Day 12 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is loaded with heavyweight matchups and high-stakes group-stage pressure. Argentina face Austria in Dallas, France meet Iraq in Philadelphia, Norway take on Senegal in New York/New Jersey, and Jordan play Algeria in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The day feels like a turning point, with several teams pushing to secure their place in the next round.
Winning teams from today’s FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage will qualify for the round of 32.
Today’s World Cup 2026 Schedule
| Group | Matchup | Kickoff Time (ET) | Stadium Venue | TV Broadcast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group J | Argentina vs. Austria | 1:00 PM | Dallas Stadium | FOX, Telemundo |
| Group I | France vs. Iraq | 5:00 PM | Philadelphia Stadium | FOX, Telemundo |
| Group I | Norway vs. Senegal | 8:00 PM | New York/New Jersey | FOX, Telemundo |
| Group J | Jordan vs. Algeria | 11:00 PM | San Francisco Bay Area | FS1, Telemundo |
Today’s Match News
Argentina come into the day with huge momentum and even bigger individual headlines. Lionel Messi is one goal away from becoming the all-time top scorer in World Cup history, and Argentina’s squad still carries a strong core with Emiliano Martínez, Cristian Romero, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández and Julián Álvarez.
Austria, meanwhile, are back on the World Cup stage for the first time since 1998 and have the kind of balanced, hard-working group Ralf Rangnick likes to build around, with David Alaba, Marcel Sabitzer, Marko Arnautović, Michael Gregoritsch, Stefan Posch and Konrad Laimer all part of the story.
France vs Iraq has the feel of a match where France are expected to control the tempo, but Iraq are unlikely to make it easy. Didier Deschamps has a front line built around Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise, while reports also suggest France may keep the spine that worked well in their earlier outing and only make a few midfield adjustments.
Iraq arrive with experience and energy of their own, led by captain Jalal Hassan, and with Amir Al Ammari, Ali Jasim, Zidane Iqbal and Youssef Amyn among the names to watch.
Norway vs Senegal is one of the most intriguing fixtures of the day because both teams have enough quality to hurt the other. Norway are built around Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, and Ståle Solbakken has already warned against complacency, pointing to Senegal’s pace and counter-attacking threat.
Senegal still have serious talent too, with Sadio Mané the obvious headline name and the kind of attacking power that can change a group-stage game in a few minutes.
Jordan vs Algeria feels like a real survival match. Jordan’s big World Cup story has centered on Mousa Al Tamari, while Algeria’s coach Vladimir Petković has made it clear that his side control their own fate and must respond after a poor result earlier in the tournament.
Algeria still have plenty of quality, and their squad has been built around experienced names such as Riyad Mahrez and Mohamed Amoura, but Jordan’s compact shape and discipline can make this uncomfortable.
Today’s World Cup 2026 Starting XI

These are projected lineups based on the squad announcements and current team shape. Final teams can still change before kickoff.
- Argentina (4-3-3): Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Nicolás Tagliafico; Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister; Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez, Nicolás González.
- Austria (4-3-3): Alexander Schlager; Stefan Posch, Kevin Danso, Philipp Lienhart, David Alaba; Konrad Laimer, Nicolas Seiwald, Marcel Sabitzer; Xaver Schlager, Marko Arnautović, Michael Gregoritsch.
- France (4-2-3-1): Mike Maignan; Jules Koundé, William Saliba, Ibrahima Konaté, Theo Hernández; Aurélien Tchouaméni, Adrien Rabiot; Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Kylian Mbappé; Marcus Thuram.
- Iraq (4-2-3-1): Jalal Hassan; Rebin Sulaka, Merchas Doski, Ali Faez, Frans Putros; Amir Al Ammari, Osama Rashid; Ali Jasim, Zidane Iqbal, Youssef Amyn; Aymen Hussein.
- Norway (4-3-3): Ørjan Nyland; Julian Ryerson, Leo Østigård, Kristoffer Ajer, Birger Meling; Martin Ødegaard, Patrick Berg, Sander Berge; Antonio Nusa, Erling Haaland, Alexander Sørloth.
- Senegal (4-3-3): Édouard Mendy; Kalidou Koulibaly, Abdou Diallo, Ismail Jakobs, Krépin Diatta; Idrissa Gana Gueye, Pape Matar Sarr, Lamine Camara; Ismaïla Sarr, Sadio Mané, Nicolas Jackson.
- Jordan (4-3-3): Yazeed Abulaila; Yazan Al-Arab, Abdallah Nasib, Ehsan Haddad, Noor Al-Rawabdeh; Nizar Al-Rashdan, Ibrahim Sadeh, Mohammad Abu Taha; Mousa Al Tamari, Ali Olwan, Mahmoud Al-Mardi.
- Algeria (4-3-3): Anthony Mandrea; Youcef Atal, Aïssa Mandi, Rami Bensebaini, Jaouen Hadjam; Hicham Boudaoui, Ismaël Bennacer, Ramiz Zerrouki; Riyad Mahrez, Mohamed Amoura, Saïd Benrahma.
Who Will Win Today?
For Day 12, my predictions are Argentina, France, Norway, and Algeria. Argentina appears to be the most well-rounded team in the headline match. France has greater attacking depth compared to Iraq.
Norway, fueled by the Haaland-Ødegaard combination, has the advantage over Senegal. Meanwhile, Algeria possesses enough quality to assert control in their crucial match against Jordan. While these are predictions rather than certainties, I believe that the stronger teams should prevail if they perform at their best.
Day 12 Winner Picks

✅ Argentina to beat Austria
Lionel Messi and company have too much attacking quality and experience. Austria are organized, but Argentina should control most of the game.
Prediction: Argentina 2-0 Austria
✅ France to beat Iraq
France possess one of the strongest squads in the tournament and should have enough firepower to break down Iraq’s defense.
Prediction: France 3-1 Iraq
✅ Norway to beat Senegal
This could be the closest match of the day, but Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard give Norway a slight edge.
Prediction: Norway 2-1 Senegal
✅ Algeria to beat Jordan
Algeria enter under pressure but have more quality in attack and midfield. Jordan will compete hard, but Algeria should come out on top.
Prediction: Algeria 2-0 Jordan
Final Word
Day 12 has the kind of schedule that can reshape the group tables fast. Messi’s record chase, France’s attacking depth, Norway’s firepower, and Algeria’s must-win pressure all make this a strong day for readers who want quick, clear World Cup coverage with real stakes behind every match.

