World Cup June 22: Messi vs Austria, France vs Iraq - Four Matches Decide Groups I and J
Egypt beat New Zealand 3-1 in the morning. Evening brings Argentina, France, Norway and Senegal. Messi level with Klose record.
June 22 is one of the busiest group-stage days at World Cup 2026. Four matches in the US will decide whether Argentina, France, Norway and Senegal reach the knockout round without drama.
Morning: Egypt beat New Zealand
In Vancouver (Group G), Egypt beat New Zealand 3-1. Mohamed Salah was the star again - a goal and an assist. Egypt move closer to advancing with Brazil.
Evening: four matches, two time zones
| Time (UTC) | Match | Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| 17:00 | Argentina vs Austria | Dallas (AT&T Stadium) |
| 21:00 | France vs Iraq | Philadelphia |
| 00:00 (June 23) | Norway vs Senegal | New York / New Jersey |
| 03:00 (June 23) | Jordan vs Algeria | Santa Clara |
Group J: Messi and the Klose record
Argentina are favourites after a 3-0 win over Algeria. Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick in that game and reached 16 World Cup goals - level with Miroslav Klose’s record.
Against Austria (who beat Jordan 3-1), a draw would nearly seal qualification. Austria fight for second with Jordan and Algeria.
Group I: France push, Norway surprise
France beat Senegal 3-1 in round one. Against Iraq (who lost 4-1 to Norway) they are clear favourites, but Les Bleus cannot relax: Norway already showed Group I is tough.
Norway vs Senegal in New York is a battle for second place. The winner moves close to the round of 16.
What to watch
- can Messi pass Klose today
- will Kylian Mbappé answer after his opening goal
- can Iraq hold off the 2022 world champions
- who takes the playoff spot between Senegal and Norway
FIFA called this a key day for Argentina, France and Norway. By late June 22 (or early June 23 UTC), Groups I and J should be almost clear.