Group G Matchday 1: Belgium Draw Egypt 1-1, Iran Draw New Zealand 2-2
Group G opened with two dramatic draws on June 15 — Belgium 1-1 Egypt and Iran 2-2 New Zealand. All four teams remain in contention after a chaotic opening round.
Group G opened in chaos. Both matchday 1 games ended in draws, leaving all four teams on one point apiece and making this one of the most open groups at the entire tournament.
Belgium 1-1 Egypt. Iran 2-2 New Zealand. Four goals across two matches — and not a single team with anything to show for it except a point and a bruised expectation.
Results
Belgium 1-1 Egypt
Group G, Matchday 1 | June 15, 2026
Belgium entered this tournament having rebuilt significantly after their "golden generation" of De Bruyne, Hazard, and Lukaku has aged. Egypt — led by Mohamed Salah — represent one of the most talented African squads at this World Cup.
The draw was a fair result. Belgium had the possession and the structure; Egypt had the moments of real quality. Salah's presence made Egypt a constant threat on the break, and Belgium — for all their technical quality — could not find the winning goal.
Key moment: Egypt's equalizer — worked from a Salah involvement on the right side.
Iran 2-2 New Zealand
Group G, Matchday 1 | June 15, 2026
The game of matchday 1 in Group G. Iran — playing at their fourth consecutive World Cup — started well against New Zealand, who are at the tournament for the first time since 2010. But New Zealand refused to lie down.
A 2-2 draw with four goals, comebacks, and drama that exceeded every pre-match expectation.
New Zealand's moment: The All Whites — as they are known in football — earned a comeback draw that will be remembered in New Zealand football history regardless of what happens in the remaining group games.
Group G Standings After Matchday 1
| Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Egypt | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Iran | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
All four teams on 1 point. Perfect parity. Every team alive. Group G is a lottery — any two of these four teams could advance.
What Matchday 2 Means
With all teams level on points, matchday 2 becomes critically important. The teams that win will go top; the teams that lose are under severe pressure going into the final matchday.
Belgium vs Iran and New Zealand vs Egypt on matchday 2 — both high stakes, both must-win.
Follow all Group G results and standings on Kickoff26.
Group G: total chaos. Every team on 1 point. Every team alive. This is what makes the World Cup group stage unmissable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in Group G on matchday 1 at World Cup 2026?
Both Group G matchday 1 games ended in draws — Belgium drew 1-1 with Egypt, and Iran drew 2-2 with New Zealand. All four teams start on 1 point.
What was the score in Belgium vs Egypt?
Belgium drew 1-1 with Egypt in their Group G matchday 1 game on June 15, 2026.
What was the score in Iran vs New Zealand?
Iran drew 2-2 with New Zealand in their Group G matchday 1 game on June 15, 2026.
What group is Belgium in at World Cup 2026?
Belgium are in Group G at World Cup 2026, alongside Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand.
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