Who Will Advance From the FIFA World Cup Group Stage?

Image Credit:https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/05/sport/soccer-world-cup-2026-groups 

By: Vyom Dixit

The FIFA World Cup is the world’s most-watched sporting event and is coming up soon, and the groups are finally set! So, who will come out of the groups and continue their run to win it all? 

The FIFA World Cup was last held in 2022 in Qatar, and this time it will be held in the United States of America (USA), Mexico, and Canada. It will start on June 11, 2026, and end on July 19, 2026. FIFA is trying some new things. Instead of the usual 32 teams in 8 groups, there are 48 teams in 12 groups this year. Another new thing is the number of teams in the knockout stage. In past World Cups, the two best teams by record in each group moved onto the knockout stage. Now, with 48 teams, some groups will have 3 out of their 4 teams make the knockout stage. 

The groups are: 

Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D	Group E	Group F
Mexico	Canada	Brazil	USA	Germany	Netherlands
South Korea	Bosnia & Herzegovina	Morocco	Paraguay	Curaçao	Japan
South Africa	Qatar	Haiti	Australia	Ivory Coast	Sweden
Czechia	Switzerland	Scotland	Türkiye	Ecuador	Tunisia

Group G	Group H	Group I	Group J	Group K	Group L
Belgium	Spain	France	Argentina	Portugal	England
Egypt	Cape Verde	Senegal	Algeria	DR Congo	Croatia
Iran	Saudi Arabia	Iraq	Austria	Uzbekistan	Ghana
New Zealand	Uruguay	Norway	Jordan	Colombia	Panama

Group A

Teams: Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, Czechia 

Mexico is coming off an underwhelming performance in the 2022 World Cup. They got eliminated in the group stage, and this year they can easily go farther than last time. They have lots of experienced players like their goalkeeper (GK) Guillermo Ochoa, who always plays amazingly for Mexico, and striker (ST) Raúl Jiménez. They even have young players such as 17-year-old midfielder Gilberto Mora. Mexico’s experience will be huge, especially in the most prestigious tournament in football, the World Cup. Their midfield is also very creative with players like Marcel Ruiz, which allows the team to keep possession of the ball. A huge advantage that Mexico has that all of the other teams don’t have (except the US and Canada) is home-field advantage. A big problem for Mexico is that they don’t have a second option for scoring besides Jiménez, along with mistakes on defense, even with an experienced core, and the team not performing well in big games. I do think that Mexico is in a much easier group than last time, which they need to take full advantage.

South Korea is one of the best teams in Asia. They were able to make it to the knockout stage in the last World Cup, but Brazil demolished them in the Round of 16, which was expected. I think they’ll do as well as last time and perhaps a little better because of an easier group. Left winger (LW) Son Heung-min has been the team’s captain and best player for a while. His ability to score goals is one of the best in the world. Center back (CB) Kim Min-jae is one of the best defenders in the world, has elite speed, strength, and can intercept passes really well. The team has a very good core with Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, and other great scoring options. Another thing they have is good defensive pressure to force turnovers. Despite having one of the best defenders in the world with Kim Min-jae, the defense is inconsistent, and the midfield struggles to keep possession of the ball. I do think South Korea will get out of the group stage, and they could make a good run, but I just don’t think it will happen. 

South Africa last made the World Cup in 2010 because they were the hosts. They were one of the most entertaining teams in that tournament. For a team that has not made the World Cup in a while, my expectations are really low. They do have some stars like GK Ronwen Williams, who is their team captain and is known for his elite shot blocking and excellence in penalty shootouts. These skills have made him regarded as one of the top goalkeepers in the world. Another player they have is striker ST Lyle Foster, who is very physical. South Africa has a great midfield with players like center defensive midfielder (CDM) Teboho Mokoena and veteran center attacking midfielder (CAM) Themba Zwane. Their defense is also very consistent and disciplined. A big problem for South Africa is that they get chances to score goals but fail to take advantage of them, and they don’t play well against elite teams. I don’t have high expectations for South Africa, but I do hope they’ll be as entertaining as they were in 2010. 

