The Fifa World Cup delivered a slice of history on Monday when it achieved a record stalemate- not that of winners, but that of draws. For the first time in 68 years, four matches on the same day ended in draws, a feat rare to achieve but last seen on June 15, 1958.
The sequence of draws began in Atlanta, where Cape Verde, a debutant in the 2026 World Cup, made it difficult for European champions Spain to score, ending the match in a goalless draw. Spain dominated the game, but Lamine Yamal, Pedri or Olmo could not find the net. Cape Verde defender Steven Moreira called it “a dream”, reported Reuters.
Seattle Stadium witnessed an upset when Egypt, who were almost on the verge of winning their first-ever World Cup match, ended up with a draw as Belgium salvaged a lost game. The entry of striker 33-year-old Romelu Lukaku as a second-half substitute changed the game’s momentum, allowing Belgium to escape with a point, but also earn an upsetting 1-1 draw.
The trend continued into the final match of the day, as Maxi Araújo struck late for Uruguay to secure a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia at the South Florida stadium.
Abdulelah Al-Amri scored a goal in the 41st minute for Saudi Arabia, and Araújo got the equalizer in the 80th.
The day’s final act was not just a match that drew attention for being politically charged, but drawing 2-2 was a rare act on the sport’s biggest international stage.
While Elijah scored two goals for New Zealand, Iran’s Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebbi each delivered for Iran.
This marked the first time since 1958 that four Fifa World Cup matches ended in draws on the same day. On June 15, 68 years ago, West Germany and Northern Ireland played out a 2-2 draw, Paraguay and Yugoslavia shared a thrilling 3-3 result, while Sweden and Wales finished 0-0 and England and Austria settled for a 2-2 draw, all failing to produce a winner.
While draws are not uncommon in football, seeing four of them unfold in succession, led social media users deciding Marvel Comic supervillain Thanos would be the temporary mascot for Monday’s matches, saying “Perfectly balanced, as all things should be”
One user stunned by Spain’s stumble shared a meme showcasing the face of José Mourinho smirking on the bench with the caption: “It will be funny if Spain fails to qualify from their group, with almighty Yamal.”
Another social media post celebrated Iran’s resilience with the cheeky caption: “Iran celebrated their goals twice and earned a point on US soil. I love it.”
The flood of draws also sparked betting jokes online. One viral post quipped, “The amount of draw games can turn anyone into a millionaire in bets,” alongside a screenshot of the draws.
June 15 turned out to be an unusual day for Fifa World Cup but one message was clear- the underdogs are resilient, and heavyweights are finding it difficult to brush them aside.
