Overview
- Several opening matches ended in draws, including Brazil 1-1 Morocco, Qatar 1-1 Switzerland and Netherlands 2-2 Japan, keeping early group standings wide open.
- Brazil’s 1-1 draw on Sunday produced sharp criticism at home of Carlo Ancelotti’s debut as coach because of a below-par first-half display despite a Vinicius Jr. equalizer.
- Morocco’s new coach Mohamed Ouahbi fielded a younger, more attacking side that pressured Brazil and created several clear chances, earning praise for a tactical shift.
- Qatar earned its first ever World Cup point with a stoppage-time headed equalizer by Koukhi, and Curaçao made its tournament debut as the least populous country to qualify.
- Italian viewers will follow the tournament on DAZN with 35 matches also shown free on Rai, and teams now turn quickly to second-round fixtures that will test if the early parity persists.