Like South Africa, Czechia hasn’t been to the World Cup in a while. They last made it in 2006 and did not make it to the knockout stage. Like South Africa, they haven’t made the World Cup in a while, and my expectations for them are low. They do have great players like center forward (CF) Patrik Schick, who is a great finisher and can be very clutch, and Tomáš Souček, who is a great defensive midfielder. The team is great at being physically strong since they have lots of tall players, efficient passing, and great defensive transitions. A big problem is their lack of discipline, as they tackle their opponents roughly, which results in penalties and free kicks, along with not having enough star power. Like South Africa, I don’t have high expectations for Czechia, but it’ll be nice to see them in the World Cup after 20 years. 

My final predictions for the group is Mexico will finish first with a record of 3-0-0 (the middle 0 is the total draws). I think Mexico having home-field advantage and experience will matter a lot. South Korea will finish second with a record of  2-0-1. Czechia and South Africa will tie for last with records of 0-1-2. 

Group B 

Teams: Canada, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland 

Canada is back in the World Cup and is coming off a horrible 2022 World Cup, where they finished 0-0-3. This time, I think they’ll do a lot better. They’re in a much easier group and have home-field advantage, which is huge. Left back (LB) Alphonso Davies is a great playmaker and is one of the most versatile players in the world. ST Jonathan David has great football IQ and is a great goal scorer. The team is one of the fastest in the world, which can be a nightmare for opposing teams. They have a young and hungry squad and home-field advantage, which is something to take advantage of. A big problem is their aggressiveness, which leads to red cards, and their CBs are not the best. I think Canada will do a lot better this time, and it’ll be interesting to see if they get better or not. 

Bosnia & Herzegovina are back in the World Cup after 12 years. They last made it in 2014, which was also their first time in the World Cup. They are led by 40-year-old veteran ST Edin Džeko, who still has elite finishing despite his age. Amar Dedić is a great right back (RB) who is fast and creative. Bosnia has lots of experience and great leadership, physicality, and great goal scoring with Džeko. A big problem for Bosnia is that they rely way too much on Džeko. He’s 40 years old and may retire soon, and most of the team is really young, which is going to matter especially in a tournament like the World Cup. I don’t have high expectations for Bosnia but the group does not have some of the best teams, so they could do well, though it is unlikely. 

Like Canada, Qatar is also coming off a really terrible World Cup in 2022. They were the host nation as well. They went 0-0-3 just like Canada. Unlike Canada, I don’t think they’ll do better this year. The teams in their group are way better than they are. Yes, they do have STs Akram Afif and Almoez Ali, who have great chemistry and good experience but they rely on Afif and Ali way too much and their defense is inconsistent. I don’t think Qatar will do well, and they’ll do as badly, if not worse, than last time. 

Switzerland has made the past 2 World Cups and has made it to the knockout stage in both tournaments, but lost in the first round both times. I do think they are the best team in their group. They have great players like defensive midfielder Granit Xhaka, who has great passing, CB Manuel Akanji, who has great speed, and one of the best GKs in the world, Gregor Kobel. They also have a young talent in right winger (RW) Dan Ndoye, who has great dribbling and speed. Switzerland has great team discipline, a good set of core players, and controls the midfield and possession very well. Their big problems are that they can’t figure out teams with a more defensive play style, and they rely too much on the experience of the veterans. I’m certain that Switzerland will go to the knockout stage, but the question is, can they make a good run and not lose in the first round?

My prediction is that Switzerland will finish first with a 3-0-0. They are the best team here, but I do think Canada could give them some trouble; they’ll pull through. Canada is in second place with 2-0-1. Their loss to Switzerland will mainly be due to experience. Bosnia & Herzegovina will finish third with 1-0-2, with their win being against Qatar. Qatar will finish last with 0-0-3.

