FIFA World Cup 2026 Week 2: Winners, Losers & Surprises

Two weeks into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the tournament already feels bigger than just the expanded format. Yes, there have been blowouts, but there have also been shocks, statement wins, breakout underdogs and enough star power to keep the spotlight exactly where FIFA wanted it. Through the latest completed matches on June 18, the early story is clear: the favorites still have quality, but this World Cup is not following a script.

Winners

Mexico has been one of the clearest Week 2 winners. The co-hosts opened with a 2-0 win over South Africa and followed it with a tight 1-0 victory over Korea Republic, giving them a perfect start and early control of Group A. In a tournament where momentum matters, Mexico already looked settled, streetwise and capable of riding home support deep into the knockout rounds.

Canada also deserves a major mention. After beginning with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina, they responded in emphatic style by thrashing Qatar 6-0. That was not just a good result; it was a statement. For a host nation still trying to prove it belongs on this stage, that scoreline changed the mood completely and turned Canada into one of the most talked-about teams of the second week.

Argentina’s biggest winner, though, is still Lionel Messi. The defending champions opened with a 3-0 win over Algeria, and Messi scored all three. The hat-trick took him level with Miroslav Klose on 16 World Cup goals and came on his 200th senior international appearance. At 38, he is not just decorating the tournament with nostalgia; he is still driving it.

France and Kylian Mbappe are right there too. France beat Senegal 3-1, but the result only tells half the story. Mbappe scored twice, became France’s all-time top scorer with 58 goals and pushed his World Cup total to 14. France were shaky early on, then looked ruthless once Mbappe and Michael Olise took control. That combination could become one of the defining partnerships of the tournament.

England and the USA have also boosted their stock. England’s 4-2 win over Croatia was one of the best games of the tournament so far, while the United States impressed with a 4-1 win over Paraguay, giving the home crowd a real reason to believe. If this World Cup needed host energy and big-market excitement, the Americans delivered it. 

Losers

Spain may not be panicking yet, but they are firmly on the Week 2 losers list. A 0-0 draw with Cape Verde has been described as one of the biggest shocks of the tournament so far. Spain still controlled the ball, but Cape Verde defended with discipline and veteran goalkeeper Vozinha became an instant cult hero. In an expanded World Cup, dropped points like that can change a group quickly.

Portugal are another obvious underperformer. They were held 1-1 by DR Congo, with Cristiano Ronaldo largely peripheral and Roberto Martinez’s side unable to turn possession into control. For DR Congo, it was historic. For Portugal, it felt like a warning that reputation alone will not carry them through this tournament.

Elsewhere, Tunisia and Paraguay have had rough starts. Tunisia were hammered 5-1 by Sweden and were ranked by BBC among the weakest teams after the first round of games, while Paraguay were dismantled 4-1 by the USA and looked alarmingly soft at the back. South Africa also remained under pressure after opening with a defeat to Mexico and then drawing 1-1 with Czechia.

Biggest Talking Points

The first big talking point is that the 48-team format is working better than many expected. Before kickoff, there were fears of too many one-sided matches and too many passengers. Instead, teams like Cape Verde, DR Congo, Japan, Morocco and Saudi Arabia have shown that the gap is not as wide as critics predicted. The underdogs have added tension, not clutter.

The second is that the superstars are still owning the tournament. Messi’s hat-trick, Mbappe’s brace, Harry Kane’s double against Croatia and Erling Haaland’s fast start have ensured that even in a larger field, the elite names are still shaping the headlines. The World Cup’s old rule still applies: when the biggest players turn up, everything feels bigger.

The third talking point is the growing debate around hydration breaks and match flow. BBC reported that managers are already using the stoppages as tactical timeouts, with some players and coaches frustrated by the disruption. Add in the continuing conversation around ticket prices and visible empty-seat concerns at a few venues, and it is clear this World Cup is producing off-pitch storylines as well as on-pitch drama.

For now, Week 2 belongs to the teams who have mixed star quality with real purpose: Mexico, Canada, Argentina, France, England and the USA. But the bigger lesson is this: the 2026 World Cup already has edge, unpredictability and genuine global range. That is exactly what the expanded tournament needed.

Cover credit Mint