FIFA World Cup 2026

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World Cup 2026 – Group A Preview & Predictions

Mexico Preview:

Mexico, known as “El Tri,” have qualified for yet another World Cup, this time as co-hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This will be their 18th World Cup participation, with their best performances coming in 1970 and 1986, when they hosted the tournament and reached the quarter-finals on both occasions. Can they enjoy another strong run as co-hosts? 

Mexico have shown in the past how dangerous they can be on home soil at the World Cup, and this is not a team to take lightly. They are defensively sound, well organised, and appear to have strong team spirit with recent success behind them—backed, as you would expect, by incredible home support.

They are coached by Javier “El Vasco” Aguirre, who returned to the role in July 2024. This marks his third stint in charge of El Tri and brings valuable experience to the team. Aguirre has also recently lifted both the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the CONCACAF Nations League with Mexico.

It may not be the most prolific squad Mexico have ever had, but it is a solid one. Key players include Premier League striker Raúl Jiménez (Fulham), Johan Vásquez (Genoa), Santiago Giménez (AC Milan), and young talent Gilberto Mora (Tijuana).

Mexico should not be underestimated. The atmosphere will be intense, and they may also benefit from altitude conditions, which could prove to be an important factor. However, could the home pressure be too much if they do not start the tournament well?

Group A looks very open to us—perhaps the most open group of the tournament. Mexico should have a strong chance of progressing, but the opening match of the World Cup, Mexico vs South Africa on June 11th at the iconic Estadio Azteca, will be crucial in setting the tone for the rest of their tournament. 

11/6: Mexico vs South Africa – 1-0
18/6: Mexico vs South Korea – 2-1
24/6: Mexico vs Czechia  – 1-1

South Africa Preview:

South Africa are a team that has improved significantly over the past year or two. They play an entertaining, high-risk style of football under Belgian manager Hugo Broos. They won their qualifying group ahead of Nigeria, and by doing so, “Bafana Bafana” secured their place at what will be their fourth FIFA World Cup. They have never progressed beyond the group stage—can they change that this time?

We have watched South Africa a fair bit lately, particularly at the recent AFCON, where they were widely and by many tipped as a dark horse. However, their performance fell somewhat short of expectations, as they were knocked out in the Round of 16 by Cameroon.

There are high expectations surrounding this team, with fans back home expecting a lot. They possess plenty of attacking talent and pace, but defensively they are not as convincing in our view. That said, they are an attractive side to watch due to their distinctive playing style.

They certainly cannot afford to be as defensively vulnerable in this group as they have been recently—especially at AFCON—as they are facing, in our view, much stronger opposition here.

Still, they are a fun team to watch, but will they take the same level of risks at the World Cup as we have seen in recent times?

Most of their players are locally based, primarily with South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who have won the league eight years in a row. We also saw them at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, where they were competitive against both Dortmund and Fluminense.

On their day, they can cause problems for any team in this group, but we believe they will likely be battling with South Korea for third place.

11/6: South Africa vs Mexico – 0-1
18/6: South Africa vs Czechia  – 0-2
24/6: South Africa vs South Korea – 2-2

South Korea Preview

South Korea are widely considered one of the strongest teams in Asia, alongside Japan. They will be making their 12th World Cup appearance, with their best performance coming in 2002, when they finished fourth on home soil. Can their star player and captain, Son Heung-min, lead them on a deep run in what is likely to be his final appearance on the biggest international stage?

They qualified with ease, going unbeaten across 16 matches over two rounds. Similar to South Africa, they appear stronger going forward than defensively. This is a team with plenty of attacking potential, featuring players such as Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolves), and Lee Kang-in (PSG), alongside their previously mentioned key man Son Heung-min (Los Angeles FC) 

Since July 2024, they have been coached by Hong Myung-bo, a legendary figure in South Korean football. He captained the 2002 side to their fourth-place finish and was also awarded a place among the best players of the tournament. 

There has, however, been notable criticism of both the manager and the federation domestically, despite their excellent qualification campaign. Could this unrest have an impact on the team during the World Cup?

We've seen some pundits labelled South Korea as a potential dark horse for the tournament, but we are not convinced. In our view, there are stronger candidates for that tag. The current tension surrounding the manager and federation could negatively affect the team, and we also feel they may lack the physicality required to go deep into the tournament.

11/6: South Korea vs Czechia – 1-1
18/6: South Korea vs Mexico– 1-2
24/6: South Korea vs South Africa – 2-2

Czechia Preview: 

Czechia—or the Czech Republic, if you will—qualified for their 2nd FIFA World Cup (10th if you include former Czechoslovakia) in dramatic fashion. They reached the playoffs after finishing runners-up in UEFA Group L, six points behind Croatia, before knocking out both Ireland and Denmark on penalties in the semifinal and final, respectively.

