Group E of the 2026 World Cup: matches, venues and schedule

Mbappé reaches 16 goals in World Cups

Kylian Mbappé scored twice and reached 16 goals in World Cups, equaling Miroslav Klose for second place in history. France beat Iraq 3-0 and advanced to the round of 32.

The Real Madrid star scored in the 15th and 54th minutes in his 100th international appearance. Ousmane Dembélé also contributed a goal for Les Bleus.

The thunderstorm forced a pause of more than two hours in Philadelphia. Maintenance staff dried the field while fans took refuge under the balconies. Iraqi coach Graham Arnold wrestled with a poncho before returning to the dugout.

Mbappé, 27, surpassed Brazilian Ronaldo on the all-time list. Lionel Messi leads with 18 goals after scoring twice for Argentina on the same day.

Details of the performance

Mbappé’s first goal came with a left-footed shot from the edge of the area, beating goalkeeper Ahmed Basil. The second, after taking advantage of an Iraqi defensive error: Zaid Tahseen gave up a bad pass, Dembélé recovered and assisted Mbappé to push the ball with his right foot.

The Frenchman came close to a hat-trick in a final breakaway, but failed before being substituted in the 90th minute.

France, co-favorite with Spain, could return to Philadelphia to face Germany on July 4. Iraq is playing its second World Cup after 1986. Striker Aymen Hussein left due to injury in the 26th minute.

Colombia is one step away from the round of 32. This Tuesday, the coffee team faces Congo in Guadalajara, on the second day of Group K. With three points after beating Uzbekistan 3-1, a victory would secure the ticket and leave the team calm for the duel against Portugal.

Preparation and objective

“We are going to play each game as if it were a final,” said coach Néstor Lorenzo. The coach highlighted that Congo “has two important forwards” and that the key will be to maintain the tricolor style of play.

“We have to maintain our style,” he said. Lorenzo also praised Luis Díaz, whom he defined as a “complete forward.” “It doesn’t matter where he starts, just that he feels comfortable,” he explained about the footballer’s versatility.

Controlled emotion

After the debut, Lorenzo acknowledged that nerves may have played a role, but stated that the initial emotion has already passed. “The ice has already been broken, we cried what we had to cry, now the World Cup begins. Emotion cannot betray us,” he declared. “We have to play with a warm heart and a cool head.”

The coach avoided announcing the starting eleven, but noted that “changes are always considered” and that the coaching staff evaluates modifications until the last minute.

Confidence on the road

Lorenzo is confident that the team will reach “step by step to the final days of the World Cup”, despite the level of the rivals. He recalled that in the Cup there are the best players from the Champions League, the Copa Libertadores and African and Asian competitions. “The show is being good,” he concluded.

Arrowhead Stadium: a giant for the 2026 World Cup

Arrowhead Stadium, in Kansas City, Missouri, is one of the most relevant venues in the city due to its scale and conditions for massive events. For the 2026 World Cup, its importance lies in its capacity, location in the United States and consolidated infrastructure.

The stadium is located at 1 Arrowhead Drive (zip code 64129), with coordinates 39°02’56″N, 94°29’02″W. The exact demarcation between Missouri and the metropolitan area is key to the logistics of the tournament.

In the available sources, two capacity figures are reported, both within a high range for large venues. This data conditions the operation on match days: access control, distribution of seats and services for a massive volume of attendees.

The playing surface has been natural grass since 1994. For a tournament like the World Cup, the type of field affects the preparation, maintenance and planning of consecutive days of activity.

The stadium opened in 1972 and is owned by the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority. With decades of operation, it has specific institutional administration.

For editorial and operational coverage, key identifiers are: exact location, capacity (in the range of top-tier stadiums) and natural grass surface. These parameters explain its role as a venue prepared to manage matches with high public demand and elite technical requirements.