World Cup Roundup: South America > Europe as Germany Suffers Timely Wake-Up Call

On June 26 Beijing time, the World Cup entered its 15th matchday with Group D, E, and F third-round matches: Australia 0-0 Paraguay, Turkey 3-2 USA, Ivory Coast 2-0 Curaçao, Ecuador 2-1 Germany, Netherlands 3-1 Tunisia, and Japan 1-1 Sweden.

Standings

Group D: USA tops with 6 points (2W1L). Australia ranks second with 4 points (1W1D1L). Paraguay is third with 4 points (1W1D1L, goal difference). Turkey eliminated at bottom with 2 points (1W2L).

Group E: Germany leads with 6 points (2W1L). Ivory Coast also has 6 points (2W1L) but ranks second on head-to-head. Ecuador is third with 4 points (1W1D1L). Curaçao bottom with 1 point (1D2L).

Group F: Netherlands tops with 7 points (2W1D). Japan is second with 5 points (1W2D). Sweden third with 4 points (1W1D1L). Tunisia eliminated with 0 points, conceding 12 goals in 3 matches.

Scoring Chart: Messi still leads with 5 goals. Vinícius Jr.'s brace brings him to 4 goals, tied with Mbappé and Haaland for second. Brobbey moves to 3 goals alongside Undav and David tied for fifth.

Ivory Coast 2-0 Curaçao

Ivory Coast secured knockout-stage qualification for the first time in their history! Nicolas Pépé scored a brace with assists from Y. Diomandé and Sangaré. The match took place at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Pépé's two goals came in the 7th and 63rd minutes, making him the first Ivorian since 2006 to score twice in a World Cup match.

Ecuador 2-1 Germany (Comeback)

Both teams advanced! Sané scored in the 2nd minute, but Angulo equalized and Plata scored the winner. The female referee's decision sparked controversy after Germany's early goal was allowed despite Ecuador's protests over a high-foot foul by Pavlović. Havertz had a penalty overturned due to a prior Sané foul. This marked Germany's first World Cup loss to a CONMEBOL team since the 2002 final against Brazil, ending their 11-match winning streak.

Netherlands 3-1 Tunisia

The Netherlands will face Morocco in the knockout stage! Brobbey scored, Van Hecke found the net, and Dumfries forced an own goal. The match was at Arrowhead Stadium. Tunisia's Msakni pulled one back with a header, but the Dutch sealed the victory.

Japan 1-1 Sweden

Both teams advanced together; Japan will face Brazil in the knockout stage! Maeda Daizen scored for Japan, while Elanga equalized with a stunning long-range strike at AT&T Stadium. Japan progressed with 5 points as group runners-up.

Australia 0-0 Paraguay

Australia advanced as group runners-up with 4 points. The defensive stalemate at Levi's Stadium saw few clear chances.

Turkey 3-2 USA (Last-Gasp Winner)

Berhalter contributed a goal and assist, while Güler scored his first World Cup goal! Trusty opened the scoring, Güler equalized, Kökçü put Turkey ahead, Berhalter leveled for the US, and Ayhan scored the 99th-minute winner at Los Angeles Stadium.

19 Teams Secured for Round of 32

With six more teams qualifying, the confirmed Round of 32 lineup stands at 19: Mexico, USA, Germany, Argentina, France, Norway, Colombia, Switzerland, Canada, Brazil, Morocco, Bosnia, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Australia. Thirteen spots remain to be decided in the final two matchdays.

Record-Breaking Goals: 177 in 60 Matches

The 2026 World Cup has set a new tournament record with 177 goals scored across 60 matches, averaging 2.95 goals per game. With 104 total matches in this expanded tournament, this record is likely to be significantly surpassed.

South Korea's Qualification Hangs by a Thread

After Groups D, E, and F concluded, South Korea (3 points, -1 goal difference) faces an increasingly perilous path. They rank above only Scotland among third-placed teams and currently sit below Sweden, Ecuador, Bosnia, and Paraguay. All six remaining groups have third-placed teams that could surpass them.

Round of 32 Matchups

Brazil vs Japan, Netherlands vs Morocco. With Group F concluded, Netherlands advances as group winners and Japan as runners-up. Per the knockout bracket, Group F's top two will cross with Group C: Brazil (group winner) and Morocco (group runner-up).