World Cup 2026 – Group G guide: Belgium favourites ahead of war-torn Iran, Egypt and New Zealand | OneFootball

On paper, this group should not rattle many cages. Belgium should emerge as comfortable group winners, followed by one of Iran or Egypt, with the lowest-ranked team at this year’s World Cup, New Zealand, coming last. Yet the hard facts are that, frankly, this group will play host to the most significant early encounters at this summer’s tournament, amid an unprecedented scenario in international football.

For the first time in the World Cup’s 96-year history, a competing nation is participating despite being at war with a co-host. The conflict between Iran and the United States, which officially started in late February, shows no signs of relenting despite numerous peace talks and proposals. As such, Iran have moved their base to Mexico and their playing squad have only been given visas to the US (with two games in Los Angeles and one in Seattle) for the day of the game. Fly in, play, fly out.

It makes for fascinating viewing. Belgium are the group favourites, but Egypt and Iran could battle it out for second place in the final match of the group which, somewhat bafflingly, is also the World Cup’s ‘Pride Match’ taking place on Seattle Pride weekend. Baffling, because both nations are traditionally anti-LGBTQ+.

And the biggest potential shock of them all? If Iran finish second and the USA finish second in Group D (scenarios which are not out of the realm of possibility), the countries at war will face each other in the round of 32 in Dallas on 3 July.

Belgium

Has the moment come and gone for Belgium’s golden generation? A squad that, despite much hype, failed to reach the final of a major tournament? Perhaps so.

There are still remnants of that squad which reached the semi-finals in 2018: Thibaut Courtois remains one of the world’s best goalkeepers, Kevin De Bruyne is no longer at his peak but is still a potential difference-maker in midfield and Romelu Lukaku is included in this squad despite barely playing all season amid an injury-hit campaign at Napoli.

However, they’ve been dealt a relatively kind hand with their group. In fact, their passage to the quarter-finals looks decent if they top the group. This year, expect Jeremy Doku and Leandro Trossard - Premier League title-rivalling wingers now on the same side - to be key cogs in Belgium’s attacking machine.

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid), Senne Lammens (Manchester United), Mike Penders (Racing Strasbourg) ‌

Defenders: Timothy Castagne (Fulham), Zeno Debast (Sporting Lisbon), ⁠Maxim De Cuyper (Brighton & Hove Albion), Koni De Winter (AC Milan), Brandon Mechele (Club Brugge), ⁠Thomas Meunier (Lille), Nathan Ngoy (Lille), Joaquin Seys (Club Brugge), Arthur Theate (Eintracht Frankfurt)

Midfielders: Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli), Amadou Onana (Aston Villa), Nicolas Raskin (Rangers), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa), Hans Vanaken (Club Brugge), Axel Witsel (Girona)

Forwards: Charles De ‌Ketelaere (Atalanta), Jeremy Doku (Manchester City), Matias Fernandez-Pardo (Lille), Romelu ​Lukaku (Napoli), Dodi Lukebakio (Benfica), Diego Moreira (Racing Strasbourg), Alexis Saelemaekers (AC Milan), Leandro Trossard (Arsenal)

Coach: Rudi Garcia

Star player – Jeremy Doku: After a breakout season with Manchester City, Doku has the opportunity to set this tournament alight early on. Quick feet have been matched by a long-heralded end product for City, which has also included some scintillating finishes. The 24-year-old is, however, yet to score at a major tournament.

Breakout talent – Matias Fernandez-Pardo: The 21-year-old forward, who has impressed for Lille this season, has endured an interesting year or so on the international front. Last February, having represented Belgium at youth level, he switched allegiance to Spain and was called up to their under-21 and under-20 squads. However, he did not play once and, last month, switched back to Belgium.

Fifa ranking: 9.

Odds to win the World Cup: 33/1, via oddschecker.

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Kevin De Bruyne, 34, will compete in his fourth World Cup this summer (Getty)

Egypt

Could this be Mohamed Salah’s moment to dazzle at a World Cup?

