Six countries have advanced to the World Cup Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after securing maximum points from their opening two group matches.
France and Norway became the latest sides to qualify on Monday 22 June, joining Argentina, Mexico, Germany and the United States in the knockout stage.
In Philadelphia, France captain Kylian Mbappe marked his 100th international cap with two goals as his team defeated Iraq 3-0 at Lincoln Financial Field.
Ousmane Dembele added the third goal to complete a comfortable victory for the 2018 world champions.
The match was interrupted by a severe thunderstorm that forced a two-hour delay at half-time.
Fans sought shelter from torrential rain in the largely uncovered stadium, in line with strict local safety protocols. It was the first weather-related stoppage of the tournament.
Mbappe, aged 27, opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a powerful long-range strike and added a second shortly after the restart following an Iraqi defensive error. The result takes his World Cup goal tally to 16.
Meanwhile in another Group I fixture, Norway produced an impressive 3-2 victory over Senegal, with Erling Haaland scoring twice to fire his side into the Round of 32.
The Manchester City striker’s brace ensured Norway joined France on six points at the top of the group.
Both European teams will now face each other in a high-profile clash in Boston on Friday to determine the group winner.
The six qualifying nations have all shown strong form early in the tournament. Argentina, Mexico, Germany and the USA had already secured their places with victories in previous matches, underlining the dominance of several established football powers at this World Cup.
For Iraq, the heavy defeat leaves them on the brink of elimination. Making only their second appearance since 1986, they have now lost all five of their World Cup matches and lost captain Aymen Hussein to injury during the game.
France manager Didier Deschamps rotated his squad successfully, while Norway demonstrated their attacking threat through Haaland.
These results set up exciting knockout-stage prospects and highlight the competitive intensity already on display at the 2026 tournament.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
