It’s another exciting day in the World Cup 2026 as we see three more Groups solidify their standings and earn their spot to move onto the Round of 32.
Despite some teams already being qualified, a win today can guarantee they earn first place in their group which in theory leads to an easier match up for them in Round of 32. But as we’ve seen throughout this tournament, anything can happen once both countries take the field.
Today we’ll see some of the tournament’s favorites fight for that top spot of their group, so let’s see what we can expect.
Group I
Standings
›| Team | MP | W | D | L | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Norway | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +5 | 6 |
| 2 |  France | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +4 | 6 |
| 3 |  Senegal | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -3 | 0 |
| 4 |  Iraq | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -6 | 0 |
Norway VS France
France
Norway
France: Qualified – Playing for 1st
Norway: Qualified – Playing for 1st
Norway vs France or as some like to call it, Mbappe vs Haaland. This is one of the most anticipated match ups of the entire Group Stage since it features arguably the two best strikers in the world going against each other. Both of them have scored four goals in just two matches, leading their countries to qualification to the next round already. So this match is essentially to see who will take 1st in their group. So it’ll be quite exciting.
Or so we thought. Apparently, Norway is sitting out Haaland which is incredibly disappointing as a football fan. Obviously, it makes sense. Norway has already qualified, and for them this was a journey 28 years in the making since they last qualified for a World Cup in 1998. Playing Haaland against a top team like France can lead to fatigue or even an injury as they prepare for the Round of 32.
France is one of the favorites to win the entire tournament, so they’re likely to start their stars to cement themselves as first in the group heading into the Round of 32.
Senegal VS Iraq
Senegal
Iraq
Senegal: Need to win for a chance to qualify to Round of 32.
Iraq: Need to win by more than four goals for a chance to qualify to Round of 32.
At the other side of Group I we have the complete opposite situation. Both Senegal and Iraq are looking at a Group Stage exit.
Senegal has a tiny bit of hope. If they are able to win then they’ll be in the run for Top 8 of third place teams. There are currently four teams with 3 points in the Top 8 with the best goal difference being -1. So ideally if Senegal is able to win by at least three goals then they will have a very good chance of qualifying for the Round of 32.
Iraq on the other hand would need to win by at least 5 goals to have hope. Considering that Sengal have the likes of Sadio Mane and Nicolas Jackson, it’s hard to imagine Iraq winning by such a huge margin.
Predictions:
France vs Norway: France 3-1 win with Mbappe brace.
Senegal vs Iraq: Senegal 3-0 win to qualify for Round of 32.
Group H
Standings
›| Team | MP | W | D | L | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Spain | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +4 | 4 |
| 2 |  Cape Verde | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 |  Uruguay | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 |  Saudi Arabia | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -4 | 1 |
Group H is total chaos because there are so many scenarios that can come out of these two matches. Cape Verde can go through on a tie if Spain beats Uruguay. Saudi Arabia can go through to the next round as 2nd place if Spain beats Uruguay and they beat Cape Verde.
If Uruguay beats Spain then they would qualify as first. If they lose they could potentially be eliminated from the tournament. The only one safe in this group is Spain because even if they lose, 4 PTS is enough to either get 2nd place or be one of the top eight 3rd places.
But Uruguay, Cape Verde, and Saudi Arabia still hold their fate in their hand. Uruguay so far has had a disappointing showing, while Cape Verde has had one of the more inspirational underdog runs.
I expect all four of these teams to put everything on the table since this is essentially a knock out game for most of them.
CAPe Verde Vs Saudi Arabia
Cape Verde
Saudi Arabia
Cape Verde: Need to win to qualify for Round of 32.
Saudi Arabia: Need to win to qualify for Round of 32.
Uruguay vs Spain
Spain
Uruguay
Spain: Qualified – Playing for 1st in Group H
Uruguay: Need to win to qualify for Round of 32. If they tie their qualification will depend on other factors.
Predictions:
Spain vs Uruguay: Spain 3-2 win.
Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia: 1-1 tie.
Spain advances as 1st and Cape Verde as 2nd with Uruguay and Saudi Arabia being eliminated.
Group G
Standings
›| Team | MP | W | D | L | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Egypt | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 4 |
| 2 |  Belgium | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 |  Iran | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 |  New Zealand | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -2 | 1 |
Egypt Vs IR Iran
Egypt
Iran
Egypt: Qualified – Playing for 1st.
IR Iran: Need to win to qualify to Round of 32.
Even if Egypt loses and both Iran and Belgium win, they’d still sit comfortably in one of the top eight third place spots. They are the only ones in Group G which are likely approaching this match with less pressure than others. Iran on the other hand needs to win. A loss would leave them completely out of qualification and a tie would not be enough if New Zealand were to win. They would get knocked to third place and be at the mercy of the other matches.
Of course, Egypt is a clear favorite with players like Salah and Marmoush leading the attack. Iran as a whole have performed exceptionally well, especially on the counter attack so I definitely expect this match to have plenty of goals from both sides.
New Zealand VS Belgium
Belgium
New Zealand
New Zealand: Need to win to qualify to Round of 32.
Belgium: Need to win to qualify to Round of 32.
Belgium are once again underwhelming. It’s hard to really root for them when every World Cup they are labeled as the ones to watch and they always end up scrapping by matches that they should easily dominated on paper. I will say, Doku is coming to this Belgium squad after the miracle of witnessing his first born’s birth, so we may see him more inspired than usual. If there is a player that can make all the difference it is Jeremy Doku.
New Zealand suffered a costly loss to Egypt in Round 2 of the Group Stages and now to even have a chance of qualifying they’ll need to beat a Belgium team that is hungry to prove that they can go the distance. I just don’t see them really pulling this one out, especially with how phsyical the Belgium players are. They’ll need another masterful performance from their top scorer Elijah Just to dream about reaching the next round.
Predictions:
Egypt vs IR Iran: Egypt win 2-0.
New Zealand vs Belgium: Belgium win 3-1
Egypt qualifies 1st in Group G, and Belgium qualifies 2nd. Iran and New Zealand are eliminated.
Leave a Reply