15 articles
Group L is England’s group. The Three Lions face Croatia, their 2018 World Cup semi-final opponents in their opening game, which immediately gives this group a dramatic historical backdrop. Ghana provide a technically gifted mid-level challenge. Panama are organised and physical. England are heavy favourites to win the group but the Croatia opener is far
Group K is Cristiano Ronaldo’s farewell group. Portugal open against DR Congo in what will be Ronaldo’s penultimate group game before his international career ends. Colombia, one of South America’s most in-form sides provide the genuine challenge. Uzbekistan make their first World Cup appearance. DR Congo qualified through the intercontinental playoff. This group has more
Group J is Lionel Messi’s group. The defending world champions. Algeria opening against Messi in what will be one of the most emotionally charged group stage games of the entire tournament. Austria making their first World Cup appearance since 1998. And Jordan, on their World Cup debut, facing the greatest player ever to play the
Group I is the toughest group at the 2026 World Cup. The world’s number one ranked team. The most dangerous striker on the planet making his World Cup debut. One of Africa’s most powerful sides. And Iraq, returning to the World Cup for the first time in 40 years. Three games in this group will
Group H is the tournament favourites’ group. Spain, the reigning European champions and joint favourites to win the World Cup face a two-time world champion Uruguay, the Saudi Arabia side that famously beat Argentina in 2022, and Cape Verde, making their very first World Cup appearance. This is not as straightforward as the rankings suggest.
Group G is Mohamed Salah’s group. Belgium enter as clear favourites with Courtois, De Bruyne, and Lukaku. But Egypt with a fit and firing Salah could push them all the way. Iran are Asia’s most experienced World Cup nation. New Zealand are the lowest-ranked team in the tournament. This group looks straightforward on paper but
Group F is the strongest group in the tournament by average team quality according to Opta’s Power Rankings. The Netherlands ranked seventh in the world against Japan, who beat Germany and Spain in the 2022 group stage. Sweden, technically sound under their experienced setup. And Tunisia, Asia’s most experienced World Cup nation in a competitive
Group E is Germany’s group. Die Mannschaft face arguably the weakest group of any elite team in the draw, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, and Curacao. This is Germany’s tournament to lose at the group stage. But history reminds us that Germany went home in the group stage in 2018 as defending champions. Nagelsmann will not let
Group D is the USA’s group. The co-hosts play all three group games in American cities, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Kansas City in front of enormous home crowds that will create some of the loudest atmospheres of the entire tournament. Turkey bring Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz. Australia return with their 2022 quarter-final experience. Paraguay
Group C is the most colourful group at the 2026 World Cup. The five-time world champions. Africa’s 2022 semi-finalists. Scotland returning to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years. And Haiti, back at the tournament for the first time since 1974. Every game in this group has a story attached to it
Group B is the most open group at the 2026 World Cup. Italy’s elimination in the playoffs turned Group B into the weakest group in the tournament by some margin. Canada co-host at home. Switzerland are consistent and reliable. Bosnia qualified by beating Italy, one of qualifying’s great upsets. Qatar return after hosting 2022. Any
Group A opens the 2026 World Cup. Mexico host the tournament opener against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca on June 11, the same stadium where Diego Maradona scored the Hand of God and the Goal of the Century in 1986. Son Heung-min leads South Korea. Czech Republic qualified through the playoffs. South Africa return
The four teams who reach the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup will do something that only a tiny fraction of nations in football history have ever managed. They will have won five consecutive knockout matches, navigated a bracket packed with the best teams in the world, survived injuries, fatigue, penalty shootouts, and the
The 2026 World Cup is unlike any tournament that came before it. For the first time in history, 48 teams enter the competition. Twelve groups play out across three host nations. The top two from each group advance automatically, joined by the eight best third-place finishers, creating a brand new Round of 32 before the
On July 19, 2026, two teams will walk out onto the MetLife Stadium turf in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in front of a packed house and a global television audience of close to a billion people. One of them will lift the FIFA World Cup trophy. The other will be left with a runners-up medal
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