The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is now fully underway — and the group stage has already produced the kind of drama the tournament is famous for.
The marquee match of Saturday, June 13, pitted five-time champions Brazil against African champions Morocco at MetLife Stadium (officially branded “New York/New Jersey Stadium”) in front of an overwhelmingly Brazilian crowd. Morocco struck first through Ismael Saibari in the 20th minute, silencing the yellow-clad majority. But Vinicius Junior answered just 12 minutes later with what multiple outlets described as a “golazo,” rescuing Brazil and leveling the score at 1-1.
The atmosphere inside and outside the stadium was electric. As The Guardian reported, Brazilian fans had been streaming into the venue for three hours before kickoff, outnumbering Moroccan supporters roughly ten to one, fueled by a massive diaspora in the tri-state area. Moroccan fans, meanwhile, had traveled from as far as Marrakech, Dubai, the UK, and Montreal. Back in Rio de Janeiro, a Fan Fest on Copacabana beach drew throngs of supporters complete with player lookalikes and banners supporting the absent Neymar.
Germany’s Der Spiegel noted that Brazil had not lost a World Cup opening match in 92 years — and Saturday’s draw kept that streak technically alive, even if the result was far from comfortable.
In another Group stage stunner, Qatar scored late to force a draw against Switzerland, stealing a point in a result few had predicted. The match underscored the unpredictability that has already defined the early rounds.
Meanwhile, the tournament’s global pull was on full display in Australia, where young Sydney footballers told reporters they planned to set alarms for 5 a.m. to catch the Socceroos’ upcoming matches. And in New Zealand, the story of Jesse Randall — an attacker who was playing amateur football in the Central League as recently as 2024 — captured imaginations as he stood on the verge of a World Cup debut against Iran.
