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Group J belonged to one man on matchday one. Lionel Messi rolled back the years with a historic hat-trick as holders Argentina beat Algeria 3-0, while Austria came through a hard-fought 3-1 win over debutants Jordan. Both winners sit on three points. Here is how the group stands and what comes next.
Argentina 3-0 Algeria: A Historic Messi Hat-Trick
At a blue-and-white Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Lionel Messi produced a performance for the ages. The 38-year-old, now an MLS champion with Inter Miami, scored all three goals to single-handedly see off a game Algeria side. He opened the scoring on 17 minutes, racing onto a Rodrigo De Paul through-ball and finishing past the fingertips of Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane, before adding a second just after the hour when Zidane spilled an Alexis Mac Allister effort.
He completed the treble to send the Argentine fans into raptures — the first hat-trick of his World Cup career. The numbers were staggering: the goals took Messi level with Miroslav Klose as the World Cup's all-time leading scorer on 16, while he also became the first player ever to feature at six different World Cups. Algeria, who had impressed in recent friendlies, competed well and had a goal disallowed, but had no answer to Messi. Relive it on our Argentina vs Algeria page.
Austria 3-1 Jordan: Arnautović Settles It Late
Ralf Rangnick's Austria had to work hard for their win over World Cup newcomers Jordan in Santa Clara. Romano Schmid put Austria ahead, only for Ali Olwan to level for Jordan. Austria edged back in front in unfortunate fashion when Yazan Al-Arab turned a corner into his own net — already the fifth own goal of this tournament, a remarkable tally given there were only two in the entire 2022 finals.
The result was put beyond doubt deep into stoppage time, when substitute Marko Arnautović — at 37, Austria's all-time leading scorer — stepped up to convert a penalty for his 48th international goal and make it 3-1. See the full result on our Austria vs Jordan page.
How Group J Looks After Matchday 1
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 3 |
| 2 | Austria | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| 3 | Jordan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 0 |
| 4 | Algeria | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
Argentina and Austria both made winning starts, with the holders edging top spot on goal difference. Jordan and Algeria, by contrast, have ground to make up after opening defeats and will be eager to bounce back in the second round.
What's Next in Group J
The standout fixture of the next round pits the two early winners against each other. Argentina vs Austria in Dallas could go a long way to deciding top spot, with both sides chasing the win that would put one foot in the knockout rounds. Elsewhere, Jordan and Algeria meet in Jordan vs Algeria, a contest both will see as vital to keeping their hopes alive. With the table this finely poised, every result counts.
Be There for the Drama
A Messi masterclass, a stoppage-time penalty and a heavyweight clash to come — Group J is delivering. Browse every available fixture on our World Cup 2026 tickets page and secure your seat before the biggest games sell out.
