On June 14 and 15 Kazakhstan time, four first-round matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be played. Teams from Groups E and F enter the fray: Germany will play Curacao, the Netherlands will face Japan, Ivory Coast will meet Ecuador, and Sweden will take on Tunisia. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
Group E, 1st round, June 14, 22:00, Houston, NRG Stadium
Coaches: Julian Nagelsmann – Dick Advocaat (Netherlands)
Germany starts the tournament with a match against one of the four World Cup debutants. After poor performances at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, the German team will try to regain its status as a contender for the main trophy.
Curacao, on the other hand, has already rewritten its football history by simply qualifying for the tournament. Dick Advocaat's team became the smallest country to participate in the World Cup and approaches the match without pressure: against a favorite, it is important for them to withstand the initial onslaught and look for chances on the counterattack.
Group F, 1st round, June 15, 01:00, Dallas, AT&T Stadium
Coaches: Ronald Koeman – Hajime Moriyasu
The Netherlands approach the tournament with typically high expectations. Ronald Koeman's team remains one of the strongest European squads in terms of composition, but continues its pursuit of a first World Cup title.
The match against Japan is unlikely to be a simple warm-up. The Japanese team has grown accustomed to playing boldly against top opponents in recent years, and its tempo, discipline, and quick transition to attack could cause problems even for a more prestigious team.
Group E, 1st round, June 15, 04:00, Philadelphia, Lincoln Financial Field
Coaches: Emerse Faé – Sebastián Beccacece (Argentina)
In Group E, the meeting between Ivory Coast and Ecuador could immediately have great tournament significance. Germany is considered the favorite of the quartet, so the direct match between two contenders for the playoffs is especially important already in the first round.
Ivory Coast returns to the World Cup for the first time since 2014 and relies on physicality, speed, and a renewed attacking group. Ecuador looks like a more structured team: the South American side is strong in defense, plays compactly, and rarely gives opponents much space.
Group F, 1st round, June 15, 07:00, Monterrey, Estadio Monterrey
Coaches: Graham Potter (England) – Sabri Lamouchi (France)
Sweden returns to the World Cup with a new coaching story and a strong attacking line. The team's main hope is the partnership of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres, which should be the Swedes' key weapon in the fight to advance from the group.
Tunisia is traditionally strong with an organized defense and discipline without the ball. At the same time, it is important for the team to start the tournament not only cautiously but also boldly: in a group with the Netherlands and Japan, losing points already at the start could greatly complicate the task of reaching the playoffs.
The 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup is being held for the first time in three countries (USA, Canada, Mexico) and with 48 teams divided into twelve groups of four.
In the group stage, teams in a round-robin tournament will eliminate 16 unsuccessful teams – the last-placed teams in each group and the four worst third-placed teams. After the group stage, a single knockout bracket will be formed, including the round of 32, round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final, which will take place on the night of July 19-20 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, near New York.
Last night at the 2026 World Cup, four matches were played. Qatar drew with Switzerland (1:1), and Brazil drew with Morocco (1:1). Scotland beat Haiti (1:0), while Australia sensationally defeated Turkey (2:0).