France's perfect start to their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign came to an end on Monday as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Iceland in Reykjavik. The result, coupled with Ukraine's 2-1 victory over Azerbaijan, means France must wait to secure their spot at the tournament. Iceland took a surprise lead through Victor Palsson before goals from Christopher Nkunku and Jean-Philippe Mateta put the visitors ahead. However, Kristian Hlynsson scored for Iceland just minutes later to salvage a point.
In a chaotic Group J encounter, Belgium came from behind to defeat Wales 4-2 in Cardiff, with Kevin De Bruyne scoring two penalties. After Joe Rodon gave Wales an early lead, De Bruyne's first spot-kick and a goal from Thomas Meunier put Belgium ahead. De Bruyne converted another penalty in the second half, and although Nathan Broadhead pulled one back for Wales, Leandro Trossard sealed the win for the visitors. The victory moves Belgium to the top of the group, one point ahead of North Macedonia.
Germany maintained their position atop Group A with a narrow 1-0 win over Northern Ireland in Belfast, thanks to Nick Woltemade's first international goal. The Germans are now level on nine points with Slovakia, who beat Luxembourg 2-0. Elsewhere, Switzerland also missed an opportunity to qualify early after being held to a 0-0 draw by Slovenia in Group B, a result made more significant by Kosovo’s 1-0 win over Sweden.
After the match in Reykjavik, France coach Didier Deschamps expressed his frustration, noting that his team "totally controlled the game" but allowed Iceland to score from limited chances. In Cardiff, Wales captain Ben Davies, who earned his 100th cap, reflected on his team's performance despite the loss. "I’m proud of the boys. We got Belgium to show us a lot of respect and sit back to counter, which doesn’t happen often. Their plan worked tonight, but it’s another big learning curve for a young group," Davies said.
The results leave qualification spots in several groups still open. France leads Group D with 10 points, three ahead of Ukraine, with a decisive match between the two scheduled for November. In Group J, Belgium holds a narrow lead over North Macedonia and Wales. The expanded 48-team format for the 2026 World Cup means the 12 European group winners qualify automatically, while the 12 runners-up will enter a playoff phase in March 2026 to determine the remaining four spots.