Their squad in those playoff matches featured mainly players from the domestic Czech First League, along with a few based abroad in top European leagues, such as goalkeeper Kovář (PSV), Vitík (Bologna), captain Krejčí (Wolves), Souček (West Ham), and Schick (Bayer Leverkusen).

This will be their first World Cup in 20 years, and coach Miroslav Koubek has done a phenomenal job guiding them to North America. It may not be the most spectacular squad in terms of star power, but it is a solid and well-organized unit—a physical team built on determination and togetherness.

They may lack consistency at times. While they showed quality in the playoff matches, they have also suffered defeats to Georgia and the Faroe Islands in relatively recent years. Still, they are absolutely a dangerous team on their day, something they clearly demonstrated during the World Cup playoffs against both Ireland & Denmark.

This group looks difficult to predict. In our view, any team could progress, but Czechia should have reason to be fairly satisfied with the draw.

11/6: Czechia vs South Korea – 1-1
18/6: Czechia vs South Africa – 2-0
24/6: Czechia vs Mexico – 1-1

World Cup - Group A Predictions: 

Group A is a tough group, that’s for sure—mainly because it looks very open, with no clearly weak side. We do think Mexico have an advantage as co-hosts, with strong home support and, importantly, the altitude factor. The Estadio Azteca, where they are set to play two of their matches, sits at around 2,240m (7,350 ft) above sea level, which could have a significant impact. Czechia feel a bit more organized than the other two teams, and we think they could edge it as runners-up behind Mexico, a Mexico who are around even money to win the group at the time of writing. The only outright pick we would be interested in at this stage from Group A. 

1.  Mexico 7 points

2.  Czechia 5 points

3.  South Korea 2 points

4.  South Africa 1 point

World Cup 2026 – Group C Preview & Predictions 

Brazil Preview: 

Under new manager Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil enter the tournament with renewed optimism. A Brazil that has gone through a lot in the last couple of decades or so.  But Ancelotti is a top, top manager and we have a feeling people still sleeps a fair bit on this Brazil! We've even heard pundits describe them lately as 'very average' 

Qualification for the Seleção was not entirely smooth. Brazil finished 5th in the CONMEBOL qualification table, comfortably enough to reach the tournament but after a difficult start that saw them lose four of their first eight matches. Former coach Dorival Junior was dismissed following a humiliating 4–1 defeat against Argentina.

The appointment of Ancelotti marked quite a historic moment as he became Brazil’s first foreign head coach. Known for his exceptional man-management and tactical flexibility, he inherits a squad filled with world-class talent and great depth. Ederson, Alison, Marquinhos,  Magalhães, Militão, Guimarães, Vini Jr, Raphinha, Endrick, just to name a few.

Key players of the above include Vinícius Júnior, Éder Militão, Casemiro and Endrick, several of whom previously worked with Ancelotti at Real Madrid. 

Brazil have a really strong side on paper and to us they are definitely challengers to win their first World Cup since 2002. they will also be heavily supported in the stands and if Ancelotti's men can build up some momentum, watch out!

13/6: Brazil vs Morocco – 2–1
19/6: Brazil vs Haiti – 4–0
24/6: Brazil vs Scotland – 1–0

Morocco Preview:

Morocco, known as the Atlas Lions, have captured the imagination of football fans worldwide in recent years.

Their incredible run to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup made them the first African nation ever to reach that stage of the tournament. Qualification for 2026 was dominant, with Morocco winning all 8 of their matches with a goal difference of 22–2.

However, the team recently parted ways with head coach Walid Regragui, who guided Morocco to the 2022 World Cup semi-final and the AFCON final earlier this year (later awarded the trophy after controversy regarding Senegal)

His successor Mohamed Quahbi arrives with promise after leading Morocco’s Under-20 team to a youth World Cup title back in October. Still, replacing Regragui will be a significant challenge. Big shoes to fill!

Morocco’s squad remains packed with top-level talent, led by captain Achraf Hakimi (PSG) and players such as Noussair Mazraoui (Man Utd), Sofyan Amrabat (Real Betis), Ismael Saibari (PSV), Brahim Diaz (Real Madrid) and Bilal El Khannouss (Stuttgart)

We believe Morocco will be competitive in this group, but repeating their historic 2022 run will be extremely difficult.

13/6: Morocco vs Brazil – 1–2
19/6: Morocco vs Scotland – 1–1
24/6: Morocco vs Haiti – 3–1

Scotland Preview

After 28 long years, Scotland finally return to the World Cup.

Scotland topped a difficult qualification group containing Denmark and Greece, securing qualification with a dramatic must-win victory over Denmark in Glasgow, and a couple of incredible goals!

Historically, Scotland have struggled at World Cups. In eight previous appearances, they have never progressed beyond the group stage. But they have a real chance of doing so now. 

Manager Steve Clarke has built a disciplined and physical team, supported by several high-quality players including Napoli's Scott McTominay.

