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The last of them is Nashama… and Uzbekistan awaits
With the expansion of FIFA World Cup participation (48) and the increase in the number of new teams making their way to the World Cup, there are special challenges that teams face in their first ever opening game.
Statistics released by sports data network Opta showed that teams making their first World Cup appearance have failed to win in their last 17 matches as Senegal pulled off a historic upset by beating defending champions France 1-0 in their 2002 World Cup opener.
These teams recorded a total of 4 draws against 13 losses in those matches.
17 – Teams making their first appearance at the FIFA World Cup have not won their last 17 games (4 L13) since Senegal’s 2002 victory over France. The debut. pic.twitter.com/RmAuGYvsnM
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 17, 2026
Among the teams rising to the challenge were several Arab teams, as Qatar made their first ever World Cup match in 2022 hosted by the country, losing 0-2 to Ecuador in the tournament’s opening match at the Al-Beit Stadium.
On Wednesday morning, the Jordanian national team also lost their first match at the World Cup, 3-1.
The 2026 World Cup featured four teams playing in their first World Cup; Jordan and Cape Verde, who drew 0-0 with Spain in their first match, Curaçao, who were thrashed 7-1 by Germany, and then Uzbekistan, who play their first match against Colombia tomorrow.
This reality comes at a time when the World Cup is witnessing an expansion to 48 teams for the first time in the 2026 edition, which will be hosted by the United States of America, Canada and Mexico.
