The 2026 World Cup Group Stage Midterm Report Card | OneFootball

Just over halfway through the 2026 World Cup group stage, we grade how the tournament has gone so far, and pick a handful of superlatives including best goal, best performance, and biggest surprise. 

Through 40 matches of the 2026 World Cup, one thing has been clear: the United States didn’t ruin soccer.

The expanded tournament has been more or less a rousing success, with around-the-clock action day in and day out giving everyone from newcomers and casuals to diehard sickos non-stop entertainment.

All of those that were worried about the ability of the three host nations, particularly the U.S., to put on a show worthy of the greatest sporting event in the world, can find solace in the fact that the richest nation on Earth, that has a history of putting on world-class events, (including the 1994 World Cup), has the technology and steady hands to pull off a spectacle of this size.

But let’s be real. The World Cup, no matter where it’s hosted, would turn out pretty good on the merit that it’s, well, the World Cup. As long as everything is safe and secure, it’s pretty much a lay-up once the games start. So how has this specific tournament gone so far?

Just over the halfway mark of the 2026 World Cup group stage, we dive into all aspects of the tournament for an extensive report card along with some midterm superlatives.

Stadiums A-

A major point of concern prior to the 2026 World Cup kickoff surrounded the pitch quality and stadium infrastructure of the venues, specifically those in the U.S., as the majority of them weren’t built with soccer as the top priority.

Pitch issues were rampant two summers ago at the Copa America, with surface quality and overall dimensions being questionable at multiple venues. In addition, several of the friendlies hosted in the U.S. prior to the start of the World Cup took place on what could only be described as dubious grass.

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

However, at the actual tournament, the stadiums and pitches have been pristine nearly across the board. At Los Angeles Stadium, the grass looked like the fairways at Augusta National, and players praised its immaculate quality.

“It’s probably the best field I’ve ever played on in the States,” U.S. men’s national team player Antonee Robinson told FOX Sports’ Doug McIntyre after the USMNT’s 4-1 win over Paraguay.

The vast size, modern designs and amenities, and overall aesthetics of the stadiums have drawn praise from players and traveling fans alike as well.

Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

But it hasn’t all been universal acclaim. New York/New Jersey Stadium, where the final will be played, has had its pitch surface come under fire, particularly from members of the French national team. After Les Bleus’ opening match against Senegal, midfielder Adrien Rabiot compared the rigid playing surface to an artificial turf pitch, and manager Didier Dechamps said, “The pitch in New York was really tough — it took a lot out of the players’ muscles.”

It’s not exactly what you want to hear from what’s supposed to be the flagship stadium of the tournament, but nonetheless, if we’re grading the stadiums as a whole, they’ve been a major success, and the concern from before the start of the tournament has largely been silenced.

Atmospheres/Crowds: A

Photo by Jorge Sanchez for Urban Pitch.

The last time the World Cup was hosted in North America, it set an attendance record that still stands today. Currently, the 2026 edition is on pace to break that record. The aforementioned massive stadiums have much to do with the large crowds, but that doesn’t change the fact that just about every single game has seen an electric atmosphere.

The opening match at the Estadio Azteca Mexico City saw the newly renovated venue shaking with excitement. Los Angeles Stadium had never seen a crowd like the one it did in the U.S. men’s national team opener against Paraguay. But it’s not just the home crowds that have shown out.

Kansas City Stadium, billed as the “loudest stadium in the world,” was packed to the gills for Argentina vs. Algeria, Dutch and Japanese fans turned Dallas Stadium into their temporary home, and the Belgian “Twelfth Man” has followed the Red Devils up and down the West Coast.

Photo by Jorge Sanchez for Urban Pitch.

In addition, cities with large immigrant communities have shown out both in stadiums and in the streets. Both of Iran’s matches in Los Angeles saw massive Iranian crowds, and Bosnian fans have turned St. Louis into “Little Sarajevo,” despite the city not hosting any matches.

Ticket prices remain pretty high, especially for in demand matchups, but stadiums nevertheless remain full, which is a good sign for the tournament.

Hospitality: C

Heading into the 2026 World Cup, we knew there were going to be issues with fans entering the United States, but in the lead up to the tournament it wasn’t just supporters that were struggling with the visa process: match officials, coaches, and even players found it difficult to enter the country.

Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was denied entry into the U.S. due to “vetting issues,” and therefore was unable to make his World Cup debut. Several members of the Iran national team coaching staff were forced to watch their nation’s opening match against New Zealand from the team hotel in Tijuana because they could not get visas into the U.S.

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha, who put together one of the greatest performances of the tournament so far against Spain, said his mother was unable to watch the opening match due to issues with her visa, and although she was able to make it into the country for the team’s second match, there’s no reason why she should have missed the performance that turned her son into a star.

These are just a few of many such instances, and it’s even more unfortunate that not everyone was able to enjoy this World Cup in person, because the fans that were able to enter the U.S. seem to be having the time of their lives.

Scotland fans took over the Boston area, drinking bars dry and introducing their culture to Fenway Park, ranch dressing has become an unlikely commodity, causing the TSA to remind fans to pack large bottles in their checked bags, and in general, there has been an incredibly warm welcome to visiting fans that — and this is the key point — were able to make the journey to the U.S.

In Mexico, the vibes have been incredible as well. South Korean fans were particularly made to feel at home, and videos of the eating, drinking, and celebrating amongst Mexicans showcased the strengthening of the bond between the already inseparable fanbases.

A by-product of the U.S.’s refusal to host Iran forced Team Melli to set up shop in Tijuana. And while that made travel exceedingly difficult for the nation, whose group stage games were all in the U.S., it introduced the entire squad to Mexican hospitality.