There is genuine belief and unity within the squad, and Scotland could prove to be difficult opponents for both Morocco and Brazil.

The key match in this group could be Scotland vs Morocco in Boston on June 19, which very likley will decide which team will be in a better position for qualification.

13/6: Scotland vs Haiti – 1–0
19/6: Scotland vs Morocco – 1–1
24/6: Scotland vs Brazil – 0–1

Haiti Preview: 

Haiti Grenadye, alaso! The spirited Haitian Creole rallying cry meaning "Warriors, let's go!" or "Attack! It has become almost a slogan for the Haitian national football team who has qualified for their second ever World Cup, the first in over 50 years! What a fantastic moment for Haiti as a nation, a troubled nation which will have something incredible to look forward to this summer. 

However, It's safe to say they are really up against it here in a really tough group, They have a couple of players in higher leagues and well known clubs. For example Wolves midfielder Bellegarde & AJ Auxerre's Josué Casimir & Sunderland forward Wilson Isodor who recently switched international allegiance to now represent Haiti. 

They are coached by a 52-year old Frenchman, Sebastien Migne with merits for example from various african teams such as Cameroon (assistant) Kenya & Congo. 

Tough, tough for Haiti here and anything but a 4th place in the group would be a huge surprise to most people, not only us. But having said that, they've got nothing to lose and maybe they can score a goal or two? 

13/6: Haiti v Scotland 0-1

19/6: Haiti v Brazil 0-4

24/6: Haiti v Morocco 1-3

World Cup - Group C Predictions: 

Ancelotti’s Seleção are, rightly so, the big favourites in this group. However, their opener against Morocco not only looks like a cracking match but also a potential banana skin for Brazil. This game could very well set the tone for Brazil’s entire tournament. That said, we still expect Brazil to win the group fairly comfortably. Morocco and Scotland will likely battle it out for second place, and it may ultimately come down to which team can score more goals against Haiti. 

Brazil are as short as 1.15–1.30 to win this group, so there’s obviously value at those prices. It’s not entirely unlikely that a capable Morocco side could pull off a shock against Brazil in the opening match, and the brave punter might then consider Morocco to win the group, currently priced around 6.00–7.00 at the time of writing. A straight forecast could also be of interest—Morocco 1st / Brazil 2nd, which at the time of writing is available at around 8.00–10.00, might be worth a look as well.

1. Brazil 9 points 

2. Morocco 4 points 

3. Scotland 4 points 

4. Haiti 0 points 

World Cup 2026 – Group E Preview & Predictions

Germany Preview: 

Four-time World Cup winners Germany were actually a little bit in trouble during qualification and were not entirely convincing. The German national team have faced a lot of criticism in recent years, and their performances have definitely been sub-par for a nation of their stature. They’ve underperformed in all major tournaments since 2018.

However, you can never count the Germans out.

They have an excellent coach in Julian Nagelsmann, who will be very keen to ensure Germany finally deliver in a major tournament again. There is undoubtedly plenty of talent and experience in Die Mannschaft. Players such as Musiala (Bayern), Kimmich (Bayern), Pavlovic (Bayern), Wirtz (Liverpool), Ouédraogo (Leipzig), and Rudiger (Real Madrid) provide a very nice blend of youth and experience.

Germany are a high-pressing, technically gifted side, but they will be up against very strong defences here in Ivory Coast and, in particular, Ecuador. Still, they should have the individual quality to unlock those defences — though it might not be easy at all.

So how do we rate this Germany team? They have underperformed for quite a while now, but as mentioned earlier, it would be a mistake to count them out. After all, they do have a very strong World Cup pedigree and a strong squad although defensively they've looked shaky at times.

This is not an easy group for them and we can certainly see both Ecuador and Ivory Coast frustrating them. But Germany should advance from this group. Otherwise it would be a huge fiasco, and Julian might have to start looking for a new job.

Can they win the World Cup? They are currently around 7th favourites, priced roughly between 13.00 and 15.00.

Gary Lineker once said:

"Football is a simple game: 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win."

Well… not so much lately, Gary. But we still believe Germany should be considered capable of making a deeper run in this tournament.

14/6: Germany v Curaçao – 5-0
20/6: Germany v Ivory Coast – 2-1
25/6: Germany v Ecuador – 0-0

Curaçao Preview:

Curaçao – “The Blue Wave” – what a story this is. The smallest nation ever to qualify for a World Cup, with just 185,000 inhabitants.

And they did it in impressive fashion too, going through qualification unbeaten, winning seven matches and drawing three across two phases.

It’s safe to say the tiny Caribbean island of Curaçao will come to a complete standstill when they take on Germany, Ecuador, and Ivory Coast this summer.

Most of their players are based in the Netherlands. Jürgen Locadia is probably one of the more recognisable names, having enjoyed a long career at PSV Eindhoven. Leandro Bacuna is another player with a strong CV, with more than 100 appearances for Aston Villa during his years in English football.

