The first four matches of World Cup 2026 have produced 12 goals, wins for Mexico, South Korea and the United States, and a 1-1 draw between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Group A: Mexico and South Korea both opened with wins.
- Group B: Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina started with one point each.
- Group D: The United States lead early after a 4-1 win over Paraguay.
Current standings picture
Group A has the clearest early shape, with Mexico and South Korea on three points. South Africa and Czech Republic now need responses in their second matches, where goal difference and risk management will already matter.
Group B remains open after Canada’s draw with Bosnia and Herzegovina. That result increases the importance of Qatar vs Switzerland because a Swiss win would create an immediate leader in the group.
In Group D, the United States have the strongest early position after beating Paraguay by three goals. Australia and Turkey still need to play, but the U.S. have already set the first benchmark.
Why it matters
The expanded 48-team format gives teams more ways to survive the group stage, but early goal difference still changes how teams approach the second round of fixtures. A side with three points can manage a match differently from a side that has already lost.
Betting impact
Early standings should be used as context, not as automatic picks. Teams that won may become overpriced, while teams that lost narrowly may still have value if the performance was better than the table suggests.
Source: FIFA official World Cup calendar API. Published source date: June 13, 2026.