Group overview
Group I is the tournament’s loudest claim to a Group of Death. France arrive as FIFA’s third-ranked team and bookmakers’ second-favorite to win the whole thing, armed with arguably the deepest attacking roster at this World Cup. Behind them, the second-place race is a genuine three-way argument. Norway return to the World Cup stage for the first time in 28 years with Erling Haaland leading an attack that also includes Martin Odegaard, Alexander Sorloth, and Antonio Nusa. Senegal come in as reigning AFCON champions with Sadio Mane back from the injury that kept him out of Qatar, plus a midfield generation that includes Pape Matar Sarr, Lamine Camara, and Habib Diarra. Even Iraq, the fourth seed who qualified as the tournament’s final team on March 31 with a 2-1 win over Bolivia, carry a genuine emotional charge and a forward in Aymen Hussein who scored nine goals in qualifying.
The defining fixture of the group stage is almost certainly Norway vs Senegal on June 22 in New York. Whoever wins that game is almost certain to accompany France into the knockout rounds. France’s opener against Senegal on June 16 in New Jersey also carries historical weight: these two teams met in the very first match of the 2002 World Cup, when Senegal produced one of the tournament’s most famous upsets by winning 1-0. Deschamps will be intensely aware of the symbolism. The other subtext running through this group is Haaland’s personal narrative. He makes his World Cup debut in Group I having previously watched every tournament on television while Norway failed to qualify. The pressure around his performance will be immense, but so will the expectation.
Qualification picture
The highest-ranked third-place finishers among all 12 groups also advance to the Round of 32. Eight third-place sides go through, which means a team finishing third with 4 or 5 points could still progress. This route is the realistic path for Senegal if Norway edge the head-to-head.
Key storylines
Haaland’s World Cup debut. Erling Haaland has won the Champions League, multiple Premier Leagues, and the FA Cup, but he has never played at a World Cup. Norway’s previous qualification failures meant he watched every tournament on television. He arrives in Group I with the most eye-catching goal record in European qualifying, now finally with the stage he has been waiting for. The matchup against France on June 26 in Boston is his defining fixture: a chance to face the tournament favorites and announce himself as a credible Golden Boot contender.
Senegal vs France: 2002 revisited. The very first match of Group I is a direct callback to the 2002 World Cup, where Senegal defeated defending champions France 1-0 in the tournament’s opening match. Mane missed the 2022 tournament entirely through injury. He returns at 34 for what he has said will be his final World Cup, alongside a squad the Lions of Teranga’s coach Pape Thiaw describes as their most complete generation. France won’t let that history repeat, but Senegal have the quality to make the June 16 opener genuinely uncomfortable.
Deschamps’ farewell tournament. Didier Deschamps has managed France since 2012, won the 2018 World Cup, and reached the 2022 final. He has announced he will not extend his contract beyond this tournament, making Group I the opening chapter of his final campaign. With Zinedine Zidane widely expected to succeed him, there is a clean narrative arc to how France will approach this tournament. Deschamps’ squad is arguably his most talented, but he omitted Eduardo Camavinga and took the decision not to recall Randal Kolo Muani, choices that show a clear vision of what he wants from this squad.
Iraq: 40 years in the making. Iraq last played at a World Cup in Mexico in 1986. They lost all three games but only by one goal each time. The 2026 edition is hosted partly in the same country, and Iraq qualified as the 48th and final team on March 31. The squad includes Ali Al-Hamadi of Ipswich Town, the first Iraqi player ever to play in the Premier League, and Zidane Iqbal at Utrecht, who has Dutch and English heritage and carries the cross-cultural story of the Iraqi diaspora into the tournament. Graham Arnold, who managed Australia at the 2022 World Cup, took charge in May 2025 and led them through the playoff run-in.
Current standings
Top 2 teams per group qualify automatically for the Round of 32. The 8 best third-place teams across all 12 groups also advance. Tiebreakers in order: points, goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head, fair play, drawing of lots.
Best bets
Best value
Norway to advance from group
-200
Norway won every single game in European qualifying, finishing ahead of Italy in their group. Haaland has scored prolifically for country and club and will be desperate to deliver on the World Cup stage for the first time. The Iraq fixture on June 16 is essentially a free swing, and if Norway beat Senegal in the pivotal MD2 matchup, second place is theirs. The defensive record is a concern but the attacking quality is genuine, and -200 to advance from this group feels light given the schedule.