They previously had a very experienced coach in Dick Advocaat, who has enjoyed an incredibly long managerial career — this was actually his 28th managerial job. However, he left the role in February this year for personal reasons. What a job he did, taking Curaçao to their first ever World Cup 👏🏻

His replacement is another Dutch manager, Fred Rutten, who has solid experience managing big Dutch clubs such as PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord. He has stated he will continue with the approach that led Curaçao to the World Cup: a Dutch-inspired 4-3-3 system, which suits the squad well given that many players were developed in the Netherlands.

So what expectations can we have for this tiny World Cup debutant?

Anything other than fourth place in this group would be a major success. But they have absolutely nothing to lose, and after all they do have well-educated and well-trained players from the Dutch football school.

Germany will of course be extremely tough in the opening round, but Ecuador and Ivory Coast will need to stay alert from the start.

14/6: Curaçao v Germany – 0-5
20/6: Curaçao vs Ecuador – 0-1
25/6: Curaçao vs Ivory Coast – 1-3

Ivory Coast Preview

Ivory Coast – “Les Éléphants” – are one of Africa’s strongest national teams and will be participating in their fourth World Cup. 

But can they finally break the group-stage barrier? That is something they have failed to do in their previous World Cups in 2006, 2010, and 2014.

Just like Ecuador, they are extremely solid defensively — possibly one of the best defensive sides in Africa. At the back we can mention players such as Diomande (Sporting), Ndicka (Roma), and Kossounou (Atalanta). In midfield and attack, names like Kessié (Al-Ahli), Sangaré (Nottingham Forest), and Diallo (Manchester United) are well known to the wider football audience.

They qualified for the World Cup undefeated, not conceding a single goal in ten matches. At the most recent AFCON they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Egypt, which was somewhat disappointing after winning the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations.

It should be noted, however, that they showed slightly more attacking intent in that tournament than we are used to seeing from them.

Ivory Coast have a squad with a very nice balance between youth and experience. They are very strong defensively but still seem to lack that pure goal-scoring striker — a Drogba-type figure, if you will.

However, with attacking players such as Diomande, Touré, Konaté, Guessand, and Diallo there is definitely potential.

14/6: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador– 0-0
20/6: Ivory Coast vs Germany – 1-2
25/6: Ivory Coast vs Curaçao – 3-1

Ecuador Preview: 

Ecuador – “La Tri” – arrive at this World Cup following a very solid qualifying campaign. This is a dangerous team and one that should not be underestimated. With their unique playing style, they could very well become one of the surprise packages of the tournament.

Under charismatic coach Sebastián Beccacece, Ecuador play a very intense, physical style built around rapid transitions and defensive organisation.

They conceded just five goals in 18 matches during CONMEBOL qualification — extremely impressive. Eight of those matches ended in 0-0 draws, which also highlights their defensive strength.

However, they only scored 14 goals in those 18 matches, which clearly shows where their main weakness lies. Ecuador are a very consistent side with a clear identity. Their defensive system is compact, physical, and built around athleticism and quick transitions.

It’s a fairly young squad, but one packed with top talent and growing experience. Players such as Pacho (PSG), Hincapié (Arsenal), Estupiñán (AC Milan), and Caicedo (Chelsea) make up a defence line that is ridiculously strong.

Could this be a golden generation for Ecuador? They are without doubt one of the best defensive teams in world football right now. The question is whether they can prove it on the biggest stage.

Going forward they can be a little toothless, and that is something they must improve if they want to go far in this tournament.

Still, we really like this Ecuador team. It will not be easy to score against them. Just remember what Greece achieved with a rock-solid defence at Euro 2004. One of the dark horses of the tournament? Possibly. We certainly wouldn’t rule them out from making a deeper run.

14/6: Ecuador vs Ivory Coast– 0-0

20/6: Ecuador vs Curaçao  – 1-0

25/6: Ecuador vs Germany – 0-0

World Cup - Group E Predictions: 

Germany should be the clear favourites to win the group based on their experience and the quality of their squad, which combines talent with tournament pedigree. However, they are facing some very tough and physical opponents here — teams that know how to defend properly. 

We could easily see several low-scoring matches in this group. We also would not rule out Ecuador finishing above Germany and winning the group. And Curaçao? Well, they have nothing to lose — but realistically they are likely to finish bottom.

This looks like a goal-shy group, with plenty of potential for unders and BTTS – No. As mentioned in the preview, we can see several low-scoring matches in this group, In terms of outright betting, Germany are short to win what is still a fairly tough group, currently priced at around 1.30, and we see no value in that whatsoever. However, as mentioned earlier, a dangerous Ecuador side could take top spot. They are currently available at around 5.00, which may be worth having a closer look at.

