Matchday 5 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be remembered as the day the underdogs ruled. As Groups G and H completed their opening round, all four matches finished level — a first for this tournament — headlined by World Cup debutants Cape Verde holding favourites Spain to a goalless draw. Here is a full recap of a dramatic day.
June 16 Group I & J Results
France 3-1 Senegal
France opened Group I with a hard-earned 3-1 win over a tough Senegal side at MetLife Stadium, powered by an imperious second-half display. Kylian Mbappé was the star, scoring twice to move past France’s previous record and become his country’s all-time leading goalscorer, with Bradley Barcola also on the scoresheet.
Senegal pushed the 2018 champions hard and pulled a goal back, but France’s quality told after the break. It was the ideal start for Didier Deschamps’ side in what is expected to be his final tournament in charge.
Norway 4-1 Iraq
Norway announced their return to the World Cup — their first since 1998 — in emphatic fashion, beating a spirited Iraq 4-1 in Boston. Erling Haaland led the way with two goals, underlining his status as one of the most lethal strikers on the planet.
Iraq battled hard and got on the scoresheet, but Norway pulled clear in the second half. Substitute Leo Østigård powered home a header from a Martin Ødegaard corner, and Kristian Thorstvedt added a fourth with almost the last touch of the game, glancing in a Haaland flick-on. The result left Norway top of Group I on goal difference ahead of France.
Argentina 3-0 Algeria
The defending champions began their title defence in style as Lionel Messi produced a throwback performance to floor Algeria 3-0 in Kansas City. Messi opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a powerful strike from outside the box, tapped in a second after a spilled Alexis Mac Allister shot, and completed his hat-trick with a trademark curling finish into the bottom corner.
It was the first World Cup hat-trick of Messi’s storied career, and it carried huge historical weight: his three goals took him to 16 World Cup goals, level with Miroslav Klose’s all-time record. Messi was withdrawn to a standing ovation in the 80th minute, his work done, with Argentina in complete control.
Austria 3-1 Jordan
Group J’s final opener delivered late drama at Levi’s Stadium, where Austria came from being pegged back to beat World Cup debutants Jordan 3-1. Ralf Rangnick’s side took the lead through Romano Schmid in the 20th minute after a patient passing move. But Jordan, on their historic first-ever World Cup appearance, responded after the break: Ali Olwan struck in the 50th minute to level the match — and score Jordan’s first-ever World Cup goal, a moment of national history for the debutants.
Austria regained control and edged back ahead on 76 minutes through a Yazan Al-Arab own goal, before Marko Arnautović sealed the win from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time, converting after a VAR-awarded handball. The 3-1 result sends Austria level with Argentina on three points at the top of Group J, behind the champions only on goal difference.
Group standings impact
In Group I, Norway and France both won and sit on three points, with Norway top on goal difference after their four-goal haul; Senegal and Iraq are yet to get off the mark. In Group J, Argentina lead the way after their commanding win.
Frequently asked questions
What were the World Cup 2026 results on June 16? France beat Senegal 3-1, Norway beat Iraq 4-1, and Argentina beat Algeria 3-0, with Austria beat jordan 3-1
Did Messi score a hat-trick against Algeria? Yes. Lionel Messi scored his first-ever World Cup hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win, taking him level with Miroslav Klose’s all-time record of 16 World Cup goals.
What did Mbappé achieve against Senegal? Kylian Mbappé scored twice to become France’s all-time leading goalscorer.
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