FIFA World Cup Day 4 recap: Sweden dominates; Netherlands plays to draw

Here’s where things stand in each of the groups following Sunday’s Group E and Group F games:

MONTERREY, Mexico — Yasin Ayari scored twice and Sweden showed it belonged at the 2026 World Cup, pounding Tunisia 5-1 on Sunday night to move atop Group F.

Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres each had a goal and an assist, and Mattias Svanberg also scored for Sweden, which entered ranked 39th in the world and missed the 2022 World Cup after reaching the quarterfinals eight years ago in Russia.

Omar Rekik scored for 45th-ranked Tunisia, which is playing in its seventh World Cup but has never advanced beyond the group stage.

The higher-ranked teams in the group, the Netherlands and Japan, played to a 2-2 draw earlier Sunday at Arlington, Texas.

Ayari bookended the scoring for the Swedes at Estadio BBVA with long-range goals in the seventh minute and in second-half stoppage time. He was muted in his celebrations, raising his hands out of respect for the country where his father was born.

Sweden 4, Tunisia 1 — 84th minute

Mattias Svanberg entered as a substitute for Jesper Karlstrom, then immediately scored as he was still jogging onto the field.

Svanberg scored after corralling a redirection off the foot of Alexander Isak from a kick outside the box. The goal was confirmed after video review.

Sweden 3, Tunisia 1 — 59th minute

Capitalizing on Alexander Isak forcing a turnover on Tunisia midfielder Ellyes Skhiri at the top of the box, Viktor Gyokeres scored to give Sweden a commanding lead in the second half.

Sweden 2, Tunisia 1 — 43rd minute

Omar Rekik scored off a header deep in the box to put Tunisia on the board.

The goal came on a ball by Hannibal Mejbri from well outside the box that Rekik connected on despite being a crowd of Swedish defenders.

Sweden 2, Tunisia 0 — 30th minute

Alexander Isak took a feed at near full sprint, then shifted between two defenders and sent a shot past diving Tunisia goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh to give Sweden a 2-0 lead.

Sweden 1, Tunisia 0 — ninth minute

Yasin Ayari scored on a perfectly placed laser from outside of the box to give Sweden an early lead.

A deep feed from the other side of the field created pandemonium for the Tunisia defense, with goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh running up to play the ball before being caught out too far to have any legitimate chance of stopping Ayari’s big kick.

Sunday’s final World Cup match between Sweden and Tunisia in a Group F showdown is underway in Monterrey, Mexico.

Sweden enters the match ranked 38th in the world, and Tunisia is ranked No. 44. It marks Sweden’s first World Cup appearance since 2018.

Tunisia is making its seventh World Cup appearance, but is looking for a strong start in its quest to advance out of the group stage for the first time. Tunisia famously upset France in group play at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Light rain is in the forecast for tonight’s match.

Iran captain Mehdi Taremi says his team is having a challenging World Cup experience amid the multifold disruptions created by their nation’s war with the U.S., the tournament’s co-host.

The Iranians arrived in the L.A. area on Sunday from their training base in Tijuana, Mexico, just over the U.S. border — about 140 miles (225 kilometers) from the stadium where they will open group-stage play against New Zealand on Monday night. Iran’s training camp was relocated from the U.S. after the war began, and the Iranian team has endured numerous distractions since then, including visa problems.

“I have felt the tension from the first moment we arrived at this World Cup,” Taremi said through an interpreter. “At any tournament when there is tension, we won’t have the same beautiful experience we always talk about with peace and joy. ... I know it wasn’t just us. I know several countries had visa problems and changes with training camps. Before we arrived, the feeling, the sensation people always have, how they look forward to the World Cup, I think this time maybe they haven’t had the same feeling.”

The U.S. attacked Iran on Feb. 28, and the initial missile strikes killed its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The war has slowed and resumed several times since then, with President Donald Trump even announcing a peace deal earlier Sunday — one that wasn’t addressed at the news conference.

