Day 15 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 delivered another dramatic round of group-stage action, with France and Spain sealing top spot in their respective groups, while tournament debutants Cape Verde scripted history by reaching the Round of 32.
The standout performer of the day was Ousmane Dembele, who scored a sensational first-half hat-trick as France cruised past Norway. Meanwhile, Senegal kept their knockout hopes alive with a record-breaking victory over Iraq.
Dembele 1st goal in Norway vs France FIFA World Cup game pic.twitter.com/2D4FuuA7gG
— Daily Foot Vibes (@dailyfootvibes) June 26, 2026
France Crush Norway As Dembele Nets Hat-Trick
France continued their perfect start to the tournament with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Norway to finish top of Group I.
Fresh off a stellar club campaign, Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele produced a masterclass, scoring three times inside the opening 32 minutes.
France 4-1 Norway
Goalscorers:
- Ousmane Dembele (7′, 20′, 32′)
- One additional French goal
- Norway: One goal
Norway rested several key players, including Erling Haaland, and were unable to cope with France’s relentless attacking display.
France completed the group stage with a 100 percent record and head into the knockout rounds as one of the tournament favourites.
Senegal Make History With Five-Star Performance
An early and important goal for Senegal. They need more goals to qualify pic.twitter.com/zG7ao29krI https://t.co/Pf9aUYcTmz
— Dr Sneaker Nyame (@_sneakernyame) June 26, 2026
Senegal boosted their hopes of qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams after demolishing Iraq 5-0.
The African side also created history by becoming the first African nation to score five goals in a FIFA World Cup match.
Senegal 5-0 Iraq
Goalscorers:
- Habib Diarra
- Ismaila Sarr
- Pape Gueye (2)
- One additional goal
Iraq’s task became even more difficult after defender Rebin Sulaka received a red card in the 13th minute following a VAR review for a challenge on Sadio Mane.
Substitute Pape Gueye stole the show late on with two superb goals, while Ismaila Sarr became Senegal’s all-time leading World Cup scorer with his fourth tournament goal.
Cape Verde Complete Fairytale Journey
🎥 WATCH: Cape Verde player & staff's reaction to knowing they secured qualification into the round of 32 🔥❤️
— Stop That Messi (@stopthatmessiii) June 27, 2026
What they've done so far is nothing short of a miracle 🫡pic.twitter.com/4au6ogFmpB
Tournament debutants Cape Verde continued their remarkable campaign by qualifying for the Round of 32 after a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia.
The historic result ensured the island nation finished second in Group H behind Spain.
Group H Standings
- Spain – 7 points
- Cape Verde – 5 points
- Uruguay – 2 points
- Saudi Arabia – 2 points
Cape Verde, ranked 67th in the world before the tournament, remained unbeaten during the group stage and will now face defending champions Argentina in the Round of 32.
Spain Knock Out Uruguay
El primero de España 🇪🇦 #mundialdefútbol2026 Baena!..
— Alberto de Dia (@patomareao8877) June 27, 2026
URU 0-1 ESP …a por el segundo! #mundialdefútbol … pic.twitter.com/XH3vfL7WDV
Spain edged Uruguay 1-0 to secure top spot in Group H and eliminate the two-time world champions.
Spain 1-0 Uruguay
The only goal came in the 42nd minute when Alex Baena capitalised on another costly error by veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.
Muslera, who has endured a difficult tournament, requested to be substituted at half-time after committing his third major mistake of the World Cup.
Spain now advance to the Round of 32, where they will face either Austria or Algeria, depending on the outcome of Group J.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Day 15 Results
| Match | Result |
|---|---|
| France vs Norway | France won 4-1 |
| Senegal vs Iraq | Senegal won 5-0 |
| Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia | 0-0 Draw |
| Spain vs Uruguay | Spain won 1-0 |
Biggest Talking Points
- Ousmane Dembele scored the tournament’s latest hat-trick as France maintained a perfect group-stage record.
- Senegal became the first African nation to score five goals in a World Cup match.
- Cape Verde reached the knockout stage in their debut World Cup appearance.
- Spain eliminated Uruguay, with Fernando Muslera’s costly errors proving decisive.
- Cape Verde will now face Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the Round of 32