World Cup 2026 Day 16: Group I recap

Day 16 of the 2026 World Cup began with Group I matches, and the scenarios for all of them were fairly straightforward. France and Norway knew a win in their final game would secure the top spot; if they drew, France would take the winner's place, while Norway would be runners-up. Senegal needed a huge win in their final game against Iraq to make their way up the best third-place finishers standings, and Iraq would need the same, but may still have fallen short of eighth place. All of that and more played out in Group I’s matchday three.

General view inside the stadium as the teams line up with young mascots during the national anthems before the match

Jeenah Moon

World Cup Group I - Matchday 3

Norway 1 - 4 France

France is the best team on paper at the 2026 World Cup, and they may just be the best team on the field as well. They amassed two wins and a +5 goal difference heading into their final group game against Norway. The Vikings were riding a similar high after winning their first two matches, but ahead of this final match, Norway decided to rest their starters and rotate 10 players. France did not do that, and it showed on the pitch early on.

France scored three goals in the first half against Norway’s backups, all three goals coming from Ousmane Dembélé. The first two goals came before the 20th minute, and Norway did answer with a goal for themselves one minute after going 2-0 down, but Dembélé completed his first-half hat-trick in the 32nd minute. The writing was on the wall for this game, and it was likely done and dusted in the 7th minute when the first French goal went in, but the teams had to play a second 45 minutes after France was up 3-1.

France's Ousmane Dembele celebrates scoring their third goal, completing his hat-trick

Dylan Martinez

There was a second-half push from Norway for the first 15 minutes. jørgen Strand Larsen missed a penalty in the 50th minute, which was Norway’s best chance to get one back. Even so, they controlled the game while France sat back, and if they had their starters, maybe they would have found a goal to get within one. Unfortunately for them, they didn’t, and France’s defense coasted through the half. In the last minute of added time before the game ended, Désiré Doué netted his first goal of this World Cup. It was a nice cushioned header capping off total France domination as the game ended 4-1.

Norway's Jorgen Strand Larsen looks dejected after the match

Dylan Martinez

France Group I and will play Sweden on Tuesday afternoon. If they win that game, Le Blues will play their quarterfinal matchup against either Paraguay or Germany in Philadelphia! Norway is the runner-up and will face the Ivory Coast on Tuesday as well. Their path is much more daunting, as their potential quarterfinal would be against either Japan or Brazil.

Senegal 5 - 0 Iraq

Both Senegal and Iraq faced Norway and France ahead of this final matchday, and both lost their pair of matches. It was a tough draw for the teams from Africa and Asia, and their final game against one another was a tough one for both. Iraq and Senegal’s chances of making the knockout rounds as a third-place finisher relied on winning this match and scoring a boatload of goals. One of these teams was able to do just that.

Volunteers hold a giant Senegal flag on the pitch during the national anthems before the match

Piroschka Van De Wouw

Senegal is the 15th-ranked team in the world, but has not shown its quality so far at the World Cup. That changed in their match against Iraq. A good goal scored in the fourth minute of the game put them in the driver's seat. Habib Diarra gave Seengal an early lead after a good corner was sent into the box and flicked onto his foot. Iraq tried to battle back, but failed to get any real momentum. Their chance of having any was halted before the 15-minute mark as Rebin Sulaka was sent off for pulling down Senegal's Sadio Mané. There would be no more goals in the first half, but a Senegal goal-storm was brewing for the second.

Senegal's Iliman Ndiaye celebrates scoring their fifth goal with Pape Gueye and Ismail Jakobs as Iraq's Ibrahim Bayesh looks dejected

Benoit Tessier

After the first 10 minutes of pure Senegalese pressure in the second half, the floodgates opened. Ismalïla Sarr scored in the 56th minute to make it 2-0. Then Pepe Gueye scored a brace in 12 minutes to make it 4-0 with about 20 minutes to go in the game. Iraq had so little of the ball in the second half, 22% of it, and only produced two chances, one a long-range shot that made it to the goalkeeper but was not dangerous at all. The final exclamation point came from Illiman Ndiaye, who scored in the 82nd minute to make it 5-0 for Senegal, which is how the game ended.

Senegal's Sadio Mane celebrates after the match

KEVIN SOUSA

The big win for Senegal kept their hopes alive for the knockout rounds, moving them into the top eight among third-place finishers. Iraq’s loss meant their time at the 2026 World Cup came to an end.

Day 16, Group I, Round-up:

France topped Group I, taking nine points from nine. Norway took second place after knowing they were through to the knockout rounds after two games. Senegal's big win put them in sixth place among the eight best third-place teams; they’ll hope that’s enough to secure qualification for the round of 32. Iraq had a rough go at the World Cup, taking no points and only scoring one goal.

Day 17 started this evening and features the final three groups playing their last matchdays: Groups J, K, and L. We will have the finalized Round of 32 set, and the first game of the knockout rounds begins Sunday!

MORE: Philly Sport's Network's World Cup Coverage