“This kind of tension, it undermines that joy and it undermines the message of FIFA and our people, which is that football brings about peace,” said Taremi, the 33-year-old Olympiacos striker who is playing in his third World Cup. “I feel like this World Cup could have provided a better atmosphere than it has, but I hope in the future it will be better for all fans, whatever team they are supporting in the World Cup.”

Iran initially planned to train in Tucson, Ariz., before the war’s outbreak, but quickly moved to Baja California. FIFA then rejected Iran’s desire to play its group-stage World Cup matches outside the U.S., claiming logistics and contracts wouldn’t allow it.

Iran has been beset with logistical problems since then, including the denial of visas for certain members of its delegation. A team spokesperson said Sunday that two members of its media relations group were denied U.S. visas for the opening match. Iran and its traveling fans also have faced multiple issues with match tickets.

“Without any doubt, this will impact negatively the spirit of football,” Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said. “Football is supposed to bring nations and cultures together. Whether we win, whether we lose, that’s a personal feeling we have, but football as a game is about bringing about joy. These conditions, they have impacted our technical focus, but I have really tried to make sure that my players focus on strategy and techniques.”

The Iranian team is limited to brief trips into the U.S. for its matches, flying in the day before the game and reportedly flying out immediately afterward. Iran plays in Inglewood, California, again next Sunday against Belgium, before completing the group stage in Seattle against Egypt on June 26.

Without giving details, Taremi said Iran’s travel from Tijuana to SoFi Stadium took roughly five hours, including the very short flight.

“Of course that impacts us,” Ghalenoei said. “I would like to thank the good people of Mexico, but we Iranians, we are accustomed to make opportunities out of hardship, and we don’t think about anything other than bringing joy to people.”

The Iranian team took the field at SoFi Stadium after the news conference, allowing the players to familiarize themselves with the unfamiliar venue. Players walked around the futuristic arena in small groups, pointing out features of the towering stands and examining the quality of the grass.

Iran was among the earliest qualifiers for this World Cup, and its strong team is currently 20th in FIFA’s rankings. But after the war began, Trump suggested the Iranian team might not be safe in the U.S. — and Iranian officials debated whether the team should compete in the tournament at all.

The Los Angeles area likely was picked to host two of Iran’s matches in part because it has the world’s largest Iranian population outside Iran. The so-called Tehrangeles area of the city is filled with the families of untold thousands who fled the country after the Islamic Revolution in the late 1970s.

Taremi and Ghalenoei are aware that many U.S.-based Iranians will be cheering against their success — both inside the stadium and outside, where various protests against the Iranian government are reportedly planned. Yet another source of possible tumult doesn’t bother the team leaders.

“We play for every Iranian, be it in the diaspora or in Iran,” Taremi said. “People have different opinions, but we are here to unite people and we will try to bring joy to all Iranians wherever they live. We do not get involved in politics. We are here to play football.”

Beacham writes for the Associated Press.

PHILADELPHIA — Amad Diallo scored in the 90th minute to lift Ivory Coast to a 1-0 victory over Ecuador in its first World Cup appearance in a dozen years.

The teams combined to hit the crossbar three times before the Manchester United winger — who entered as a substitute in the 56th minute — broke through with a left-footed shot from just inside the penalty area that beat diving goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez. Wilfried Singo set up the goal with a strong run down the right side.

Making its fourth appearance in the World Cup and first since 2014, Ivory Coast took a step toward reaching the knockout stage for the first time. Ecuador saw its 19-game unbeaten streak end with its first loss since a 1-0 decision against Brazil on Sept. 6, 2024.

Elye Wahi hit the crossbar in the 52nd minute for Ivory Coast after Ecuador’s John Yeboah and Nilson Angulo did the same in the opening half.

Ecuador, making its fifth World Cup appearance and looking to reach the knockout round for the second time, was playing a virtual home game at Lincoln Financial Field, with most of the capacity crowd of 68,274 wearing the yellow jerseys of La Tri.

Ecuador looked strong before Diallo’s goal. Its best chance after halftime came in the 68th minute on Gonzalo Plata’s hard shot from about 25 yards out that was parried away by goalkeeper Yahia Fofana.

