World Cup Group Stage Predictions
- Zak Drapeau
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
by Zak Drapeau
Sportz Nation - 6/4/2026
World Cup 2026's New Format
The new format to the World Cup will be the knockout stages moving to 32 teams instead of 16 in years' past, and now 48 nations being part of the World Cup's group stage.
The Group stage will see 12 Groups of 4 nations all compete against each other so each nation has 3 matches. In Group Play, a win is worth 3 points, a draw is 1 point and a loss is 0. After the Group matches are done, each of the 12 groups will send their best two nations, (based on points) to the knockout stage. The remaining 8 slots will go to the next best teams based on the Group Play points, then goal differential in Group Play, and finally goals scored in Group Play.
Seeding for the tournament goes as follows:
Group A Winner Faces Group B Runner-up and Group B Winner Faces Group C Runner-Up and so on
The 8, 3rd-place finishers to make the tournament will instead face off against Group winners from respective Groups. The installation of these final 8 teams are very complicated but come from pre-determined fixtures depending on what group the 3rd-place finishers come from. Full pre-determination can be found here. (Wikipedia)
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Group A
Mexico, South Africa ,South Korea and Czechia
Predictions:
Mexico - 7
Czechia - 5
South Korea - 2
South Africa - 1
Group B
Canada, Bosnia-Herzegovnia, Qatar and Switzerland
Predictions:
Switzerland - 9
Bosnia-Herzegovnia - 4
Canada - 4
Qatar - 0
Group C
Brazil, Morocco, Haiti and Scotland
Predictions:
Brazil - 7
Morocco - 5
Haiti - 4
Scotland - 1
Group D
United States, Paraguay, Australia and Turkye
Predictions:
Turkye - 5
United States - 5
Australia - 3
Paraguay - 1
Group E
Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador
Predictions:
Germany - 9
Ivory Coast - 6
Ecuador - 3
Curacao - 0
Group F
Netherlands, Japan, Sweden and Tunisia
Predictions:
Japan - 7
Netherlands - 6
Sweden - 4
Tunisia - 0
Group G
Belgium, Egypt, Iran and New Zealand
Predictions:
New Zealand - 5
Belgium - 5
Egypt - 3
Iran - 1
Group H
Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay
Predictions:
Spain - 7
Uruguay - 7
Saudi Arabia - 3
Cape Verde - 0
Group I
France, Senegal, Iraq and Norway
Predictions:
France - 9
Senegal - 4
Iraq - 2
Norway - 1
Group J
Argentina, Algeria, Austria and Jordan
Predictions:
Argentina - 7
Austria - 4
Algeria - 4
Jordan - 1
Group K
Portugal, Congo DR, Uzbekistan and Colombia
Predictions:
Portugal - 9
Colombia - 6
Congo DR - 1
Uzbekistan - 1
Group L
England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama
Predictions:
England - 7
Croatia - 5
Panama - 4
Ghana - 0
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Make sure to stay tuned as we continue coverage of the 2026 World Cup.
-Z.D.
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