What happened at the World Cup on June 27, 2026?
The group stage is over and the Round of 32 is set. Lionel Messi scored again — a free kick off the bench — as Argentina beat Jordan 3-1 to finish a perfect three-for-three, extending his all-time World Cup record to 19 goals. Harry Kane became England's greatest-ever World Cup scorer in a 2-0 win over Panama, and Austria and Algeria served up a wild 3-3 thriller that sent both through.
- 1Lionel Messi scored a free kick in Argentina's 3-1 win over Jordan, reaching 19 career World Cup goals and a goal in seven straight World Cup games.[1]
- 2Harry Kane scored his 11th career World Cup goal in England's 2-0 win over Panama, overtaking Gary Lineker as England's all-time top scorer.[2]
- 3Austria and Algeria drew 3-3 — with a Kalajdzic stoppage-time equalizer — and both teams advanced.[3]
- 4Croatia beat Ghana 2-1 (Sucic and Vlasic) to qualify as group runners-up.[4]
- 5Colombia and Portugal drew 0-0 with both teams already through; the group stage is complete and the Round of 32 is set.[5]
1. Messi just keeps making history
He came off the bench and did it anyway. Lionel Messi curled in a low free kick to cap Argentina's 3-1 win over Jordan, taking his all-time World Cup record to 19 career goals and his tally at this tournament to six. He also became the first man ever to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches. Giovani Lo Celso and Lautaro Martínez scored Argentina's other goals as the champions finished the group stage with a perfect record. For a casual fan: the greatest player ever simply refuses to stop rewriting the record book.
2. Harry Kane becomes England's greatest World Cup scorer
A milestone night for England's captain. Harry Kane scored his 11th career World Cup goal in a 2-0 win over Panama, overtaking the legendary Gary Lineker to become England's all-time leading World Cup scorer. Jude Bellingham, England's young superstar, opened the scoring before Kane sealed it, and the Three Lions topped Group L. The result also confirmed Scotland's elimination. England look like they're finally clicking at the right time.
3. Austria and Algeria's six-goal madness
The entertainment game of the day. Austria and Algeria traded blows in a breathless 3-3 draw, with Riyad Mahrez scoring twice for Algeria and Sasa Kalajdzic snatching a dramatic equalizer in the fifth minute of stoppage time. The wild part: the draw was exactly the result both teams needed, so both advanced to the Round of 32. Sometimes in football, everybody wins.
4. Croatia squeeze through; Ronaldo's Portugal held
Croatia, the 2018 finalists, beat Ghana 2-1 thanks to a long-range Petar Sucic strike and a late Nikola Vlasic header to qualify as group runners-up. In the other headline tie, Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal were held to a 0-0 draw by Colombia — but both teams had already done enough to advance. Two of the tournament's bigger names march on into the knockout rounds.
5. A stat worth sharing
With Saturday's games, the group stage is complete and the full Round of 32 bracket is locked in. The standout number remains Messi's: 19 career World Cup goals, and a goal in seven straight World Cup matches — records that may never be broken. The knockout rounds begin next, where a single bad day ends your tournament. The real drama starts now.
What to Watch Today
The Round of 32 kicks off — it's win-or-go-home from here. 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 WorldCupExplained.com for the full bracket and schedule in your time zone.
Key Takeaways
- Messi extended his all-time World Cup record to 19 goals.
- Harry Kane is now England's greatest-ever World Cup scorer.
- The group stage is over — the knockout rounds begin next.
- Jordan 1-3 Argentina: Messi scores again as Argentina cruise — ESPN(accessed 2026-06-28)
- Panama 0-2 England: Jude Bellingham stars as Three Lions secure top spot in Group L — Sky Sports(accessed 2026-06-28)
- Algeria 3-3 Austria: Kalajdzic's last-gasp equaliser sees both sides reach last 32 — Opta Analyst(accessed 2026-06-28)
- Croatia 2-1 Ghana: Nikola Vlasic winner sends Dalic's men through as runners-up — Sky Sports(accessed 2026-06-28)
- World Cup group stage results: Messi caps Argentina win; Austria, Algeria draw — Yahoo Sports(accessed 2026-06-28)