In 2018, the Egypt captain cruelly had his time in Russia impacted by a shoulder injury sustained in the Champions League final against Real Madrid. He played, he even scored in both games he featured in, but did not star in a way that was fathomable if he was fully fit. Four years ago, Egypt did not qualify.

Yet their chances of progression to the knockout phase here are strong. They reached the semi-finals of the African Cup of Nations earlier this year, narrowly losing to Senegal, and will play on the counter-attack with Salah and Omar Marmoush (the only other English-based player) speeding away. It’ll all be about whether they can keep it tight at the back.

Goalkeepers: Mohamed El Shenawy (Al Ahly), Mostafa Shobeir (Al Ahly), El Mahdi Soliman (Zamalek), Mohamed Alaa (El Gouna)

Defenders: Mohamed Hany (Al Ahly), Tarek Alaa (Zed), Hamdy Fathy (Al Wakrah), Rami Rabia (Al Ain), Yasser Ibrahim (Al Ahly), Hossam Abdelmaguid (Zamalek), Mohamed Abdelmonemn (Nice), Ahmed Fatouh (Zamalek), Karim Hafez (Pyramids)

Midfielders: Marwan Ateya (Al Ahly), Mohanad Lasheen (Pyramids), Nabil Emad (Al Najma), Mahmoud Saber (Zed), Ahmed Zizo (Al Ahly), Emam Ashour (Al Ahly), Mostafa Ziko (Pyramids), Mahmoud Trezeguet (Al Ahly), Ibrahim Adel (Nordsjaelland), Haissem Hassan (Real Ovideo)

Forwards: Omar Marmoush (Manchester City), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Hamza Abdelkarim (Barcelona)

Coach: Hossam Hassan

Star player – Mohamed Salah: Still the star man despite a disappointing season at Liverpool, his last at Anfield. Will be desperate to impose his creativity and goalscoring nous on the biggest stage. I wonder if his up-in-the-air club future could rumble on in the background.

Breakout talent – Hamza Abdelkarim: Egypt only named three ‘forwards’ in their squad: Salah, Marmoush and 18-year-old Abdelkarim. His career is highly unorthodox so far: FC Kuala Lumpur, Al Ahly, Barcelona Under-19s. Made his debut last month; tipped for big things.

Fifa ranking: 29.

Odds to win the World Cup: 300/1.

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Mohamed Salah will captain Egypt at the World Cup (Getty)

Iran

The story of the tournament. Will they play? Will they be allowed in the US? Can they actually progress beyond the group? Well: yes, yes (sort of), and definitely yes.

Geo-politically, their participation is without precedent: playing in a World Cup while at war with a co-host. They have moved their base from Arizona to Mexico, near the US border in Tijuana.

Reports indicate they will have visas which only permit them in the US on the day of the games; they have two in Los Angeles (20-30 minute flight from Tijuana) and Seattle (three-hour flight from Tijuana). For obvious reasons, Iran will have a constant daily news cycle of their own.

On the sporting side, the biggest shock is the omission of striker Sardar Azmoun, once heralded as the “Iranian Messi”, who has an impressive strike rate of 57 goals in 91 caps. Local media reports suggest he has been expelled for a perceived act of disloyalty to the government, despite Iran’s vice president Abdolkarim Hosseinzadeh pleading for his inclusion. Olympiacos star Mehdi Taremi will lead the attack instead.