Match pick
Senegal draw or win vs Norway (MD2)
+235
The market has Norway as clear favorites to finish second, but Senegal are reigning AFCON champions with a physically imposing defensive structure and recent evidence of limiting high-quality European attacks. At the 2022 World Cup, Senegal held England and the Netherlands under 1.05 xG. Norway’s defensive record in qualifying was shakier than the results suggest. Senegal’s fighting qualities and +235 for draw-or-win makes this Group I’s best odds-vs-probability mismatch.
Long shot
Haaland first scorer vs Iraq (MD1)
+200
Haaland scored in virtually every qualifying game and Norway are -280 to beat Iraq. Iraq’s defensive structure will be tested immediately by Norway’s physicality and Haaland’s ability to occupy two center-backs. In a game Norway are expected to dominate, first scorer at +200 reflects his goal-scoring patterns well. He opened the scoring in Norway’s qualifying games regularly and this is the softest fixture of the group for him.
Group I betting analysis
France at -215 to win the group implies roughly a 68% probability, which is close to fair. Their squad is the deepest here and their defensive organization under Deschamps is historically reliable in tournaments. They haven’t lost a group stage game since 2002. That last fact also contains the warning: it was Senegal who beat them on that occasion. The Senegal opener on June 16 carries genuine risk for France and I wouldn’t rule out a draw, but once they navigate that fixture, Sweden and Norway would both need to drop points elsewhere for France to slip up.
The real market interest is in Norway vs Senegal. Norway are priced as clear second favorites but their defensive record is a concern against a Senegal side that is better organized than their odds suggest. Senegal’s qualifying campaign ended with a brutal comeback against DR Congo in Kinshasa, while their AFCON run showed a team capable of beating elite opponents on the continent. The to-qualify market prices Norway at around -350 and Senegal at around +175. Senegal to qualify deserves more attention than the group-win market suggests. Iraq to qualify is a long shot at +1400 or longer, but the expanded format keeps a slim hope alive if they take points from Senegal and Norway stumble elsewhere.
Player props
EH
Erling Haaland anytime scorer
Norway vs Iraq (MD1)
-110
KM
Kylian Mbappe anytime scorer
France vs Senegal (MD1)
+130
OD
Ousmane Dembele anytime scorer
France vs Iraq (MD2)
+150
Odds correct at time of writing via FanDuel. Lines subject to change. Please gamble responsibly.
🇫🇷France
Didier Deschamps · 4-2-3-1
Champions 1998, 2018. Runners-up 2022. SF 2022
-215 group win
Team overview
France arrive at the 2026 World Cup as the tournament’s second-most-fancied side and the heaviest favorites in Group I. Didier Deschamps, who managed Les Bleus to the 2018 title and the 2022 final in Qatar, has confirmed this will be his last tournament. His farewell squad is arguably his most talented. Kylian Mbappe captains the side for his third World Cup, with Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele in support. Michael Olise at Bayern Munich, Rayan Cherki at Manchester City, and the teenage PSG forward Bradley Barcola give Deschamps elite options across the attack. Eduardo Camavinga was the headline omission from the midfield, while Randal Kolo Muani was also left out in favour of Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta. N’Golo Kante, now 35, has been recalled and gives France tournament experience in midfield alongside Aurelien Tchouameni, Manu Kone, Adrien Rabiot, and the young Warren Zaire-Emery. The defensive spine is exceptional: Mike Maignan in goal, William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano in central defence, Jules Kounde at right-back, and Theo Hernandez on the left. The primary uncertainty around this squad is the central defensive partnership, where Saliba, Upamecano, and Ibrahima Konate are all available and all have claims to start. Deschamps has not settled on a consistent pairing through qualifying. The Group I opener against Senegal on June 16 carries historical baggage from 2002 but Deschamps will treat it as the most dangerous fixture of the group stage and prepare accordingly.
