Now that the 2026 World Cup draw has taken place and we know the when, where and who of it all, how do the groups rank from the easiest to the toughest?
MORE — World Cup groups, schedule | World Cup stadiums
Spoiler: USMNT, Mexico and Canada — the three host nations — are all pretty pleased; France, Brazil and Norway probably feel quite differently.
MORE — World Cup predictions | USMNT’s group stage draw
Disclaimer: There are no bad teams at the World Cup, because each and every side in the tournament earned their spot in the field. So, when we say things like “easiest” or ‘weakest,” there is no disrespect intended — we are talking about them in terms of the world’s very best teams.
Group A — Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, Denmark/North Macedonia, Czechia, Ireland
Of all the potential outcomes for hosts Mexico, who avoided the eight elite teams from Pot 2 and got the lowest-ranked team from Pot 3, this draw was one of the very best possible for El Tri. Whoever comes out of the European playoff might be favored to win this group.
Group D — USA, Australia, Paraguay, Turkiye/Romania, Slovakia, Kosovo
Likewise, the USMNT couldn’t have asked for a much better draw than this one, as they came away with the lowest-ranked team from Pot 2 plus a Pot 3 team that they recently beat in a friendly, and managed to avoid the ticking time bomb of Italy coming in from Pot 4. Four somewhat equally competitive teams that could finish 1 to 4, or 4 to 1.
Group J — Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
This is your standard “clear-cut favorite with a wide open race for 2nd” World Cup group. Often times they deliver some of the best games because the margins are so thin, but it’s also exactly where you want to land if you’re a World Cup favorite and want to ease your way in to the tournament.
Group B — Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Italy/Northern Ireland, Wales, Bosnia & Herzegovina
No group will be affected by the playoffs in March quite like Group B. If Italy are suddenly added to the mix, hosts Canada are going to have an uphill climb to reach the knockouts. Any of the other three, and it’s much more manageable.
Group K — Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, DR Congo/Jamaica/New Caledonia
Seems simple on the surface, but a potential First-time World Cup qualifiers are always a huge variable in World Cup groups, so potentially having two debutants in Uzbekistan and either DR Congo or New Caledonia out of the playoffs makes this a potential chaos group.
Group G — Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand
This is your standard “clear-cut favorite with a wide open race for 2nd” World Cup group. Often times they deliver some of the best games because the margins are so thin, but it’s also exactly where you want to land as any Pot 1 team.
Group H — Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde
Again, this feels almost too straightforward and obvious. Spain and Uruguay will finish 1st and 2nd pending their head-to-head matchup, and Saudi Arabia will try to beat one another by enough goals to sneak through in 3rd.
Group L — England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
One of the World Cup favorites in England, with three sides that are all more than capable of winning a couple games but you wouldn’t be surprised if they finished with one or zero points either.
Group C — Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
Brazil vs Morocco is a dynamite matchup in the group stage and Scotland will be very tough to beat, so that’s a third very solid team on top of powerhouse programs from South America and Africa. Haiti might sneak a point or two themselves, but it should be a three-horse race.
Group E — Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao
Golden generation alert, and no, it’s not Germany. Ecuador have qualified for four of the last six World Cups, but this time they did so by finishing 2nd in the gauntlet that is South American qualifying. Moises Caicedo, Angelo Preciado, Piero Hincapie, Alan Franco and Gonzalo Plata are names that you either know already or you will soon. Don’t be surprised when Curacao beats somebody either.
Group F — Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania
The first official Group of Death, not for the number of top, top teams (you could argue there are none), but for the fact there will be no easy games for anyone, including the Netherlands, and any of the four teams could finish in any of the four spots after everyone plays each other. Upper-echelon teams from three continents, with another mid-tier European team parachuting in from the playoffs in March. Good luck to everyone.
Group I — France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq/Bolivia/Suriname
Kylian Mbappe and the rest of France’s world-class attacking talent. Sadio Mane, Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gana Gueye trying to take Senegal one more step forward in their final World Cup together. Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard the global superstars for Norway’s best team ever. Plus, a potential real wild card in Iraq joining from the inter-confederation playoffs. The sheer number of goals that will be scored by these teams.
