The Netherlands and Japan moved level on points at the top of Group F after convincing wins, while Germany progressed to the knockout stage and Curaçao claimed their first World Cup point with a draw against Ecuador.
The Dutch bounced back from their draw in their opening match by thumping Sweden 5-1 in Houston to take command of Group F.
Striker Brian Brobbey relished the opportunity to start his first World Cup match by scoring twice in the first half.
Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo matched that feat by also scoring twice early in the second half, before Sweden's Anthony Elanga netted a consolation goal.
Crysencio Summerville added a fifth for the Oranje, who recorded their biggest World Cup victory since 2014.
The Netherlands move top of Group F on four points, while Sweden are likely to need a result against Japan in their final group match to reach the knockout stage.
Substitute Deniz Undav scored twice as Germany came from behind to beat Ivory Coast in Group E and secure their place in the knockout stage.
Ivory Coast impressed early on and took the lead in Toronto when Franck Kessié opened the scoring on the half-hour mark.
Germany had two goals disallowed in the first half, but it took until the 68th minute for them to draw level through Undav's volley.
The striker struck again in stoppage time to seal victory and send Germany into the knockout stage for the first time since winning the World Cup in 2014.
Curaçao claimed their first-ever World Cup point as goalkeeper Eloy Room produced a remarkable display to deny a wasteful Ecuador side.
The 37-year-old made 15 saves, setting a record for a 90-minute World Cup match, as he kept out relentless pressure from the South Americans.
"The team fought like lions," Curaçao coach Dick Advocaat said. "The people of Curaçao have supported us from the outset, and for people whose lives are not always easy, I hope they celebrate this success."
Japan cruised to victory over Tunisia in the historic 1,000th FIFA World Cup match.
Daichi Kamada opened the scoring after just four minutes, before Ayase Ueda doubled Japan's lead in the 31st minute with a fierce low drive into the far corner.
Ueda all but sealed the result when he set up Junya Ito for Japan's third goal, before heading home his second to complete the scoring.
Tunisia were playing their first match under new coach Hervé Renard, but it was not enough to prevent the North African side from becoming the latest team to exit the tournament, following Türkiye and Haiti.
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Spain advanced to the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals after defeating Belgium 2-1 at Los Angeles Stadium, setting up a highly anticipated last-four clash with France.
Hundreds of Palestinians gathered in Gaza to mourn Mohammad al-Waheidi, an aid worker remembered for bringing rare moments of happiness to families displaced by war by organising public screenings of World Cup matches.
The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has condemned the use of VAR after Egypt's dramatic 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup, claiming key refereeing decisions directly affected the outcome.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 7th of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
At least 12 people have been killed in forest fires in Almeria in southern Spain, Andalucía’s emergency agency has said, as firefighters continue efforts to put out the blaze.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington has agreed to resume talks with Iran after Tehran requested further negotiations, but declared that last month's ceasefire between the two countries was "over".
The U.S. military said on Wednesday it launched fresh strikes on Iran to keep the Strait of Hormuz open to shipping, triggering Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain in the latest escalation to derail efforts to end the war.
Dozens of flights have been cancelled across East Asia as Super Typhoon Bavi approaches China. The typhoon, which has maximum sustained winds of 162 kph (100mph), is nearing a remote chain of Japanese islands, east of Taiwan on Friday.
What began as a fan-created chant just months ago has become one of the defining images of this year's FIFA World Cup, with Norway's "Viking Row" sweeping through stadiums, city streets and social media.
South Africa international midfielder Jayden Adams, who helped Bafana Bafana reach the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for the first time, has died at the age of 25.
What began as a fan-created chant just months ago has become one of the defining images of this year's FIFA World Cup, with Norway's "Viking Row" sweeping through stadiums, city streets and social media.
France booked their place in the World Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Morocco on Thursday, as captain Kylian Mbappe overcame a missed penalty to play a decisive role in another dominant display by the two-time world champions.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has provisionally lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), allowing Russian athletes to compete in many international events, including qualifying competitions for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has condemned the use of VAR after Egypt's dramatic 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup, claiming key refereeing decisions directly affected the outcome.
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