2026 World Cup Group Stage Predictions:

Hey All! How do you think each World Cup group will play out? Discuss Predictions here!! Here are Mine: Group A: 1. Mexico 2. South Korea 3. Czech Republic 4. South Africa I’m pretty confident that Mexico tops this and South Africa finishes last. Mexico will be strong at home, and have a pretty good squad. South Africa I think are quite overrated. The real toss up is South Korea vs Czech Republic. Honestly I think South Korea has the better team on paper all around, is a bit underrated, and I fancy them. Group B: 1. Switzerland 2. Canada 3. Bosnia-Herzegovina 4. Qatar Switzerland tops this group easily. I really love this Swiss team and I think they’re extremely good right now and the best they’ve been in a long time. Canada and Bosnia battle for second and third, and it’s honestly very close. I slightly fancy Canada as they’re at home and they have some good players like Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David. But it’ll be close. Qatar is probably even weaker than last World Cup. Group C: 1. Brazil 2. Morocco 3. Scotland 4. Haiti This will be a fun group. Brazil vs Morocco will be very interesting. To be honest I really believe that the opening game will be quite cautious and both teams might actually play very cautiously to avoid losing the opening match. Could very well end in a draw. However I think Brazil takes top spot as their goal difference will be higher than Morocco’s even if they both end with 7 points. Scotland finishes 3rd and Haiti 4th. Group D: 1. Turkey 2. Australia 3. Paraguay 4. United States I’m being a bit bold here. I think many agree that Turkey is the best team on paper. I know that Turkey has had a reputation of inconsistency in the past, but they’ve really improved and been way more consistent ever since Montella took over as coach. I know Montella, he’s very good tactically, and I think Turkey tops this. Australia is one of the most underrated teams in this whole tournament. I really think they’re very well organized, and have a great coach with great structure and tactics. I think they take second place. USA and Paraguay battle it for third and 4th. Now USA is probably superior on paper, but Paraguay maybe has slightly better team chemistry all around. Either way it’s going to be chaotic, and I’ll be bold and say Paraguay edges it out and steals third place, leading to unfortunately a very disappointing World Cup for the United States at home. Group E: 1. Germany 2. Ecuador 3. Ivory Coast 4. Curacao Very interesting group, and it’s a bit harder to predict than we think. This German team is not as good as Euro 2024 Germany, but besides that, I do think they’re the best they’ve been since winning in 2014. Nagelsmann has done well with them as coach and they have good players. Mainly just weak in the full backs area, but I think they still top the group and will bag in a lot of goals. Ecuador vs Ivory Coast will be tough as both teams have been improving. I fancy Ecuador to edge it for second, because they’...

Croatia is an aging team still depending on a 40 year old Modric. Yeah they will still be very tactical, organized and technical, but I dont think England needs to show them too much respect. I think England could actually beat them quite easily if I'm being honest. I dont see a back and forth game. I see Croatia trying to hold on for a draw.

USA finishing last is quite the hot take. I mean, it is possible but highly unlikely and unprobable.It's a very hot take, even if the US hasn't been in great form. Here's the thing about the US group. While many US fans were celebrating it , I cautioned that it was much more difficult than it appeared. It's a double edged sword. While there are no really good teams in the group, there also are really no weak ones either. Most groups have a "guaranteed 3 points" game. This one doesn't. I find this group to be the most even group from top to bottom, so every match will be a real battle and anything can happen. I still fancy the US to top this group, but them topping it and finishing last really arent that far off in terms of odds.

I think Croatia has a better chance of topping their group than most think. England is the much more talented team on paper but in one-game tournaments like this, it really just depends on how teams will show up on the day and Croatia is very fundamentally sound. I think it'll really hinge on that England-CroatCroatia is an aging team still depending on a 40 year old Modric. Yeah they will still be very tactical, organized and technical, but I dont think England needs to show them too much respect. I think England could actually beat them quite easily if I'm being honest. I dont see a back and forth game. I see Croatia trying to hold on for a draw.I honestly don’t think so. If Croatia topped the group, they would have to beat England in the group stage. Considering likely goal difference, a draw probably wouldn’t do it. Croatia are usually tough to beat once the knockouts happen, but they’re not known for being super convincing in the group stages for the most part, at least most recently. Remember they weren’t super convincing in the group stage in the last 2022 World Cup.

Doesn't Egypt usually do well at Afcon and then not do anything when it comes to World Cup qualifying? Such a tough team to figure out on this stage.

The teams in their Group are not horrible but two of them have not even played in the World Cup in Multiple cycles. And Australia does not really do great in comparison to other AFC teams like Japan or even Korea.Wait what in regards to Australia? In the last World Cup, Australia was the second best AFC team after Japan, and I believe they still are and have even improved from last World Cup. To be fair in the 2010, 2014, and 2018 world cups, they did have really tough groups, with some very good teams. I wouldn’t underestimate Australia at all. I think they’re second best team in Asia after Japan. South Korea might have a stronger team on paper, but Australia play better and are managed way better right now at least.

