Group I

France

UEFA · FIFA #2

France enter the 2026 FIFA World Cup as two-time champions and one of the heaviest favourites, led by arguably the world's best player in Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé. Les Bleus have been extraordinarily consistent under Didier Deschamps - World Cup champions in 2018, runners-up in 2022 - and their squad depth is exceptional, combining experienced players like Antoine Griezmann with an extraordinary young talent pipeline. Group I alongside Senegal, Norway, and Iraq looks very manageable for France, who will be expected to reach the late stages of the tournament. The question for 2026 is not whether France will win games, but whether they can finally put together a complete tournament performance to claim a third World Cup title.

Base camp: Waltham, Massachusetts

Senegal

CAF · FIFA #17

Senegal, reigning African champions, arrive at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as one of the continent's most respected sides after their historic AFCON 2022 triumph. The Lions of Teranga, coached by Aliou Cissé - himself a player in the legendary 2002 squad that reached the quarter-finals as debutants - are led by the incomparable Sadio Mané and the commanding Kalidou Koulibaly. Group I against France, Norway, and Iraq is a tough group, but Senegal's experience and quality give them every chance of advancing. Mané's hunger for a World Cup deep run is well known, and this may be his final opportunity on the biggest stage.

Base camp: Piscataway, New Jersey

Norway

UEFA · FIFA #22 · 🔁 First WC in years

Norway arrive at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with one of the most explosive striker-playmaker partnerships in world football - Manchester City's Erling Haaland, the most prolific scorer in Premier League history, and Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard as the creative fulcrum. The Viking warriors' return to the World Cup stage ends a 28-year absence since France 1998, and there is genuine excitement about what this Norwegian generation can achieve on the biggest stage. Group I against France, Senegal, and Iraq is a challenging draw, but Norway have the firepower to beat anyone on their day. If Haaland stays fit and Ødegaard delivers, Norway could be a genuine dark-horse contender for the knockout rounds.

Base camp: Greensboro, North Carolina

Iraq

AFC · FIFA #65 · 🔁 First WC in years

Iraq make a historic return to the World Cup stage at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, ending a staggering 40-year absence since Mexico 1986 - one of the tournament's most remarkable comeback stories. The Lions of Mesopotamia, coached by Spanish tactician Jesús Casas, have steadily improved in Asian football, winning the 2023 Gulf Cup and performing competitively in AFC qualification. Group I against France, Senegal, and Norway is an enormously difficult draw that could test Iraq's defensive resolve game after game. But Iraq's qualification alone is a story of national pride, political resilience, and the enduring power of football to unite a nation that has faced extraordinary challenges.

Base camp: White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

1I · Group winner

1I faces a third-placed team in M77

2I · Runner-up

2I faces 2A in M75

3I · Third (if best-of-12)

Third-place option pool 5. Only the top 8 of 12 third-placed teams qualify.