Welcome to TNIE's live coverage of Day 12 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Argentina strengthened their grip on Group J with a comfortable 2-0 win over Austria, while France booked their place in the knockout stage after a commanding 3-0 victory over Iraq.
Messi leads the all-time World Cup scoring chart with 18 goals, while Mbappé’s 16 goals keep the chase alive as France advance to the knockout stage.
Norway edged Senegal 3-2 in a thrilling Group I contest to boost their qualification hopes, while Algeria kept their last-32 ambitions alive with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Jordan.
Below are Day 12's fixtures, with all times in IST:
Argentina vs Austria - 10:30 pm
France vs Iraq - 2:30 am
Norway vs Senegal - 5:30 am
Jordan vs Algeria - 8:30 am
Day 11 saw Egypt register the first World Cup victory in their history with a 3-1 win over New Zealand, while Spain returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion by crushing Saudi Arabia 4-0. Belgium's struggles continued with a goalless draw against Iran, leaving their qualification hopes hanging in the balance, as debutants Cape Verde maintained their dream unbeaten run by battling back to earn a 2-2 draw against Uruguay.
Algeria came behind to beat Jordan 2-1 in a World Cup Group J game on Monday, eliminating the Asian debutants from the tournament.
Amine Gouiri equalized Nizar al-Rashdan's opening goal before Nadhir Benbouali scored Algeria's winner in the 82nd minute in Santa Clara.
The win gives Algeria hope of progressing to the knockout round if they can beat Austria in Kansas City on Saturday.
Austria lost 2-0 to Argentina earlier on Monday, leaving the South Americans top of Group J on six points.
Algeria complete the comeback as Amine Gouiri reacts quickest to a goalmouth scramble, stabbing the loose ball into the net to put his side ahead.
Algeria had been building the pressure with a series of dangerous free-kicks, and Riyad Mahrez delivered a pinpoint cross onto the head of the towering Nadhir Benbouali. The striker still had work to do, timing his leap perfectly and outmuscling his marker before directing a comfortable header into the net.
Jordan take the lead in a World Cup match for the first time in their history as Nizar Al-Rashdan calmly places his finish to the left of Luca Zidane. The Algerian goalkeeper gets close but cannot stop the ball from finding the back of the net.
Jordan, resplendent in their all-red strip, get the Group J World Cup clash underway against Algeria, who are dressed in white with green accents, at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.
The players stood arm-in-arm between giant national flags as the anthems echoed around Santa Clara, with kick-off now just moments away.
Here are the starting XIs:
Jordan: Yazeed Abulaila (GK); Yazan Al-Arab, Abdallah Nasib, Husam Abu Dahab; Ehsan Haddad (C), Nizar Al-Rashdan, Noor Al-Rawabdeh, Mohannad Abu Taha; Mahmoud Al-Mardi, Musa Al-Taamari, Ali Olwan.
Algeria: Luca Zidane (GK); Rafik Belghali, Aissa Mandi, Ramy Bensebaini, Rayan Aït-Nouri; Hicham Boudaoui, Ramiz Zerrouki, Ibrahim Maza; Riyad Mahrez (C), Farès Chaïbi, Amine Gouiri.
Erling Haaland scored twice as Norway booked their place in the World Cup knockout rounds with a 3-2 victory over Senegal on Monday.
Manchester City striker Haaland's double and a Marcus Holmgren Pedersen sealed victory for Norway in the Group I game, with Ismaila Sarr scoring twice for Senegal.
Lionel Messi has become the all-time leading goal scorer in men’s World Cup history after scoring for Argentina against Austria.
Messi broke Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 goals, a mark that had stood since 2014. He scored a clinical goal in the first half of the Group J match in Dallas.
Argentina: Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Facundo Medina; Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister; Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Thiago Almada.
Austria: Alexander Schlager; Kevin Danso, Stefan Posch, David Alaba; Nicolas Seiwald, Xaver Schlager; Romano Schmid, Konrad Laimer, Marcel Sabitzer, Paul Wanner; Michael Gregoritsch.
Germany defender Nico Schlotterbeck has been ruled out of the rest of the World Cup and beyond with a left ankle injury sustained during Saturday's 2-1 win over Ivory Coast.
Tests on Sunday back at the team camp in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, revealed Schlotterbeck, who had started both of Germany's opening games in the tournament, sustained an injury to the medial ligament in his ankle and will be out for several months, the German soccer federation said Monday.
"We will sorely miss Schlotti on the field as an outstanding defender, especially also his brilliant ability to build up play from the back," Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said.
"It could have been his World Cup. We all tried to lift his spirits yesterday. Luckily, he's a very positive person who's already looking ahead."
Schlotterbeck, who plays for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, was to stay with the Germany squad for the rest of the World Cup.
"It's a great sign that he's staying with the squad for now, as he has an impact off the field as well," Nagelsmann said. "Despite his absence, we're still very well-equipped at center-back for the World Cup with Jonathan Tah, Antonio Rüdiger, Waldemar Anton, and Malick Thiaw."
