The 2026 FIFA World Cup has expanded from 32 to 48 teams, with the top two from each group and the eight best third-placed teams advancing to the knockout stage. The tournament will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, according to SBS Australia.

Group Rankings and Key Contenders

Group I. Featuring France. Senegal, Iraq, and Norway, has been labeled the “group of death” due to its high average FIFA ranking. France, one of the favorites to win the title, is expected to make it to the knockout stage, along with Senegal, which is one of the strongest African teams. Norway, with Erling Haaland, and Iraq,despite a long qualification process—are also seen as potential threats, according to Al Jazeera.

Group F, which includes the Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia, is another tough group, with an average world ranking of 26; the Netherlands, ranked seventh globally, are considered one of the most promising teams to progress, according to SBS Australia.

Argentina, the reigning World Cup champions, are expected to top Group J, which includes Algeria, Austria, and Jordan, while Austria appears to be the strongest collective in the group, while Algeria is relying on star power and previous World Cup experience. Jordan, making their debut, has no pressure and could surprise, according to the Buenos Aires Times.

Team Odds to Advance

The most favored teams to reach the knockout stage are Spain, Argentina, Brazil, and Germany, with odds of -10000 (meaning a $10 bet would win $10.10). France and Portugal also have strong odds, at -5000 and -3500, respectively; the United States is -750, making them a notable underdog, according to FOX Sports.

Other teams with decent odds include the Netherlands (-1400), Morocco (-1000), and Colombia (-1000) — the U.S. team, managed by Christian Pulisic, faces competition from Türkiye, Paraguay, and Australia in their group.

Dark Horses and Underdogs

Several teams are considered dark horses. Ivory Coast. Which has a strong defense and young talent like Ousmane Diomande and Odilon Kossounou, could potentially advance past the group stage for the first time. However, they have historically struggled under pressure; Uruguay, despite having Federico Valverde, may face issues with Darwin Nunez’s form and team morale under Marcelo Bielsa, according to OneFootball.

Canada, with Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David, has strong individual talent but lacks World Cup experience. Mexico, despite hosting at the Azteca Stadium, may struggle with a weaker team than previous editions. The United States, led by Mauricio Pochettino, could potentially reach the quarterfinals but is not expected to go beyond that.

The Netherlands, according to a mathematical model developed by a sports analyst, are predicted to win the tournament despite never having won before. The model also forecasts the Netherlands will face Morocco and Canada in the knockout stages and potentially France in the quarterfinals, according to SBS Australia.