Heavyweights Argentina and France start World Cup quests (opens original article in a new tab)

Argentina and France kick off their 2026 World Cup campaigns against Algeria and Senegal, with key players like Messi and Mbappe leading the way, while other teams face varied challenges in the opening matches.

• Argentina and France begin 2026 World Cup with matches against Algeria and Senegal respectively
• Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe lead their teams as key players in the tournament
• France aims to avoid repeating 2002 World Cup opening-day defeat by Senegal
• Norway makes World Cup debut with Erling Haaland, while Spain and Iran face unexpected challenges