Four-time FIFA World Cup winners Germany gets its campaign underway against debutant minnows Curaçao in Houston.
Later, Netherlands and Japan meet in a clash of continental heavyweights in Dallas before Côte d’Ivoire take on Ecuador in Philadelphia.
Last up, Sweden and Tunisia take centre stage in the picture-perfect Estadio Monterrey.
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Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:59am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 2:59am
Live updates: Germany vs CuraçaoMon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:54am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:54amMon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:54am
88′ Sensational seven for Germany!
(Getty Images)
Undav with another assist.
Kai Havertz with a sumptuous finish.
A lovely flicked through ball for Germany, Havertz had plenty to do, taking a couple of touches before chipping the ball over the advancing keeper to score.
Germany have 7 (seven).
Haven’t scored this many at the World Cup since beating Brazil 7 (seven)-1 in the semi-final of the 2014 tournament in the tragedy of Mineirão.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:51am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:51am
87′ Chance Curaçao
That’s great defending from Nico Schlotterbeck.
He dives full stretch to head the ball back to Manuel Neuer as Jearl Margaritha tries to race onto a long ball.
Good defending.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:50am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:50am
86′ Chance Germany
Room makes a solid save at his near post from the heavily decorated Raum.
The Curaçao keeper made his stop with his left foot, but was able to get up and catch the ball as it looped up.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:48am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:48am
83′ Subs all round – and a curious quirky stat
Tahith Chong comes off, Gervane Kastaneer
Joshua Kimmage comes off for Germany, Waldemar Anton comes on.
With those moves, Curaçao now has more Europe-born players on the pitch than Germany.
Anton was born in Uzbekistan, while all the Curaçao players currently on the pitch now that Chong isn’t out there, were born in the Netherlands.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:44am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:44am
78′ Goal Germany!
(Getty Images)
Six goals for the Germans!
Curaçao’s equaliser feels a long time ago now, as Germany toy with the Blue Wave defence inside their own penalty area.
Germany sends one ball across the edge of the six yard box, then it’s cut back across to Deniz Undav, who hits on the turn and despite the leg of a Curaçao defender being there, it powers into the back of the net.
He’s been on about 15 minutes and has a goal and an assist already, the 29-year-old Stuttgart striker.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:41am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:41am
76′ CHANCE CURAÇAO!
Jearl Margaritha takes the ball up on the left side of the pitch, races towards the edge of the penalty area and sends a stunning shot that was fizzing and dipping and curling over the head of Manuel Neuer.
However, the ball also goes over the crossbar.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:37am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:37am
72′ Germany make changes
A trio of them, in fact, following the drinks break (couldn’t they have been done during the drinks break? Something to think about…)
Leon Goretzka, Antonio Rüdiger and David Raum come on.
Schlotterbeck, Brown and Tah come off.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:34am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:34am
68′ Glorious Germany goal!
(Getty Images)
Nathan Brown scores his first goal for Die Mannschaft!
It was lovely one-touch football by the Germans, Deniz Undav with his back to goal, flicking the ball around the corner into the path of Brown, who rifles home.
He looked close to being offside and he was – close, that is.
By about a milimetre or two, he’s onside.
That will be the hydration/advert break.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:32am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:32am
67′ Curaçao has the ball in the net!
But there is an offside.
Germany played the Arsenal 1990s offside trap to perfection.
Leandro Bacuna was on hand to poke home but there were two Curaçao players offside in the build up as the Germany defence stepped up.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:29am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:29am
64′ Changes for both teams
Just one each.
Locadia is off and Margaritha comes on for Curaçao.
For Germany it’s Musiala who comes off and Deniz Undav who replaces him.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:28am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:28am
63′ Sané with a shocking miss!
Oh my word.
That is really poor from Leroy Sané.
He is played through on goal by Jonathan Tah, gets behind the defenders and just has to curl the ball past Room to score.
But he doesn’t, slamming the ball wide of the upright.
Hmmm, Germany fans look on in surprise at that miss.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:27am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:27am
62′ Chance Curaçao!
That woke them up a bit though!
Leandro Bacuna sends a header just over the bar after coming back against the grain to meet the cross from a freekick.
Good effort.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:26am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:26am
62′ Mexican wave time
Still a lot to play for for Curaçao.
But the crowd have clocked off it seems.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:24am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:24am
60′ Chance Germany
Brown comes flying into the penalty area to latch onto another very clever pass inside.
But Room, who is 37, is off his line in an instant.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:22am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:22am
57′ Musiala has a little bit of a limp
He was caught there by a robust trailing leg in a tackle.
It’s the big worry now for Germany that they don’t lose anyone to injury in what is now a foregone conclusion and relatively save three points.
I’m sure the changes won’t be too far away – although the temperature is not too bad inside Houston stadium as a result of the roof being closed.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:20am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:20am
54′ Chance Germany
Another chance for Germany, started by Neuer playing the ball on half way – Germany are so advanced.
Florian Wirtz controlling the ball but his effort is blocked away.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:18am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:18am
54′ Germany comes close to another
Florian Wirtz spins and shoots on the edge of the penalty area but it’s blocked by the defence.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:15am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:15am
50′ Tremendous save by Eloy Room
Germany won a free kick and took it really quickly.
The defence was asleep and Eloy Room has to get his hands up to save Felix Nmecha’s shot.
Room then tees off at his defence, telling them to wake up.
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:10am
Mon 15 Jun 2026 at 4:10am
47′ Germany has another!
(Getty Images)
A superb finish from Jamal Musiala!
A brilliant start to the second half for Germany.
The through ball to him from Joshua Kimmich was absolutely magic, the run perfect.
It was so good from Germany and any sign that they might have eased off the gas has been dispelled instantly.
Curaçao will need this to not get too bad.
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