Goalkeepers: Alireza Beiranvand (Tractor), Hossein Hosseini (Sepahan), Payam Niazmand (Persepolis)

Defenders: Danial Eiri (Malavan), Ehsan Hajsafi (Sepahan), Saleh Hardani (Esteghlal), Hossein Kanaani (Persepolis), Shoja Khalilzadeh (Tractor), Milad Mohammadi (Persepolis), Ali Nemati Omid Noorafkan (Foolad), Ramin Rezaeian (Foolad)

Midfielders: Rouzbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal), Saeid Ezatolahi (Shabab Al Ahli), Mehdi Ghaedi (Al-Nassr), Saman Ghoddos (Kalba), Mohammad Ghorbani (Al Wahda), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Dender), Mohammad Mohebi (Rostov), Amir Mohammad Razzaghinia (Esteghlal), Mehdi Torabi (Tractor), Aria Yousefi (Sepahan)

Forwards: Ali Alipour (Persepolis), Dennis Dargahi (Standard Liege), Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh (Tractor), Shahriyar Moghanlou (Kalba), Mehdi Taremi (Olympiacos)

Coach: Amir Ghalenoei

Star player – Mehdi Taremi: Now at Olympiacos after an impressive four-year stay at Porto, the onus will be on Taremi at the attacking end of the pitch. He had 10 goals and seven assists to his name in qualifying and, given Iran’s likely defensive set-up, his output will be vital if they are to progress.

Breakout talent – Mehdi Ghayedi: The flashy Al-Nasr (UAE, not Saudi Arabia) winger has long been heralded as a bright prospect but now, at 27, it is his time to shine. He does have an impressive record for his country: 10 goals in 30 appearances.

Fifa ranking: 20.

Odds to win the World Cup: 500/1.

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Mehdi Taremi will be Iran's key player at the World Cup (AP)

New Zealand

The lowest-ranked team at this summer’s World Cup, New Zealand have undoubtedly benefited from the tournament’s expansion and comfortably secured Oceania’s one guaranteed spot, with Australia long taking part in Asian qualifying.

It is their first appearance since South Africa 2010, when they memorably emerged as the only unbeaten side of the tournament, drawing all three of their group games. Chris Wood featured back then (at 18) and he is now (at 34) his country’s all-time leading goalscorer with 45 goals in 90 caps.

They will be led by English coach Darren Bazeley, who has even picked a player in English football’s non-league system: Braintree Town’s 36-year-old defender, Tommy Smith. The All Whites will be rigid in their shape and will pray for Wood to produce a moment of magic up top.

Goalkeepers: Max Crocombe (Millwall), Alex Paulsen (Lechia Gdansk), Michael Woud (Auckland)

Defenders: Tim Payne (Wellington Phoenix), Francis De Vries (Auckland), Tyler Bindon (Nottingham Forest), Michael Boxall (Minnesota United), Liberato Cacace (Wrexham), Nando Pijnaker (Auckland), Finn Surman (Portland Timbers), Callan Elliot (Auckland), Tommy Smith (Braintree Town)

Midfielders: Joe Bell (Viking FK), Marko Stamenic (Swansea), Alex Rufer (Wellington Phoenix), Ryan Thomas (PEC Zwolle), Lachlan Bayliss (Newcastle Jets)

Forwards: Matt Garbett (Peterborough), Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest), Sarpreet Singh (Wellington Phoenix), Eli Just (Motherwell), Kosta Barbarouses (Western Sydney Wanderers), Ben Waine (Port Vale), Ben Old (Saint-Etienne), Callum McCowatt (Silkeborg), Jesse Randall (Auckland)

Coach: Darren Bazeley

Star player – Chris Wood: The best footballer New Zealand have ever produced, Wood actually struggled with form and fitness this season, after scoring a stunning 20 Premier League goals in 2024-25. On the flip side, it may mean he is fresh for this summer’s showpiece. Set-pieces and his aerial threat will be vital.

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Chris Wood is the best player New Zealand have ever produced (Reuters)

Breakout talent – Lachlan Bayliss: The 23-year-old only made his debut in March but could be important in New Zealand’s midfield engine room. Previously a regular for A-League team Newcastle Jets, he is now unattached after the expiration of his contract.

Fifa ranking: 85

Odds to win the World Cup: 1000/1.

Belgium should top this group and both Iran and Egypt will fancy their chances of progression, even as a highest-ranked third-place team. Expect the Seattle ‘Pride Match’ to decide second place: I’m going to back a united Iran team to clinch second place. New Zealand are likely to finish bottom.