Ivory Coast was bolstered by the forward play of Yan Diomande. The Leipzig attacker created several scoring chances, particularly down the right side. That included Wahi’s near goal on a flick following Diomande’s hard cross.

Ivory Coast, which did not concede a goal while going 8-0-2 in 10 qualifying matches, will next face four-time World Cup champion Germany, which defeated Curacao 7-1 earlier Sunday in Group E. Ecuador will meet Curacao. Both matches will be played June 20.

Ivory Coast captain Franck Kessié set the tone for the physical play of Les Éléphant with a hard foul in the fourth minute. Kessié went on to pick up one of three yellow cards for his side, all for reckless challenges, in the opening 45 minutes. Jackson Porozo of Ecuador was cautioned in the 73rd minute.

Bracy writes for the Associated Press.

Ivory Coast 1, Ecuador 0 — 90th minute

Amad Diallo scored on perfectly placed side-footed touch off a pass from Wilfried Singo for the first goal of the match.

There will be seven minutes of stoppage time.

Singo made the goal happen, breaking away from coverage a midfield and sprinting unobstructed to the box before sending in a perfect cross pass.

Diallo positioned himself well for the redirect, pulling out of his sprint as Ecuador defenders ran deeper into the box, leaving him wide open to send the ball into the far lower corner past diving goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez.

There have been plenty of decent scoring chances, but Ecuador and the Ivory Coast remain scoreless at halftime.

Ivory Coast had the only shot on goal during the first half despite Ecuador possessing the ball for 55% percent of the time.

John Yeboah had three shots for Ecuador and Nicolas Pepe had two for Ivory Coast.

The second Group E match of the day is underway with Ivory Coast facing Ecuador at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Ecuador is ranked No. 23 in the world and Ivory Coast is ranked No. 34.

Ecuador, known for its pressing style, finished a surprising second in South American qualifying, trailing only Argentina. It made the round of 16 at the Qatar World Cup in 2022.

Ivory Coast is playing in its first World Cup match since 2014. They pulled off a pair of friendly wins over South Korea and Scotland in March.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Daichi Kamada scored on a header off Koki Ogawa’s corner kick in the 88th minute, sending the Samurai Blue fans into a frenzy and giving Japan a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in their World Cup opener on Sunday.

While the Dutch extended their unbeaten streak to 16 games in group play, the orange-clad Oranje supporters were stunned by the late goal that left them at 21-2-11 in group play at the World Cup.

Virgil Van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville scored off each post for the Netherlands early in the second half, while Keito Nakamura had a goal between those as part of a three-goal flurry in just 14 minutes.

An uneventful first half changed quickly after the break for a crowd evenly split at AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys with the retractable roof that offered relief from the muggy Texas heat, and the giant video board that fans had a hard time keeping their eyes off.

Summerville gave the eighth-ranked Dutch the lead in the 64th minute, and Japan was running out of hope when Ogawa sent the corner that Kamada timed perfectly. The ball deflected slightly again on its way toward Bart Verbruggen, who got his hands on it with a sprawling dive but couldn’t keep it from going in.

Van Dijk sent a header toward the far post on the right in the 50th minute, bending forward from inside the penalty area as he stared at the ball before it caromed in for the Dutch captain’s 13th international goal.

Nakamura answered seven minutes later for 18th-ranked Japan, turning and rifling a shot past Verbruggen from the left side of the arc after taking a pass from Takefusa Kubo.

Another seven minutes later, Summerville took a pass from Ryan Gravenberch and sent a left-footed shot to the far left post past Zion Suzuki, where it caromed in again.

The Dutch’s most recent loss before the elimination round came the last time the World Cup was in the United States in 1994, when a group play defeat was followed by a quarterfinal loss to Brazil at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

In Group F, the Netherlands plays Sweden on Saturday in Houston, while Japan goes to Monterrey, Mexico, to face Tunisia on Saturday.

Dixon writes for the Associated Press.

Netherlands 2, Japan 2, final

After a slow start, Japan rallied for a dramatic 2-2 tie with the Netherlands. The Dutch wanted to push for a stoppage time goal, but the Japanese gained possession in the fifth minute of the six added minutes and held the ball to protect earning one point.

