What happened at the World Cup on June 24, 2026?
Brazil and Vinícius Júnior cruised past Scotland 3-0 to win their group, host nation Mexico made it three wins from three by beating Czechia 3-0, and South Africa beat South Korea 1-0 to reach the World Cup knockouts for the first time in their history. Morocco edged Haiti 4-2 in a six-goal thriller, and Switzerland beat co-hosts Canada 2-1 — though both teams advanced.
- 1Brazil beat Scotland 3-0 to win Group C, with Vinícius Júnior scoring twice in the first half and Matheus Cunha adding a third.[1]
- 2Host nation Mexico won all three group games, beating Czechia 3-0; 40-year-old Guillermo Ochoa featured in his sixth World Cup.[2]
- 3South Africa beat South Korea 1-0 on Thapelo Maseko's goal to reach the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time ever.[3]
- 4Morocco came from behind twice to beat World Cup debutants Haiti 4-2 in a six-goal thriller.[4]
- 5Only three men have ever been named to six World Cup squads: Messi, Ronaldo and Ochoa — all at this tournament.[5]
1. Brazil flip the switch — Vinícius Jr was unplayable
Brazil, the five-time champions, looked the part in a 3-0 win over Scotland to top Group C. The star was Vinícius Júnior, who scored twice in the first half — a cheeky chip and a powerful header — and had a third ruled out by VAR. Matheus Cunha added the third after the break. Brazil's dominance was total (an xG of 4.46 to Scotland's 1.13). For a casual fan: this is the tournament's most dangerous attacking team rounding into form at the right time.
2. Mexico are perfect — and Ochoa makes history at home
Co-hosts Mexico won all three group games, beating Czechia 3-0 in front of a roaring home crowd through Chávez, Quiñones and Fidalgo. The emotional story was 40-year-old goalkeeper Guillermo "Memo" Ochoa, who featured in his sixth World Cup — joining Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the only men ever named to six World Cup squads. After Messi's and Ronaldo's record nights, the GOAT theme of this tournament now has a goalkeeper chapter too.
3. South Africa make history — knockouts for the FIRST time ever
The feel-good story of the day. South Africa's "Bafana Bafana" beat South Korea 1-0 thanks to Thapelo Maseko's 63rd-minute goal, qualifying for the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in the nation's history. They finished second in Group A behind Mexico and will face Canada on Sunday. For a non-fan: this is exactly the kind of underdog breakthrough the World Cup exists to create.
4. Morocco and Haiti serve up a six-goal thriller
If you want pure entertainment, this was the game. Morocco — semifinalists in 2022 — were twice behind to World Cup debutants Haiti, who scored a back-heel and a long-range rocket. But Morocco's quality told: Achraf Hakimi, Ismael Saibari, Soufiane Rahimi and Gessime Yassine all scored in a 4-2 win. Haiti go home, but they left a mark with two of the day's best goals.
5. A stat worth sharing
This World Cup has become a celebration of soccer's oldest legends. With Ochoa playing in Mexico, only three men in history have ever been selected for six World Cup squads: Messi, Ronaldo and Ochoa — and all three did it at this tournament. Elsewhere, Switzerland beat co-hosts Canada 2-1 (Vargas and Manzambi scoring) to win Group B, though Canada still advanced as runners-up, and Bosnia beat Qatar 3-1.
What to Watch Today
Matchday 15 continues the final round of group games. Key kickoffs run roughly 12:00 PM / 3:00 PM / 6:00 PM ET — about 1:00 AM / 4:00 AM / 7:00 AM JST and KST the next morning. Check worldcupexplain.com for the full schedule in your time zone.
Key Takeaways
- Brazil and Vinícius Júnior are rounding into form at the right time.
- South Africa reached the World Cup knockouts for the first time in history.
- Ochoa joins Messi and Ronaldo as the only players with six World Cup squads.
- Scotland 0-3 Brazil — Match report and highlights — FIFA(accessed 2026-06-24)
- Czechia 0-3 Mexico — Gilberto Mora stars and Ochoa special appearance — TNT Sports(accessed 2026-06-24)
- South Africa 1-0 South Korea: Maseko sends Bafana into knockouts for the first time ever — ESPN(accessed 2026-06-24)
- Morocco 4-2 Haiti (Jun 24, 2026) Game Analysis — ESPN(accessed 2026-06-24)
- World Cup Roundup: Neymar, Ochoa Make Triumphant Returns; South Africa Shocks Group A — FOX Sports(accessed 2026-06-24)