“We love Mexican people,” said Iran’s Alireza Jahanbakhsh after the team’s 0-0 draw with Belgium. “It’s just unbelievable how welcome we were there and the hospitality there is amazing…I’d like to say muchas gracias Mexico.”

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A familiar chant followed the Iranian national team wherever they went in Mexico, and some Tijuana fans even made the journey up to Los Angeles to watch the team play.

“I think since we are there, we keep hearing, ‘Iran, hermano, ya eres Mexicano,’” Jahanbakhsh said. “Wherever we go we hear this. That shows how much love they give us and it makes it a lot easier. I think for everyone as well it feels like we’re at home, when we’re in Tijuana.”

Up north in Canada, there’s been less hype compared to the U.S. and Mexico, but there still have been some highlights. Mo Salah took to the streets of Vancouver following his stellar performance in Egypt’s 3-1 win over New Zealand. Toronto, one of the world’s most diverse cities, has seen massive crowds of fans in the streets, including German, Bosnian, and Ivorian, to support their teams.

The positive stories coming from Mexico and Canada put the unfortunate ones in the U.S. into further relief. If there’s one criticism of the tournament so far, it’s that all fans haven’t been given the chance to watch their team at the world’s biggest stage. Cultural exchange is one of, if not the best part of the World Cup, and while there’s been a plethora over the past few weeks, the fact that some has been prevented is a shame.

Matches: A

An expanded field naturally raised questions about the quality of the matches, and had many worried about the competition becoming diluted.

Aside from a few outliers, however, the 2026 World Cup has been incredibly competitive thus far, and it’s a reminder that the tournament’s stakes and pedigree will bring out the best from everyone.

Cape Verde, one of the so-called minnows of the tournament, shocked the world when it drew with expected favorite Spain, and followed that up by doing it again versus Uruguay.

The 2-2 draw between New Zealand and Iran, not exactly an A-list matchup, was an objective banger of a match. Days after being demolished 7-1 by Germany, Curaçao grinded out a 0-0 draw against Ecuador, who finished second in CONMEBOL qualifying over Colombia, Brazil, and Uruguay.

Plenty of “smaller” or, to put in American terms, “mid-major” nations have held their own and even punched above their weight class. We’re bound to see more upsets as the tournament progresses, and the time is ripe for a Cinderella run in the knockouts.

In addition to the small fish biting big, the biggest of stars came out to play as well. Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, and Erling Haaland all had braces in their tournament debuts, however they were outshone by the brightest supernova of them all.

The final stage of life of the largest stars in the universe sees them transform into a black hole, and that’s exactly what Lionel Messi became at Kansas City Stadium versus Algeria. He absorbed anything that came into his orbit, becoming the oldest player to record a World Cup hat trick in the process. It was a display that showed us that we are still living in Messi’s world, and he dictates the atmosphere of his universe as he sees fit.

All three host nations have also showed out through their first two matches, putting on shows for their lively home crowds. Mexico looked impressively resolute in both of their victories, particularly the cagey 1-0 win over South Korea. Canada stumbled out of the gates in a 1-1 draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina, but rebounded with a dominant 6-0 thrashing of Qatar.

The United States, meanwhile, have arguably been the most impressive team of the tournament so far, not just winning but winning convincingly against Paraguay and Australia to clinch the top spot in their group.

Host nations performing well always make for good stories, and some additional home cooking could propel the U.S., Mexico, and Canada to deep runs into the knockout rounds.

Overall GPA: 3.43

Superlatives

Best Performance: Lionel Messi vs. Algeria

There were several standout efforts that could’ve been the pick here. Heroic goalkeeping from Cape Verde’s Vozinha and Curaçao’s Eloy Room propelled their nations to unlikely results. Mbappé’s brace that inched him closer to the all-time World Cup goal scoring record was also scintillating. But there was really only one choice for the best performance of the tournament so far, and it belongs to the diminutive genius from Rosario, Argentina.

At the 2018 World Cup, following Argentina’s exit in the knockout rounds, a commentator quipped that it would be “Lionel Messi’s final World Cup match surely,” and pointed out that he’d be 35 by the time Qatar 2022 rolled around. He messed around and won it all in ‘22, and in his first match of 2026, he scored a, pardon my French, fucking hat trick. Siri, play “Count Me Out” by Kendrick Lamar.

Best Goal: Daniel Muñoz, Colombia

Again, this category had a bunch of candidates to pick from: Kevin Pina’s free kick from some 30-odd yards out for Cape Verde, Messi’s first goal against Algeria, Mbappé’s wonder strike, or Gio Reyna’s trivela were some that stood out. But this finish from Daniel Muñoz was too good to pass up on.

Best Match: Netherlands vs. Japan

The 2-2 draw saw haymakers from both nations that have high expectations for this tournament. This was one of the most anticipated matches from the group stage, and it didn’t disappoint.

Biggest Surprise: Cape Verde

Many pundits and fans saw Cape Verde as a “just here to enjoy the tournament” type of team. Instead, the Tubarões Azuis went toe-to-toe with a pair of World Cup-winning nations, drawing with Spain 0-0 and Uruguay 2-2. If there’s one argument for a 48-team tournament, it’s what Cape Verde has done through its first two matches.

Biggest Disappointment: Türkiye

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: A team with a so-called golden generation can’t get out of their own way and is going home much earlier than expected at a major tournament. I’m not talking about the USMNT, but instead, a different nation from group D.

A popular dark horse pick, Türkiye is instead out of the tournament after two matches in which they put up 62 shots with no goals to show for it. The squad was incredibly frustrating to watch, with numerous puzzling shots from outside the 18 and a prodigious inability to put the ball in the back of the net.