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The 2026 FIFA World Cup is on the horizon. It claims to be bigger and better than any of its predecessors.
Only time will tell if the latter is true. The former is undeniable, though, with the field expanding to 48 teams and the number of matches swelling to 104, there will be plenty of football on offer in North America come the summer.
Stars are set to litter the various plains across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Group G will have its fair share of standouts, including Egypt striker Mohamed Salah, Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and Iran’s Alireza Jahanbakhsh.
Suffice it to say, expect fireworks when the group action kicks off on June 15, 2026.
The Sporting News gives you an overview of Group G at the 2026 World Cup.
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World Cup Group G schedule
Group G table
| Pos | Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Belgium | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2. | Egypt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3. | Iran | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4. | New Zealand | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group G fixtures
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Mon, June 15 | TBD | Belgium vs. Egypt | TBD |
| Mon, June 15 | TBD | Iran vs. New Zealand | TBD |
| Sun, June 21 | TBD | Belgium vs. Iran | TBD |
| Sun, June 21 | TBD | New Zealand vs. Egypt | TBD |
| Fri, June 26 | TBD | New Zealand vs. Belgium | TBD |
| Fri, June 26 | TBD | Egypt vs. Iran | TBD |
Note that the full list of match venues and times will be updated by FIFA on Dec. 6, post the World Cup draw.
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World Cup Group G teams
Belgium
Since reaching their first World Cup semifinal in 1986, Belgium have longed for a spot in the final and a place among the true title contenders. After a third-place finish at Russia 2018, their best-ever result at a World Cup, Belgium fans were terrified that they had wasted their “Golden Generation” without truly challenging for the crown. Those fears were exacerbated by a horrible group-stage exit from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, as Red Devils supporters began to lament the disappointment from this crop of all-time greats.
Fast-forward to 2026, and while Kevin De Bruyne is in the twilight of his career and no true superstars have come through to replace him, there is still a steady flow of top-end talent. The likes of Thibaut Courtois, Leandro Trossard and Youri Tielemans are still in their prime, while Charles De Ketelaere and Jeremy Doku provide promise for the next few cycles.
This team lacks the pop it once had, but De Bruyne was having a renaissance first season at Napoli prior to injury, and if Romelu Lukaku can get back to fitness and mesh with the likes of Trossard, Doku and De Ketelaere, Belgium can prove dangerous. Yet like Portugal, Belgium fans will never be truly satisfied with a World Cup run that falls short of the final, and once again it feels like that level of accomplishment might be eternally just out of reach.
- Current FIFA world ranking: 8th
- Regional ranking: 6th (UEFA)
- World Cup titles: 0
- World Cup appearances (last): 14 (Qatar 2022)
- How qualified: UEFA Group J winners: 5W-3D-0L
- Coach: Rudi Garcia (Spain) since January 2025
- Key player(s): Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli), Romelu Lukaku (Napoli), Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
Iran
Iran only played at two World Cups before the turn of the century, but they have qualified for five of the past six editions. They secured their place at the 2026 finals by finishing top of Group A in the third round of the AFC qualifying section, losing only one of 10 games.
Elimination at the group stage of Qatar 2022 proved a disappointment for the Iranians. They did, however, claim a dramatic 2-0 win over Wales on matchday two that saw them finish in third place in Group B behind England and the USA.
With veteran goalscorer Mehdi Taremi and the “Iranian Messi,” wing wizard Sardar Azmoun, still in their ranks, Iran have become one of the strongest sides in the AFC confederation and should not be dismissed as easy opponents by more established sides.
- Current FIFA world ranking: 20th
- Regional ranking: 2nd (AFC)
- World Cup titles: 0
- World Cup appearances (last): 6 (Qatar 2022)
- How qualified: AFC Third Round Group A winners: W7-L1-D2
- Coach: Amir Ghalenoei (Iran) since 2023
- Key player(s): Sardar Azmoun (Shabab Al Ahli), Mehdi Taremi (Olympiacos), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Dender)
Egypt
After sitting out the last World Cup, Egypt stormed back onto the biggest stage, securing their fourth appearance with a dominant qualifying run. The Pharaohs marched through their group unbeaten, blending defensive steel with the know-how of their seasoned stars to outclass every challenger placed in front of them.
