FIFA World Cup 2026 Round-Up: Cape Verde Shock Spain as Saudi Arabia, Egypt Hold Favourites

FIFA World Cup 2026 continued to deliver drama, shocks and late twists on Monday as underdogs stood tall against some of football's traditional heavyweights across four entertaining group-stage encounters.

The biggest surprise of the day came in Group H, where World Cup debutants Cape Verde announced themselves on the global stage with a memorable goalless draw against European champions Spain. Meanwhile, Iran and New Zealand shared the spoils in a politically charged 2-2 thriller, Saudi Arabia came within minutes of a famous victory over Uruguay, and Belgium were forced to settle for a point against a resilient Egypt side.

Iran and New Zealand share four-goal thriller

Iran's turbulent World Cup campaign began with a hard-fought 2-2 draw against New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

The match carried significant off-field context given the geopolitical tensions surrounding Iran's participation, but on the pitch, Team Melli showed impressive resilience by twice coming from behind.

New Zealand struck first in the seventh minute when Elijah Just volleyed home after excellent work from captain Chris Wood. Iran gradually settled into the contest and found an equaliser in the 32nd minute through Ramin Rezaeian, whose delicate outside-of-the-boot finish delighted a large Iranian contingent inside the stadium.

The All Whites regained the lead shortly after the restart as Just grabbed his second goal of the evening, once again benefiting from Wood's hold-up play. However, Iran responded once more in the 64th minute when Rezaeian turned provider, delivering a pinpoint cross for Mohammad Mohebbi to head home.

Both sides pushed for a winner in the closing stages but ultimately settled for a point apiece in a result that leaves Group G finely poised.

Saudi Arabia deny Uruguay thanks to Al-Owais masterclass

Saudi Arabia produced one of their finest defensive displays at a World Cup before eventually sharing the points in a 1-1 draw against Uruguay.

The Green Falcons stunned Marcelo Bielsa's side by taking the lead late in the first half when Abdulelah Al-Amri reacted quickest after Fernando Muslera could only parry Mohamed Kanno's header into his path.

Uruguay dominated possession and chances throughout the contest, but Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais delivered a remarkable performance between the posts.

The veteran shot-stopper repeatedly frustrated the South Americans, denying Federico Vinas, Manuel Ugarte and Federico Valverde with a string of outstanding saves.

Uruguay eventually found a breakthrough in the 80th minute when Maxi Araujo converted after Al-Owais had initially kept out another dangerous effort. Even then, the Saudi goalkeeper continued to shine, producing a crucial stoppage-time save from Valverde to preserve a deserved point.

Belgium rescued by Lukaku impact against Egypt

Belgium's World Cup campaign got off to a frustrating start as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Egypt in Seattle.

The Pharaohs stunned the Red Devils in the 19th minute when Emam Ashour capitalised on a defensive lapse to score his first international goal and hand Egypt a surprise advantage.

Belgium struggled to break down a disciplined Egyptian side despite dominating possession and creating opportunities through Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku.

The turning point arrived in the 66th minute when Romelu Lukaku was introduced from the bench. Just 23 seconds after entering the field, the Belgian striker's presence forced Egypt defender Mohamed Hany into turning the ball into his own net while attempting to prevent Lukaku from scoring.

Despite further chances for both sides, neither team could find a winner as Belgium extended their winless World Cup run while Egypt continued their search for a first-ever victory at the tournament.

Cape Verde stun Spain with historic draw

The result of the day came in Group H where Cape Verde produced one of the biggest shocks of the tournament so far by holding Spain to a 0-0 draw.

Making their World Cup debut, the island nation defied pre-match expectations against one of the tournament favourites and showcased tremendous organisation, resilience and discipline.

Veteran goalkeeper Vozinha emerged as the hero, producing a series of superb saves to frustrate Spain's star-studded attack. Ferran Torres, Pedri and Aymeric Laporte were all denied before Torres struck the crossbar in Spain's best opportunity of the match.

Even teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, introduced from the bench in the second half, could not unlock Cape Verde's stubborn defence.

Remarkably, Cape Verde nearly completed an even bigger upset when Diney Borges saw a late header brilliantly saved by Unai Simon.

At the final whistle, emotional scenes unfolded as Cape Verde's players celebrated a result that instantly becomes one of the greatest moments in the nation's football history and another reminder that there are no easy games at the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Results

• Iran 2-2 New Zealand
• Saudi Arabia 1-1 Uruguay
• Belgium 1-1 Egypt
• Spain 0-0 Cape Verde

The day's results continued a growing trend at World Cup 2026, with several underdogs refusing to be overawed by more established opponents. With group standings tightening and favourites already dropping points, the race for the knockout stages is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in recent World Cup history.