1. Germany 7 points 

2. Ecuador 5 points 

3. Ivory Coast 4 points 

4. Curaçao  0 points 

World Cup 2026 – Group G Preview & Predictions

Belgium Preview: 

Belgium, “The Red Devils”, have long been considered one of the most talented teams in Europe. However, their “Golden Generation” has failed to deliver when it has mattered most, despite boasting players such as Hazard and Kompany, as well as current stars like Lukaku and De Bruyne, just to name a few. What expectations can we have for this Belgium side?

They had to wait until the final qualifying round to secure their place at the World Cup, and there were a few hiccups along the way—such as drawing against North Macedonia both home and away. However, they still won the group undefeated. In fact, it has been a decade since they last lost a World Cup or European Championship qualifier.

This will be their 15th World Cup appearance, with their bronze medal in Russia 2018 standing as their greatest achievement.

French coach Rudi Garcia has been in charge of Belgium since January 2025. He prefers a possession-based style with quick transitions, combined with strong technical and tactical discipline.

The squad has plenty of talent and experience. We’ve already mentioned De Bruyne and Lukaku (both Napoli), but there are also players like Courtois (Real Madrid), Tielemans (Aston Villa), Trossard (Arsenal), and Doku (Manchester City). 

While they are excellent going forward, we believe they look less convincing defensively. That said, Courtois—who previously refused to play under former manager Tedesco—is undoubtedly one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Still, Belgium showed some defensive vulnerabilities during qualification.

There is no doubt this Belgium side has plenty of talent, and they cannot be underestimated—especially with one of the world’s best goalkeepers back in the team. They should get out of this group fairly easily, but a deep run in the tournament looks unlikely.

15/6: Belgium vs Egypt– 1-1
21/6: Belgium vs Iran– 2-0
26/6: Belgium vs New Zealand– 3-1

Egypt Preview:

Mo’s last dance on the big international stage? Possibly. Egypt reached their fourth-ever World Cup in unbeaten fashion, winning eight and drawing two in the African qualifiers.

Egypt do not have a strong World Cup pedigree. Despite being one of Africa’s biggest football nations, they have participated in the tournament fewer times than one might expect—and they have never actually won a match at the World Cup. Can they change that this time?

They come into the tournament off the back of a solid AFCON campaign, reaching the semi-finals, where they were eliminated by Senegal, before losing the third-place match to Nigeria on penalties.

Egypt usually line up in a 4-3-3 under former legendary striker Hossam Hassan, who has been in charge since February 2024.

Liverpool’s Salah and Manchester City’s Marmoush lead the attacking line, supported mainly by domestic-based players from the Egyptian league. 

Apart from those two, there are not many standout stars, but this is a fairly solid and well-organised unit that knows each other very well.

So, will “The Pharaohs” finally win a match at the World Cup? Group G looks like a tricky one, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see a few upsets along the way in this group.

15/6: Egypt vs Belgium– 1-1
21/6: Egypt vs New Zealand– 1-1
26/6: Egypt vs Iran– 1-0

Iran Preview

Iran, “Team Melli”, will be participating in their seventh World Cup, but they have never progressed beyond the group stage. They qualified for the tournament fairly comfortably, although it was not entirely straightforward at all times. In the end, they secured qualification with a couple of matches to spare.

This is an aging squad that appears to have its best years behind it. They showed good form and determination at the 2022 World Cup, but with everything currently going on in and around Iran, it is difficult to know what to expect from this team.

Most of their players are based in the domestic Iranian league, and their main international star at the moment is former Inter and Porto forward Mehdi Taremi, now playing for Greek side Olympiacos. Taremi turns 34 the day before the World Cup final—will he have something to celebrate? It would be a huge shock, to say the least.

This looks like a weaker Iranian side compared to the 2022 edition, and especially the 2018 team, which impressed and looked very good against Portugal, Spain, and Morocco.

There have also been discussions about potentially moving their matches from the US to Mexico due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East at the time of writing, creating further uncertainty around the team.

How focused will the players be? Could the current situation provide extra motivation? There are quite a few uncertainties and question marks surrounding Iran at the moment

15/6: Iran vs New Zealand– 0-1
21/6: Iran vs Belgium– 0-2
26/6: Iran vs Egypt– 0-1

New Zealand Preview: 

New Zealand, “The All Whites”, are heading into their third-ever World Cup, and—just like Egypt—they have never won a match at the tournament. Surely one of these sides must break that unwanted record now?

I remember watching them at the 2010 World Cup and how difficult they were to break down: a 1–1 draw with Italy, 0–0 against Paraguay, and 1–1 versus Slovakia. They were a tough, physical side then—and they remain exactly so today as well.

On paper, this could be one of the best New Zealand teams of all time, with their star player being Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood.

They have a strong fighting spirit and a real sense of togetherness that could help them compete in this group. Their approach will likely focus on defensive organisation, set pieces, and hitting teams on the counter-attack.

They also possess plenty of aerial threat, especially with Wood leading the line. They will be difficult to beat—once again.