It's a very hot take, even if the US hasn't been in great form. Here's the thing about the US group. While many US fans were celebrating it , I cautioned that it was much more difficult than it appeared. It's a double edged sword. While there are no really good teams in the group, there also are really no weak ones either. Most groups have a "guaranteed 3 points" game. This one doesn't. I find this group to be the most even group from top to bottom, so every match will be a real battle and anything can happen. I still fancy the US to top this group, but them topping it and finishing last really arent that far off in terms of odds.Very true, it is for sure a very tough group to predict. My real concerns about the USA is that they’re very disorganized and quite liable defensively. On paper Pochettino was supposed to be an upgrade from Greg Berhalter, but that doesn’t seem to turn out to be the case on the field so far at least. One of their biggest strengths in the last World Cup was fairly solid and organized defensively, and they’ve lost that under Pochettino. While I’m unsure what the problem is, I think Pochettino’s tactics and approach might be too advanced for the national team to grasp very well. And I think they will get punished by more tactically organized and structured teams. This is why I fancy Turkey and Australia. It’s 50-50 vs Paraguay though, and I think they might be able to get third place if they play hard.

I agree to all except: -USA, despite the doom and gloom, are definitely not finishing last. -Netherlands are not losing to Sweden. If they finish third it'll be because classic Japan dropping to ball to the Swedes or some crazy permutation. You underestimate the dutch a bit here. -I don't get the hype with Egypt? their late results aren't anything impressive. I don't think a friendly draw with Spain B is that relevant. Belgium top that group even against their own will.I dont think Egypt tops that group, but it wouldnt surprise me either. I mean Egypt did beat this same Belgium (who was much stronger than now) right before the last WC. I also wouldnt downplay an away draw against a Spain B team, nor destroying Saudi Arabia 4-0 in their own backyard. Egypt also did very well at the afcon, they are actually hitting form at the right time, because before afcon they were very mediocre.

As for chances of finishing last it is very low compared to finishing first for the plain and simple fact that once you beat a team you have the tie breaker. I mean maybe they can have two ties and a loss but even that seems very unlikely to me.

Contrary to what others on this forum have suggested I think Scotland actually advances as a best third-place team at the very least. I can see them struggling against Haiti but I figure they should still get the three points somehow, and I think the Morocco game has draw written all over it. I think they'll keep the score down against a fairly meh version of Brazil and advance comfortably with 4 points. Imo: Brazil 7 Morocco 5 Scotland 4 Haiti 0

Wait what in regards to Australia? In the last World Cup, Australia was the second best AFC team after Japan, and I believe they still are and have even improved from last World Cup. To be fair in the 2010, 2014, and 2018 world cups, they did have really tough groups, with some very good teams. I wouldn’t underestimate Australia at all. I think they’re second best team in Asia after Japan. South Korea might have a stronger team on paper, but Australia play better and are managed way better right now at least.Japan and Korea give me more fear as a USA fan due to their World Cup history and the thousands of fans they would bring on the west coast. USA lucked out in this regard cause a few hundred people wearing Koala and Kangaroo costumes is not going to be intimidating anyone in Seattle. Let’s be frank. Sure, as a team they are not bad but in a World Cup setting at home in front of the best fans in all of the USA cities I like my chances.

usa might well finnish last canada-qatar will be great, two worst teams of 2022 fighting for the third place and potential knockouts four years later! germany-curacao will be the quest for double digit score, looking forward to that. apart from that, congo-usbekistan will highly likely be the least sought game, parallel to the most expensive por-col matchup, but it might end being much more interesting battle for the third spot while the other game might become player resting festival and in the end, brazil games might be pain to watch we‘ll see

If Mexico does not win Group A I'd be surprised.

-I don't get the hype with Egypt? their late results aren't anything impressive. I don't think a friendly draw with Spain B is that relevant. Belgium top that group even against their I dont think Egypt tops that group, but it wouldnt surprise me either. I mean Egypt did beat this same Belgium (who was much stronger than now) right before the last WC. I also wouldnt downplay an away draw against a Spain B team, nor destroying Saudi Arabia 4-0 in their own backyard. Egypt also did very well at the afcon, they are actually hitting form at the right time, because before afcon they were very Doesn't Egypt usually do well at Afcon and then not do anything when it comes to World Cup qualifying? Such a tough team to figure out on this stage.To be fair Egypt has had some very good results over the past years. They missed 2022 World Cup but only lost to Senegal (a team that performed fairly well in 2022) on penalties to not qualify. Egypt has had some great AFCON results and I think they’ll do decently. They’re not that good or amazing, but I also think Belgium is extremely questionable and managed terribly to which is why I fancy Egypt.

I am having a tough time figuring out those matches. My gut says a boring 0-0 In Texas. Both teams will give each other too much respect and neither will want to lose to the other. And in Euro type matches like that it usually gets boring. Brasil -Morocco can be a draw too but something tells me the South Americans will barely edge them out.

for the third spot while the other game might become player resting festivalI said this in the ticket thread but Lorenzo never rests players. Even when most of us fans want him to. I doubt he will rest anyone in Miami unless they are injured.