Group C

Teams: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland 

Brazil always makes a very good run and is always one of the favorites at each World Cup. They lost in a heartbreaker to Croatia on penalties last time, which was really unfortunate. Fun fact about Brazil is that they have the most World Cups, with 5 of them. It’ll be more interesting to see Brazil this time with a new manager, who is Carlo Ancelotti. They have so many amazing players like LW Vinícius Júnior (aka Vini Jr), who has amazing speed, dribbling, goal-scoring abilities, and assists teammates. RW Raphinha has recently become one of the best players in the world. Alisson Becker has consistently been one of the best GKs. Brazil has a very fast attack, experienced defense with the help of CB Marquinhos, and a great midfield with one of the best CDMs, Casemiro. A big problem Brazil has is that they don’t have a true RB, they don’t know if their star player, Neymar, is playing in the tournament, and they’re inconsistent against great teams like France. I think Brazil can easily make a big run, but if the same issues against great teams show up, their chances are not as high. 

Morocco is back in the World Cup and is coming off a historic run in 2022. Morocco became the first team on the continent of Africa to make the semifinal. They’ve risen up in the rankings and could easily make another amazing run. They are easily the best African team in the tournament. RB Achraf Hakimi is one of the best defenders in the world and has amazing speed. CAM Brahim Diaz is a creative midfielder with great dribbling skills. GK Yassine Bounou showed up big time in the last World Cup. Morocco has elite defense and discipline and great squad depth. A big issue they have is not being efficient when they have the ball and wasting chances of scoring, and not being able to win some big games. I do think Morocco can go on as good a run as last time, if not better. I’m really looking forward to watching them play. 

Haiti has qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 52 years! I don’t expect much from them because their group is not the easiest. They do have GK Johny Placide, who is a great veteran and team captain, and CF Frantzdy Pierrot, who is physical and a consistent goal scorer. Haiti has a very fast offense, along with great physicality and stamina. Unfortunately, they’re not very consistent. I don’t think Haiti will do well, but the fact that they qualified for the World Cup is amazing. 

Like Haiti, Scotland has qualified for the World Cup for the first time in a while. They last qualified in 1998, which was 28 years ago. Scotland has some great players like center midfielder (CM) Scott McTominay, who can exploit defenses very well, Andy Robertson, who is one of the best LBs in the world and has excellent leadership, and ST Che Adams, who likes to play physically. Scotland has a great midfield, which helps a lot in scoring goals, and they are efficient with their scoring opportunities. Some weaknesses are that they don’t have the best squad depth and can’t score much against great teams. I think Scotland won’t do that well because Brazil and Morocco are in the group and are way better than them. 

My final predictions for the group are that Brazil will finish first with a 3-0-0 record. Morocco is finishing with 2-0-1 and is in second place. Scotland is in third with 1-0-2. Haiti will finish fourth with a record of 0-0-3 

Group D

 Teams: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Türkiye (Turkey) 

The USA is back in the World Cup after a very solid run in the 2022 World Cup. In 2022, they were able to come out of the group stage with a record 1-2-0. Unfortunately, the Netherlands annihilated them 3-1. Winger Christian Pulisic is the team’s leader and is very creative and a scoring threat. Antonee Robinson is one of the fastest LBs in the world, and CB Chris Richards is very reliable. The team has amazing speed, great depth in the midfield, a versatile attack with Pulisic and Weah, and home-field advantage, which is huge. A huge problem is that the defense has lots of individual talent but can’t work as a team, and the team doesn’t have a number 1 option for GK. Their options are Matt Turner and Matt Freese. The US also can’t play well against top-level teams. They recently received beatdowns from Belgium first and then Portugal. I think the US will advance to the knockout stage, but will lose in the first round to a team that is just way better than them. 

Paraguay has finally ended a 16-year drought of not qualifying for a World Cup! The last time they made the World Cup was in 2010, and they made it to the quarter finals but lost to Spain 1-0, who later ended up winning the tournament. Attacking midfielder Julio Enciso is a very skilled dribbler and creates lots of scoring opportunities, and winger Ramón Sosa is amazing when it is a one-on-one situation and has elite speed. Paraguay has a great defense; they’re intense and aggressive, and have elite counterattacks with players like Sosa and Enciso. Their main problem is that they don’t have a reliable goal scorer which leads to wasted possessions where they could’ve scored. I don’t think Paraguay will do well, and the teams in their group are a lot better than them. 