Will they make it out of the group? Why not? It’s certainly an unpredictable group, and not the strongest on paper.

15/6: New Zealand v Iran 1-0

21/6: New Zealand v Egypt - 1-1

26/6: New Zealand v Belgium - 1-3

World Cup - Group G Predictions: 

This is quite a tough group to call, and as previously mentioned, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a few upsets. However, Belgium should be happy with this draw. Egypt and New Zealand are likely to battle it out for second place. As for Iran, there are simply too many uncertainties surrounding them at the moment—their form hasn’t been the best, and the squad looks weaker than in previous World Cups. Aside from the matches involving Belgium, we could see quite a few low-scoring matches in this group.

We feel this is quite an unpredictable group, and a few surprises wouldn’t shock us, and a few low scoring matches. In terms of outright betting, Belgium are clear favourites to win the group at around 1.35–1.40, but Egypt, priced at 5.50–6.00 offer better value. New Zealand? They are currently around 2.40–2.80 to advance, and we wouldn’t rule it out—most likely as one of the best third-placed teams.

1. Belgium 7 points 

2. Egypt 5 points 

3. New Zealand 4 points 

4. Iran 0  points 

World Cup 2026 – Group I Preview & Predictions

France Preview: 

The French national team, "Les Bleus," needs no further introduction. The two-time World Cup champions will once again be among the favorites for the title this summer, in what will be their 17th World Cup participation.

The talent, depth, and experience in this squad are second to none, and their World Cup pedigree is extremely strong.

France qualified with ease, winning UEFA Group D and finishing 6 points ahead of Ukraine. They are coached by Didier Deschamps, a position he has held for 14 years, winning both the 2018 World Cup and the 2020–21 Nations League.

However, this will be Deschamps’ last tournament with France, as he is expected to step down after the World Cup, with strong rumors suggesting that Zinedine Zidane could be his replacement.

The squad is simply terrific: Mbappé (Real Madrid), Dembélé (PSG), Saliba (Arsenal), Barcola (PSG), Koundé (Barcelona), Ekitike (Liverpool), Olise (Bayern Munich), Tchouaméni and Camavinga (both Real Madrid), and the list goes on. 

However, we do think they are stronger offensively than defensively. Konaté has not had a great season with Liverpool so far, and Upamecano has always felt a bit shaky to us—just to name a couple of question marks.

But there is no doubt—France is firmly in the mix to win their third FIFA World Cup. That said, this is not an easy group, and they will need to be sharp from the very start.

16/6: France vs Senegal – 2-1
22/6: France vs Iraq– 5-0
26/6: France vs Norway – 2-2

Senegal Preview:

Senegal, the 2025 AFCON Champions—or are they? Either way, this is without a doubt one of the strongest teams on the African continent. This will be their 4th-ever World Cup, with their best performance coming in 2002, when they reached the quarterfinals. How far can the “Lions of Teranga” go this time?

They qualified undefeated in 10 matches, scoring 22 goals and conceding just 3. However, it was a tight race with DR Congo, and they only secured their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the final round of qualification.

All in all, this is a solid team with plenty of players with top experience, competing in the top European leagues and for major clubs. Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr), Nicolas Jackson (Bayern), Iliman Ndiaye (Marseille), and Krépin Diatta (Monaco) are just a few names worth mentioning.

Senegal definitely has the potential to make a similar run to 2002, but it won’t be easy. It has been a somewhat turbulent few months following controversy around AFCON, and this is one of the tougher and more competitive groups in the tournament.

16/6: Senegal vs France – 1-2
22/6: Senegal vs Norway – 2-0
26/6: Senegal vs Iraq – 3-0

Iraq Preview

Iraq, the “Lions of Mesopotamia,” became the 48th and final team to qualify for this summer’s World Cup when they defeated Bolivia 2–1 in the inter-confederation playoff final. A great achievement—but they could certainly have asked for an easier group. This is tough.

This will be only their second World Cup appearance, after first participating in Mexico 1986. They will be highly motivated coming into this tournament against some very strong opponents, and if they can pick up even a point, they will have done very well.

It’s a mixed squad, with many players based in the domestic Iraq Stars League, alongside a few playing abroad, such as Doski (Viktoria Plzeň), Iqbal (Utrecht), Faraj (Venezia), and Al-Hamadi (Luton), to name a few.

Since May last year, they have been coached by Australian Graham Arnold, who was previously in charge of the Australian national team for six years between 2018 and 2024. They have absolutely nothing to lose in this group—and perhaps that’s what could make them dangerous.

It’s a country of more than 45 million people who are passionate about football. The game in Iraq is improving and growing, but surely the challenge ahead of them this summer is simply too big?

16/6: Iraq vs Norway – 0-3
22/6: Iraq vs France – 0-5
26/6: Iraq vs Senegal – 0-3

Norway Preview: 

Norway is one of the most talked-about teams at this World Cup—and rightly so. This is a Norwegian golden generation. They impressed in the qualifiers, winning 8 out of 8 matches, including convincing victories over Italy—twice. Impressive all around.

