convincing win of its own. The result sets up one of the most important group-stage matches next week when Switzerland and Canada meet with first place likely on the line.

Czechia 1, South Africa 1

The draw left both teams facing difficult paths to advancement entering their final group-stage matches. South Africa and Czechia will likely need victories in their final games and help elsewhere to reach the knockout round.

Current World Cup Championship Favorites

After the first round of group-stage matches, sportsbooks like FanDuel and BetMGM have adjusted their outright markets to reflect early performances.

Team	Current Odds
France	+450
Argentina	+500
Spain	+550
England	+650
Portugal	+800
Brazil	+900
Germany	+1200
Netherlands	+1800
Norway	+2200
United States	+2500

France and Argentina have emerged as the biggest movers after impressive opening victories, while Germany has seen increased support following its 7-1 win over Curaçao.

Spain and Brazil remain among the favorites despite opening draws, while England’s 4-2 victory over Croatia solidified its standing among the leading contenders.

Team USA’s Next Test

Attention now shifts to Team USA’s critical Group D matchup against Australia. The Americans opened the tournament with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay, while Australia defeated Türkiye 2-0. The winner of Friday’s match will take a major step toward winning Group D and advancing to the knockout rounds.

For a complete preview of the match, including key players, betting odds, Christian Pulisic’s injury status, and group implications, click here.

Looking Ahead

With every team now having completed at least one match, the tournament enters a crucial phase. The second round of group-stage games often determines which teams control their own fate entering the final matchday. Mexico, Canada, France, Argentina, Germany, England, and the United States have all positioned themselves well after the opening round, while teams such as Spain, Brazil, Belgium, Portugal, and the Netherlands will be looking to turn strong performances into victories as the road to the Round of 32 continues.