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

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Major League Soccer

·5 Juni 2026

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

By MLSsoccer staff

Group I at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature France, Senegal, Iraq and Norway.

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

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

Group I Schedule

June 16 - 3 pm ET: France vs. Senegal | East Rutherford, New Jersey
June 16 - 6 pm ET: Iraq vs. Norway | Boston, Massachusetts
June 22 - 5 pm ET: France vs. Iraq | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
June 22 - 8 pm ET: Norway vs. Senegal | East Rutherford, New Jersey
June 26 - 3 pm ET: Norway vs. France | Boston, Massachusetts
June 26 - 3 pm ET: Senegal vs. Iraq | Toronto, Ontario

France

FIFA World Ranking: 1st
How they qualified: UEFA qualifying Group D winners
Head coach: Didier Deschamps

Key players

Kylian Mbappé: Widely regarded as one of the best players in the world, Mbappé already has a World Cup title to his name after leading France to victory in 2018 as a teenager.
Aurélien Tchouaméni: Tchouaméni rose through Bordeaux and broke out at Monaco before securing a move to Real Madrid, where he's a teammate of Mbappé.
William Saliba: Saliba is one of the world's top defensive talents and a central figure in Arsenal's run to the Premier League title this season.
Ousmane Dembélé: France's chief chance creator, Dembélé won the 2025 Ballon d'Or and helped lead Paris Saint-Germain to back-to-back UEFA Champions League titles.

World Cup history

France will make their 17th World Cup appearance.

Les Bleus have won the World Cup twice: in 1998 as hosts and at Russia 2018.

Expectations

France are perennial tournament favorites, and the 2026 World Cup is no different.

After winning the 2018 edition and a runner-up finish in 2022, Les Bleus have every expectation of making another push to the final.

Senegal

FIFA World Ranking: 14th
How they qualified: CAF Group B winners
Head coach: Pape Thiaw

Key players

Sadio Mané: The face of Senegal’s national team for over a decade, Mané remains his country’s undisputed leader and attacking focal point.
Kalidou Koulibaly: With over 100 caps, Koulibaly is a defensive mainstay for the Lions of Teranga amid a successful club career playing for the likes of Napoli and Chelsea.
Nicolas Jackson: The 24-year-old attacker has eight goals in 32 appearances for Senegal. Jackson spent the 2025-26 season with Bayern Munich on loan from Chelsea FC.

World Cup history

Senegal will make their fourth World Cup appearance.

Their most successful tournament came during their maiden 2002 appearance, when they scored a legendary upset over France as part of a quarterfinal run.

Expectations

As the second-best-ranked team in Group B, Senegal are expected to reach the knockout stages.

Iraq

FIFA World Ranking: 57th
How they qualified: Intercontinental Play-off Pathway B
Head coach: Graham Arnold

Key players

Aymen Hussein: Iraq’s top striker, Hussein has put up numbers everywhere he's played at the club level. He's the country's second all-time leading goal-scorer with 32 tallies in 90 senior caps.
Mohanad Ali: Alongside Hussein, Ali is one of Iraq’s most lethal attacking talents and currently competes in the United Arab Emirates with Dibba Al Fujairah. For Iraq, he's accrued 26 goals in 69 caps.
Ahmed Qasem: The Swedish-born winger joined Nashville SC ahead of the 2025 season, helping the Coyotes lift the first trophy in club history with that year's US Open Cup title.

World Cup history

Iraq will make their second World Cup appearance, and first since 1986.

Expectations

Given the historic nature of their qualification and underdog status, the Lions of Mesopotamia are hoping for a Cinderella run at this summer's tournament.

Norway

FIFA World Ranking: 31st
How they qualified: UEFA qualifying Group I winners
Head coach: Ståle Solbakken

Key players

Erling Haaland: One of the most feared strikers in the world, the superstar No. 9 enters his first World Cup in the midst of a dominant run at Manchester City. Internationally, the 25-year-old has scored an astonishing 55 goals in 49 appearances.
Martin Ødegaard: Norway’s captain and creative centerpiece, the 27-year-old Arsenal standout is regarded as one of the world's most cerebral playmakers.
Alexander Sørloth: A physical striker with 26 international goals, Sørloth currently plays for Atlético Madrid.

World Cup history

Norway will make their fourth World Cup appearance and first since 1998.

They've twice reached the Round of 16, in 1938 and 1998.

Expectations

Thanks to their elite attacking talent, a deep run past the group stage isn't out of the question for Norway.