The opening days of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, delivered a string of surprises as three lower-ranked nations refused to be overrun by established football powers. Cape Verde held European champions Spain to a goalless draw, Saudi Arabia matched Uruguay point for point, and Iran twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw with New Zealand — results that immediately scrambled the early standings and raised the hopes of the tournament's smaller participants.
The most celebrated shock came in Atlanta, where Cape Verde — a volcanic Atlantic archipelago of roughly 525,000 people off the coast of West Africa competing in their first-ever World Cup — frustrated Spain for 90 minutes. Despite Spain commanding 74 percent of possession and introducing teenage Barcelona star Lamine Yamal from the bench, the Blue Sharks' goalkeeper Vozinha, a 40-year-old veteran and team captain, produced a series of crucial saves, denying Pedri, Ferran Torres and others. Torres also struck the crossbar. The final whistle triggered wild celebrations in the capital, Praia, where vuvuzelas, car horns and chants filled the streets. "Being a small country and being able to achieve such a good result against Spain, a football powerhouse, is the greatest feeling ever," said one supporter in the fan zone. Cape Verde's achievement also continued a strong opening run for African sides, who had already seen Morocco draw with Brazil and Côte d'Ivoire beat Ecuador.
In Group G, Iran's match against New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium was as politically charged as any game in recent World Cup history. Hundreds of anti-government protesters gathered outside the venue, and inside, some spectators carrying Iran's pre-Islamic Revolution Lion and Sun flag — banned under FIFA rules — cheered when New Zealand's Elijah Just gave the All Whites an early lead, finishing a sharp move involving captain Chris Wood. Iran's domestic league had been suspended since February following US and Israeli air strikes, leaving several players without club football for months. Despite those disruptions, Iran levelled twice: first through wingback Ramin Rezaeian's poacher's finish shortly after the half-hour mark, then through Mohammad Mohebbi's precise header from Rezaeian's cross after Just had restored New Zealand's advantage early in the second half. The 2-2 result left New Zealand still searching for their first-ever World Cup win after seven attempts, while Iran's hopes of reaching the knockout round for the first time remain alive but complicated.
The results matter beyond individual national pride. In an expanded 48-team tournament, the group-stage points tally carries amplified significance, and draws in opening fixtures can prove decisive in closely matched groups. Cape Verde, for instance, face Uruguay and Saudi Arabia next — both sides who also dropped points on the opening day — meaning qualification from Group H remains genuinely open. Similarly, in Group G, all four teams — Iran, New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt — share a single point after the first round of fixtures, with Belgium and Egypt drawing 1-1 in the day's other match. For the tournament's debutants and perennial underdogs, the message from the opening day was clear: the expanded World Cup has made upsets not merely possible, but expected.