Netherlands 2, Japan 2, 88th minute

Japan was in attack mode late in the second half, pressuring the Netherlands’ defense. The waves of attack finally cashed in when Junya Ito’s corner was headed by Koki Ogawa to Daichi Kamada, who headed it home for the equalizer.

Netherlands 2, Japan 1, 64th minute

After a quiet first half, Netherlands and Japan have brought the fireworks early in the second.

Crysencio Summerville collected the ball on at the far right corner of the box, danced briefly and then shot across the face of goal for another Dutch score.

Netherlands 1, Japan 1, 57th minute

Takefusa Kubo was surrounded by orange jerseys and tapped the ball to Keito Nakamura on the edge of the box. He dribbled the fired a shot that skipped along the pitch and found the back left corner of the net.

It was a big, quick equalizer for Japan.

Netherlands 1, Japan 0, 51st minute

Ryan Gravenberch passed to Virgil van Dijk, who headed a ball home for the match’s first goal.

Netherlands 0, Japan 0, halftime

Japan put pressure on the Netherlands late in the first half, but neither team could score ahead of the halftime break. The Dutch had 14 touches in the box and Japan had seven.

Netherlands 0, Japan 0, 23rd minute

Japan weathered an early storm and is locked in a scoreless fight with the Netherlands in Arlington, Texas.

The Dutch controlled possession about 66% of the time so far, but neither team has created what would be considered a big scoring chance as defenses have maintained pressure in the final third of the pitch.

Netherlands 0, Japan 0, third minute

The Orange army is roaring in Arlington, Texas, where the Netherlands are pressuring Japan very early in their World Cup opener. The Dutch have been camped in front of Japan’s goal and forced one corner kick that Japan cleared in the third minute.

Iran’s World Cup team arrived in Tijuana last week bearing gold lapel pins on their jackets honoring the 168 victims, most of them schoolgirls, killed in a Feb. 28 U.S. missile strike on an elementary school in southern Iran at the outset of the war.

The World Cup kicked off last week as that war in the Middle East continues, with Iran set to open play against New Zealand on Monday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. It’s significant that the game will take place in the Los Angeles area, home to the largest Iranian population outside Iran.

While Iran will play in the U.S., its players won’t be allowed to stay here. The team moved its training base from Tucson to Tijuana last month because of visa hurdles and other travel restrictions levied by the Trump administration.

Dutch fans are going viral on social media with an epic march to AT&T Stadium in Arlington ahead of the Netherlands’ World Cup opener against Japan.

Germany 7, Curaçao 1, final

Curaçao, the smallest country in the World Cup field, scored its first Cup goal and were tied with powerhouse Germany for 17 magical minutes.

Then the reality of this mismatch set in as Germany poured on seven total goals.

Germany 7, Curaçao 1, 88th minute

Curaçao will be thrilled when stoppage time expires.

Germany has put on a goal-scoring clinic.

Kai Havertz sliceed through the Curaçao defense, running up the middle of the field. Havertz absorbed pressure from an attempted Curaçao tackle near the top left corner of the box and chipped the ball over the goalkeeper for the team’s seven goal.

It was Havertz’s second goal of the match.

Landon Donovan said during the Fox Sports broadcast that some have criticized the World Cup field expansion, but he said the joy fans felt celebrating Curaçao’s first World Cup goal and the money each participating team takes home could revolutionize the sport in the tiny country.

Germany 6, Curaçao 1, 78th minute

Freddy, the German fan who went viral on social media for his positive social media posts while visiting the U.S. for the first time, must be elated.

The Germans continue to show their talent and skill, scoring their sixth goal of the game.

Joshua Kimmich passed to Deniz Undav in the box, who tapped the ball in for Germany’s six goal.

Germany 5, Curaçao 1, 72nd minute

And Germany continues to show off.

Deniz Undav receive a pass at the top of the box and back-heel passed it to Nathaniel Brown, who easily pushed the ball to the right corner of the net for his first international goal and the Germans’ fifth of the game.

The hydration break then offered a much-needed moment for Curaçao to regroup.