Australia is coming off a very solid 2022 World Cup. When it comes to sports, Australia is known for cricket and rugby. Not football. It was a shock that they were able to get to the knockout stage last time, but lost to Argentina 2-1 in the first round. They have some great players like veteran GK Mathew Ryan, who has loads of experience, CB Alessandro Circati, who is young and has lots of potential, and winger Martin Boyle who is very fast. The team has a great defense that is very efficient, a great midfield core, and some young promising players like LB Jordan Bos. A huge issue the team has is that they don’t have much depth in some positions, and they don’t have a consistent goal scorer. I am curious to see if Australia’s run in 2022 was a one-hit wonder or if they may actually be a good team. 

Türkiye is another team ending their World Cup drought. They qualified for the first time in 24 years. The last time they qualified was in 2002, and they made an amazing run. They lost in the semifinal to Brazil, who did end up winning it afterwards, but won the third-place game against South Korea. They have lots of great players like young star midfielder Arda Güler who has lots of potential, and defensive midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu, who is also the team captain. Türkiye has an elite midfield that is very creative; they have loads of young talent like Güler, and they don’t give up. A big problem Türkiye has is that its defense is not consistent, even with a top CB Merih Demiral. This showed in a 6-0 loss to Spain. Another issue they have is that they rely too much on certain players because they don’t have much depth. I think Türkiye can do really well in the Group Stage because they are not facing the best competition. 

My final prediction for the group is that the USA will finish first with a record of 2-1-0 with a draw to Türkiye. Türkiye will finish second with a record of 1-2-0, with the other draw being with Australia. Australia will finish third with a record of 1-1-1. Australia will lose to the USA. Last but not least, Paraguay will finish last with a record of 0-0-3. 

Group E

Teams: Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador 

Germany is in the World Cup once again and will hopefully do better than the past two times. In 2018 and 2022, they couldn’t even make it to the knockout stage, which is super disappointing for Germany. Germany has loads of amazing players like CAM Florian Wirtz, who is very creative, CAM Jamal Musiala, who is an elite dribbler and passer, and CB Antonio Rüdiger, who is aggressive and fast. Germany has an elite midfield that is creative and is a scoring threat. The team also does not give up in big games. Germany’s main problems are that they can’t defend well against counterattacks and depend on players like Musiala and Wirtz too much. I do think Germany is a contender to win the whole tournament

Curaçao has qualified for their first ever World Cup! They have a great defense and great players like midfielder Leandro Bacuna, but it won’t be enough against the teams in their group. I don’t think Curaçao will do well, but it’s awesome they qualified for their first-ever World Cup. 

The Ivory Coast last qualified for the World Cup in 2014, which was 12 years ago. They didn’t get past the group stage, and I think the same will happen this time as well. The teams in their group are better than them. They do have great players like CM Seko Fofana, but the team is neither efficient nor good on defense. Like Curaçao, I think the Ivory Coast won’t do well in this group. 

Ecuador is coming off a decent 2022 World Cup run. Even though they did not get past the group stage, they didn’t do badly at all. They have some great players like defensive midfielder Moisés Caicedo, who tackles and intercepts the ball well, and CF Enner Valencia, who is the captain and all-time leading scorer for Ecuador. Ecuador has elite defense, physicality, and some good young players. Unfortunately, Ecuador does not have another scoring option besides Valencia and they rely too much on the counterattack. Still, I think Ecuador will do well in this group because it is easier than their group in 2022

My final prediction is Germany in first with a record of 3-0-0. I think Germany will dominate everyone in their group. Ecuador is second with a record of 2-0-1. Ivory Coast is in third with a finishing 1-0-2. Last is Curaçao with a record of 0-0-3. 

