World Cup 2026 Round of 32: Biggest takeaways from the group stage

Before the FIFA World Cup 2026 started, there were worries regarding everything from people being priced out of attending matches to the suitability of stadiums for playing football. Mexico kicked off the event with a 2-0 group match win over South Africa on June 11 , the third time Mexico City has hosted the opening game. Fast forward 17 days and 72 fixtures later and it was Austria and Algeria that concluded the group stage on June 28 in Dallas, with a wild 3-3 draw that ended just after midnight on Sunday. Recommended Stories list of 4 items end of list By late last week, FIFA announced the 2026 edition had surpassed the all-time World Cup attendance record of 3.6 million, surpassing Qatar 2022 at just over 3.4 million spectators, with three weeks remaining. Here are the top 5 biggest takeaways from World Cup group play: The World Cup still revolves around the Euro-South American axis UEFA teams mostly lived up to their reputations, with France leading the way having a perfect record in group match play. Even Norway, never better than a Round of 16 participant, is gearing up for a deep run. In a tactical move, coach Stale Solbakken conceded Group I to Les Bleus in their final group match on Friday to rest up for the next round. CONMEBOL’s Argentina, Brazil and Colombia won groups, the Cafeteros holding off Portugal in the finale; and Ecuador upset Germany to advance as a third-place team. But Europe and South America aren’t alone in their ambition at World Cup 2026. …