2026 FIFA World Cup: France Clobbers Norway To Win Group I; Belgium Wins Group G; Spain Wins Group H; Cade Verde, Senegal, Egypt Advance To Knockout Stage

 Six more games took place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday.

GROUP G:

At Lumen Field, Seattle:

Egypt and Iran battled to a 1-1 draw, with Mahmoud Saber scoring for the Pharaohs in the fifth minute and Ramin Rezaelin equalizing in the 14th minute for The Persian Cheetahs. With the draw, Egypt advanced to the knockout stage.

At BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia:

Leandro Trossard scored twice (28', 50') as Belgium won Group G by dismantling New Zealand 5-1, ending the Kiwis' World Cup tournament.

FINAL GROUP G STANDINGS:

1. Belgium (1-0-2; GD+ 4; PTS: 5)

2. Egypt (1-0-2; GD: +2; PTS: 5)

3. Iran (0-0-3; GD: 0; PTS: 3)

4. New Zealand (0-2-1; GD: -6; PTS: 1)

Belgium and Egypt advanced to the knockout stage.

GROUP H: 

At NRG Stadium, Houston:

Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia battled to a 0-0 stalemate.  With this draw, the upstart Blue Sharks advanced to the knockout stage in their debut World Cup.

At Estadio Akron, Guadeloupe, Mexico:

Spain won Group H by defeating (and eliminating) Uruguay 1-0, with Alex Barna scoring the game's lone goal in the 42nd minute.

FINAL GROUP H STANDINGS:

1. Spain (2-0-1; GD: +5; PTS: 7)

2. Cape Verde (0-0-3; GD: 0; PTS: 3)

3. Uruguay (0-1-2; GD: -1; PTS: 2)

4. Saudi Arabia (0-1-2; GD: -4; PTS: 2)

Spain and Cape Verde advanced to the knockout stage, with Uruguay and Saudi Arabia eliminated.

GROUP I:

At Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts:

A hat trick for Ousmane Dembele (7', 20'. 32') powered France to  a 4-1 blitzing of Norway as Les Bleus won Group I.  Both teams will play in the Round of 32.

At BMO Field, Toronto:

Pape Gueye scored twice (59', 71') as Senegal slaughtered Iraq 5-0 to advance to the knockout stage.

FINAL GROUP I STANDINGS:

1. France (3-0-0; GD: +8; PTS: 9)

2. Norway (2-1-0; GD: +1; PTS: 6)

3. Senegal (1-2-0; GD: +2; PTS: 3)

4. Iraq (0-3-0; GD: -11; PTS: 0)

France, Norway, and Senegal advanced to the knockout stage with Iraq eliminated.