The 2026 tournament expands to 48 teams in 12 groups of four, lettered A through L. The top two from each group advance directly to the Round of 32, joined by the eight best third-placed sides. Belgium are in Group G alongside Egypt, IR Iran and New Zealand.
Below you will find every group: the four teams, the headline storylines from qualification, and a standings table that fills in as matches play between 11 and 28 June 2026.
✅ 12 groups of 4 teams: first ever 48-team the tournament, the largest in history.
✅ 32 teams advance: top 2 from each group plus the 8 best third-placed sides.
✅ Surprise stories everywhere: Curaçao and Cabo Verde make historic debuts, while European giants Italy miss out for a third straight tournament.
Outright group winner and tournament odds
Group winner, qualification, top scorer and outright winner markets are all live, with prices updating daily.
Current status: All 48 teams are confirmed. Standings tables fill in once the group stage begins on 11 June 2026. All times in this guide use CEST (Belgian time).
Table of contents
1. How the group stage works
Each of the 12 groups contains four teams. Every team plays the other three once in their group, producing 6 matches per group and 72 group-stage matches in total. The group stage runs from Thursday 11 June to Sunday 28 June 2026.
Advancement: the top two teams from each group progress directly to the Round of 32 (24 teams). They are joined by the eight best third-placed teams from the 12 groups, decided by an end-of-group-stage ranking. That brings the knockout field to 32 teams.
Group stage tiebreakers, in order, when two or more teams finish on the same points:
- Goal difference across all group matches
- Goals scored across all group matches
- Head-to-head points between the tied teams
- Head-to-head goal difference
- Head-to-head goals scored
- Fair-play record (yellow and red cards)
- Drawing of lots
Third-placed ranking, used to decide which 8 of the 12 third-placed teams progress: points, then goal difference, then goals scored, then fair-play record, then drawing of lots. The pre-determined bracket matrix slots the eight qualifying sides into specific Round of 32 fixtures, with code labels like "3CEFHI" appearing in the schedule until the matchups are final.
2. Groups A to F: teams and storylines
Group A: Mexico, South Africa, Korea Republic, Czechia
Host nation Mexico open the tournament against South Africa, a pairing that happens to be a repeat of the 2010 opener in Johannesburg. Korea Republic return as regular Asian qualifiers, while Czechia booked their spot through the UEFA play-offs, eliminating Denmark on penalties to reach a first the tournament since 2006.
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| , | Czechia | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Korea Republic | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Mexico | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | South Africa | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
Co-host Canada play their first ever home men's the tournament match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, who qualified through the UEFA play-offs. Switzerland bring their familiar defensive structure, and Qatar appear in their second consecutive tournament after hosting in 2022.
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| , | Bosnia and Herzegovina | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Canada | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Qatar | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Switzerland | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Brazil arrive under new head coach Carlo Ancelotti, the first non-Brazilian to lead the national team at a the tournament. Morocco return as the 2022 semi-finalists, the first African side to reach that stage. Scotland appear at a the tournament for the first time since 1998, and Haiti complete their first qualification in decades.
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| , | Brazil | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Haiti | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Morocco | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Scotland | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Türkiye
Co-host USA face Paraguay in their opening match at Los Angeles Stadium, with the show built around the second of three opening ceremonies. Türkiye qualified through the UEFA play-offs, Australia continue as Asian qualifying regulars, and Paraguay return to a the tournament after a long absence.
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| , | Australia | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Paraguay | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Türkiye | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | USA | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Côte d'Ivoire, Ecuador
Germany seek to rebuild momentum after recent disappointments. The standout story is Curaçao, who with a population of roughly 150,000 become the smallest nation ever to qualify for a the tournament. Côte d'Ivoire are back at a the tournament for the first time since 2014, and Ecuador bring one of the youngest squads into the group stages.
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| , | Curaçao | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Côte d'Ivoire | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Ecuador | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Germany | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
A fascinating and tactically packed group. The Netherlands look to convert decades of near-misses into a deeper run. Japan have grown into a top-tier Asian power. Sweden qualified through the UEFA play-offs, and Tunisia complete the line-up as African qualifying regulars.
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| , | Japan | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Netherlands | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Sweden | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Tunisia | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
Match by match: every fixture in CEST
For the full chronological schedule with all 72 group-stage kick-off times in Belgian time, see the results hub. For broadcast info per match, the full schedule covers it.
3. Groups G to L: teams and storylines
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, IR Iran, New Zealand
Belgium's group looks reasonably straight forward on paper, with Egypt under Mohamed Salah the most familiar of the three opponents, IR Iran appearing at their seventh the tournament and New Zealand back at the tournament after a long absence. The kick-off times are kind to Belgian viewers: the opener against Egypt is at 21:00 CEST on Monday 15 June at Seattle Stadium in Seattle. The second match against IR Iran is also at 21:00 CEST a week later at Los Angeles Stadium, and the third match against New Zealand falls in the early hours of Saturday 27 June from Vancouver Stadium in Vancouver. Belgium will want a first-place finish to secure the kindest possible Round of 32 draw.
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| , | Belgium | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Egypt | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | IR Iran | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | New Zealand | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
Group H: Spain, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Spain start as one of the pre-tournament favourites when they take on Cabo Verde, who qualify for the first time in their history. Uruguay return as one of the most decorated nations in the tournament history, with two trophies. Saudi Arabia continue as the leading Asian qualifying side.
