Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Eleven teams still seek their first World Cup victory as the expanded 48-team tournament continues.
- Several nations showed promise in early matches, setting the stage for potential historic moments in the coming days.
- Our analysis points toward three teams positioned to break through with their maiden World Cup wins soon.
With this being a first-ever expanded 48-team World Cup, there are four debutants as well as numerous nations ending long exiles from the competition. On Thursday night, Canada became the 55th nation to win a World Cup match, doing so in some style by smashing Qatar 6-0 in Vancouver.
That triumph means there are now 11 nations competing in North America still searching for their maiden World Cup victory. So let's go through each team individually, predicting which of will get their historic moment in the next week or so.
Haiti
This is just Haiti's second World Cup appearance, miraculously qualifying despite being unable to play on home soil. Back in 1974, the Grenadiers lost all three matches, so they are still searching for a maiden World Cup point after beginning this campaign with a 1-0 defeat against Scotland.
Sébastien Migné's side were more competitive than most expected, limiting Scotland to very few chances, while Frantzdy Pierrot very nearly equalized late on. Nevertheless, Haiti may have missed their chance: Next up for them is a meeting with Brazil, who rolled 6-0 and 7-1 the last two occasions they met the Seleção. They then conclude the group stages against Morocco — so, put bluntly, it would require a miracle for Haiti to pick up any points, let alone claim a victory.
Curaçao
If any team can patronizingly be described as just happy to be at this World Cup, it is Curaçao. The debutants are the smallest country by both population and land mass to ever qualify for the World Cup, while they only gained independent FIFA and CONCACAF membership as recently as 2011, having previously been known as Netherlands Antilles.
The Blue Wave did get their moment in their debut, with Livano Comenencia lashing home an equalizer against four-time world champion Germany. At that point, everyone watching thought, they couldn't, could they? No, they could not: Curaçao were ultimately smashed 7-1 in Houston. Dick Advocaat's team still have to face Ecuador and Côte d'Ivoire who, while not as good as Germany, are likely to swat them aside too.
Cape Verde
Cape Verde were the story of the opening round of fixtures, holding Spain to a miraculous goalless draw at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Their 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha, who plays in the Portuguese second division, made himself a hero, pulling off seven saves and preventing an xG figure of 1.45.
However, for the Blue Sharks, this was not just a symbolically precious point; it gives them a genuine shot at reaching the knockout stage. Bubista's team takes on Uruguay in Miami on Sunday but conclude Group H against Saudi Arabia in Houston. Victory for Cape Verde in that final fixture would see them progress, and we are backing them to get it.
New Zealand
New Zealand lost all three matches during their debut World Cup campaign in 1982, before drawing all three in 2010 (although this was not enough to see them advance). This year, it just might be, but have they squandered their best shot at that illusive first win? On Monday evening, despite twice leading through Elijah Just, set up by Chris Wood both times, the All Whites could only draw 2-2 with Iran.
Next up, Darren Bazeley's team take on Egypt in Vancouver on Sunday before concluding the group phase by facing Belgium. We believe that New Zealand's most winnable game has come and gone, meaning their run may end here, with their wait for a World Cup win going on.
Egypt
The most surprising team on this list is certainly Egypt. The Pharaohs have featured in 10 Africa Cup of Nations Finals, winning the competition a record seven times. However, their World Cup record is shockingly bad. This summer is only the fourth time they have qualified, ousted in the first round by Hungary in 1934 before exiting Italia '90 with two draws. More recently, they lost all three matches in Russia eight years ago, desperate to do better this time around.
Well, in Monday's early kickoff, Hossam Hassan's team held Belgium to a credible 1-1 draw in Seattle. Emam Ashour fired his team in front, but a late own goal from Mohamed Hany ensured the points were shared. Nevertheless, with games against New Zealand and Iran to come, surely the North African powerhouse will claim a World Cup win 92 years in the making.
Iraq
This summer is Iraq's first World Cup appearance for 40 years, playing 21 qualifiers to get here — the first of which took place in November 2023, securing their spot 866 days later by beating Bolivia in March. Their reward? Landing in a nightmare group. They did get a goal to mark their return, Aymen Hussein equalizing against Norway in Foxborough, although they were still smashed 4-1.
Next up for Graham Arnold's team is a meeting with France, a side seeking to reach a third successive World Cup final. After that, the Lions of Mesopotamia will take on AFCON champions Senegal in Toronto. Thus, it would be one of the biggest World Cup shocks ever if Iraq did pick up a maiden World Cup point, let alone a win.
Jordan
Jordan are debuting at this summer's World Cup but, based on how they performed in their opener, there is hope that they could claim an historic result. Jamal Sellami's side were pretty impressive against Austria, equalising through Ali Olwan before being ultimately beaten 3-1 in the Bay Area.
Next up, Jordan face Algeria on Monday night, which feels like the one, considering they'll conclude the group stages against defending champions Argentina in Texas. The Chivalrous Ones are obviously underdogs to beat Algeria, but you just never know.
Uzbekistan
Another debutant in Uzbekistan will also believe an historic victory is achievable. They also scored a maiden World Cup goal on debut, Abbosbek Fayzullaev equalizing from mere picometers out, before the White Wolves were defeated 3-1 by Colombia at the Azteca.
Nevertheless, Fabio Cannavaro's team did enough to suggest they belong at this level. Next up, Uzbekistan will really be under the spotlight as they'll take on Portugal in Houston before facing DR Congo. Fair to say, that final fixture is surely the most winnable.
DR Congo
Sticking in Group K, DR Congo have already made World Cup history, now targeting even more. At their sole previous World Cup in 1974, known as Zaire at the time, they lost all three matches, shipping 14 goals and scoring zero. Well, 52 years on, the Leopards are far stronger, holding highly fancied Portugal to a 1-1 draw, with Yoane Wissa heading home the country's first World Cup goal.
So now, can Sébastien Desabre's side secure a win that would see them progress to the knockout stages? Having picked up a point against Portugal, they certainly won't fear Colombia when those two meet in Guadalajara, despite the fact the stadium will be 99 percent yellow shirts. DR Congo's final game against Uzbekistan really is the one, and they have to be favorites for three points.
Panama
Panama came into this competition with big expectations, having reached recent CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cup finals, but has their shot at a World Cup win now gone? Los Canaleros' World Cup debut came in Russia eight years ago, losing all three games while conceding 11 goals.
However, they have vastly improved since then under the guidance of Thomas Christiansen. Nevertheless, in a game that lacked quality, Panama were heartbreakingly beaten 1-0 by Ghana on Wednesday, the winner coming in the 95th minute. Given that la Marea Roja still have to play Croatia and England, their hopes of a first World Cup win may have gone.
Qatar
Lastly, Qatar are the only side on the list who have played two games, and to say these matches have produced contrasting results would be an understatement. The Maroons became the worst-performing hosts of all time in 2022, losing all three games. Despite this, against the odds, they did get off the mark in their opener this summer, with Boualem Khoukhi's stoppage time equaliser snatching the unlikeliest of points against Switzerland at the death.
However, Julen Lopetegui's team certainly did not build on this. On Thursday evening, Qatar were smashed 6-0 by Canada, their joint-heaviest defeat since 1973, seeing both Homam Ahmed and Assim Madibo both sent off. Based on that, it feels unlikely that they'll beat Bosnia doesn't it?
Teams we are predicting will win a first World Cup game
- Cape Verde
- Egypt
- DR Congo
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