By Staff Reporter
Dallas: The final group stage fixtures of the 2026 FIFA World Cup wrapped up in spectacular fashion in the early hours of June 28, locking in the final spots for the newly expanded Round of 32. Across North America, fans witnessed dramatic multi-goal thrillers, stoic defensive displays, and heavyweights asserting their dominance to close out the initial phase of the tournament.
Here is the comprehensive round-up of the action that concluded the group stages today.
Group J: “Messi-magic” continues in Dallas City
Argentina comfortably took care of business in Dallas, defeating Jordan 3-1 to firmly assert their dominance at the top of the group.
Lionel Messi came off the bench to score his sixth goal of the tournament as Argentina warmed up for their World Cup knockout match with Cape Verde by beating Jordan 3-1 on Saturday.
The ageless Messi tops the scoring charts in North America as the tournament heads into the last 32.
Cape Verde’s players will be wondering how they can stop Messi when the debutants ranked 67 face the champions on July 3 in Miami.
With qualification already in the bag, Messi started on the bench but came on after an hour in Texas to huge cheers to get his side’s third with a free-kick.
Argentina finished emphatically top of Group J with maximum points after also beating Algeria 3-0 and defeating Austria 2-0, all those goals coming from Messi.
The holders and their 39-year-old talisman look formidable, albeit in one of the weaker groups.
Coach Lionel Scaloni said Messi could have played the full game.
“But he chose to let his teammates have minutes, he chose to think about what’s coming, and that speaks volume about him,” he said.
Giovani Lo Celso, who scored Argentina’s first of the evening, said it had been almost the perfect group stage.
Meanwhile, the match of the morning belonged to Group J, where Algeria and Austria played out an unforgettable 3-3 draw at the Kansas City Stadium. Austria struck first through Marko Arnautović in the 28th minute, but Algeria’s Rafik Belghali restored parity just before the stroke of halftime. The second half turned into a tactical shootout: Marcel Sabitzer put Austria ahead again, only for Algerian captain Riyad Mahrez to level it at 2-2. Algeria briefly snatched the lead late in the game, but a stoppage-time equalizer from Austria sealed the points. The result ensured both sides advanced, with Algeria safely through as one of the best third-placed teams.
Group K: Stalemate at the top and DR Congo’s triumph
In Miami, a highly anticipated clash between Colombia and Portugal ended in a tactical 0-0 stalemate. Cristiano Ronaldo was kept quiet by a disciplined Colombian backline, meaning Colombia claimed the top spot in Group K, leaving Portugal to advance as runners-up.
The real fireworks in Group K happened in Atlanta, where DR Congo punched their ticket to the knockout rounds with an emphatic 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan. Despite a flurry of yellow cards in a highly physical encounter, the Congolese attack proved too clinical for their Asian opponents, safely securing their place in the Round of 32.
Group L: England and Croatia cruised through
In East Rutherford, England secured a clinical 2-0 victory over Panama at the New York New Jersey Stadium. Sweeping aside any defensive concerns, the Three Lions dictated the tempo from the opening whistle to comfortably top Group L.
Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored the goals in a laboured victory for England that clinched first place in Group L
Simultaneously in Philadelphia, Croatia edged past Ghana in a tight 2-1 victory. Ghana fought valiantly until a late red card derailed their hopes in stoppage time, leaving the veteran Croatian squad to pocket all three points and march confidently into the knockouts.
Upcoming tonight: The knockouts begin
With the group stage officially finalized, the history-making Round of 32 begins later today. For the first time in World Cup history, single-elimination soccer will commence with 32 teams.
Co-hosts Canada are scheduled to face South Africa at the Los Angeles Stadium at 3:00 PM ET (10:00 PM AST). Both nations are making their first-ever World Cup knockout stage appearances, setting the stage for a momentous, high-stakes opener.
