2026 FIFA World Cup: Group E preview, what to know

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Major League Soccer

·5 Juni 2026

2026 FIFA World Cup: Group E preview, what to know

By MLSsoccer staff

Group E at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature Germany, Curaçao, Ecuador and Ivory Coast.

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The top two teams from each group, as well as the top eight third-place finishers, each advance to the knockout phase (Round of 32).

Here's what awaits in Group E during the expanded 48-team tournament, which will unfold June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Group E Schedule

June 14 - 1 pm ET: Germany vs. Curaçao | Houston, Texas
June 14 - 7 pm ET: Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
June 20 - 4 pm ET: Germany vs. Ivory Coast | Toronto, Ontario
June 20 - 8 pm ET: Ecuador vs. Curaçao | Kansas City, Missouri
June 25 - 4 pm ET: Curaçao vs. Ivory Coast | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
June 25 - 4 pm ET: Ecuador vs. Germany | East Rutherford, New Jersey

Germany

FIFA World Ranking: 10th
How they qualified: UEFA qualifying Group A winners
Head coach: Julian Nagelsmann

Key players

Florian Wirtz: The 23-year-old just finished his first season with English powerhouse Liverpool FC and has proven to be a constant threat for Germany, with 11 goals in 40 appearances.
Joshua Kimmich: A 10-time German Bundesliga champion with Bayern Munich, Kimmich will captain Germany at this summer's World Cup.
Jamal Musiala: A cornerstone piece of Die Mannschaft, the Bayern Munich midfielder's creativity and breakneck speed could dictate Germany's World Cup success.

World Cup history

Germany are making their 21st World Cup appearance. Die Mannschaft have been at every tournament since the 1954 edition.

They are tied for the second-most World Cup titles with four (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014).

Expectations

As a top 10 team in the FIFA men's rankings and four-time World Cup winners, Germany are clear favorites to top Group E and go on a deep tournament run.

Curaçao

FIFA World Ranking: 82nd
How they qualified: Concacaf qualifying Group B winners
Head coach: Dick Advocaat

Key players

Eloy Room: Room's 71 appearances for Curaçao rank second all-time. The veteran goalkeeper starred for the Columbus Crew from 2019-23.
Tahith Chong: A former Manchester United talent, the current Sheffield United midfielder has three goals in five appearances with the Blue Wave. He's also the squad's only player born on the island.
Leandro Bacuna: Curaçao's captain, Bacuna, along with his brother Juninho, were among the first in a new wave of Curaçao stars. The 34-year-old now features in Türkiye, but previously starred at English Premier League side Aston Villa.

World Cup history

Curaçao will be making their first World Cup appearance in 2026 and will become the smallest nation ever to compete in the tournament, with a population of 158,000.

Expectations

As the lowest-ranked team in Group E according to FIFA's official men's rankings, any points earned in the group stage would be historic for their World Cup debut.

Ivory Coast

FIFA World Ranking: 34th
How they qualified: CAF qualification Group F winners
Head coach: Emerse Faé

Key players

Nicolas Pépé: A regular starter for Villarreal in LaLiga, Pépé registered 8g/10a this season and has 12 goals for his country.
Franck Kessié: Kessié is the Ivory Coast's active leader in both appearances (100) and goals (14). Now with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli, he previously featured for AC Milan and Barcelona.
Ibrahim Sangaré: Nottingham Forest narrowly escaped relegation from the English Premier League in 2025-26, with Sangaré playing a key role in keeping them above the drop.

World Cup history

Ivory Coast will be making their fourth World Cup appearance and first trip since 2014.

The Elephants have never advanced to the knockout stages.

Expectations

Ivory Coast will likely battle Ecuador for automatic advancement in Group E. They can also achieve success by advancing as a third-place finisher.

Ecuador

FIFA World Ranking: 23rd
How they qualified: Finished second in Conmebol qualifying
Head coach: Sebastián Beccacece

Key players

Enner Valencia: A veteran striker and former West Ham United star, Valencia now plays for LIGA MX's CF Pachuca, and will look to build on his 49 goals in 105 international appearances.
Moisés Caicedo: A dynamic, box-to-box midfielder for Premier League side Chelsea, Caicedo has developed into one of his country's most famous exports.
Pedro Vite: A former U22 Initiative player with Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Vite is a regular starter for Ecuador as he prepares to play in his first World Cup.

World Cup history

Ecuador are making their fifth World Cup appearance.

La Tri have only advanced from the group stage once, when they reached the Round of 16 in 2006.

Expectations

With one of the strongest defenses in the world, Ecuador will expect to reach the knockout stages by finishing in the top two of Group E.