World Cup 2026 Group G: Egypt and Belgium qualify - All results, standings & group recap
GROUP G COMPLETE, 1st: Egypt 5 pts (qualified); 2nd: Belgium 5 pts (qualified); 3rd: Iran 3 pts (eliminated); 4th: New Zealand 1 pt (eliminated). MD3 (26 Jun): Egypt 1-1 Iran (Saber 5', Rezaeian 14'); Belgium 1-0 New Zealand (Trossard 28'). MD2 (21 Jun): Egypt 3-1 NZ (historic first WC win); Belgium 0-0 Iran (Ngoy red card 66'). MD1 (15 Jun): Belgium 1-1 Egypt, Iran 2-2 NZ, Mohebi deported for 'gun' celebration.
The context
Group G of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has already generated two of the tournament’s defining subplots, and both matches only just took place.
In Seattle on June 15, Belgium’s opening match against Egypt started ominously. Egypt’s Emam Ashour scored with his first-ever international goal in the 19th minute at Lumen Field, and Belgium’s technical superiority, their possession, their chances, their high press, failed to translate into goals. For 47 minutes Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco watched his side labour without reward, before turning to Romelu Lukaku. The veteran striker had been on the pitch for precisely 23 seconds when Egypt’s Mohamed Hany turned the ball into his own net under the pressure of Lukaku’s movement. Belgium had their equaliser. Lukaku himself did not score, but his presence alone changed the game, one of the clearest demonstrations of an impact substitute at this tournament. The final score was 1-1, a point Belgium will not be satisfied with.
At SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, the Group G evening match produced a four-goal spectacle. New Zealand, a side that has never advanced past the group stage in men’s World Cup history, took the lead through Elijah Just in the 7th minute and doubled it in the 54th in what looked like the upset of the group stage. Iran’s Ramin Rezaeian pulled one back at 32’ to keep the tie alive, and Mohammad Mohebi’s 64th-minute equaliser completed the comeback. The 2-2 scoreline was a fair result in an end-to-end match, but it was Mohebi’s post-goal celebration that became the real story, a gesture widely interpreted as a ‘gun’ pointed at his arm, triggering viral outrage, a FIFA investigation, and a political storm.
The fallout from Mohebi’s celebration escalated beyond football. US authorities deported Mohebi ahead of Iran’s Matchday 2 fixture against Belgium on June 21, citing the incident. Iran filed a formal complaint with FIFA, arguing the deportation constituted interference in a sporting competition. The affair has drawn global attention to Group G far beyond any football result, and leaves Iran significantly weakened for their crucial match against Belgium without their most creative attacking threat.
With all four teams tied on one point after Matchday 1, Group G appeared entirely undecided. Matchday 2 on June 21 delivered contrasting drama in both matches.
At SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Belgium and Iran, both desperate for their first win, produced a tense, goalless battle that ended in frustration for both sides. Belgium’s Nathan Ngoy was sent off in the 66th minute for fouling Mehdi Taremi to prevent a breakaway goal, leaving the Red Devils with ten men. Iran had a Taremi free-kick disallowed by VAR for offside in the first half. Despite Belgium going down to ten men, they continued to create chances and arguably deserved a goal. The match ended 0-0: both teams remain on 2 points and their fate is undecided ahead of MD3 on June 26.
In Vancouver at BC Place, Egypt made history. Finn Surman headed New Zealand in front from a corner in the 15th minute, and for the first 57 minutes it looked like New Zealand might engineer the upset of the group. Then Egypt’s second-half onslaught: Mostafa Ziko equalised in the 58th minute, Mohamed Salah scored to make it 2-1 in the 67th, and Trézéguet converted a corner delivered by Salah in the 82nd to complete a 3-1 victory. It is Egypt’s first ever win at a FIFA World Cup, a landmark result for Egyptian and African football. Egypt top Group G with 4 points; Belgium and Iran each have 2; New Zealand have 1.
Matchday 3 on June 26 settled the group. In Seattle, Egypt and Iran played out a tense 1-1 draw: Mahmoud Saber put Egypt ahead in the 5th minute, Ramin Rezaeian equalised for Iran in the 14th, and the score held. Egypt, already on 4 points, needed only the draw, the final whistle confirmed them as group winners on 5 points. In Vancouver at BC Place, Leandro Trossard pounced on a loose ball to score in the 28th minute, and Belgium kept a clean sheet to claim a decisive 1-0 win over New Zealand. Final Group G: Egypt 5 pts (1st, qualified on GD +2), Belgium 5 pts (2nd, qualified on GD +1), Iran 3 pts (3rd, eliminated), New Zealand 1 pt (4th, eliminated).