The opening matches of Group F at the 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered excitement, late drama and impressive individual performances as Japan secured a hard-fought draw against the Netherlands, while Sweden produced a dominant display against Tunisia. Meanwhile, Ivory Coast claimed a dramatic victory over Ecuador with a stoppage-time winner, making it a memorable day of action across the tournament.
Japan showed remarkable determination to earn a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in Dallas after twice coming from behind. Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk opened the scoring early in the second half before Keito Nakamura responded with a deflected effort minutes later. Crysencio Summerville appeared to have secured victory for the Dutch side, but Daichi Kamada’s late equaliser ensured Japan collected a valuable point.
Although the Netherlands controlled large portions of the match, Japan’s resilience proved decisive in the closing stages. Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch played a key role by creating both Dutch goals and delivering an influential performance throughout the contest. However, Japan’s refusal to surrender under pressure ultimately became the defining story of the encounter.
Earlier, Sweden launched their World Cup campaign in stunning fashion by defeating Tunisia 5-1 and moving to the top of Group F. Yasin Ayari starred with two outstanding long-range goals, while Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres and substitute Mattias Svanberg also found the net. Tunisia briefly threatened a comeback before Sweden’s superior quality overwhelmed their opponents during the second half.
The match turned decisively after a costly mistake from Tunisia captain Ellyes Skhiri allowed Sweden to restore their advantage through Gyökeres. Svanberg then made an immediate impact by scoring only 16 seconds after entering the field, one of the fastest substitute goals recorded in World Cup history. Ayari later completed his brilliant performance with another superb strike deep into stoppage time.
Elsewhere, Ivory Coast secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over Ecuador thanks to Amad Diallo’s 90th-minute winner. Ecuador created several opportunities and struck the woodwork three times but failed to convert their dominance into goals. Ivory Coast gradually gained momentum as the match progressed, and Amad’s composed finish ended Ecuador’s 19-match unbeaten run while delivering the Elephants their first World Cup victory in 12 years.