Every 2026 World Cup Group Stage Game, Predicted

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is finally here. We have 48 teams, 12 groups, 3 host nations and exactly zero guarantees. Seriously, the group stage has shown us anything can happen. Four years ago Saudi Arabia stunned Argentina. Japan toppled Germany and Spain. Every World Cup handles you at least one result that makes you feel like you’ve never watched soccer a day in your life.

As the tournament is getting set to start this week, we’re here to predict every single group stage game. Yeah, we’re being bold. And we’re probably going to be way off about many of them.

What we’re going to do below is give a winner (or a draw) and a quick why. I’m fully aware that most of these picks will come back to haunt me down the road if they go off the rails.

One housekeeping note: the top two teams from each group will automatically advance to the Round of 32, and then the next best eight third-place finishers will also advance. That means surviving the group stage is more achievable than ever.

The Group Stage runs from June 11 through June 27.

(Knockout round predictions will follow in a separate post later 0n)

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Group A: Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, Czechia

Match	Prediction	Reasoning
Mexico vs. South Africa	Mexico 2–0	Home crowd, home soil in Mexico City. South Africa showed up to survive, not score.
South Korea vs. Czechia	Draw 1–1	Son's last World Cup hurrah vs. a solid Czechia side. Neither has enough to pull away.
Mexico vs. South Korea	Mexico 1–0	El Tri can't afford to slip at home. Grinding result but they get it done.
South Africa vs. Czechia	Czechia 1–0	Quality wins out. Schick finds a goal.
Mexico vs. Czechia	Mexico 2–1	Mexico clinches the group. Czechia presses but it's too little, too late.
South Korea vs. South Africa	South Korea 2–1	Son shows up when it matters. South Africa's tournament ends here.

Team	W	D	L	Pts	Result
Mexico	3	0	0	9	✅ Advance
South Korea	1	1	1	4	✅ Advance
Czechia	1	0	2	3	🎟️ Advance
South Africa	0	0	3	0	❌ Eliminated

Group B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Match	Prediction	Reasoning
Canada vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina	Canada 2–1	Home advantage in Toronto is massive. Bosnia is a step up from nothing but Canada has the horses.
Qatar vs. Switzerland	Switzerland 2–0	Qatar has no business being at this tournament. Switzerland takes it professionally.
Canada vs. Qatar	Canada 3–0	Should be a walkover. Davies makes Qatar look like a Thursday night men's league team.
Switzerland vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina	Draw 1–1	Bosnia scraps for a draw they desperately need. Switzerland plays it safe.
Canada vs. Switzerland	Draw 1–1	The group decider. Both advance regardless but neither wants second.
Qatar vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina	Bosnia 2–1	Both going home, but Bosnia has actual quality. Qatar collects their participation trophy.

Team	W	D	L	Pts	Result
Canada	2	1	0	7	✅ Advance
Switzerland	1	2	0	5	✅ Advance
Bosnia-Herzegovina	1	1	1	4	🎟️ Advance
Qatar	0	0	3	0	❌ Eliminated

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti

Match	Prediction	Reasoning
Brazil vs. Morocco	Brazil 2–1	Morocco is legit and won't roll over. But Brazil at a World Cup in North America, 32 years after '94? They find a way.
Haiti vs. Scotland	Scotland 2–0	Scotland gets to play the one group they can actually win. Haiti is the tournament's sacrificial lamb.
Brazil vs. Scotland	Brazil 3–0	Sorry, lads. This ain't Wembley '67.
Morocco vs. Haiti	Morocco 3–0	Morocco needs the goal difference. Haiti obliges.
Brazil vs. Haiti	Brazil 4–0	Garbage time goals for Vinicius Jr.
Morocco vs. Scotland	Morocco 1–0	The real second-place battle. Morocco's defensive structure beats a Scotland side that needs a miracle.

Team	W	L	Pts	Result
Brazil	3	0	9	✅ Advance
Morocco	2	1	6	✅ Advance
Scotland	1	2	3	❌ Eliminated
Haiti	0	3	0	❌ Eliminated

Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey

Match	Prediction	Reasoning
USA vs. Paraguay	USA 2–1	SoFi Stadium, the opener on American soil. They'd better not screw this up.
Australia vs. Turkey	Draw 1–1	Two dangerous teams who won't give each other anything for free.
USA vs. Australia	USA 2–0	Pulisic starts cooking. The Socceroos' firepower isn't enough on the road.
Paraguay vs. Turkey	Türkiye 1–0	Better squad depth. Paraguay gives a fight but loses the tight one.
USA vs. Turkey	Draw 1–1	Nervy last group game. USA doesn't need to win and plays accordingly.
Paraguay vs. Australia	Paraguay 2–1	South American quality edges out in the match nobody watches. Both need it.

