2026 FIFA World Cup Day 4 recap: Ivory Coast win but Tunisia embarrass Africa as Curacao match Nigeria’s record

The 2026 FIFA World Cup continued on Sunday with four matches, including two African countries playing their first game and one country making its debut. 

Germany kicked off the day’s action with a clash against debutants Curaçao before the Netherlands and Japan battled at the Dallas Stadium. 

Ivory Coast then took to the pitch against Ecuador in Philadelphia before Sweden and Tunisia wrapped up the day’s action. 

Here’s a recap of how all the games went down 

The smallest nation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Curaçao, made their debut in the competition as they took on four-time world champions Germany in a David vs Goliath clash. 

While they did receive a thorough beating as Germany won 7-1, Dick Advocaat’s men made history as they scored a goal on their debut. 

The Germans got off to a quick start as Felix Nmecha put them ahead after seven minutes at the Houston Stadium.

However, in the 21st minute, Livano Comenencia sent the whole nation of Curacao and their fans in the stadium into ecstasy as he scored his country’s first goal at the World Cup to level the scores. 

By doing so, Curaçao became the first debutant since Nigeria in 1994 to score in the first 21 minutes of their first World Cup game. 

However, that was the only positive thing for Curacao from the game, as further goals from Nico Schlotterbeck, Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, Nathaniel Brown, and Denis Undav gave Germany a comprehensive victory. 

The Netherlands’ clash against Japan was one of the most anticipated matches of the group stage, and it did live up to expectations. 

Following a goalless draw in the first half, the game took off in the second, as Liverpool’s Virgil Van Dijk put the Dutch ahead in the 51st minute with a clever header. 

However, that lead did not last long, as Keito Nakamura restored parity for the Japanese with a strike from the edge of the box. 

Moments later, though, Crysencio Summerville put Ronald Koeman’s men back in the lead again with a fantastic finish. 

However, Japan would not just go away, and they got a deserved point, as Daichi Kamada’s header in the 89th minute ensured the spoils were shared. 

2023 African Champions Ivory Coast are now in pole position to reach the round of 32 after winning their vital clash against Ecuador in their opener. 

With Germany beating Curaçao hours earlier, both the Elephants and La Tri knew that the winner of their tie would most likely qualify alongside the Germans as the top two teams from the group. 

The match started at a fast pace, with both teams going at each other. Ecuador were on a 22-match unbeaten run coming into this game, while Ivory Coast beat France recently. 

However, despite the resilience of the Ecuadorians, it was the Elephants who took home a deserved win, courtesy of Amad Diallo’s 90th-minute strike. 

Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles have always been one of Africa’s consistent representatives at the World Cup, but they have always stunk up the place when competition starts, having won just three games. 

That bad run continued on Monday morning as they were thrashed 5-1 by Sweden in their opening game of the FIFA 2026 World Cup. 

Hoping to make a difference, Tunisia got off to a bad start as Yasin Asari put the Swedes ahead after seven minutes. 

One became two as Liverpool’s Alexander Isak doubled Sweden’s lead, finishing off Viktor Gyökeres' assist. 

Although Tunisia pulled one back through Omar Rekik in the 43rd minute, further goals from Gyökeres, Mattias Svanberg, and Ayari’s second gave Graham Potter’s men an emphatic win. 

With the win, the Swedes now lead Group F, while the Carthage Eagles are at the bottom ahead of games against Japan and the Dutch.