The 2026 FIFA World Cup moves into its fourth day of group stage play, as Group E and Group F kick off their first games of the tournament. Here’s what you need to know for Sunday’s slate of matches.
Sunday, June 14 | 1 p.m. ET | Houston, Texas | TV: Fox
It was only 12 years ago that Germany lifted its fourth World Cup trophy. But since then, the Germans have gotten grouped two tournaments in a row. Germany’s quest to fight off that embarrassing run starts Sunday, as the European powerhouse faces off against Curaçao, the smallest country in the tournament.
Everything is on the Germans’ side in this group stage. For Germany, Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz enters the tournament with the most eyes on him, but any number of the team’s veterans or up-and-comers could be the difference-maker in an overdue tournament run. Die Mannschaft is also a clear favorite to win this group: The team holds the highest FIFA ranking in the group (No. 10), ahead of its primary competition in the group, Ecuador.
Curaçao, meanwhile, will just be happy to finally make it to this stage at all, as the small island nation is one of four debutantes to make it to the newly expanded tournament. The Blue Wave is being coached by legendary manager Dick Advocaat, and its midfield is anchored by a pair of brothers, veteran Leandro Bacuna and younger sibling Juninho Bacuna.
Sunday, June 14 | 4 p.m. ET | Dallas, Tex. | TV: Fox
The Netherlands is another of the high-level teams (No. 8 in the FIFA rankings) that will start its World Cup journey on Sunday. The Oranje will be led by longtime captain Virgil van Dijk, who is the anchor of the Dutch back line and still one of the best players on the team.
But unlike Germany, the Oranje starts the group stage with a much harder challenge: Japan, whose durability and depth make them a very difficult foe.
Japan consistently stuns opponents at the World Cup: In 2022, the Samurai Blue beat both Germany and Spain to win their group, keeping Germany out of the knockout round altogether. They’ll aim to do some more disrupting this year, starting with the Dutch.
It’ll also be a meeting of two of the game’s best fanbases. Japanese fans are all-in on the team, and Netherlands supporters kick off every game with the Oranje Fanwalk, creating a sprawling mass of orange-clad fans that spans for blocks. Sunday’s version of the Fanwalk in Arlington will be the first glimpse of it on American soil, and it’s something to keep an eye out for.
vs. Ecuador
Sunday, June 14 | 7 p.m. ET | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | TV: Fox
Elsewhere in Group E, Ecuador and Ivory Coast will play each other to kick off the tournament. Ecuador enters this tournament as a dark horse, boosted by an incredible run of qualifying games against some heavy-duty CONMEBOL opponents.
Similar to 2006, when Ecuador made its sole knockout appearance, the team’s defensive strengths will be key against high-scoring teams, including Germany. But Moisés Caicedo will be the team’s most talked-about player: The 24-year-old midfielder has made a name for himself at Chelsea, and is someone to watch as Ecuador tries to make an even longer run.
However, Ivory Coast will not be a walkover for Ecuador. Ivory Coast, one of two African teams to make it to the tournament without conceding a goal in qualifying, will be bringing a strong defense with some talented attackers, including star forward Nicolas Pépé. The Elephants will be guided by 29-year-old captain Franck Kessié, who has over 100 caps.
Sunday, June 14 | 10 p.m. ET | Monterrey, Mexico | TV: Fox
Sweden is in an odd position heading into this World Cup: The team managed to qualify despite not earning a win in a terrible qualifying campaign. A bit of luck and some complicated UEFA formatting landed the Swedes in the tournament anyway, but leaves the team with even more to prove in this group stage.
As a result, Sweden’s stock is significantly down this summer, especially compared to its European counterparts. Forward Alexander Isak will hope to provide a bit of spark, but it may be a tough road ahead for the Blågult. (However, the last time the World Cup was hosted in the U.S., Sweden finished in third place, so who knows.)
Tunisia, meanwhile, enters this tournament on an incredibly defensive run, being the other African to not concede a single goal in qualifying. Midfielder Hannibal Mejbri leads a group of rising attacking stars, while veterans like captain Ellyes Shkiri will be the glue to hold Tunisia together as it aims to reach the knockout round for the first time.
In general, Group F is going to be one of the hardest groups to get out of. Tunisia and Sweden both have plenty of chances to surprise the Netherlands and Japan, who enter as favorites to go one-two in group play. This first game offers Swede and Tunisia to each try and get a leg up before facing the other half of the group.
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