Team	W	D	L	Pts	Result
USA	2	1	0	7	✅ Advance
Turkey	1	2	0	5	✅ Advance
Paraguay	1	0	2	3	🎟️ Advance
Australia	0	1	2	1	❌ Eliminated

Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curaçao

Match	Prediction	Reasoning
Germany vs. Curaçao	Germany 5–1	This could possibly be most lopsided matchup of the entire tournament. Pour one out for Curaçao.
Ecuador vs. Ivory Coast	Draw 1–1	Two evenly-matched teams that will make this legitimately watchable.
Germany vs. Ecuador	Germany 2–1	Ecuador will press and make it interesting. Germany closes it out.
Ivory Coast vs. Curaçao	Ivory Coast 3–0	Comfortable W. Curaçao is just happy to be here.
Germany vs. Ivory Coast	Germany 2–0	Germany clinches. Talent gap is real.
Ecuador vs. Curaçao	Ecuador 3–1	Ecuador locks up second. Curaçao finishes 0–3 and still somehow made history by getting here.

Team	W	D	L	Pts	Result
Germany	3	0	0	9	✅ Advance
Ecuador	1	1	1	4	✅ Advance
Ivory Coast	1	1	1	4	🎟️ Advance
Curaçao	0	0	3	0	❌ Eliminated

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Sweden

Match	Prediction	Reasoning
Netherlands vs. Japan	Netherlands 2–1	At Dallas Stadium in Arlington. Netherlands are the superior side but Japan always shows up at World Cups. Slight Dutch edge.
Tunisia vs. Sweden	Sweden 1–0	Sweden is the better team. Tunisia causes problems but can't finish.
Netherlands vs. Tunisia	Netherlands 3–1	Netherlands in cruise control. Tunisia can't cope with the attacking pace.
Japan vs. Sweden	Draw 1–1	The real second-place fight. Neither side can afford to lose.
Netherlands vs. Sweden	Netherlands 2–1	Netherlands clinches. Sweden fights until the end but it's not enough.
Japan vs. Tunisia	Japan 2–0	Japan finishes strong and grabs second on goal difference.

Team	W	D	L	Pts	Result
Netherlands	3	0	0	9	✅ Advance
Japan	1	1	1	4	✅ Advance
Sweden	1	1	1	4	🎟️ Advance
Tunisia	0	0	3	0	❌ Eliminated

Note: Japan and Sweden finish level on 4 points. Japan advances on goal difference (+2 vs. –1).

Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand

Match	Prediction	Reasoning
Belgium vs. Iran	Belgium 2–0	Belgium's golden generation is gone but there's still enough class to handle Iran.
Egypt vs. New Zealand	Egypt 1–0	Salah's last stand at a World Cup. Egypt ekes out a narrow one.
Belgium vs. Egypt	Draw 1–1	Mo Salah does what Mo Salah does. Belgium can't fully neutralize him.
Iran vs. New Zealand	Iran 1–0	Iran needs every point. They grind one out against a side just happy to be here.
Belgium vs. New Zealand	Belgium 3–0	Belgium finishes group play comfortably.
Egypt vs. Iran	Draw 0–0	The ugliest match of the tournament. Two defensive sides who both desperately need a result.

Team	W	D	L	Pts	Result
Belgium	2	1	0	7	✅ Advance
Egypt	1	2	0	5	✅ Advance
Iran	1	1	1	4	🎟️ Advance
New Zealand	0	0	3	0	❌ Eliminated

Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde

Match	Prediction	Reasoning
Spain vs. Cape Verde	Spain 4–0	The defending European champions warm up against debutants. Pedri, Yamal, and Morata have a field day.
Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay	Uruguay 1–0	Uruguay's defensive experience is exactly the antidote to Saudi Arabia's limited attack.
Spain vs. Saudi Arabia	Spain 2–0	The Saudis won't get their big upset at this World Cup.
Uruguay vs. Cape Verde	Uruguay 2–0	Darwin Núñez wakes up. Cape Verde presses but Uruguay's clinical edge is too much.
Spain vs. Uruguay	Draw 1–1	The most interesting game in the group. Uruguay parks the bus. Spain gets one, can't get the second.
Saudi Arabia vs. Cape Verde	Draw 1–1	Two teams playing for pride and a possible third-place lifeline.

Team	W	D	L	Pts	Result
Spain	2	1	0	7	✅ Advance
Uruguay	2	1	0	7	✅ Advance
Saudi Arabia	0	1	2	1	❌ Eliminated
Cape Verde	0	1	2	1	❌ Eliminated

Note: Spain and Uruguay both finish on 7 points. Spain takes first on goal difference (+5 vs. +3).

Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq

Match	Prediction	Reasoning
France vs. Senegal	France 2–1	Mané's last World Cup. Senegal is genuinely dangerous. France has enough to win ugly.
Norway vs. Iraq	Norway 3–0	Haaland vs. Iraq. This is not a fair fight.
France vs. Norway	France 2–1	Haaland scores. France scores twice. That's how this goes.
Senegal vs. Iraq	Senegal 2–0	Senegal takes care of business against a team that shouldn't be conceding less than two.
France vs. Iraq	France 4–0	France turns on the jets. Mbappé bags a brace.
Senegal vs. Norway	Norway 2–1	The real second-place clash. Haaland gets another one.