Group F

Teams: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia

The Netherlands made a really good run in 2022. They lost to the eventual champions, Argentina, in the quarterfinals in a very close game. This year, I think the Netherlands can make as good of a run if not better. The Netherlands has an elite defense led by CB Virgil van Dijk, who has consistently been one of the best defenders in the world. Some other great players they have are winger Cody Gakpo and winger Xavi Simons. The Netherlands doesn’t just have a great defense; they have an amazing midfield with CM Frenkie de Jong, and have lots of depth in the defense. Unfortunately, the Netherlands are not consistent against top teams, and they don’t have a true goal-scoring option. I think the Netherlands are contenders to win the whole thing, and I can’t wait to see their defense. 

In the past 2 World Cups, Japan has made it past the group stage both times, but they have not made it past the first round. They are one of the best teams in Asia. Japan has some great players, with midfielder Kaoru Mitoma, who has amazing speed, dribbling, and attacking midfielder Daichi Kamada, who has amazing football IQ. Japan has one of the best counterattacks, and this strategy has helped them win lots of games, along with being very versatile and disciplined. Unfortunately for Japan, luck is not on their side because their captain, Wataru Endō, is injured and they pass too much near the goal. Because they pass too much near the goal, they miss opportunities. I think Japan will make a similar run as the past two times and I’m honestly excited to watch them. 

I think Sweden can do some great things. They have some great players like ST Viktor Gyökeres, who is one of the best STs in the world and is an elite goal scorer, ST Alexander Isak, who is a tall ST with amazing dribbling skills, and midfielder Dejan Kulusevski, who creates lots of scoring chances. Sweden has a great offense — they are young and physical. The biggest problems for Sweden are consistency, keeping possession, and passing. Sweden cannot pass the ball accurately, which can lead to turnovers. I’m excited for this team. I think they can be very entertaining, and I do think they can make it to the knockout stage. 

Tunisia is not going to do well in the group stage. The teams in their group completely outclass them. While they have good players like Defensive midfielder Ellyes Skhiri, who has amazing endurance and elite awareness which helps him break up passes, and LB Ali Abdi who has elite speed and is very versatile, it is not going to be enough. Tunisia does not take advantage of its chances to score, and they don’t have much discipline. If Tunisia can even get a win here, that will be really shocking.

My final prediction for the group is that the Netherlands will finish first with a record of 3-0-0. I think they’ll dominate the rest of the teams in their group. Sweden and Japan will tie for second place with a record of 1-1-1. Tunisia will finish last with a record of 0-0-3.

Group G

Teams: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand 

Belgium is regarded as one of the best teams in the world and are coming off of an extremely disappointing 2022 World Cup. They couldn’t get past the group stage. They also lost in the first round of the knockout stage in the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Euros which was also disappointing. I think the slump will be over. Belgium has lots of great players like CM Kevin De Bruyne who is an elite passer and has elite football IQ, Jérémy Doku who has amazing dribbling and speed, and Thibaut Courtois who is one of the best GKs in the world. Belgium has elite speed and with that they pass the ball around very quickly. They have lots of scoring threats and good experience in big games. They do have some issues such as the defense is not as experienced as the rest of the team and they depend too much on veterans like Kevin De Bruyne and ST Romelu Lukaku. Regardless, I think Belgium will bounce back and they can easily be a contender to win it all. 

Egypt is back in the World Cup after not qualifying last time in 2022. I think their group is very manageable. The only team I see them having problems against are Belgium. RW Mohamed Salah is one of the best in his position and has put the team on his back consistently. They have other great players like ST Omar Marmoush who plays with great intensity and CB Mohamed Abdelmonem who is a great leader for the defenders. Egypt is great at offense with the duo of Salah and Marmoush and have a structured and patient defense. Unfortunately, Egypt depends way too much on their star players like Salah and Marmoush and their defense does not play well against elite teams. Egypt are in a much more manageable group compared to what they had when they last qualified for the World Cup which they need to take advantage of. 

Iran is coming off of a mediocre World Cup in 2022. They didn’t qualify for the knockout stage but they didn’t finish last in their group. Iran has some great players such as ST Mehdi Taremi who is very technical, and defensive midfielder Saeed Ezatolahi who is very physical and technical like Taremi. Iran has a great attacking duo with Taremi and CF Sardar Azmoun and the team is physical and well experienced. For Iran, they need to fix their defensive communication and need to find some younger talent because their team is not very young. Like Egypt, Iran has a much more manageable group than their past World Cup and needs to take advantage of it. Unfortunately, due to the war in Iran, the team may drop out of the tournament.  

