It was the hors d'oeuvre before the main course, as Harry Kane struck twice while Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford delivered the knockout blows as England survived a shaky battle to beat Croatia 4-2, to launch their World Cup campaign that lived up to its ​billing.

The match at Dallas Stadium more than delivered as Croatia twice hauled themselves level to keep England in check before Bellingham rose to the occasion with England's third goal in the 47th minute and then Rashford put the game away with an 85th-minute strike in what was a ‘statement’ victory. Meanwhile, Caleb Yirenkyi was another scoring hero, as he pounced to be the winner in the fifth minute of stoppage time in a scrappy end to the match, as Ghana beat Panama 1–0 in chaotic World Cup Group L match in Toronto.

Luis Diaz was the Colombian hero, as the South Americans defeated World Cup 2026 debutants Uzbekistan. The star winger scored a goal and sets up another, as they make a winning return to FIFA World Cup football.

And, celebrating their first-ever goal at the top table, Yoane Wissa (pic) scored for DR Congo. Wissa, who nearly lost his sight in 2021, scored a header that marked DR Congo’s historic return to the World Cup with a point.

So, on the pitch, the football in North America and Canada is proving to still be a winner for all concerned – if only there were people there to take in the amazing games so far. FIFA have found themselves having to defend their attendance figures at South Korea’s opening-day win against the Czech Republic at the World Cup by insisting that some fans “stood in concourses rather than in their assigned seat.”

There were thousands of empty seats, in just the second match of the tournament, to further raise questions surrounding FIFA’s ticket prices for the world spectacle. President, Gianni Infantino, has found himself having to defend the dynamic pricing policy at his press conference on the eve of the tournament, before thousands of empty red seats were seen throughout the contest at the Estadio Akron.

And, for South Korea, they must be happy following their gripping Group A 2-1 victory over Czech Republic in Guadalajara. For many, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is looking good on the field of play – for those who could afford to see the ‘people’s game.’