Germany's win over Ivory Coast put the four-time champion into the knockout stage with a group game to spare. Germany is already assured of top spot in Group E before its final group game against Ecuador in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Thursday.
French sports media leader L’Équipe has disavowed comments by a female presenter who criticized Belgium winger Jeremy Doku for wanting to leave the World Cup to be at the birth of his first child.
L’Équipe also apologized to Doku in a statement late Sunday and said the comments by France Pierron did not represent its values.
Pierron described childbirth as “a disgusting moment, excuse me, where the dad is useless” when taking part in the television show “L’Équipe de Choc” on Friday.
“There are hundreds of footballers who would kill to be in your place,” she said on the show, reacting to Doku’s comments in the United States.
Another player chasing the all-time World Cup scoring record, Kylian Mbappe, will play his 100th game for France when they meet Iraq in Philadelphia.
"There is nothing bigger -- one hundred is a historic figure, and to have the chance to reach that tally here at a World Cup means it will be a special match for me," Mbappe told reporters on Sunday.
Mbappe, 27, is tied with West Germany legend Gerd Mueller on 14 goals after he netted twice in France's opening 3-1 win against Senegal in Group I.
France, who were beaten by Argentina on penalties in the last final in 2022, will expect to brush aside the Iraqis to guarantee a ticket to the knockout phase in a match which could be interrupted with thunderstorms forecast in Philadelphia.
Norway and their marksman Erling Haaland, who scored twice against Iraq in a 4-1 opening win, will also be guaranteed of going through from Group I if they beat Senegal in New Jersey and France defeat Iraq.
Lionel Messi and World Cup holders Argentina face Austria in Dallas on Monday with the Argentine great needing one more goal to rewrite the record books.
Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday, equalled Miroslav Klose's all-time mark of 16 World Cup goals when scoring a hat-trick in the 3-0 opening win over Algeria.
The Argentina captain was tearful after his first goal, and it later emerged that his father is recovering from an unspecified health issue. Despite his personal travails and a troubled build-up because of a hamstring injury, Messi's mere presence appears to inspire his teammates.
"If anyone thought this group was better off without Leo, today it became clear that Leo is the most important of them all," said midfielder Alexis Mac Allister after the win against Algeria.
Argentina can qualify for the next round with a victory and would be assured of finishing top of Group J if Jordan fail to beat Algeria later on Monday.
Austria defender Stefan Posch will be available to play Monday against defending champion Argentina after sustaining a broken jaw in his team's win to open this World Cup.
Coach Ralf Rangnick said Sunday that Posch, who went through full training the day before the match, had to go to Los Angeles twice to get fitted for a protective jaw brace that will allow him to play despite the injury. Posch didn't need surgery.
"He is ready to play tomorrow just like every and any other player,” Rangnick said through an interpreter. “Then we will see if he will start tomorrow, or maybe he will be brought in during the match.”
With Senegal in a difficult spot in World Cup group play, coach Pape Thiaw is not revealing how many changes he might make for his team's game against Norway on Monday night.
“Am I going to shake things up a bit? Well, you’ll find this out,” Thiaw said through an interpreter at a news conference Sunday.
Senegal hung in tough against France for the first half of its opener before losing 3-1. Édouard Mendy allowed three goals on eight shots in that game, which included Kylian Mbappé scoring from long range moments after Senegal finally got on the board in stoppage time.
Reserve goalkeeper Mory Diaw accompanied Thiaw to the news conference, but denied his appearance may indicate he would start in place of Mendy.
Senegal has only Iraq left to play after facing Norway in Group I, so the Lions of Teranga are treating their second game as if it is a must-win final.
“We’re in a very tough group; we knew this coming in,” Thiaw said. “We obviously lost the first one, but there’s everything left to play for. We cannot get this wrong.”
World Cups are a renowned showcase for players to earn a money-spinning transfer, but many at this tournament are pressing ahead with moves on their club future while still on international duty.
Spain's Marc Cucurella was officially unveiled as a Real Madrid player just hours before he took the field for the European champions in a shock 0-0 draw against tournament debutants Cape Verde.
A few days later Liverpool won the race for his international team-mate Victor Munoz in a 40 million euro deal ($46 million, £35 million).
Alex Grimaldo is also set to swap Bayer Leverkusen for Atletico Madrid, while Pedro Porro signed a contract extension with Tottenham since the tournament began.
The flurry of transfers, allied to a disappointing start, has led to questions back home whether La Roja have been distracted by focusing too much on their club careers, an accusation firmly denied by coach Luis de la Fuente.
The Lionel Messi show rolls into Dallas with the Argentine maestro on the cusp of more footballing history when the World Cup holders face Austria today.
Messi, who turns 39 on Wednesday, scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria to pull level with Miroslav Klose's all-time World Cup record of 16 goals.
Victory over Austria would put Lionel Scaloni's side on the cusp of the last 32 as Group L winners with a game to go, giving Messi the chance to recharge for the knockout rounds.