For Egypt, this edition represents a huge chance to reassert themselves as giants of both African and Arab football. Their supporters are dreaming big, and with Mohamed Salah spearheading a squad rich in experience and youthful spark, including Omar Marmoush, Trezeguet, and Mostafa Mohamed, optimism is understandably sky-high.
Their qualifying numbers speak for themselves. Egypt topped Group A in style, firing in 19 goals across nine matches while keeping things tight at the back. Salah was at the heart of it all with nine goals, while Trezeguet and Zizo chipped in with five and two respectively. A balanced, clinical, and confident side, Egypt arrive ready to make noise.
- Current FIFA world ranking: 34
- Regional ranking: 2nd (CAF)
- World Cup titles: 0
- World Cup appearances (last): 3 (2018)
- How qualified: 1st, CAF qualifying Group A: 10W-0L-2D
- Coach: Hossam Hassan (Egypt) since February 2024
- Key player(s): Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Omar Marmoush (Man City), Mostafa Mohamed (Nantes)
New Zealand
The 2026 tournament will mark New Zealand’s third appearance at the World Cup finals. They qualified for the 1982 and 2010 editions, exiting at the first hurdle on both occasions without winning a game — although they drew all their matches in South Africa, including against World Cup holders Italy, showing they can be competitive at this level.
Nicknamed the All Whites — their strip is traditionally white in colour and is something of a play on their famous rugby union All Blacks — New Zealand qualified for the World Cup by defeating New Caledonia 3-0 in the OFC section final. They are coached by Darren Bazeley, a former defender who spent 15 years in England with Watford, Wolves and Walsall.
Football might not be the country’s primary sporting interest, but the current group of players has plenty of elite-level experience. Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood is their captain and record goal-scorer, and the likes of Tyler Bindon, Finn Surman and Ben Old represent a promising crop of younger talent. They are the lowest-ranked confirmed team in the group stage, but they will hope to offer a test to more illustrious opposition.
- Current FIFA world ranking: 86
- Regional ranking: 1st (OFC)
- World Cup titles: 0
- World Cup appearances (last): 2 (South Africa 2010)
- How qualified: OFC qualifying winners (W3 in group stage, 7-0 vs. Fiji in semifinals, 3-0 vs. New Caledonia in final)
- Coach: Darren Bazeley (England) since 2023
- Key player(s): Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest), Finn Surman (Portland Timbers), Marko Stamenic (Swansea City)
WORLD CUP DRAW BREAKDOWNS:
Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D | Group E | Group F
Group H | Group I | Group J | Group K | Group L
World Cup Group G odds and predictions
Here are the odds for each team in Group G to win and qualify from the group, with odds according to DraftKings in the United States.
Belgium and Iran are favored to make it out of Group G. These odds will be updated as available.
| Team | Group Winner | To Qualify | Win title |
| Belgium | -155 | +4000 | |
| Iran | +250 | +50000 | |
| Egypt | +350 | +25000 | |
| New Zealand | +800 | +100000 |
World Cup 2026 bracket for Group G
The winner of Group G will enter the knockout stage on the bottom half, slated to take on one of the eight third-place qualifiers. Seven other group winners receive such a fate, while the remaining four group winners will face a group runner-up.
Conversely, the Group G runner-up will battle wits with the runner-up from Group D.
The third-place finisher has a chance to clinch a spot in the knockout stages. Assuming they finish with more points and a higher goal difference than eight other third-place sides, they’ll meet one of two sides:
- Winner of Group I
- Winner of Group B
It’s impossible to know which of the third-place qualifiers will punch its ticket to the knockout rounds until a ball is kicked. There are hundreds of mathematical combinations of third-place qualifiers.