This will be Norway’s 4th World Cup participation, with their best performances being two Round of 16 appearances (1938 and 1998). Now, many people and pundits are talking them up as a major dark horse of the tournament. At the time of writing, the odds are around 30.00 for them to win the World Cup; a year ago, they were closer to 80.00.

They don’t have a particularly strong World Cup pedigree, and this is a very tough group. However, with generational talent such as Haaland (Manchester City), Ødegaard (Arsenal), Ryerson (Borussia Dortmund), Schjelderup (Benfica), and Sørloth (Atlético Madrid), they have players performing at the highest level for top clubs. It’s easy to see why many believe Norway could do well in this tournament.

Aside from Norway’s excellent qualifying campaign, there is also strong momentum in Norwegian football right now, with Bodø/Glimt’s sensational run in the UEFA Champions League this season—something that should not be underestimated.  Success breeds success they say!

However, there are a few question marks around the team. Haaland hasn’t had his best season, and captain Ødegaard has struggled with injuries, for example. So not all perfect conditions for this Norway side. 

However, Norway can definitely cause some damage in this World Cup. The question is: can they improve on their best-ever performance and go beyond the Round of 16?

This is a very tough group, and their first match against Iraq will be crucial. It’s a must-win game, with two tougher matches coming up after that.

16/6: Norway vs Iraq – 3-0
22/6: Norway vs Senegal – 0-2
26/6: Norway vs France – 2-2

World Cup - Group I Predictions: 

What a fantastic group this is — we should have some amazing matches to look forward to. Mbappé vs. Haaland is a very juicy matchup, and we can add Mané into the mix as well. Yeah, a tremendous group. France, with their enormous depth and star power, should win the group, and we actually think Senegal will edge Norway for second place. Not by much — it might be very tight. We do feel a bit worried about Norway’s injuries this season to important players, and Haaland hasn’t really been himself. Senegal is a very athletic team, and we can see them giving Norway a real tough match, both in their match and in the group.  Iraq? Well done and good luck guys, but this obviously looks mega tough. 

France obviously clear favorites to win the group at around 1.40-1.50 but that looks quite short to us. We are then much more tempted by Senegal to win the group which is currently being laid around 8.00-9.00.

1.  France 7 points

2. Senegal 6 points

3. Norway 4 points

4. Iraq 0 points

World Cup 2026 – Group K Preview & Predictions

Portugal Preview: 

Portugal, "Seleção das Quinas" (referring to the five blue shields on their flag), will be making their 8th World Cup appearance. Interestingly, they had only participated in two World Cups prior to 2002 (1966 and 1986). Since then, they have qualified for multiple consecutive tournaments, with their best performance being a 4th-place finish in 2006.

They dropped a few points during qualification, but their place in this summer’s World Cup was never really in doubt. When they thrashed Armenia 9–1 at home in the final round, their participation was confirmed.

On paper, this is a very strong team. It’s easy to understand why many people and pundits believe they can make a deep run in the 2026 World Cup. Solid from goalkeeper to striker: Diogo Costa (Porto), Rúben Dias (Manchester City), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), João Neves and Vitinha (PSG), Pedro Neto (Chelsea), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), and one of our favorites, Rodrigo Mora (Porto). And of course, Cristiano Ronaldo, still going strong at 41 years of age.

They are coached by Roberto Martínez, who has led them to strong performances in recent competitions. Martínez is tactically versatile, often setting his team up in different formations depending on the opponent.

Looking at their matches since 2024, they have only kept 8 clean sheets in 27 matches and have conceded multiple goals on several occasions, suggesting they can be a bit vulnerable defensively.

Although we have tremendous respect for everything Cristiano has achieved in the game, we don’t think a team with ambitions to win the World Cup can be too reliant on a soon-to-be 42-year-old. This, combined with their defensive vulnerabilities, makes us believe they are not among the top contenders for the title this summer. A deep run? Possibly. But to win it—we have our doubts.

Portugal have also stated their desire to win the World Cup in honor of Diogo Jota, who tragically passed away alongside his brother in a car accident last year. It would be a very special story if they were to achieve that.

17/6: Portugal v DR Kongo – 1-0
23/6: Portugal v Uzbekistan – 3-0
27/6: Portugal v Colombia – 2-3

DR Kongo Preview:

DR Congo knocked out Jamaica in the inter-confederation playoff final to reach their 2nd World Cup. Their first appearance came in 1974, when they competed as Zaire in West Germany. Back then, they lost all three group-stage matches without scoring a goal and conceded 14.

DR Congo may not be the most well-known African team among the wider public, but this is not a side to take lightly. Although they have a thin World Cup pedigree, they were highly regarded heading into the latest AFCON, where they performed strongly before being eliminated by Algeria in extra time in the Round of 16.