Probable XI: 4-2-3-1
Ratings
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
The attacking depth is unmatched in Group I. Mbappe, Dembele, Olise, Cherki, Barcola, and Doue give Deschamps more elite forward options than any other squad at this tournament
William Saliba is one of the world’s best central defenders at 25, and the Maignan-Saliba-Kounde core of this defence is built for high-pressure knockout football
France have not lost a group stage game since 2002 and have reached at least the quarter-final in each of the last four tournaments under Deschamps
Weaknesses
The central defensive partnership is unsettled. Deschamps has not consistently started the same centre-back pairing in qualifying, and Konate’s form at Liverpool has been questioned. Any defensive uncertainty gets exposed by a high press or direct striker
Deschamps’ 4-2-3-1 relies on a functional relationship between the double pivot and the front line. Kante at 35 gives experience but not the same dynamic range as Camavinga, whose omission is a tactical as much as a personnel question
The Senegal opener on June 16 carries genuine upset risk. France have historically been vulnerable to organized African sides, and the psychological weight of 2002 will be present in every preparation meeting
Model projection
Projected finish
Quarter-final +
🇳🇴Norway
Stale Solbakken · 4-3-3
R16 1938, 1998. First WC since 1998. 28-year absence ends
+275 group win
Team overview
Norway return to the World Cup stage for the first time in 28 years with the most talked-about striker on the planet leading their attack. Erling Haaland has won the Champions League, the Premier League, and the FA Cup with Manchester City, but he has never played at a World Cup. That changes on June 16 against Iraq in Boston, and Haaland has spoken about how much this moment means to him personally. Martin Odegaard captains the side from midfield, with a squad that qualified by winning every match in their European qualifying group, finishing ahead of Italy. That qualifying record is the best argument for Norway’s credentials, but it came against a group that included limited opposition, and Norway’s March friendly at the Netherlands exposed real defensive vulnerability: they conceded five big chances against a Dutch side not at full strength. Manager Stale Solbakken’s 4-3-3 system suits the personnel well. Alexander Sorloth at Atletico Madrid and Jorgen Strand Larsen at Crystal Palace provide support for Haaland up front, with Antonio Nusa and Oscar Bobb providing pace and creativity wide. The midfield trio of Odegaard, Sander Berge at Fulham, and Kristian Thorstvedt gives Norway technical control. The back four has Premier League and Serie A experience across it: Julian Ryerson at Dortmund, Kristoffer Ajer at Brentford, and Torbjorn Heggem at Bologna give Solbakken options. The risk is that Norway leak goals. Their defence was tested repeatedly in qualifiers and a back four that conceded five big chances against the Netherlands in a friendly may find France’s front three overwhelming in the final group game.
Probable XI: 4-3-3
Ratings
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
Haaland is the most lethal striker at this tournament. His combination of aerial dominance, hold-up play, and clinical finishing gives Norway a game-changing option that no other Group I side possesses
Odegaard as captain and creative spine, surrounded by Berge and Thorstvedt, gives Norway a technically accomplished midfield that can control the ball when needed and transition quickly when the press wins possession
Norway won all their qualifying games and scored freely. That attacking momentum carries real weight into a tournament, and Sorloth, Nusa, and Bobb give Haaland genuine support that prevents opponents doubling up on him alone
Weaknesses
The defensive record is the obvious concern. Norway conceded five big scoring chances against the Netherlands in a friendly and their back four has not been tested by France-level quality. Mbappe in transition against Ryerson or Moller Wolfe is a dangerous individual matchup
Haaland has never played a competitive game at a major senior international tournament. His debut comes with enormous pressure, against Iraq first but with France looming in the final game. How he handles that weight is genuinely unknown
Norway’s depth beyond the starting eleven drops off noticeably. Bobb and Schjelderup are quality options in midfield, but injuries or suspensions to Odegaard or Haaland would significantly change their ceiling
Model projection
Projected finish
Round of 32
🇸🇳Senegal
Pape Thiaw · 4-3-3
QF 2002. R16 2022. Beat France in 2002. Reigning AFCON champions
+800 group win
Team overview
Senegal arrive at the 2026 World Cup as reigning African champions and, arguably, the most complete African squad at the tournament. Sadio Mane, 34, missed the 2022 World Cup entirely through injury and has publicly stated this will be his final international tournament. He was named player of the tournament at the January 2025 AFCON, inspiring Senegal’s run to the title, and arrives in North America with one final chance to improve on the quarter-final from 2002. Captain Kalidou Koulibaly, one of the game’s great defenders across the last decade, anchors a back four that also includes Moussa Niakhate at Lyon, Ismail Jakobs at Galatasaray, and the promising El Hadji Malick Diouf at West Ham. The midfield generation is genuinely exciting: Pape Matar Sarr at Tottenham, Lamine Camara at Monaco, and Habib Diarra at Sunderland give coach Pape Thiaw box-to-box options with European experience. Idrissa Gana Gueye, with 131 caps, provides veteran balance alongside them. The forward line beyond Mane includes Nicolas Jackson at Bayern Munich, Iliman Ndiaye at Everton, and Ismaila Sarr at Crystal Palace. Thiaw named a 28-man squad before trimming to 26, and the final selection has attracted debate around the omission of defender Malang Sarr. Senegal beat France in 2002 and the historical echo of that result shapes how both teams will approach June 16. Their compact block and physical intensity are well-suited to disrupting Norway’s front line in the pivotal June 22 fixture, and the expanded third-place route keeps their qualification options open even if results don’t fall perfectly.
