Lionel Messi delivered the defining individual performance of the 2026 FIFA World Cup’s opening week on Tuesday night, scoring three goals in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria at Kansas City Stadium. The hat trick was Messi’s first in a World Cup finals across six tournaments and pulled him level with Germany’s Miroslav Klose at 16 career World Cup goals, the all-time record. It also extended his record for goal contributions to 24, surpassing Pelé.
Three Goals, Three Records, One Night In Kansas City
Messi’s goals came in the 17th, 60th, and 76th minutes. The opener, a left-footed drive from the edge of the box, beat Algerian goalkeeper Luca Zidane — son of 1998 France World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane — into the top corner. The second, a right-footed tap-in, came off a rebound from an Alexis Mac Allister strike. The third, a curled effort into the bottom corner from outside the box, drew the loudest ovation of the night from a heavily pro-Argentina crowd at Arrowhead Stadium.
The substitution in the 79th minute, with Argentina cruising, brought the Kansas City crowd to its feet. Coach Lionel Scaloni summed up the night briefly after the match: “He’s incredible.”
The night layered on additional history. The match was Messi’s 200th international appearance for Argentina, leaving him behind only Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa in career caps for a male player. He became the first male player to appear at six World Cups, a feat Ronaldo matched Wednesday against Congo DR. At 38, Messi broke Roger Milla’s record as the oldest player to score multiple goals in a single World Cup match. The performance fell exactly 20 years to the day after his World Cup debut against Serbia and Montenegro, a match he also scored in.
The Tournament Spans Eleven American Stadiums
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first 48-team finals and the first edition co-hosted by three nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Eleven U.S. cities are hosting matches — New York/New Jersey, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle — sharing 78 of the tournament’s 104 fixtures. The final is scheduled for July 19 at New York/New Jersey Stadium.
Tuesday’s slate alone moved through four host cities. France beat Senegal 3-1 at New York/New Jersey Stadium, with Kylian Mbappé scoring twice to take his career World Cup total to 14 goals, putting him in a tie for fourth on the all-time list. Norway crushed Iraq 4-1 at Boston Stadium behind a brace from Erling Haaland in his World Cup debut. Iran and New Zealand drew 2-2 at Los Angeles Stadium. Austria beat Jordan 3-1 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium to close out the night.
Wednesday’s American Card
The June 17 fixtures moved through three host cities. Portugal vs. Congo DR played at Houston Stadium under Tropical Storm Arthur cover, ending 1-1 with Cristiano Ronaldo making his record-equalling sixth World Cup appearance. England vs. Croatia kicked off at AT&T Stadium in Dallas at 4 PM ET, with Luka Modrić and Jude Bellingham facing off in a Group L opener. Ghana vs. Panama closed the day at BMO Field in Toronto at 7 PM ET. The Houston match proceeded with adjusted stadium operations as flood watches stretched across the Gulf Coast.
The USMNT Path Through Group D
The United States Men’s National Team opened its tournament June 12 with a 4-1 win over Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, with Folarin Balogun and Gio Reyna among the scorers. Mauricio Pochettino’s squad faces Australia next at Seattle Stadium on June 19, kickoff at 3 PM ET on FOX and Telemundo. Group D play closes June 25 at SoFi Stadium against Türkiye, expected to be the team’s toughest test on paper, at 10 PM ET.
If the team finishes atop Group D, the USMNT’s Round of 32 match is scheduled for July 1 at Levi’s Stadium in the Bay Area. A second-place finish routes the team to AT&T Stadium in Dallas on July 3.
A Tournament-Long American Stage
The economic and cultural footprint of the tournament across U.S. host cities is the largest single sporting event the country has staged. Kansas City alone expects 650,000 visitors across its six matches, despite being the smallest host city by population. Hotel occupancy in Los Angeles is running 24% above last June’s pace through the group stage, per AirDNA data shared with SportsTravel.
Argentina is the only team in the field to have won the previous World Cup, claiming Qatar 2022 on penalties against France. No country has defended a World Cup title since Brazil in 1962. With Messi delivering an opening performance that few players at any age could match, Argentina enters Group J play as the early favorite to escape the group stage. The Albiceleste return to action later in the group stage, with Algeria, Austria, and Jordan rounding out their fixtures.
The full 2026 tournament continues daily through July 19. Broadcast coverage in the U.S. runs across FOX, Telemundo, Universo, and Peacock.