DR Congo, the “Les Léopards,” has improved significantly over the past decade, with a good mix of experience and talent. They are a solid, physical, and disciplined defensive side, with key striker Yoane Wissa (Newcastle) now back in the squad after missing AFCON. 

Add players such as captain Chancel Mbemba (Lille), Arthur Masuaku (Lens), Axel Tuanzebe (Burnley), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham), and Cédric Bakambu (Real Betis), and this is definitely a team that should not be underestimated.

They are coached by Frenchman Sébastien Desabre, who has done an excellent job since taking over in 2022. This is a squad full of resilient players who don’t give an inch—a collective unit that could very well frustrate the big favorites Portugal and Colombia in what looks like a tricky Group K.

17/6: DR Kongo  v Portugal – 0-1
23/6: DR Kongo v Colombia – 1-1
27/6: DR Kongo v Uzbekistan – 2-1

Uzbekistan Preview

Coached by Italian legend and World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro, Uzbekistan will be making their World Cup debut 👏🏻 Can the “Oq boʻrilar” (White Wolves) surprise a few this summer?

Believe it or not, we’ve followed this team for a while now, and especially at home they have been strong—delivering solid, disciplined performances, often grinding out tight 1–0 victories. However, we can’t see too many clean sheets for them in this very, very tough group.

That said, they should not be underestimated—they are better than most people think. Well coached by Cannavaro, and with recognizable players such as Abdukodir Khusanov (Manchester City) and Eldor Shomurodov (İstanbul Başakşehir, formerly Roma), they do have some quality. Beyond those names, most of the squad is based in the Uzbekistan Super League.

In the past year, they have recorded notable wins against teams like Iran, Egypt, and Venezuela. However, they have been quite unlucky to be drawn into such a difficult group.

Uzbekistan has done an excellent job at youth level, with impressive infrastructure and development systems in place. Reaching their first-ever World Cup is already a superb achievement. Qualifying from this group, however, will be extremely difficult—but we are sure they will make their country proud.

17/6: Uzbekistan v Colombia – 0-2
23/6: Uzbekistan v Portugal – 0-3
27/6: Uzbekistan v DR Kongo – 1-2

Colombia Preview: 

Colombia, “Los Cafeteros” (The Coffee Growers), is one of the “smaller” South American teams we believe could cause some real disruption this summer. This will be their 7th World Cup, and while they’ve never gone very deep in the tournament, their quarterfinal finish in 2014 remains their best performance to date.

They impressed during qualification, recording wins over both Brazil and Argentina, as well as securing a draw away to Argentina. They were also unlucky to lose 2–1 away to Brazil, conceding in the 90+9 minute. Many of their matches during the qualification phase were high-scoring, with goals at both ends.

The squad is filled with experience and talent: Luis Díaz (Bayern Munich), Mateus Uribe (Atlético Nacional), Daniel Muñoz (Crystal Palace), Jhon Lucumí (Bologna), Yerson Mosquera (Wolves), Richard Ríos (Palmeiras), James Rodríguez (Minnesota), Juan Quintero (River Plate), and Jhon Arias (Palmeiras), to name a few key players.

They are coached by Néstor Lorenzo, who has been in charge since 2022. Under his leadership, Colombia reached the 2024 Copa América final and went on an impressive 28-match unbeaten run, which ended with a 1–0 loss to Argentina in that final.

We definitely place them in the dark horse category—a very effective team that has proven it can compete with the best in the world. Luis Díaz is, of course, a key player and has been outstanding for Bayern this season.

It will be an exciting match between Colombia and Portugal in Miami on June 27th, and Colombia will likely have strong support from both local and traveling fans in this tournament. 

We can see Colombia causing a few upsets this summer and potentially making a deep run. They cannot be underestimated!

17/6: Colombia v Uzbekistan – 2-0
23/6: Colombia v DR Kongo – 1-1
27/6: Colombia  v Portugal – 3-2

World Cup - Group K Predictions: 

 We think this is a tougher group than it might look on paper. Ronaldo’s Portugal are the favourites, but watch out for Colombia—a very good side that can definitely match them on their day. Plus, Colombian fans in Miami are sure to turn out in big numbers for this match. We stick our chin here and say “Los Cafeteros” could win the group. DR Congo are no mugs—a solid, disciplined defensive unit and better than most people think. Uzbekistan are also stronger than many expect, but mostly at home. We can see them struggling in this group against some very tough opponents. Cannavaro will need to pull a big rabbit out of the Italian hat! 

 Ronaldo’s Portugal are priced at around 1.40–1.50 to win the group, which we feel is slightly too short. As highlighted in our preview, Colombia could pose a real threat, and we see value in backing them to win the group at odds of 3.50–3.80. 

1.  Colombia 7 points

2. Portugal 6 points

3.  DR Kongo 4 points

4.  Uzbekistan 0 points