FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Predictions

You'd expect the big hitters to top most groups. Japan have a decent chance of topping Group F and if Argentina are going struggle a bit like some think they are, Austria might pip them to top spot on Group J.

Austria were really good at Euro 2024 in a group with France and the Netherlands and they had quite a few big injuries at the time. Their squad looks stronger to me this time.

The annoying thing about the new format is we're probably not going to get many shock group stage exits. At least not in terms of big names.

 

The obsession with new formats where the group stage effectively functions as a seeding round is getting out of hand. The Euro's is 24/32 going through, world cup is now 32/48, champions league is 24/36....

Everything is about increasing the amount of games played in a tournament with zero concern as to the impact on wider quality or interest. I wouldn't even mind them using that Swiss format if they had it as the top 16/48 going through. It'd at least create interest from the start.

 

I can see a slight shock in only one group. France Senegal Norway. No one in that group is guaranteed to finish top

 

Agreed. The group stage effectively functions as a warmup for the KO stages rather than qualifying rounds with real jeopardy.

 

Nevertheless, teams can make their future tournament a hell of a lot more easy or difficult, by doing well or messing up the group stage, even if they qualify. That is getting into a group position where you have easier opponents in the next rounds. For example, in Englands case if they lose the group victory to Croatia, we will probably face Portugal or Colombia next, and then probably Spain in the round of 16. If England win the group and 3rd placed team in group K qualify, then they will be Englands opponent. That's Uzbekistan or DR Congo.

So I say there is something at risk here.

A good example is the mess up of 2010. If England had won the group the best team standing between them a semi final would have been Uruguay.

 

Group A:
1. Mexico, 2. South Korea, 3. South Africa, 4. Czech Republic

Group B:
1. Bosnia, 2. Switzerland, 3. Canada, 4. Qatar

Group C:
1. Brazil, 2. Morocco, 3. Haiti, 4. Scotland

Group D:
1. Turkey, 2. USA, 3. Australia, 4. Paraguay

Group E:
1. Ivory Coast, 2. Germany, 3. Ecuador, 4. Curacao

Group F:
1.Japan, 2. Sweden, 3. Netherlands, 4. Tunisia

Group G:
1. Belgium, 2. Egypt, 3. Iran, 4. New Zealand

Group H:
1. Spain, 2. Uruguay, 3. Cape Verde,4. Saudi Arabia

Group I:
1. France, 2. Senegal, 3. Norway, 4. Iraq

Group J:
1. Argentina, 2. Austria, 3. Algeria, 4. Jordan

Group K:
1. Portugal, 2. Colombia, 3. Congo DR, 4. Uzbekistan

Group L:
1. England, 2. Croatia, 3. Panama, 4. Ghana

 

My picks

Group A

1, Mexico 2, Czech Republic, 3, South Korea, 4, South Africa

Group B

1, Switzerland, 2, Canada, 3, Bosnia, 4, Qatar

Group C

1, Brazil, 2, Morocco, 3, Scotland, 4, Haiti

Group D

1, Turkey, 2, USA, 3, Paraguay, 4, Australia

Group E

1, Germany, 2, Ivory Coast, 3, Ecuador, 4, Curacao

Group F

1, Netherlands, 2, Japan, 3, Sweden, 4, Tunisia

Group G

1, Belgium, 2, Egypt, 3, Iran, 4, New Zealand

Group H

1, Spain, 2, Uruguay, 3, Saudi Arabia, 4, Cape Verde

Group I

1, France, 2, Senegal, 3, Norway, 4, Iraq

Group J

1, Argentina, 2, Austria, 3, Algeria, 4, Algeria

Group K

1, Portugal, 2, Columbia, 3, Congo DR, 4, Uzbekistan

Group L

1, England, 2, Ghana, 3, Croatia, 4, Panama

 

Group A:
1. Czechia, 2. Mexico, 3. South Korea, 4. South Africa
Group B:
1. Switzerland, 2. Canada, 3. Bosnia, 4. Qatar
Group C:
1. Brazil, 2. Morocco, 3. Scotland, 4. Haiti
Group D:
1. Turkey, 2. USA, 3. Australia, 4. Paraguay
Group E:
1. Germany, 2. Ecuador, 3. Cote d'Ivoire, 4. Curacao
Group F:
1.Japan, 2. Netherlands, 3. Sweden, 4. Tunisia
Group G:
1. Belgium, 2. Egypt, 3. New Zealand, 4. Iran
Group H:
1. Spain, 2. Uruguay, 3. Saudi Arabia,4. Cape Verde
Group I:
1. Norway, 2. France, 3. Senegal, 4. Iraq
Group J:
1. Argentina, 2. Austria, 3. Algeria, 4. Jordan
Group K:
1. Colombia, 2. Portugal, 3. Congo DR, 4. Uzbekistan
Group L:
1. England, 2. Croatia, 3. Ghana, 4. Panama

