The 2026 World Cup delivered its first managerial casualty before a ball was kicked in Groups G and H, as Tunisia’s coach was dismissed in the wake of a heavy defeat, a stark reminder of the unforgiving stakes at this expanded tournament. The sacking, confirmed in the early hours of Monday, overshadowed the start of a four-match programme across the United States that saw Spain, Belgium, Uruguay and Iran enter the fray. Viewed from Washington, the day’s staggered kick-offs—from midday on the East Coast to late evening in California—underscored the logistical ambition of a tri-nation hosting model designed to feed a global television audience with almost continuous action.

Spain’s meeting with World Cup debutants Cabo Verde at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium was the centrepiece of the early window. Luis de la Fuente’s side arrived unbeaten in four warm-up fixtures, having dispatched Serbia and Peru while drawing with Egypt and Iraq, and were widely tipped to contend for a second title. Yet the team sheet contained a surprise: Lamine Yamal, the prodigious winger, was named only among the substitutes, a decision that analysts in London interpreted as a calculated move to manage his workload through a congested group phase. Spain’s squad, notably devoid of any Real Madrid players for the first time in modern memory, relied instead on a Barcelona-infused core of Pedri, Gavi and Dani Olmo. Cabo Verde, for their part, carried the hopes of an entire archipelago into a historic first appearance, and an early yellow card for a defender betrayed the understandable nerves. From the African perspective, the mere presence of the Blue Sharks on this stage represented a triumph, though their recent record—just one defeat in six outings—suggested they would not be mere makeweights.

As the afternoon unfolded, attention shifted to Seattle, where Belgium put their 13-match unbeaten run on the line against an Egypt side celebrating Mohamed Salah’s birthday. The cross-confederation clash pitted a European heavyweight against the most resilient of Africa’s contenders, with both nations eyeing a statement victory. Simultaneously, Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay began their campaign against Saudi Arabia, a fixture freighted with significance for a South American side undergoing a generational transition. In Latin America, the match was seen as a litmus test for Bielsa’s ability to blend youthful dynamism with the old guard’s grit. The day’s final act, Iran versus New Zealand at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, completed the group openers, offering a contrast in styles between Asia’s disciplined power and Oceania’s underdog spirit.

Looking ahead, the results of this opening salvo will quickly shape the arithmetic of a 48-team group stage where only the top two are guaranteed progress to the round of 32. Spain’s depth suggests they can absorb early rotation, but any dropped points would invite pressure in a group that also contains a wounded Tunisia. Belgium’s consistency under Domenico Tedesco makes them favourites to top Group G, though Egypt’s counter-attacking threat could expose defensive frailties. Uruguay’s trajectory under Bielsa remains the great unknown: if his high-octane system clicks, they could emerge as dark horses; if not, Saudi Arabia’s technical midfield may punish them. The Tunisian sacking, meanwhile, serves as a cautionary tale for every manager in the tournament—patience is in desperately short supply when a nation’s four-year dream hangs by a thread.