Home of football statistics and historyThe first weekend of the 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered plenty of surprises, dramatic moments and performances that could shape the rest of the tournament.
Qatar’s historic result, Morocco’s latest statement against elite opposition and Germany’s explosive attacking display were among the main talking points.
Qatar have finally arrived on the World Cup stage
Qatar left the 2022 World Cup with nothing to celebrate, becoming the first host nation to lose all three group matches and failing to collect a single point.
The Arab World Cup betting sites compared on Arabworldcupbet.com rated them as big underdogs to take anything from their opening game this summer. Julen Lopetegui’s side defied the odds, earning a dramatic 1-1 draw against Switzerland in Santa Clara to secure the first World Cup point in the country’s history.
The result was fully deserved given the resilience they displayed during the contest. Qatar created chances during the first half and remained competitive despite falling behind to Breel Embolo’s penalty.
Qatar continued to push forward and were rewarded deep into stoppage time when Homam Al-Amin’s dangerous cross forced Miro Muheim into an own goal. The celebrations that followed were understandable. The result represented a major milestone for a nation still trying to establish itself on football’s biggest stage.
The result left Group B completely open. Canada and Bosnia & Herzegovina also shared the points in their opening fixture, meaning all four teams are level after the first round of matches. Qatar can now compete for qualification to the knockout stage.
Morocco are no Longer Underdogs
Morocco’s run to the semi-finals in Qatar four years ago was initially viewed as one of the greatest surprises in World Cup history.
They have since proved they belong among the world’s elite teams. Their opening 1-1 draw against Brazil reinforced that argument. Far from sitting deep and hoping to survive, Morocco caused problems for the five-time world champions throughout the match. They pressed aggressively, defended intelligently and looked dangerous whenever they attacked.
The breakthrough arrived midway through the first half when Brahim Diaz produced an excellent through ball for Ismael Saibari. The PSV Eindhoven forward showed remarkable composure to chip Alisson and give Morocco the lead.
Brazil eventually responded through a brilliant Vinicius Junior strike, but the equaliser did little to change the overall impression created by the match. Morocco looked every bit as capable as their illustrious opponents.
The draw extended Brazil’s unbeaten run in World Cup openers, but they were second-best for much of the encounter. On this form, they are unlikely to win the tournament.
Morocco’s performance demonstrated that their success in 2022 was not a one-off achievement. No team will relish facing them in the knockout stage if they progress.
Germany Fire an Early Warning
Germany produced the most emphatic result of the opening weekend, dismantling Curacao 7-1 in Houston to immediately establish themselves as serious contenders.
Felix Nmecha opened the scoring after just six minutes and the goals continued to flow throughout the contest. Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown and Deniz Undav all scored as Germany overwhelmed their opponents.
Curacao briefly stunned the four-time world champions by equalising through Livano Comenencia. However, Germany quickly restored control and never looked back. Their opponents were weak, but Germany did what was needed.
The seven-goal haul provides a potentially crucial goal-difference advantage. In a tournament where group positions are often decided by fine margins, that could prove to be significant.
Germany looked confident, balanced and ruthless. Those qualities have often been present during their successful World Cup campaigns.
After disappointing exits in recent tournaments, many people questioned whether Germany could return to the summit of international football. The opening weekend suggested they may make a deep run this summer.
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