New Zealand last qualified for the World Cup in 2010 and were eliminated in the group stage. Unfortunately for New Zealand, I think the same will happen to them. Even though they have ST Chris Wood who is great at his position it’s not going to be enough. The other teams in their group are just way better than them and they will get outclassed in every way possible. 

My final predictions for the group is that Belgium will finish first with a record of 3-0-0. Iran and Egypt will tie for second with a record of 1-1-1. New Zealand will finish last with a record of 0-0-3. 

 Group H

Teams: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay

Spain is coming off of a dominant performance in the UEFA Euros in 2024. They were easily the best team and won the whole tournament. They have so many great players like RW Lamina Yamal who is one of the best players in the world at just 18 years old, CDM Rodri has amazing football IQ and elite passing, and CM Pedri who is very creative. Spain has an amazing midfield that has elite passing which is what helps them control games and great flexibility with tactics. Spain are an amazing team but they need to fix issues like being less vulnerable to counter attacks and being more efficient while transitioning from offense to defense. If Spain can be as dominant as they were in the Euros, I think out of all the teams they have the best shot to win the whole tournament.

Cape Verde qualified for their first ever World Cup! Unfortunately, they are not going to do well at all in my opinion. The other teams are way better than them and they will get slaughtered by them. Winger Ryan Mendes is a great captain for his team but whatever he does won’t be enough to help Cape Verde do well. 

Saudi Arabia are coming off of a pretty decent performance at the World Cup in 2022. They did not get past the group stage but they did win 2-1 against Argentina in a huge upset. Saudi Arabia has great players such as winger Salem Al-Dawsari who is a legend for the team and RB Saud Abdulhamid who has great speed. Saudi Arabia has very technical and experienced players and great conditioning. They need to fix things like the defense keeping up with the offense and being consistent overall. I think Saudi Arabia can do as well as they did in their last World Cup and it’ll be cool to see if they can pull off another upset win.

Uruguay are coming off of a disappointing 2022 World Cup where they did not qualify for the knockout stage. They have a much younger team now. Some of their best players are CM Federico Valverde who is one of the best players in the world and CB Ronald Araújo who is great at intercepting passes. Uruguay have a great midfield with lots of depth and a very athletic defense led by Araújo. Some problems they need to fix is trying to stay healthy and finishing games strong. I think Uruguay will do better this time because the only team that I think can beat them is Spain.

My final prediction for the group is that Spain will finish first dominantly with a record of 3-0-0. Uruguay will finish second with a record of 2-0-1. Saudi Arabia will finish third with a record of 1-0-2 and Cape Verde will finish last with a record of 0-0-3. 

Group I 

Teams: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway 

France are coming off of a heartbreaking loss to Argentina in the 2022 World Cup Final and I think they might be coming for revenge. LW Kylian Mbappé has consistently been one of the best players in the world, CDM Eduardo Camavinga is a great versatile player, and Theo Hernández is a top LB in the world with his elite speed and physicality. France has incredible overall depth in their squad, loads of experience, and speed and physicality. What France needs to figure out is who is going to be their next leader because ST Olivier Giroud and attacking midfielder Antoine Griezmann have retired from international football. I think France are one of the best teams in the tournament and I think they will have a chip on their shoulder after losing the last World Cup final. 

Senegal are coming off a pretty solid World Cup in 2022 where they made it to the knockout stage but lost to England in the first round 3-0. Senegal has lots of great players such as LW Sadio Mané who is well rounded offensively and CB Kalidou Koulibaly who is great at tackling and is the leader of the defense. Senegal has great leadership from players like Koulibaly, have elite speed, and a great midfield with players like Idrissa Gana Gueye. What Senegal needs to figure out is who is their main playmaker and figure out who are replacements for players like Mané and Koulibaly who will soon retire from international football. Senegal have a great shot to do well just like last time but they are in a much tougher group. The question is will they rise to the challenge?

