World Cup 2026: Norway, France, and Argentina advance to knockout stage

Norway has reached the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup after a hard-fought 3-2 win against Senegal. Goals from Marcus Pedersen and a brace from Erling Haaland secured the victory for Norway. While the win guarantees progression, they will need to beat France in their final group match to secure first place in Group I. Senegal, meanwhile, must defeat Iraq to maintain any hope of advancing as a third-place team.

France also confirmed their place in the next round with a dominant 3-0 victory over Iraq. Kylian Mbappé continued his impressive tournament form, scoring twice to bring his World Cup tally to 16 goals, just two shy of Lionel Messi's record. Ousmane Dembélé added the third. The match in Philadelphia experienced a significant delay of over two hours due to a thunderstorm, extending the overall game time considerably.

Argentina secured their passage to the knockout phase with a 2-0 win against Austria. Lionel Messi was once again the star, scoring in the 38th minute and adding a second in stoppage time. This brace cemented Messi's status as the all-time leading scorer in men's World Cup history. France will face Norway in their final group game, with the winner taking top spot in Group I and potentially facing Germany in the Round of 16.