Team	W	L	Pts	Result
France	3	0	9	✅ Advance
Norway	2	1	6	✅ Advance
Senegal	1	2	3	🎟️ Advance
Iraq	0	3	0	❌ Eliminated

Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan

Match	Prediction	Reasoning
Argentina vs. Algeria	Argentina 2–0	Messi's final World Cup. Argentina will not drop points against Algeria.
Austria vs. Jordan	Austria 2–0	Austria is a solid European side. Jordan has no business keeping this close.
Argentina vs. Austria	Argentina 2–1	Austria makes it interesting — this is a legitimate team — but Messi tilts it Argentina's way.
Algeria vs. Jordan	Algeria 1–0	Both need points. Algeria has the better squad and it shows.
Argentina vs. Jordan	Argentina 3–0	Argentina clinches. Messi gets his goals in the sunshine.
Algeria vs. Austria	Austria 1–0	Austria finishes second. Algeria's World Cup ends here.

Team	W	L	Pts	Result
Argentina	3	0	9	✅ Advance
Austria	2	1	6	✅ Advance
Algeria	1	2	3	❌ Eliminated
Jordan	0	3	0	❌ Eliminated

Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, DR Congo

Match	Prediction	Reasoning
Portugal vs. DR Congo	Portugal 3–0	Portugal rolls. DR Congo will need that third-place spot to survive.
Colombia vs. Uzbekistan	Colombia 2–0	Colombia might be a dark horse team. Uzbekistan is not.
Portugal vs. Uzbekistan	Portugal 4–0	Ronaldo's last tournament doesn't start with dropped points against Uzbekistan. Full stop.
Colombia vs. DR Congo	Colombia 2–1	Colombia secures second. DR Congo makes them work for it.
Portugal vs. Colombia	Draw 1–1	The group decider between two good teams. Both go through. No reason to risk anything.
Uzbekistan vs. DR Congo	Draw 1–1	One of these teams might sneak through as a third-place finisher. Ugly draw doesn't help either of them.

Team	W	D	L	Pts	Result
Portugal	2	1	0	7	✅ Advance
Colombia	2	1	0	7	✅ Advance
DR Congo	0	1	2	1	❌ Eliminated
Uzbekistan	0	1	2	1	❌ Eliminated

Note: Portugal and Colombia both finish on 7 points. Portugal takes first on goal difference (+7 vs. +2).

Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana

Match	Prediction	Reasoning
England vs. Croatia	England 2–1	Dallas Stadium. Tuchel's England gets revenge for Euro 2021. Bellingham and Saka do the damage. Musa gets minutes late.
Panama vs. Ghana	Ghana 1–0	Ghana is the better side. Panama is not built to go toe-to-toe offensively.
England vs. Ghana	England 2–0	England takes care of business. No surprises, no drama.
Croatia vs. Panama	Croatia 2–0	Croatia's veteran experience is too much. Modrić still runs this.
England vs. Panama	England 3–0	England wraps up group play in New Jersey. Kane hat trick incoming.
Croatia vs. Ghana	Draw 1–1	Both need a result to stay alive for that third-place slot. Classic desperation draw.

Team	W	D	L	Pts	Result
England	3	0	0	9	✅ Advance
Croatia	1	1	1	4	✅ Advance
Ghana	1	1	1	4	🎟️ Advance
Panama	0	0	3	0	❌ Eliminated

Note: Croatia edges Ghana on goal difference (+1 vs. –1).

The 8 Best Third-Place Teams: Who Sneaks Through?

With 12 groups, only the top two from each advance automatically. But the eight best third-place finishers also punch their ticket to the Round of 32 — and based on our predictions, here's who makes the cut:

Rank	Team	Group	Pts	GD	Result
1	Bosnia-Herzegovina	B	4	–1	✅ Through
2	Ivory Coast	E	4	0	✅ Through
3	Sweden	F	4	–1	✅ Through
4	Iran	G	4	–1	✅ Through
5	Ghana	L	4	–1	✅ Through
6	Paraguay	D	3	–1	✅ Through
7	Czechia	A	3	–1	✅ Through
8	Senegal	I	3	–1	⚠️ Tiebreaker

The ugly tiebreaker: Paraguay, Czechia, and Senegal all finish on 3 points and –1 goal difference. It goes to goals scored: Paraguay (3) takes 6th, while Czechia and Senegal are deadlocked at 2 goals each. At that point it goes to FIFA rankings — and Czechia edges out Senegal for the final automatic spot. Senegal goes home despite winning a group stage game. Brutal.

Going home: Algeria (3 pts, –2 GD) and Scotland (3 pts, –3 GD) finish just outside the cut. Saudi Arabia and DR Congo are the group stage's biggest disappointments, finishing with just 1 point each.

Knockout round predictions coming soon. Bookmark this page and come back to tell us how wrong we were.

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