Kane bagged two, Ronaldo bagged nothing. Today: both host nations are back.

Who won yesterday's World Cup games?

Wednesday was the day the big names learned the World Cup does not check your résumé at the door. One superstar put up four goals worth of chaos. Another got completely shut out by a team in their first tournament since the Nixon administration. Soccer, like the NFL on any given Sunday, does not care who you are.

England 4, Croatia 2 — AT&T Stadium, Arlington

This was less a soccer match and more a shootout in a saloon. Harry Kane opened from the penalty spot in the 12th minute, missed the first attempt, then got a do-over because Croatia crept into the box early and buried the retake. He later headed in a Declan Rice corner. Croatia refused to go quietly: Martin Baturina hit one from downtown after a John Stones slip, and Petar Musa poked one in to tie it again. Then Jude Bellingham restored the lead two minutes into the second half, and Marcus Rashford added the fourth off the bench. Kane's brace tied Gary Lineker's all-time England World Cup record of 10 goals. England did England things: looked unstoppable going forward, looked like a screen door on a submarine going backward, and won anyway.

Portugal 1, DR Congo 1 — NRG Stadium, Houston

João Neves headed Portugal in front inside the first five minutes, and you could feel everyone reaching for the remote, assuming a rout. Then DR Congo did not read the script. Yoane Wissa nodded in an equalizer right on the stroke of halftime, and the Leopards held on for the first World Cup point in their history. Cristiano Ronaldo, age 41, chasing his sixth tournament, spent ninety minutes getting politely denied. It was the soccer version of a Hall-of-Fame quarterback throwing for 40 attempts against a no-name defense and walking off with a tie. DR Congo's players celebrated like they won the thing, because for a nation back after 52 years, one point felt like a parade.

The other two: Ghana 1, Panama 0 and Colombia 3, Uzbekistan 1

Ghana grinded out a 1-0 win over Panama on a late goal, the kind of result that looks boring in the box score and feels like a heart attack if you actually watched it. And Colombia handled World Cup debutant Uzbekistan 3-1, roughly the outcome everyone expected, executed without drama. Sometimes the favorite just covers the spread.

Who plays today? (June 18, 2026)

Four games, and the back half is a home-field doubleheader. Both Canada and Mexico, two of the three host nations, play tonight.

Czechia vs. South Africa — 12 p.m. ET on Fox and Telemundo. Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta. Both teams lost their openers, so this is a must-win for both before the group gets away from them. The early-lunch game with real stakes.

Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina — 3 p.m. ET on Fox and Telemundo. SoFi Stadium, Inglewood. Switzerland is the steady, well-coached team that nobody circles on the calendar and then somehow finishes 11-6 every year. A solid afternoon watch.

Canada vs. Qatar — 6 p.m. ET on FS1 and Telemundo. BC Place, Vancouver. The co-hosts play in front of their own crowd. Canada is the plucky home team that wants to prove the first World Cup on home soil was not a fluke invitation.

Mexico vs. South Korea — 9 p.m. ET on Fox and Telemundo. Estadio Akron, Guadalajara. Both won their openers. This is the game of the night, and we break it down below.

What's the must-watch game today?

Mexico vs. South Korea, 9 p.m. ET. Two teams that both opened with wins, playing in the loudest building they will see all tournament.

Here is the setup in NFL terms: this is two 1-0 teams meeting in Week 2, and the winner basically locks up the division. Mexico humbled South Africa 2-0 in their opener, riding goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez and a home crowd that turns Estadio Akron into a wall of sound. South Korea is no pushover: they came from behind to beat Czechia 2-1, the comeback-kid type that never thinks it is out of a game.

The matchup to watch is South Korea's Son Heung-min, their captain and best player. Think of him as a true No. 1 wide receiver: fast, deadly in space, the guy you build the whole game plan around stopping. Mexico, meanwhile, plays like a high-tempo offense feeding off crowd energy, but they have a problem: defender César Montes is suspended after a red card in the opener, so they are down a starting cornerback against a receiver who punishes mistakes. The upset risk here is real. Mexico is favored at home, but South Korea has the one player on the field who can win it by himself. Watch this one.

We broke down why Mexico's home crowd is the closest thing soccer has to a 12th man, and how South Korea keeps clawing back into games, on the Game Day School YouTube channel. Watch it before kickoff so you know who to keep your eyes on.

Mexico vs. South Korea: What Time and Channel?

Mexico vs. South Korea kicks off at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on Thursday, June 18 at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico. It airs on Fox (English) and Telemundo (Spanish). Stream it on the Fox Sports app or Fubo. Check the full How-to-Watch cheat sheet for every option, or grab a streaming pass here.

What channel are today's World Cup games on?

• 12 p.m. ET — Czechia vs. South Africa: Fox / Telemundo (Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta)
• 3 p.m. ET — Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina: Fox / Telemundo (SoFi Stadium, Inglewood)
• 6 p.m. ET — Canada vs. Qatar: FS1 / Telemundo (BC Place, Vancouver)
• 9 p.m. ET — Mexico vs. South Korea: Fox / Telemundo (Estadio Akron, Guadalajara)

See the complete How-to-Watch guide or stream every game here.

New here? Start with these

Just tuning in because someone at work said Ronaldo got shut out and you want to understand why that is a big deal? Perfect timing. We explain every confusing soccer rule and moment using NFL and baseball terms over on the Game Day School YouTube channel. Subscribe before Mexico kicks off and you'll actually know what you're yelling about at 9 p.m.

• How the 2026 World Cup Works — groups, knockout rounds, and why ties actually matter
• How to Watch the 2026 World Cup — every channel and streaming option
• Yesterday's recap (June 17) — England's wild 4-2 win over Croatia and Ronaldo's frustrating draw

FAQ: World Cup June 18, 2026

What time does Mexico play today?

Mexico vs. South Korea kicks off at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on Thursday, June 18 at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico. It airs on Fox (English) and Telemundo (Spanish).

Did England win their World Cup game?

Yes. England beat Croatia 4-2 on June 17 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Harry Kane scored twice (tying Gary Lineker's England record of 10 World Cup goals), with Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford adding the others. Croatia's goals came from Martin Baturina and Petar Musa.

What channel is Canada vs. Qatar on?

Canada vs. Qatar airs on FS1 (English) and Telemundo (Spanish) at 6 p.m. ET at BC Place in Vancouver. You can also stream on the Fox Sports app or Fubo.

Did Ronaldo score against DR Congo?

No. Cristiano Ronaldo did not score as Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo on June 17 at NRG Stadium in Houston. João Neves put Portugal ahead early, but Yoane Wissa equalized before halftime to earn DR Congo the first World Cup point in their history.