Iraq has qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 40 years! It’s exciting to see them back but it is unfortunate that they’re group has teams that are way better than them. ST Aymen Hussein is very physical and a great goal scorer but I don’t think it will be enough to help Iraq win. Iraq needs to be way more consistent if they want to do well and I just don’t think they will be in the tournament. 

Norway last qualified for the World Cup in 1998. So like Iraq, it’s been a while for them. I think that Norway is one of the most improved teams in the tournament. Some of their players are ST Erling Haaland, who is one of the best goal scorers and players in the world, and attacking midfielder Martin Ødegaard who is an elite passer. Norway has an elite offense with Haaland, a creative midfield with Ødegaard, and an amazing counter attack. Norway does have some issues such as their overeliance on Haaland and defensive inconsistency against elite teams. I think Norway will do well even if they do lack experience in big tournaments. 

My final prediction for the group is that France will finish first with a record of 3-0-0. Norway and Senegal will tie for second place with a record of 1-1-1. Iraq will finish last going 0-0-3. 

Group J

Teams: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan 

Argentina is coming off of an amazing World Cup win in 2022. They also won the Copa América in 2024. They have lots of momentum right now. RW Lionel Messi is 38 years old and is one of the best players of all time, GK Emiliano Martínez always shows up in big moments, and Lautaro Martínez is one of the best STs in the world with his goal scoring ability. Argentina has a great mentality and loads of depth in the midfield. If Argentina want to go back to back, they need to make sure they’re healthy and make sure they don’t rely on Messi too much. I believe that Argentina has a shot to go back to back and Messi will finish his international career with two World Cup trophies. 

Algeria are back in the World Cup after 12 years! Their style of play is very fast and aggressive. They have great players like RW Riyad Mahrez who is a great veteran and has elite dribbling and ST Mohamed Amoura who is an amazing goal scorer and is very fast. Algeria has a great attack with Mahrez and Amoura along with a good amount of confidence. What Algeria needs to figure out in this World Cup is who is going to be their next team leader and if the defense can be consistent. I think Algeria is a good team but I think they might get a little over confident and that will really hurt their chances. 

Austria are coming off of a pretty solid performance in the UEFA Euros. They did very well in the group stage but lost to Tükiye 2-1 in the first round. The team has a very aggressive defense and a great mentality. They have players like CB David Alaba who is one of the best defenders in the world and attacking midfielder Christoph Baumgartner who is a great playmaker and makes good decisions. Austria have lots of depth in the midfield and the defense is hard to score on. What they need to fix is to stop relying so much on aging ST Marko Arnautović and keeping up with their opponent when they have the ball for a long time. Austria can do well in the group stage but can they be consistent throughout the tournament? 

Jordan has qualified for their first ever World Cup! Unfortunately for them, I don’t think they will do well, mainly due to lack of experience and less talent compared to the other teams in their group. RW Musa Al-Taamari, the team’s best player who has amazing speed, will have to put the team on his back but it will not be enough. Jordan’s defense needs to step up if they want to win. Unfortunately for Jordan, their first World Cup will not be so good. 

My final predictions for the group is that Argentina will finish first with a record of 3-0-0. Austria will finish second with 2-0-1. Algeria will finish third with 1-0-2. Jordan will finish last with a record of 0-0-3. 

Group K 

Teams: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia

Portugal going into the World Cup have a huge chip on their shoulder. ST Cristiano Ronaldo who is one of the best players of all time will most likely not play in another World Cup after this one. It is one of the few accolades Ronaldo doesn’t have in his legacy. Portugal has lots of amazing players like Cristiano Ronaldo who is one of the best goal scorers of all time, CM Bruno Fernandes is very creative and has elite passing, and CB Rúben Dias who is consistently one of the best defenders in the world. Portugal has an elite midfield with Bruno Fernandes, lots of depth and talent, and speed. What Portugal have to figure out is who is their next ST after Ronaldo retires, can their defense be consistent, and if they can win big games against elite teams. If Portugal’s defense can be consistent and they can win big games, they have all the tools to win the World Cup. If they win, it would be a perfect way for Ronaldo to end his career. 

