The FIFA World Cup trophy – Source: Unsplash
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is officially less than six months away, and all 48 teams heading to North America next summer now have their routes to the July 19th MetLife Stadium final plotted out. That’s because on December 5th, the official draw for the tournament was made in Washington, D.C. But what were the biggest talking points coming out of the draw?
Well, we won’t be focusing on topics such as the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize or Rio Ferdinand somehow landing the presenting gig of his life, both of which were certainly headline worthy. No, instead, we will be centering our approach on the draw itself and its consequences for the tournament favorites.
England, for example, has long been considered a contender with online betting sites to end 60 years of hurt at the World Cup next summer. Despite a tough draw, the latest online sports betting odds still price the Three Lions as a 6/1 second favorite to leave the Big Apple with the famous gold trophy in tow on July 19th. However, after being drawn with perennial nemesis Croatia and a hungry Ghana side, Thomas Tuchel’s men certainly have their work cut out from their June 17th tournament opener at AT&T Stadium, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
So, with England’s tough Group L in mind, we decided to take a look at the two tightest groups at the 2026 World Cup, groups where all four participants will feel like they have a genuine opportunity of progressing to the knockout stage. Here are our groups to watch.
Group A
Group A is headlined by one of the three tournament co-hosts, Mexico. El Tri will be kicking off next summer’s tournament, hosting the curtain-raising fixture inside the stunning Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11th. And the first game of the World Cup won’t just be any old run-of-the-mill contest.
Mexico will face off against South Africa in the opener in a repeat of the opening game from the 2010 World Cup. That time around, it was Bafana Bafana who was hosting, and they delivered one of the all-time great FIFA World Cup moments when Siphiwe Tshabalala blasted his side into a second-half lead in spectacular fashion. But a less remembered fact from that game is that the contest actually finished 1-1, with Rafael Marquez netting a late equalizer for the Mexicans.
That result led to South Africa’s ultimate demise, and they were duly eliminated from their own tournament in the group stage. Fast forward 16 years, and they will feel that they have the perfect opportunity to right the wrong of 2010. After a stellar qualifying campaign in which they topped their group ahead of Nigeria, even with a three-point deduction, confidence will be high, and if they can manage to avoid defeat in their tournament opener against Mexico, they are certainly in with a chance of reaching the knockout stages.
However, the other two teams in the group are also live. South Korea is the third confirmed team in the group, with the World Cup regulars famously making it to the round of 16 with a stunning upset win against Portugal to secure progression. The final team in the group, however, is still unconfirmed. The Republic of Ireland, Czechia, North Macedonia, and Denmark will all battle it out in a playoff to attempt to secure a spot in Group A. Whichever of them ultimately qualifies will also fancy their chances of making their way out of this group and mounting a deep tournament run.
Group B
Another of our co-hosts, this time Canada, is the headline team in Group B, and they will be looking to make more of an impression on the tournament after their disappointing display in 2022. The Maple Leafs exited the tournament without a single point three years ago, losing to Belgium, Morocco, and Croatia, although it has to be said that the latter two of that trio did go on to make the semifinals. Led by Jonathan David and cheered on by a raucous home crowd, the Canadians will certainly fancy their chances.
Qatar, the team that hosted in 2022, is alongside Canada in Group B, and they too will be hopeful of picking up wins, especially against the Canadians. However, it’s European side, Switzerland, that is the overwhelming favorite to win the group and progress. Led by playmaker supreme Granit Xhaka, the Swiss were one of the stars of the show at UEFA Euro 2024, ultimately bowing out in the quarterfinals after unluckily losing to England via a penalty shootout.
Finally, much like Group A, another playoff will determine the final team in Group B. Italy is expected to outlast Northern Ireland, Bosnia, and Wales to secure their World Cup return after 12 years away. If they live up to the billing, then the Azzurri will be expected to progress, perhaps alongside Switzerland.