World Cup 2026: Biggest shocks of the group stage

The enlargement to 48 teams was expected to marque beingness easier for football's accepted powerhouses, but galore of the tournament's expected outsiders had small involvement successful pursuing that script.

With much groups, much matches and much qualification places available, galore expected the biggest nations to cruise done to the knockout rounds with minimal fuss.  

However, crossed 72 group-stage matches played successful the United States, Canada and Mexico, the opening signifier of the 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered nary shortage of surprises. 

From tourney debutants making past to 1 of South America's astir decorated nations crashing out, the radical signifier proved that estimation unsocial counts for precise small erstwhile the whistle blows.

Here, Sports Mole looks astatine immoderate of the biggest shocks of the World Cup 2026 radical stage.

Cape Verde became the communicative of the tournament

There were plentifulness of astonishment results during the radical stage, but nary compared to Cape Verde's singular tally to the knockout rounds.

Making their World Cup debut, the Blue Sharks arrived successful North America ranked 67th successful the FIFA World rankings and with a colonisation of conscionable implicit 525,000 – considering this, lone fewer gave them immoderate accidental of escaping a radical containing Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.

Instead, they produced 1 of the finest group-stage campaigns successful modern World Cup history, a run that began by frustrating reigning European champions Spain successful a goalless gully contempt facing 27 shots, with seasoned goalkeeper Vozinha producing 1 of the performances of the tourney to gain the Man of the Match award.

If that effect raised eyebrows, their 2nd outing near the shot satellite stunned – trailing doubly against two-time satellite champions Uruguay, Bubista's broadside refused to springiness successful and earned a thrilling 2-2 draw. 

A disciplined goalless gully against Saudi Arabia successful their last lucifer secured 2nd spot successful Group H and a spot successful the past 32.

In doing so, Cape Verde became the smallest federation ever to suffice for the World Cup knockout stages and the archetypal tourney debutants to advancement beyond the radical signifier since Slovakia achieved the feat successful South Africa successful 2010.

Uruguay suffered the biggest illness of the radical stage

While Cape Verde's occurrence was 1 of the tournament's top feel-good stories, it came astatine the disbursal of 1 of planetary football's proudest nations.

Uruguay entered the contention expecting to situation for a heavy run, but alternatively became the highest-profile casualty of the radical stage.

The informing signs appeared instantly erstwhile they were held to a 1-1 gully by Saudi Arabia, a squad that yet failed to suffice themselves.

Their inability to support a pb against Cape Verde successful a melodramatic 2-2 gully near them with conscionable 2 points heading into the last round, knowing lone triumph implicit Spain would realistically support their hopes alive.

Instead, Spain claimed a constrictive 1-0 victory to condemn Marcelo Bielsa's broadside to a third-place decorativeness with conscionable 2 points from 3 matches.

For a federation that has won 2 World Cups and reached the semi-finals arsenic precocious arsenic 2010, failing to scope the knockout rounds was 1 of the competition's biggest disappointments.

Uruguay besides became the lone South American federation to exit the tourney earlier the past 32, underlining conscionable however unexpected their illness proved to be.

Turkey's singular wastefulness proved intolerable to overcome

Turkey arrived successful North America arsenic 1 of the tournament's fashionable acheronian horses, and this was down to the array of method stars they had successful their squad.

Arda Guler, Kenan Yildiz and Hakan Calhanoglu formed the halfway of a talented squad, portion Vincenzo Montella had guided the Crescent-Stars done an encouraging qualifying campaign.

Yet their World Cup lasted conscionable 2 matches, and the statistic down their elimination marque for astonishing reading.

Turkey registered 30 shots during a astonishment 2-0 decision to Australia successful their opening fixture, with Patrick Beach making 8 saves, the astir by an Australian goalkeeper successful a World Cup match.

Four days later, they suffered an adjacent crueller result against Paraguay, arsenic Matias Galarza gave Paraguay the pb aft lone 65 seconds, the fastest extremity of the tournament, earlier Miguel Almiron was sent disconnected earlier fractional time. 

Even with a numerical vantage for much than an full half, Turkey could not find a breakthrough contempt attempting different 32 shots.

Across those 2 matches, Turkey produced 62 efforts connected extremity without uncovering the nett once.

It was a singular illustration of however dominance successful possession and territory means precise small if chances are not converted, and it yet outgo 1 of Europe's astir breathtaking young teams a spot successful the knockout rounds.