DR Congo is back in the World Cup after 52 years. I don’t think they’ll do well because their goal scoring is not consistent especially up close and they depend too much on their star players like CB Chancel Mbemba. They are very physical and they transition quickly but it is not going to be enough. I’m glad DR Congo is back in the World Cup but they are not going to last long. 

Uzbekistan have qualified for their first ever World Cup. Like their other group member, DR Congo, they are also not going to last very long. They don’t have much experience and they can’t win close games. They have loads of young talent like winger Abbosbek Fayzullaev but they need more experience if they want to win. I think Uzbekistan needs time to develop because they’re a young, inexperienced team. Once they get more experience I am sure they will get better. 

Colombia are coming off of an extremely close loss to Argentina in the Copa América final. I think Colombia can do really well. They have lots of great players like LW Luis Díaz who has elite speed and dribbling and attacking midfielder James Rodríguez who is a great playmaker and the team’s veteran leader. Colombia has an elite offense, they’re physical, they have depth, and great passing. What they need to work on is their overall consistency. They have small phases where they don’t win at all and the World Cup is the wrong time to have that. I think Colombia will do well. They have a good team with veterans and rising stars and they are definitely one of the best underdogs in the tournament. 

For my final predictions, I have Portugal finishing first with a record of 3-0-0. Colombia will finish second with 2-0-1. Uzbekistan and DR Congo will tie for last with 0-1-2. 

Group L

Teams: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama 

England are coming off a loss to Spain in the UEFA Euros final. England has a stacked squad led by ST Harry Kane who is one of the best goal scorers in the world, CM Jude Bellingham who is one of the best players in the world, and RW Bukayo Saka who has elite dribbling. England has incredibly talented players and amazing depth. What England needs to figure out is who is going to be their starting LB and if the defense can be consistent. I think England has a really good shot at winning the World Cup. They have some of the best players in the world and they are one of the most complete teams. 

Croatia is coming off of a disappointing performance in the UEFA Euros where they did not even get past the group stage. CM Luka Modrić is most likely playing in his last World Cup so Croatia have a small chip on their shoulder. Croatia have lots of good players like Luka Modrić who is an elite passer and dribbler, CB Joško Gvardiol is one of the best young defenders in the world, and CM Mateo Kovačić who is great at dribbling. Croatia has a great midfield and defense. What Croatia needs to figure out is who is their main ST and find out who your team’s next leader is after Modrić retires. I think Croatia will play really well and I think they’ll bounce back after the disappointing performance in the Euros. 

Ghana have never been the same team after being knocked out by Uruguay in the quarter finals of the 2010 World Cup. They’ve been trying to bounce back for a while. They have great players like attacking midfielder Mohammed Kudus who is great at passing and dribbling along with midfielder Thomas Partey who defends very well. Ghana need to fix their defense and find a coach for the long run. If Ghana were in an easier group they would do so much better but they’re not. I don’t think Ghana will do well but it will be awesome to see them get over the hump.

Panama have qualified for their second World Cup. They qualified for their first time in 2018. Like Ghana, I don’t expect much from Panama. Some of Panama’s star players are CM Adalberto Carrasquilla who is the team’s best player and is an elite passer and RB Michael Amir Murillo who is great at assisting, passing, and is very fast. Some of the reasons I think Panama won’t do well are that they can’t score goals up close, they can’t win against the top teams and their defense is very vulnerable against counter attacks. If Panama can’t keep it close with teams like England and Croatia they’re going to do terribly. Panama has lots of issues to fix if they want to do well and I don’t think they’ll be able to fix them. 

My final prediction for the group is that England and Croatia will tie for first with a record of 2-1-0. Panama and Ghana will tie for last with a record of 0-1-2. 

I’m really excited for the FIFA World Cup. Especially this time because there are extra teams which means more competition and it’s the one time where the world enjoys good football.