Probable XI: 4-3-3
Ratings
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
Senegal are reigning AFCON champions. That is not circumstantial, it reflects a squad that beat Nigeria, Egypt, and strong opponents throughout. Tournament pedigree matters and they have it
Koulibaly’s leadership alongside Niakhate and Jakobs gives Senegal a physically dominant defensive unit that will make life uncomfortable for Haaland and Sorloth. At the 2022 World Cup, Senegal held England and the Netherlands to under 1.05 expected goals
Mane returns after missing Qatar entirely. Even at 34, his ability to carry the ball under pressure, create from tight spaces, and lead by example adds a dimension that Senegal’s 2022 campaign lacked entirely
Weaknesses
Pape Thiaw has been head coach for a relatively short time after taking over from Aliou Cisse. His tactical flexibility and ability to adapt mid-tournament under pressure against elite European opposition is an open question
The forward line beyond Mane relies heavily on Jackson and I. Sarr producing consistently, and neither has had a particularly dominant European season. Senegal’s attacking output in difficult games can dry up quickly
France on June 16 is an enormous opener and a loss makes the Norway game on June 22 a must-win, which concentrates the pressure in a way that has historically not suited Senegal well in the knockout rounds
Model projection
Projected finish
Round of 32
🇮🇶Iraq
Graham Arnold · 4-2-3-1
2nd WC appearance. Group stage 1986. 40-year return
+5000 group win
Team overview
Iraq make their return to the World Cup stage for the first time in 40 years, having qualified on March 31 as the tournament’s 48th and final team. A 2-1 win over Bolivia at the Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, with Ali Al-Hamadi opening the scoring and Aymen Hussein hitting the decisive goal after the break, ended a wait that spanned four decades and carried the weight of an entire nation. Graham Arnold, who managed Australia to the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup, took the Iraq job in May 2025 and steered the squad through the AFC playoff run-in with nine wins from the previous twelve matches in his charge. The squad blends home-based players with a diaspora core: nine players are based in Europe, including Zidane Iqbal at FC Utrecht, Ali Al-Hamadi at Ipswich Town, and Aimar Sher at Heerenveen. Al-Hamadi is the first Iraqi player to appear in the Premier League, which adds another layer of cultural significance to this squad. The captain is goalkeeper Jalal Hassan, with 100 caps, one of the most experienced players in the team. Aymen Hussein is the talisman up front, with 33 international goals in 93 appearances and the playoff-winning strike against Bolivia the defining moment of his career to date. Group I is as difficult as any group Iraq could have drawn. France and Norway represent a different level of quality to what qualified them. Their realistic ambition is a performance against Senegal on June 26 that gives the nation something to remember, and the hope that results elsewhere open an unexpected route through.
Probable XI: 4-2-3-1
Ratings
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
Hussein is a genuine goalscorer at international level with 33 goals in 93 caps. His hold-up play and ability to finish in tight spaces gives Iraq a focal point that can cause problems for any defence on the right day
The emotional charge and national significance of this squad cannot be overstated. Iraq perform well when the occasion lifts them. Arnold builds teams on fitness and organisation that punch above their technical ceiling
Zidane Iqbal at FC Utrecht brings European technical quality to the midfield and adds a creative dimension alongside Al-Ammari. Al-Hamadi’s Premier League experience at Ipswich also gives Iraq genuine knowledge of the top level of the game
Weaknesses
Iraq have not played at a World Cup since 1986. The experience gap against France and Norway is enormous, and the squad has very limited preparation time against elite opposition ahead of the tournament
Arnold took charge in May 2025, leaving him roughly a year to work with this group. The tactical organization is improving but the step up from AFC playoff opposition to Mbappe and Haaland is genuinely difficult to replicate in preparation
The squad depth beyond the European-based diaspora players and Hussein drops off quickly. Iraq carry little margin for injury, fatigue, or suspension, which becomes significant if games against France and Norway are physically demanding
Model projection
Projected finish
Group stage
