Germany opens tournament with 7-1 win over Curacao

In the first round of the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Germany made a striking start to the tournament. In a Group E match, the Germans secured 7-1 win over Curacao, leaving their opponents little chance.

Throughout the match, Germany played productive, attacking football. The lopsided win put them at the top of Group E. Curacao, appearing in the World Cup finals for the first time, managed to score its first-ever goal at the tournament, though it did little to change the overall picture of the match. This was Germany’s second-largest World Cup win in history; the largest came in 2002, also in the opening round, when Germany routed Saudi Arabia 8-0.

The other Group E match, Côte d’Ivoire against Ecuador, was scheduled for 3:00 a.m. Yerevan time. After the game, Curacao fans shared their impressions with Alpha News. Asked how they felt going in, knowing Germany’s strength but still hoping for a good match, one fan said “yes, it’s a pity that we lost, but we’re still in the tournament. Next week we will play against Ecuador, and maybe everything will be better than today. But today we played against four-time world champions, which means that the match was very difficult. However, this is the first World Cup for Curacao, and we are happy. Although we lost, we scored a goal, and this is very important for us, we celebrate it.”

Another fan said he was glad to have been at the match and had a great time, noting that Curacao’s first-ever World Cup goal was, for him, reason enough to feel like they’d won. A third fan said the overall experience had been excellent, expressed confidence in his team, and said they intended to win the tournament this year.

Reflecting on what it meant to witness Curaçao’s first-ever World Cup match, one spectator said “I must admit, it was wonderful, I was able to take my child with me to witness this historic moment. The smallest country that has ever participated in the world’s largest sporting event, the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has entered the field, and we have witnessed this first stage. I don’t know how to describe these feelings. This trip cost some money, but the experience gained is really priceless.”

After the match, fans were unanimous in saying they were glad to have been there and had a wonderful time.

“For the first time in the World Cup, we at least scored a goal. Despite the defeat, this is a real holiday for Curacao, and Germany can only be congratulated on a confident victory,” the fans said.