Germany 4, Curaçao 1, 47th minute

After a halftime break, Germany kept its foot on the gas.

Joshua Kimmich passed to Jamal Musiala on the right side of the box and he slotted a shot across the face of goal for a back-breaking score to open the second half.

Germany 3, Curaçao 1, 45th minute + 5 minutes

Curaçao couldn’t argue when the referee called Riechedly Bazoer for fouling Felix Nmecha in the penalty area.

Kai Havertz easily scored on a left-footed shot to the bottom left corner of the net.

A promising start by Curaçao was eclipsed by Germany’s surge.

Germany 2, Curaçao 1, 38th minute

Germany kept knocking on the door, failing to get a clean shot off in the final third but forcing Curaçao to deflect the ball and trigger corner kicks.

And corner kicks are historically easy money for Germany. Nathaniel Brown fired a cross and Nico Schlotterbeck headed it home.

Germany 1, Curaçao 1, 21st minute

Tiny but mighty Curaçao is not afraid of the World Cup stage.

Curaçao took Germany’s first punch and boldly responded.

The ball was deflected twice near the top of the box and Livano Comenencia fired the rebound to the left side of the extended box, delivering the first goal in his country’s history.

Curaçao had another run at goal with a potential penalty kick call ignored by the referee before a hydration break.

Germany 1, Curaçao 0, sixth minute

Germany was a massive favorite and hasn’t taken this matchup lightly,

Curaçao failed to clear the ball and Felix Nmecha took a shot from the top of the box that gave the Germans a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute. It was the team’s fastest goal scored since a quarterfinal in 2010.

Germany 0, Curaçao 0, 1st minute

The World Cup cation resumed in Houston, Texas, with one of global soccer’s powerhouses taking on the smallest country in the tournament.

This match may have a little more attention in the U.S. thanks to a German super fan named Freddy, whose earnest posts about the wonders he has discovered while traveling in the South have gone viral on social media.

A few hours after Lionel Messi and the Argentine World Cup team checked into their training base in Kansas City, a series of thunderstorms pounded the area, knocking out power, felling trees and bringing flood and tornado warnings.

Hardly ideal conditions for the world’s biggest soccer tournament. Yet that’s likely just the opening salvo of a disruptive weather system that could affect the 38-day competition, which kicks off next week with games in Mexico, Canada and the U.S.

“It’s pretty safe to say climate change is going to have a mark on this World Cup,” said Kaitlyn Trudeau, a senior research associate of climate science for Sacramento-based Climate Central. “With climate change we know it’s not just going to be hotter, but it’s also going to increase the humidity as well.”

Béla Guttmann may be the most consequential soccer coach you’ve never heard of. But if it weren’t for Guttmann, you may never have heard of Pelé.

And Brazil may never have become the greatest soccer-playing country on Earth.

ATLANTA — The Somali referee who was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup will still be paid his full tournament fee.

A person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that Omar Artan will still be entitled to payment despite not officiating any games at the near six-week long event. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

They said the fee would be determined after the tournament concludes next month.

Artan is one of soccer’s top officials and was named Africa’s best male referee in 2025. But the Somali national was denied entry after arriving at Miami International Airport from Istanbul last week.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Artan was “inadmissible due to vetting concerns”.

He had originally been issued a visa to travel to the U.S., according to the Somalia Embassy in Kenya, which processed it, and was due to meet up with other World Cup referees at their training base in Miami.

FIFA said it was not involved in the immigration processes and that the host government ultimately determines who is granted entry. As a result it said Artan would not be able to train and officiate at the World Cup.

The 34-year-old Artan was given a hero’s welcome when he returned to Somalia earlier this week and vowed to attend the next edition of the World Cup — mainly staged in Morocco, Portugal and Spain - in 2030. He was also appointed to officiate one of European soccer’s showcase games, the UEFA Super Cup in August.

“Football is made to connect people and UEFA wants to show its respect to Omar and his outstanding officiating skills,” UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said in a statement.

