Click here to follow live coverage of Spain vs. Cape Verde.
The World Cup group stage continues on Monday with four more games played across the United States.
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Spain begin their match against World Cup debutants Cape Verde, Belgium face Egypt in what could be the closest game of the day, Saudi Arabia take on Uruguay in Miami and Iran face New Zealand in Los Angeles.
Away from soccer, the disruption of Uruguay’s travel plans, divisions within Los Angeles’ Iranian-American community ahead of Iran’s opening game, and Haiti’s emotional return to the World Cup have all garnered attention beyond the pitch.
Here’s what you need to know:
What is the schedule for the World Cup on June 15th?
Spain will face Cape Verde at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, with kickoff scheduled for 12pm local time (16pm Japan time).
Belgium will play Egypt at the same time at Seattle Stadium in Seattle, with their Group G rivals also starting at 12pm local time (7pm Japan time).
Saudi Arabia will then face Uruguay at Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The match will begin at 6:00 PM local time (22:00 GMT).
The final game of the day will be between Iran and New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California. Kickoff is 6pm local time (1am Japan time, June 16th).
What are your predictions for Spain vs. Cape Verde?
Spain are the clear favorites, but Cape Verde have already made history by appearing in their first World Cup.
The two teams have never faced each other. Spain’s last two World Cup matches against African teams were against Morocco, drawing 2-2 in 2018, before losing on penalties in the quarter-finals in 2022 after a 0-0 draw.
Opta’s forecast is very favorable for Spain. After running 25,000 simulations, the statistics firm estimated that Spain had an 87.2% chance of winning the opening Group H match. A draw was expected in 8.1% of the matches, while the chance of Cape Verde pulling off an upset was 4.8%.
Only one African team has ever beaten Spain in the World Cup. Nigeria won 3-2 in the 1998 group stage.
What are your predictions for Belgium vs. Egypt?
This could be much closer than many expect.
Opta’s forecast suggests there is little separation between the two camps. In a simulation of 25,000 games, Belgium won 37.2% of the time and Egypt came out on top with a 35.5% chance. A tie occurred in 27.3% of the simulations.
Belgium is a slight favorite. In the end it was one of the closest games of the day and just one goal could make the difference.
Belgium faces pressure to avoid a repeat of their performance in Qatar in 2022, when they failed to make it past the group stage. The Belgian finished third at the 2018 Russia Games.
What are your predictions for Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay?
Saudi Arabia and Uruguay have only faced off once before at the World Cup. Uruguay won 1-0 in this match in 2018.
The two teams have also faced each other in friendly matches. The match took place in Saudi Arabia in 2014 and ended in a 1-1 draw.
The prediction is in favor of Uruguay. In 25,000 simulations conducted by Opta, Uruguay won 64.7% of the time. In the simulation, Saudi Arabia won 13.9 percent of the time, while 21.4 percent ended in a draw.
What are your predictions for Iran vs. New Zealand?
Iran and New Zealand have only played against each other twice before, but this will be the first time they will face each other in an official match.
The first match in New Zealand in 1973 ended in a 0-0 draw. Thirty years later, Iran won 3-0 in Tehran with Ali Karimi scoring twice and Hossein Kaebi adding a third.
The forecast favors Iran. In 25,000 simulations conducted by Opta, Iran won 53.8% of the time. New Zealand won 20.4% of their simulations and 25.8% ended in a draw.
What else is shaping the World Cup?
Uruguay travel plans hit by delays ahead of World Cup opener
Uruguay’s preparations for the opening round of the World Cup were disrupted after the team’s arrival in the United States was delayed due to travel issues.
The team was scheduled to fly in from Cancun, Mexico, ahead of Monday’s Group D match against Saudi Arabia in Miami. However, Uruguay reports said the team was forced to make alternative arrangements after the chartered flight was not allowed to enter the United States.
The Uruguayan Football Federation (AUF) said the delay was outside of its control. A replacement plane was eventually arranged and the team was scheduled to arrive in South Florida about a day before kickoff.
“The departure from Mexico was delayed due to issues beyond AUF’s control,” the association said in a statement. “The team is resting in a hotel. The new departure time set by FIFA is 4:15 pm (21:15 GMT).”
Japanese fans continue World Cup clean-up tradition even as Netherlands draws
Japanese fans carrying blue bags waved as they celebrated their team’s goal and stayed around after the game, looking for something to do.
After Japan drew 2-2 with the Netherlands, supporters picked up trash left in the stands before leaving the stadium, continuing a tradition that has become familiar at the World Cup.
This clean-up effort first caught the world’s attention at the 1998 tournament in France, and Japanese fans have continued this effort at every World Cup ever since.
Iranian-Americans split over Team Melli
As Iran prepares to begin its World Cup trip in Los Angeles, members of the Iranian-American community in Westwood (“Tehrangers”) are divided on how to respond.
Some dissidents are planning protests against the team, while others are putting politics aside and supporting football. Business owner Rousbeh Farahanipour told Al Jazeera’s Ali Harb that “the community is divided” and there is no consensus on whether to boo the national team or support the US-Israel war against Iran.
Prime Minister Trudeau defends attending U.S. game instead of Canada’s opener
Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended the United States’ World Cup opener against Paraguay in California, rather than Canada’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto.
Trudeau said he decided to watch the game in Inglewood because his girlfriend, singer Katy Perry, was performing at the pregame show at SoFi Stadium.
“Sometimes the duties of a supportive boyfriend call in. But you know who I’m rooting for to win the cup,” he wrote to X.
Canada’s opener in Toronto and the U.S. game in Los Angeles were played just hours apart, leading some fans to wonder why the former prime minister wasn’t rooting for the home team.
Prime Minister Trudeau served as Prime Minister of Canada from 2015 to 2025.
After returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1974, Haiti’s campaign gave people an unusual reason to celebrate.
For Olivier Woodensky Pierre, the World Cup is a dream come true. He is the only player on the Haitian national team who still lives in the country. Pierre, who was born in Cité Soleil, one of the poorest neighborhoods in the capital Port-au-Prince, hopes his team’s achievements will inspire young people in his hometown.
“Every player always wants to play in the World Cup. That was my dream. That’s why I’m fighting to come here. I got a chance to play in the World Cup. I advise young people not to get discouraged. Keep fighting, work hard and be disciplined,” Pierre told Al Jazeera’s Teresa Bo.
Haiti’s qualification brought hope to a country going through one of the most difficult periods in recent history. Gangs control much of the capital, violence has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, and many Haitians have taken to the streets to seek peace while simultaneously celebrating their team’s return to soccer’s biggest stage.
The road to the World Cup was not a smooth one. Due to the ongoing political crisis, Haiti had to play its domestic qualifying rounds overseas. There was also a lack of funds.
“It was really difficult before because we didn’t have sponsors to finance the team. As you know, since we qualified for the World Cup, FIFA provided the preparation funds and the government also provided us with $4 million, which is essential for the preparations,” Teshu Genty, head of the Haitian Football Federation, told Al Jazeera.
Pastor Winston Noel also expressed disappointment with U.S. visa restrictions affecting Haitians.
“FIFA needs to sit down with the Trump administration and tell them this can’t happen because it’s the World Cup. All the countries that qualify need to have their fans come and support their teams,” he said.
“The World Cup is special for us Haitians. This generation doesn’t know the names of all the players, but many children here in Haiti will participate in the World Cup. But it’s a great achievement for us, so I’m very happy,” Noel said.
Haiti ended up losing their World Cup opener 2-0 to Scotland, but for many supporters the tournament is about more than results. It remains a rare moment of pride, unity and hope for a country that has endured years of hardship.