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| , | Cabo Verde | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Saudi Arabia | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Spain | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Uruguay | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
France return as the 2022 finalists, having lost the Qatar final to Argentina on penalties. Norway make their first WC appearance since 1998. Senegal arrive as one of Africa's most established sides, while Iraq break a long curse to return to the tournament.
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| , | France | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Iraq | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Norway | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Senegal | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Defending champions Argentina headline the group, looking to retain the trophy they won in Qatar in 2022. Austria are back at a the tournament after a long absence following a strong qualifying campaign. Algeria are familiar continental qualifiers, while Jordan reach a the tournament for the first time in their history.
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| , | Algeria | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Argentina | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Austria | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Jordan | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
Group K: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Portugal arrive looking to add a first the tournament title to their European Championship trophies. Uzbekistan make their the tournament debut after years of near-misses. DR Congo are back at a the tournament for the first time in decades, and Colombia bring strong recent continental form to North America.
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| , | Colombia | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | DR Congo | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Portugal | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Uzbekistan | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
England return as 2022 quarter-finalists, Croatia as the 2022 third-place finishers, making this one of the toughest to call groups. Ghana are back as familiar African qualifiers, and Panama complete the field, returning to the tournament after their 2018 debut.
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| , | Croatia | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | England | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Ghana | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
| , | Panama | , | , | , | , | , | , | , |
Belgium's full preview
Squad, group fixtures, Round of 32 scenarios and the path through the bracket are all covered in the dedicated Belgium team guide and the Group G hub.
4. Notable storylines: debuts, returns and shock absences
The 48-team expansion plus a turbulent qualifying cycle has reshuffled the tournament field in ways the 32-team format never allowed.
The historic debuts: Cabo Verde (Group H) and Uzbekistan (Group K) both reach a the tournament for the first time in their history. Jordan (Group J) also make their senior tournament debut. Curaçao (Group E) become the smallest nation ever to qualify for a the tournament, with a population of roughly 150,000. Their qualification is one of the most remarkable feats of the entire cycle.
The long-awaited returns: Scotland (Group C) appear at a the tournament for the first time since 1998. Haiti (Group C) qualify for the first time in decades. DR Congo (Group K) end a similarly long absence. Iraq (Group I) break their own multi-decade curse, and Norway (Group I) qualify for the first time since 1998.
The shock absences: Italy miss out on a the tournament for the third consecutive tournament, having failed to qualify in 2018, 2022 and now 2026. Denmark were eliminated by Czechia in the UEFA play-offs. Cameroon and Chile both - two football mad countries - disappointingly finished outside their respective continental qualification slots.
The defending champions: Argentina (Group J) headline the field as Qatar 2022 winners, having beaten France on penalties in the final after a 3-3 draw. France themselves (Group I) return as the 2022 runners-up.
Build picks across multiple groups
With Multi BetBuilder you can stack winners, qualifications, top scorers and group runner-up picks from multiple groups into a single slip. Open the Multi BetBuilder →
5. From groups to knockout: how the 32 advance
The new Round of 32 is the most significant structural change to the tournament since. With 12 groups producing 24 direct qualifiers (top two per group), the eight best third-placed sides round out a knockout field of 32. The bracket then runs Round of 32, Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, the third-place play-off and the final.
The exact Round of 32 pairings for third-placed teams are decided by a pre-determined matrix. That is why some Round of 32 fixtures are listed with codes such as "3CEFHI", meaning the third-placed team from one of Groups C, E, F, H or I. The codes only resolve to actual team names once the final group standings are known on the evening of 28 June.
For the full Round of 32 format explainer, the 16-match bracket and Belgium's specific paths through the early knockout rounds, see the dedicated Round of 32 guide and the bracket visual.
6. Groups FAQ
How many teams advance from each group?
The top two finishers from each of the 12 groups advance directly to the Round of 32. Eight of the 12 third-placed teams also advance, ranked by points, then goal difference, then goals scored, then fair-play record, then drawing of lots.
What happens if two teams finish on the same points?
Within a single group, the tiebreaker order is goal difference, goals scored, then head-to-head record between the tied teams, then fair-play record, then drawing of lots. For the third-placed ranking across all groups, only the overall record counts (head-to-head is not used).
Who is the strongest team in each group?
Outright group winner odds are the best public guide to bookmaker consensus and update daily. As of pre-tournament, the most heavily backed group winners are typically the top-seeded sides drawn from pot 1: the three host nations plus the strongest pre-draw ranked countries. See the live WC 2026 outright market for current prices.
Which group is Belgium in?
Belgium are in Group G with Egypt, IR Iran and New Zealand. The three group fixtures kick off at 21:00 CEST (Egypt, 15 June), 21:00 CEST (IR Iran, 21 June) and 05:00 CEST (New Zealand, 27 June). For the full preview, see the Group G guide.
Did Italy really fail to qualify again?
Yes. Italy did not qualify for the tournament 2018, 2022 or 2026, the first time in their history they have missed three consecutive senior World Cups. Their absence is one of the most discussed storylines of the qualification cycle.
When do the standings tables on this page update?
Standings update as group-stage matches play, between 11 and 28 June 2026 in Belgian time. Final group positions are confirmed once each group's third matchday completes, which is staggered across 24 to 28 June CEST.
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