Have you caught up on the early excitement of the World Cup? If not, you’re not alone. Join Max and the team for the latest insights and analysis in the newest edition of World Cup Daily.
Harry Sachar shared his thoughts, stating, “I’ve really enjoyed the World Cup so far,”
I share your enthusiasm, Harry. The tempo of the games has been refreshing, aided by vigilant officiating and the diverse styles on display. Some less visually appealing matches, particularly those involving Brazil and Morocco, have resulted from teams canceling each other out. Let’s hope that the counterattacking strategies continue to thrive as we progress into the knockout stages.
How have the early matches shifted your predictions? Is Germany on the rise while Brazil slips?
The day kicked off with Germany routing the newcomers Curacao 7-1 in Houston.
Germany will surely reach the knockouts this time and could have made absolutely certain by adding several more. Nagelsmann will be pleased that threats emanated from all around the pitch, half a dozen scorers bearing testament to that, but it should go without saying that more accurate tests of strength will have to be navigated over the next month. Kai Havertz, rounding things off neatly with his second goal, will hope to be similarly efficient later on.
Barney Ronay was in Dallas to witness the opening match of Group F, which ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw between the Netherlands and Japan.
The World Cup continued to produce the unexpected in Arlington. On a throbbingly hot afternoon in the low flat plains outside Dallas, the Netherlands and Japan played out an episodically thrilling opening Group F game, with Daichi Kamada scoring an 88th-minute equalizer to make it 2-2 just as the Dutch looked like taking an early hold on one of the tougher groups. There has been so much talk of tired players, format failure, and empty seats (the stadium was full here), talk so feverishly committed you wondered at times if it was necessary to play the games at all. But it does feel as though something else has been taking place in the opening games. Maybe – whisper it – the World Cup is actually good.
Welcome to live coverage of match 12 of the 2026 World Cup, where Sweden takes on Tunisia. This Group F showdown at Estadio Monterrey is set to kick off at 8pm local time (10pm EDT/3am BST/12pm AEST).
This match is critical for both teams following the earlier 2-2 draw between the Netherlands and Japan, showcasing the strengths of the group’s top contenders. However, recent performances indicate that this match may not reach similar technical prowess.
Sweden struggled through the qualifying rounds, failing to secure a victory between June 2025 and March 2026 and only made it to the finals via the playoff route. After securing wins against Ukraine and Poland, they have since gone two matches without a win.
Tunisia, on the other hand, breezed through a favorable CAF group stage but has only managed one victory in their last seven matches, including three consecutive encounters without scoring, culminating in a disheartening 5-0 defeat to Belgium in their final warm-up.
I will return shortly with team news and a recap of all the matchday action thus far. In the meantime, keep an eye on the Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador match and feel free to share your thoughts about the tournament at jonathan.howcroft.freelance@.
