Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, we go through every group in the expanded 48-country field and examine the teams, highlight the most recent odds, and make predictions.
With an expanded format that spread out the soccer powerhouses and included new nations in the World Cup, the supposed “Group of Death” really no longer applies. But if any group deserves the title, it’s Group I. France is one of the top two favorites, Norway had a great qualifying campaign, Senegal were AFCON finalists, and Iraq would be the third-best team in other groups.
France is seeking a third straight World Cup final appearance after victory in 2018 and penalty heartbreak in 2022. The team has all the talent to do so, rightfully being pegged alongside Spain as the favorites at best World Cup betting sites. Unlike Spain, though, France will be tested early by a strong group. But as shown in its undefeated qualifying campaign and friendly wins over Brazil and Colombia, France’s incredible squad depth is likely to easily prevail.
You can’t talk about France without gushing about its world-class forward talent. Kylian Mbappe, who became just the second player to score a World Cup final hat trick in 2022, remains a game-breaking talent. He’ll be supported by reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé and Bayern star Michael Olise. No other team can boast that level of attacking threat. Didier Deschamps does like to play more conservatively than some fans would like, considering his weapons. But his players should be even more bought in, with it being the manager’s final tournament.
| To Win Group | To Qualify For RO32 | To Win World Cup |
| -250 | -10000 | +450 |
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Norway is a trendy pick to go far in the 2026 tournament, despite it playing at the World Cup for the first time since 1998. There is one big reason for that: Man City superstar Erling Haaland. The striker helped Norway blow away the competition during the qualifying stage. They won every single game, and Haaland scored an incredible 16 of the team’s 37 goals.
While Haaland is the fuel that drives Norway’s engine, he is backed up by good talent all over the pitch. Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard is the main creative force in the midfield, winger Antonio Nusa is a nightmare in 1-on-1 situations, and Alexander Sørloth had 13 goals in La Liga. The team is also brought together by manager Stale Solbakken, in charge since 2020 and the architect of Norway’s structured and disciplined defensive scheme.
| To Win Group | To Qualify For RO32 | To Win World Cup |
| +275 | -800 | +2500 |
We called Senegal AFCON finalists earlier, but many fans will be angered at that label. Senegal actually beat Morocco in the finals, but was later stripped of its title because its players left the field to protest a Morocco penalty. An appeal is in process, but regardless, it’s fair to say Senegal enters the World Cup looking to make a big statement.
That has been made more difficult by Senegal’s group draw, but they are more than capable of pushing Norway hard for that second. The team is a solid mix of experience and in-prime talent. Veterans like Sadio Mane, Idrissa Gueye, and Kalidou Koulibaly form the core of the starting XI. Meanwhile, the likes of Iliman Ndiaye and El Hadji Malick Diouf will provide the youthful spark in attack.
| To Win Group | To Qualify For RO32 | To Win World Cup |
| +700 | -250 | +6600 |
Iraq is returning to the World Cup stage for the first time since its debut appearance in 2026. While the expanded format gives weaker teams hope of making it to the Round of 32, few teams got a tougher draw than Iraq. The team didn’t impress much in the qualification process, needing to squeak through in the playoffs to secure a place.
Iraq is a classic smaller nation that uses a disciplined defense and high energy to win because of its lack of attacking talent. Aymen Hussein scored 7 times during qualification, and Aymen Hussein always seems to find the net for the country. But when faced with top competition, it’s hard to see Iraq keeping pace. Expect the team to be quickly left behind in Group I.
| To Win Group | To Qualify For RO32 | To Win World Cup |
| +5000 | +300 | +100000 |
Even in a very tough group, we can’t see past Les Bleus. The final game against Norway could be a group decider, but France has too much firepower even for Norway’s stout defense. A perfect group stage run should give France even more confidence that they can win their second World Cup in the last three tournaments.
The rest of Group I should go as expected, too. Norway and Senegal should both be comfortably into the next round, even with both losing to France. Iraq shouldn’t put up too much of a fight, and a draw between Norway and Senegal is possible as they’re fairly evenly matched. Norway and Senegal both rank low in travel time for the group stage, which should be a big help.
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Odds are courtesy of BetMGM and accurate at the time of writing.
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