Round of 32
| Date | Match | Location |
| Sun, Jun. 28 | M1: 2nd, Group A vs. 2nd, Group B | SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA) |
| Mon, Jun. 29 | M2: 1st, Group E vs. 3rd place finisher | Gillette Stadium (Foxboro, MA) |
| Mon, Jun. 29 | M3: 1st, Group F vs. 2nd, Group C | Estadio BBVA (Guadalupe, MEX) |
| Mon, Jun. 29 | M4: 1st, Group C vs. 2nd, Group F | NRG Stadium (Houston, TX) |
| Tue, Jun. 30 | M5: 1st, Group I vs. 3rd place finisher | MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ) |
| Tue, Jun. 30 | M6: 2nd, Group E vs. 2nd, Group I | AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX) |
| Tue, Jun. 30 | M7: 1st, Group A vs. 3rd place finisher | Estadio Azteca (Mexico City, MEX) |
| Wed, Jul. 1 | M8: 1st, Group L vs. 3rd place finisher | Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA) |
| Wed, Jul. 1 | M9: 1st, Group D vs. 3rd place finisher | Levi’s Stadium (Santa Clara, CA) |
| Wed, Jul. 1 | M10: 1st, Group G vs. 3rd place finisher | Lumen Field (Seattle, WA) |
| Thu, Jul. 2 | M11: 2nd, Group K vs. 2nd, Group L | BMO Field (Toronto, CAN) |
| Thu, Jul. 2 | M12: 1st, Group H vs. 2nd, Group J | SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA) |
| Thu, Jul. 2 | M13: 1st, Group B vs. 3rd place finisher | BC Place (Vancouver, CAN) |
| Fri, Jul. 3 | M14: 1st, Group J vs. 2nd, Group H | Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, FL) |
| Fri, Jul. 3 | M15: 1st, Group K vs. 3rd place finisher | Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, MO) |
| Fr, Jul. 3 | M16: 2nd, Group D vs. 2nd, Group G | AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX) |
Round of 16
| Date | Match | Location |
| Sat, Jul. 4 | M1: Winner, R32 M2 vs. Winner, R32 M5 | Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA) |
| Sat, Jul. 4 | M2: Winner, R32 M1 vs. Winner, R32 M3 | NRG Stadium (Houston, TX) |
| Sun, Jul. 5 | M3: Winner, R32 M4 vs. Winner, R32 M6 | MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ) |
| Sun, Jul. 5 | M4: Winner, R32 M7 vs. Winner, R32 M8 | Estadio Azteca (Mexico City, MEX) |
| Mon, Jul. 6 | M5: Winner, R32 M11 vs. Winner, R32 M12 | AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX) |
| Mon, Jul. 6 | M6: Winner, R32 M9 vs. Winner, R32 M10 | Lumen Field (Seattle, WA) |
| Tue, Jul. 7 | M7: Winner, R32 M14 vs. Winner, R32 M16 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA) |
| Tue, Jul. 7 | M8: Winner, R32 M13 vs. Winner, R32 M15 | BC Place (Vancouver, CAN) |
Quarterfinals
| Date | Match | Location |
| Thu, Jul. 9 | QF1: Winner, R16 M1 vs. Winner, R16 M2 | Gillette Stadium (Foxboro, MA) |
| Fri, Jul. 10 | QF2: Winner, R16 M5 vs. Winner, R16 M6 | SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA) |
| Sat, Jul. 11 | QF3: Winner, R16 M3 vs. Winner, R16 M4 | Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, FL) |
| Sat, Jul. 11 | QF4: Winner, R16 M7 vs. Winner, R16 M8 | Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, MO) |
Semifinals
| Date | Match | Location |
| Tue, Jul. 14 | SF1: Winner, QF1 vs. Winner, QF2 | AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX) |
| Wed, Jul. 15 | SF2: Winner, QF3 vs. Winner, QF4 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA) |
Third place match
| Date | Match | Location |
| Sat, Jul. 18 | Loser, SF1 vs. Loser, SF2 | Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, FL) |
Final
| Date | Match | Location |
| Sun, Jul. 19 | Winner, SF1 vs. Winner, SF2 | MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ) |
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