The 2026 FIFA World Cup, in its expanded format, saw four teams make their tournament debuts: Curacao, Cape Verde, Jordan and Uzbekistan.
Now that the first round of the tournament has concluded, all four teams have officially made their World Cup debuts. Some have done better than others, with one particular team perhaps making the most notable debut.
Here’s a summary of how the four debuting nations fared in their first-ever FIFA World Cup matches:
Germany 7-1 Curaçao: June 14
Curaçao was the first of the four to make their debut, facing 2014 champions Germany. Despite falling a goal behind early, Curaçao had a short-lived period of control as Livano Comenencia scored his first-ever World Cup goal. However, shortly after the first hydration break, The Blue Wave stopped and Germany dominated the game. By the end of the match, Curaçao had conceded six more goals and lost 7–1.
Spain 0-0 Cape Verde: June 15
Cape Verde then made their debut, taking on 2010 champions and European champions Spain. Despite the difference in player strength and the gap in the 65 rankings, the Blue sharks defense was strong. Led by 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha who made seven important saves, the team secured a famous 0-0 draw against all odds. Although it was the only debutant not to open his goalscoring account, it is unlikely that many fans will be disappointed.
Austria 3-1 Jordan: June 17
Jordan then made his tournament debut. The first match was against Austria, which was playing at the World Cup for the seventh time. In the match, Austria took an early lead through Romano Schmidt, but Ali Olwan scored early in the second half. However, defender Yazan Al-Arab’s own goal and Marko Arnautović’s late penalty saw Jordan suffer a defeat. Still, head coach Jamal Sellami was able to take many positive points from the match.
Uzbekistan 1-3 Colombia: June 18
Uzbekistan was the last of the four to make their debut, taking on Colombia. The Central Asian nation fell behind late in the first half to a goal from Daniel Munoz, but had a brief period of control early in the second half, with winger Abbosbek Fayzullaev scoring. Five minutes later, however, Colombian talisman Luis Díaz scored. Despite throwing players forward, Uzbekistan failed to score an equalizer. Colombian attacking midfielder Jaminton Campaz scored a brilliant header to seal the match in extra time.
What’s next for all four teams?
Curaçao’s next match will be against Ecuador in Kansas on June 20 at 6:00 PM local time (5:30 AM IST on June 21).
Cape Verde will play Uruguay in Miami on June 21 at 6:00 PM local time (3:30 AM IST on June 22)
Jordan will next face Algeria, with the match to be held in San Francisco on June 22 at 8:00 PM local time (8:30 AM IST on June 23).
Uzbekistan will next play Portugal in Houston on June 23 at 12:00 local time (10:30 PM IST).
Published on June 18, 2026
