The World Cup always delivers a few surprises, but this year’s tournament has wasted no time turning expectations upside down. Before the group stage is even complete, we’ve already seen underdogs punch above their weight, tournament favourites stumble and a handful of teams completely rewrite the narrative surrounding their chances.
That’s part of what makes the World Cup so special. Rankings and pre-tournament predictions can only tell us so much. Once the matches begin, every team has an opportunity to change the conversation, and some have done exactly that over the past two weeks.
From unexpected contenders to disappointing super powers, here are six World Cup storylines that few fans saw coming when the tournament kicked off.
Cape Verde Refuses to Be Intimidated
Before the tournament began, most fans probably glanced at Cape Verde’s group and assumed they would struggle to pick up a point. Instead, they’ve become one of the biggest surprises of the World Cup.
The African nation has already earned draws against both Spain and Uruguay, two teams that were widely expected to control Group H. Even more impressive is the way Cape Verde has achieved those results. Rather than simply parking the bus and hoping to survive, they’ve played with confidence and shown a willingness to take the game to their opponents.
Every World Cup seems to produce a feel-good underdog story, and Cape Verde is quickly emerging as this year’s leading candidate. With one match remaining, a knockout-stage berth is suddenly within reach.
Belgium’s Attack Has Gone Missing
Few teams entered the World Cup with expectations as high as Belgium’s. Packed with attacking talent and expected to cruise through the group stage, they looked like a team capable of making a deep tournament run. Instead, goals have been surprisingly difficult to come by.
Belgium managed just one goal in a 1-1 draw against Egypt before being held scoreless in a 0-0 draw with Iran. Through two matches, their attack has lacked the sharpness many fans expected from one of Europe’s top sides.
The good news is that Belgium still controls its own destiny. The bad news is that a team expected to dominate its group is now facing far more questions than answers heading into its final group-stage match.
Iran’s Unbeaten Start
Iran has qualified for several World Cups over the years, but points have usually been hard to come by once the tournament begins. That’s what makes its start to the 2026 competition so surprising.
Through two matches, Iran remains unbeaten after earning a 2-2 draw against New Zealand and a scoreless draw against Belgium. While neither result was flashy, both were important steps toward keeping the team in contention for a knockout-stage berth.
Just as importantly, Iran has looked organized, disciplined and difficult to break down. Instead of simply trying to survive against stronger opponents, the team has shown it can compete with them. As they prepare for their final group match, Iran is now one result away from potentially reaching the World Cup knockout stage for the first time ever.
Canada’s Offense Has Come Alive
Scoring six goals in a World Cup match is enough to grab anyone’s attention, even if it came against a struggling Qatar team. After being held to a 1-1 draw by Bosnia and Herzegovina in their opener, Canada responded with one of the most explosive attacking performances of the tournament so far.
It’s important not to overreact to a single result. One big win doesn’t automatically make Canada an offensive powerhouse. Still, the performance showcased the depth, speed and creativity that many believed this group was capable of producing heading into the tournament.
More importantly, it changed the conversation around Canada. Rather than simply hoping to advance, the Canadians suddenly look like a team capable of causing real problems for opponents in both the group stage and beyond.
Mexico Was the First Team to Advance
When fans were asked to predict the first team to secure a place in the knockout stage, most probably would have chosen a traditional powerhouse like Brazil, Argentina, France or Germany. Instead, that distinction belonged to Mexico.
The co-host nation opened the tournament with a 2-0 victory over South Africa before following it up with a hard-fought 1-0 win over South Korea. The six points were enough to make Mexico the first team to officially book its place in the next round.
While Mexico entered the tournament with solid expectations, becoming the first team to advance wasn’t on many fans’ bingo cards. Two matches in, however, they have done exactly that and given their supporters plenty of reason to believe a deep run could be possible.
Japan Has Become a Team Nobody Wants to Face
Japan entered the tournament with plenty of talent, but few expected it to emerge as one of the most impressive teams through the opening two matches. After earning a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands, the Japanese followed it up with a dominant 4-0 victory over Tunisia.
What has stood out most is the way Japan has played. The team has looked organized defensively, dangerous on the counterattack and capable of creating scoring chances against quality opposition. Through two matches, they have scored six goals and collected four valuable points.
There is still plenty of football left to be played, but Japan has already shown enough to change perceptions. At this point, Japan looks like the kind of team contenders will be hoping to avoid in the knockout stage.