Representatives from the U.S., Mexico and Canada collaborated to win the right to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

(Davide Barco / For The Times)

Hours before the 2018 World Cup kicked off in Russia, delegates representing more than 200 FIFA member states filed into a massive conference center rising above the left bank of the Moscow River.

There they would be voting to pick a host for the 2026 tournament and the ballot held just two candidates: Morocco, bidding for the World Cup for the fifth time, and a joint bid from the U.S., Mexico and Canada, marking the first time three countries offered to share host duties.

The U.S. men’s soccer team isn’t only trying to win games in this World Cup. It is trying to win hearts and minds as well.

“We want the game to grow,” star midfielder Christian Pulisic said. “We want to get Americans excited to watch this game, to watch our team. That’s obviously a big goal of ours. And being successful would give that the best boost.”

NEW YORK — Christian Pulisic looked exhausted as he stepped from a yellow cab on the edge of Manhattan’s financial district for a promotional event arranged by his shoe sponsor.

A day earlier, he had been booed off the field after going scoreless in his final 17 games with AC Milan. And as Pulisic’s private jet made its way from Italy to New York, the club’s coach, sporting director and two other top executives were sacked.

A day later Pulisic walked across a stage overlooking the East River to cheers during a sparsely attended rally in which the U.S. roster for this summer’s World Cup was announced.

The first four days of the 2026 FIFA World Cup are done, with the U.S. and Mexico each winning their group stage openers. However, most of the World Cup field is still looking to hit the competitive pitch for the first time.

Here’s everything you need to know about matches being played on Monday and Tuesday in the 48-team tournament across the U.S., Mexico and Canada (all times Pacific).

Julian Ryerson hadn’t learned to walk the last time Norway played in the World Cup. He was just 7 months old then, and if he had known his country was going to go 0 for the 21st century when it came to World Cup qualifying, he might have considered pursuing a sport other than soccer.

But that drought will finally end next week when Norway plays in the World Cup for the first time in nearly three decades.

“It’s been a long wait, especially for the Norwegian people,” he said. “They’ve been waiting as long as I am old. So yeah, I think everybody’s ready.”

Tim Ream is the only player on the American World Cup team who was alive the last time the tournament was played in the U.S. But he was only 6, so the memories are kind of sketchy.

“I remember bits and pieces of 1994,” he said.

Still, it’s fallen on Ream, as both the captain and the oldest man on the roster, to prepare the team for what they’re about to experience when the U.S. opens play Friday at SoFi Stadium.

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to kick off in Los Angeles on June 12, fashion designers across the Southern California region are putting a spin on traditional sports jerseys.

Whether it be screen printing powerful messages on a traditional tee, or upcycling large shirts into more flattering silhouettes, creatives are finding innovative ways to show off their pride.

The World Cup has officially landed in Los Angeles, and for fans without match tickets, attending the FIFA Fan Festival could be the next best thing.

Taking place Thursday through Sunday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the family-friendly event will feature live match broadcasts on jumbo screens, cultural programming, interactive experiences, an official World Cup merchandise store, food vendors serving global cuisine and live music performances from headlining artists like Steve Aoki, Capital Cities and Normani.

In many ways, the most ambitious World Cup in history — which kicked off Thursday in Mexico City — has inspired more angst than anticipation, more fear than fervor.

The competition, returning to North America for the first time in more than three decades, has expanded to 48 teams and 104 matches, to be played over 39 days in 16 cities in the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The complex planning was eight years in the making.

Yet even before the competition opened with Mexico facing South Africa at the iconic Estadio Azteca, it has been marred by a number of controversies that threaten to overshadow the soccer and cloud the tournament’s legacy.

The U.S. men’s soccer team chose an incredible day to have an incredible day.

Crucially, the United States aced its only chance to make a first impression, kicking off this colossal World Cup it’s co-hosting with Mexico and Canada with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay.

Consider it a save for the tournament, three points for soccer in America and maybe even a win for uniting the States.

Here’s a look at the complete World Cup television schedule through the end of group play:

The first three days of the 2026 FIFA World Cup offered plenty of memorable moments.

Check out The Times’ daily recaps ahead of Sunday’s four-game slate:

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