2026 World Cup Matchday 8: Portugal Draws with DR Congo as England, Ghana, Colombia Claim Victories

Matchday 8 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup featured several notable results as teams that had not yet played their opening fixtures took to the field. Portugal and DR Congo played to a 1-1 draw in a competitive match that defied expectations, with DR Congo battling back after Portugal scored first to secure an unlikely point. England dominated their encounter with Croatia, winning 4-2 after a back-and-forth first half before pulling away in the second half. Ghana secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over Panama with a goal in the 95th minute, while Colombia defeated Uzbekistan 3-1 in a match featuring an early equalizer by the Central Asian side before Colombia's late dominance.

Following the completion of all teams' opening matches, the tournament moved into its second round of group play. Group A and Group B teams returned to competition with several rematches and critical fixtures. Czechia faced South Africa in Group A, with both teams looking to recover from opening defeats—Czechia lost 1-2 to South Korea after leading, while South Africa suffered a 0-2 loss to Mexico and saw two players suspended due to red cards. Switzerland prepared to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in Group B, both seeking to improve on opening draws; Switzerland drew with Qatar while Bosnia drew with Canada. Additional matches featured Canada against Qatar and Mexico against South Korea, with both Mexico and South Korea having won their opening matches.

The tournament showcased unpredictability despite early favorites, with results consistently defying preseason expectations. Venues for Matchday 8's second round included Atlanta, Georgia for Czechia vs. South Africa; Los Angeles (Inglewood), California for Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina; Vancouver, British Columbia for Canada vs. Qatar; and Guadalajara (Zapopan), Mexico for Mexico vs. South Korea. Broadcasting across multiple platforms including FOX, Telemundo, Peacock, and FS1 allowed extensive coverage of the matches.