Since its inception in 1930, the most memorable moments at the World Cup have rarely ended with a team lifting the trophy. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is no exception.
So far, this tournament has been marked by a celebration of the underdogs. Curaçao’s fans went wild after their team was eliminated in a draw, and Cape Verde exploded into a global fan favorite in just two games, achieving a milestone that smaller soccer nations like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Uzbekistan and Egypt had been waiting for for decades.
To keep you all up to date, we’ve selected the weakest moments of the World Cup so far.
Curacao celebrates first World Cup point as a victory
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Fans gathered in Willemstad, the capital of Curacao, to watch their national team play Ecuador in their first World Cup. Although the match ended 0-0, the draw was still historic for Curacao. The team earned its first point in the tournament standings.
That point was even more important considering how the match unfolded. Six days earlier, Curaçao had lost their opening game 7-1 to Germany. Ecuador controlled most of the team’s second game, finishing with nearly 30 shots and over three expected goals.
However, goalkeeper Eloy Room held out for Curaçao, making 15 saves and helping his team hold out for a draw.
Although Curaçao had not scored a goal before the final whistle, they had done enough to give their fans something to celebrate. With a population of around 156,000, the country is the smallest country ever to compete in the World Cup, so its presence at the tournament was already historic. That first goal made the moment feel even bigger.
Cape Verde becomes everyone’s favorite debut story
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Cape Verde are one of the easiest teams to root for at this World Cup, but it’s not just because they’re making their first appearance in the tournament.
The team, affectionately known as the Blue Sharks, arrived with a fan base already ready as the Cape Verdean community around the world watched as the small island nation made its mark on soccer’s biggest stage.
However, the game gave everyone an additional reason to pay attention. Cape Verde held Spain to a 0-0 draw in their first World Cup match, followed by a 2-2 draw with Uruguay. Kevin Pina scored his country’s first World Cup goal with a long-range free kick from 31 meters out, and Helio Varela, who came on midway through the second half, equalized.
The team also discovered a breakout star in 40-year-old goaltender Vozinya. After contributing to Spain’s shutout, his number of Instagram followers skyrocketed from around 50,000 to more than 15 million, making him one of the tournament’s viral names.
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Vozinya’s virality also drew attention to one of the tournament’s most moving off-field stories. The keeper revealed that he cried after the match against Spain because his mother was unable to attend the match due to visa fees. But with help from the State Department and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, she was able to obtain a visa in time for the Cape Verde-Uruguay game in Miami.
This is not the only surprising underdog story in the Cape Verde team. Another Irish player with dual nationality was revealed to have joined the team after being scouted on LinkedIn by a coach via a DM that he initially thought was spam.
With the final group game against Saudi Arabia still remaining, the Blue Sharks have a chance to turn one of the tournament’s best stories into something even bigger, potentially making it into the final 32 teams.
Iran leaves Los Angeles with handwritten thank you note
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Not every emotional moment was like fans running out into the streets.
The team’s most shared moment occurred in the locker room after Iran’s 0-0 draw with Belgium at SoFi Stadium. Before leaving, Iran left a handwritten note thanking Los Angeles for its hospitality and thanking Iran’s fans for giving their “heart, voice and soul.”
“We came to Los Angeles with pride, competed for honor, and left with dignity,” the memo said.
The message was striking because Iran’s tournament unfolded under unusual circumstances. The team is based in Tijuana, Mexico, but traveled to the United States for the match due to travel restrictions, with some staff and officials reportedly barred from entering the country. Iran arrived in Los Angeles the night before the game against Belgium, with the game to be played at noon, and was expected to depart again that evening.
On the field, Iran held Belgium scoreless and trailed Los Angeles with one point. Off the field, he left a note that gave the result a different weight, turning a 0-0 draw into one of the most human moments of the tournament.
Uzbekistan lost, but still made history
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Uzbekistan’s World Cup debut didn’t end in a win, but that wasn’t the only thing people were paying attention to.
The match against Colombia marked the country’s tournament debut, the first Central Asian nation to play in the World Cup, and their first goal. The match drew public screenings and early morning crowds, and even though they lost 3-1, it was the debut match fans had been waiting for for years.
Haiti returns for the first time in over 50 years
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Haiti is back in the World Cup for the first time in 52 years, but soccer isn’t the only thing returning this year.
The presence in the tournament was especially meaningful for Haitian supporters, as the team qualified despite playing all of their games away from home.
For fans, the World Cup gives them a chance to see Haiti through soccer, pride and family, rather than the crisis stories that often surround Haiti in international coverage.
Egypt finally wins their first World Cup
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Egypt are not small newcomers like Curaçao or Cape Verde, but a win against New Zealand also ranks them high in this round. Because this country has been waiting for 92 years to win the World Cup.
Mohamed “Mo” Salah, star of the powerhouse Liverpool FC, helped Egypt defeat the Kiwis 3-1, giving an African team their first ever World Cup victory. Reuters reported that although the game ended around 6 a.m. local time, celebrations continued in Vancouver and Cairo, with fans taking to the streets.
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