 

I feel somewhat confident that whoever wins our group is getting the third place team from France's group in the last 32. DR Congo and Uzbekistan seems like it has a draw written all over it for me. I can't see either of those teams getting more than two points.

All three team's from Group I should beat Iraq. Three points very likely takes you through as a 3rd place side looking at these groups.

 

We got a shithole of a section

 

Group A:
1. Czech Republic, 2. Mexico, 3. South Korea, 4. South Africa

Group B:
1. Switzerland, 2. Bosnia, 3. Canada, 4. Qatar

Group C:
1. Brazil, 2. Morocco, 3. Scotland, 4. Haiti

Group D:
1. USA, 2. Turkey, 3. Paraguay, 4. Australia

Group E:
1. Germany, 2. Ivory Coast, 3. Curacao, 4. Ecuador

Group F:
1. Japan, 2. Netherlands, 3. Sweden, 4. Tunisia

Group G:
1. Belgium, 2. Egypt, 3. Iran, 4. New Zealand

Group H:
1. Spain, 2. Uruguay, 3. Cape Verde, 4. Saudi Arabia

Group I:
1. France, 2. Norway, 3. Senegal, 4. Iraq

Group J:
1. Austria, 2. Argentina, 3. Algeria, 4. Jordan

Group K:
1. Portugal, 2. Colombia, 3. Congo DR, 4. Uzbekistan

Group L:
1. England, 2. Croatia, 3. Ghana, 4. Panama

 

As much as I'd like to see Norway beat France, I'd prefer France win their group in order to go to the other side of the bracket (as long as England wins Group I). Hopefully Mexico doesn't top Group A because then a potential Round of 16 game in Mexico City won't be as difficult. Could be against the likes of the Czech Republic or South Korea.

 

Group A:
1. Mexico, 2. South Korea, 3. Czech Republic, 4. South Africa

Group B:
1. Switzerland, 2. Canada, 3. Bosnia, 4. Qatar

Group C:
1. Brazil, 2. Morocco, 3. Scotland, 4. Haiti

Group D:
1. USA, 2. Turkey, 3. Paraguay, 4. Australia

Group E:
1. Germany, 2. Ecuador, 3. Ivory Coast, 4. Curacao

Group F:
1. Netherlands, 2. Japan, 3. Sweden, 4. Tunisia

Group G:
1. Belgium, 2. Egypt, 3. Iran, 4. New Zealand

Group H:
1. Spain, 2. Uruguay, 3. Saudi Arabia, 4. Cape Verde

Group I:
1. France, 2. Norway, 3. Senegal, 4. Iraq

Group J:
1. Argentina, 2. Austria, 3. Algeria, 4. Jordan

Group K:
1. Portugal, 2. Colombia, 3. DR Congo, 4. Uzbekistan

Group L:
1. Croatia, 2. England, 3. Ghana, 4. Panama

 

Group A - 1. Mexico, 2. Czech Republic, 3. South Korea. 4. South Africa
Group B - 1. Switzerland. 2. Canada. 3. Bosnia and Herzegovina 4. Qatar
Group C - 1. Brazil, 2. Morroco. 3. Scotland. 4. Haiti
Group D - 1. USA. 2. Turkey. 3. Australia 4. Paraguay
Group E - 1. Germany. 2. Ecuador 3. Ivory Coast 4. Curacao
Group F - 1. Netherlands 2. Japan. 3. Sweden. 4. Tunisia
Group G. 1. Belgium. 2. Egypt. 3. Iran. New Zealand
Group H. 1. Spain. 2. Uruguay. 3. Saudi Arabia 4. Cape Verde
Group I - 1. France. 2. Norway. 3. Senegal 4. Iraq
Group J - 1. Argentina 2. Austria 3. Algeria 4. Jordan
Group K - 1. Portugal 2. Colombia 2. DR Congo 4. Uzbekistan
Group L 1. England. 2. Ghana 3. Croatia 4. Panama

 

this all seems like a lot of work