Co-hosts Mexico became the first nation to book a place in the knockout rounds of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while Canada produced a statement performance to secure their first-ever victory at the global showpiece in a day of action across North America on Thursday.
Mexico continued their impressive start to the tournament with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over South Korea in Guadalajara, making it two wins from two matches in Group A and guaranteeing their passage to the round of 32 with one game to spare.
Having already defeated South Africa 2-0 in their opening fixture, Javier Aguirre's side knew another victory would secure qualification, but they were made to work hard by a disciplined South Korean team.
The breakthrough finally arrived five minutes after the restart when a mix-up in the South Korean defence proved costly. Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu failed to deal with a loose ball after colliding with teammate Lee Gi-hyuk, allowing Luis Romo to react quickest and slot into an empty net.
The goal sparked celebrations among the home supporters, who had watched a largely uneventful first half. Mexico pushed for a second goal and nearly found it midway through the second period when Raúl Jiménez forced a save from a tight angle before substitute Obed Vargas tested Kim with a powerful effort.
South Korea, however, remained dangerous and almost snatched a late equaliser. Cho Gue-sung's close-range header was brilliantly saved by Raul Rangel before Yang Hyun-jun's follow-up effort was also denied by the Mexican goalkeeper.
Earlier, captain Son Heung-min thought he had created a memorable moment after chipping Rangel, only for Edson Álvarez to clear off the line before the offside flag was raised.
The victory moved Mexico onto six points at the top of Group A and ensured they became the first team to qualify for the knockout rounds. South Korea remain second in the standings and will now face South Africa in a decisive final group match.
While Mexico celebrated progression, Canada enjoyed a historic night in Vancouver as they demolished nine-man Qatar 6-0 to register the country's first-ever World Cup victory.
The result not only kept Canada's hopes of topping Group B firmly on track but also produced one of the most memorable individual performances of the tournament so far as Jonathan David scored a sensational hat-trick.
Nathan Saliba holding a replica jersey of the injured Ismaël Koné. (Photo: Canada Soccer/X)
Canada started brightly and took the lead through Cyle Larin before David struck twice in the opening half to put the hosts firmly in control against a Qatar side struggling to contain the relentless attacking pressure.
However, the match took a worrying turn shortly after the break when midfielder Ismaël Koné suffered a serious injury following a reckless challenge from Qatar's Assim Madibo.
The Canadian international was left in visible pain and required lengthy treatment before being stretchered off the field. Following a VAR review, Madibo's yellow card was upgraded to a straight red card, reducing Qatar to nine men after Homam Ahmed had already been sent off during the first half.
The injury momentarily silenced the celebrations inside BC Place Stadium, but Canada responded by dedicating the remainder of their performance to their injured teammate.
Substitute Nathan Saliba made an immediate impact by curling home a superb free-kick in the 64th minute. The midfielder then raced to the touchline and held up a replica of Koné's jersey while pointing to the number eight in an emotional tribute that drew huge applause from the crowd.
Canada continued to pile on the pressure as the exhausted Qatar defence struggled to cope. Jacob Shaffelburg's fierce effort was turned into his own net by defender Mohamed Manai for Canada's fifth goal before David completed his hat-trick deep into stoppage time.
The Lille striker's treble was particularly significant as he became the first Canadian male player to score multiple goals in a World Cup match and only the second player to record a hat-trick at the 2026 tournament after Lionel Messi's three-goal display against Algeria earlier in the competition.
The emphatic victory leaves Canada requiring only a draw against Switzerland in their final group fixture to secure top spot and continue their remarkable campaign.
The match ended on a sour note when tempers boiled over after the final whistle, with players from both teams becoming involved in a confrontation near the halfway line before officials and team staff stepped in to restore order.
Despite the ugly scenes at the end and the concern surrounding Koné's injury, the day belonged to Mexico and Canada. Mexico became the first side to punch their ticket to the knockout phase, while Canada wrote a new chapter in their football history with a record-breaking victory that has firmly established them as one of the tournament's surprise packages.
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