World Cup 2026 Predictions Matchday 3 Groups G-L: Emphatic win for England v Panama

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·24 Juni 2026

World Cup 2026 Predictions Matchday 3 Groups G-L: Emphatic win for England v Panama

The final round of group-stage fixtures continues on Saturday, with qualification places, group winners and best third-place spots all still up for grabs.

As always, there are plenty of permutations to consider, with some nations knowing a point will be enough while others need victories and favours elsewhere. Here are my predictions for Matchday 3 across Groups G to L.

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See Matchday 3 Groups A-F Predictions here.

Group G

Egypt 2-2 Iran

There have been three draws out of the four fixtures in this group so far, and both nations might accept a point on Saturday. That would put Egypt into the knockout stages, while it could be enough for Iran to finish runners-up or qualify as one of the best third-place teams.

The Iranians could find themselves in the unique situation of not losing a game at this World Cup yet still going home. Even that would be impressive given the build-up to the tournament they faced.

New Zealand 0-1 Belgium

Belgium could still finish in any of the four positions in their group.

There is a debate back home over whether Jérémy Doku is right to prioritise the birth of his child ahead of a potential knockout tie. That might be because the nation realises the 24-year-old is one of the few players capable of producing a moment of magic in the final third.

In a sense, that’s the issue: a team relying on individual brilliance rather than any clear attacking ideas.

After being held twice, though, by the law of averages they are due some luck in front of goal.

Group H

Cape Verde 1-1 Saudi Arabia

Cape Verde have played two World Cup matches and both times held former world champions.

Against Spain they parked the bus, but against Uruguay they were positive going the other way.

If they can draw with those two giants, then of course they can get a result against Saudi Arabia.

A point could be enough for second place, a best third-place finish or a flight home.

Yet if they return home unbeaten at a World Cup, they will be legends. They were 50-1 before the tournament to go undefeated in their group.

Uruguay 0-1 Spain

Spain’s opening fixtures have summed up the European champions perfectly. When things go wrong, they are accused of lacking a Plan B and being boring. When it works, no one does it better.

Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams clearly give the Spanish an alternative option and a chance to go direct, but their minutes are being managed carefully so they are at their best in the knockout rounds.

Marcelo Bielsa might prefer tactically being the underdogs rather than having to take the initiative. Outside of bombarding the penalty area with the ball in the air, I can’t see Uruguay being much of an attacking threat.

Back home, some Uruguay supporters accuse their manager of being too negative, so playing for a draw and hoping that’s enough to stay in the World Cup might not go down well.

Martin Odegaard (Arsenal.com)

Group I

Norway 1-2 France

Norway have to beat France to win the group.

It seems harsh that seven points would only be enough for a runner-up spot when you consider other nations could finish second in their section with only three points.

Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi are continuing their battle for the Golden Boot where they left off four years ago.

This is one of those games where the difference might simply be the strength of the French bench.

Senegal 3-1 Iraq

Football is decided by small details. In two matches, both times an Iraq goalkeeper has essentially passed the ball to an opposition attacker. They were never going to get away with that in this group.

Senegal know they need a convincing win to have any chance of third place in Group I being enough.

They need victory by a two-goal margin just to bring their goal difference back to zero.

After full-time on Friday there will still be another five groups left to finish, so Senegal might have to wait to see if they have done enough.

Essentially, the more goals they score, the greater their chances of staying in the World Cup.

Group J

Argentina 3-0 Jordan

It’s fitting that Lionel Messi is now the greatest goalscorer in World Cup history because, in my lifetime, he is easily the greatest player to ever play the sport.

He has scored five times so far in this tournament without even Julián Álvarez starting yet, the striker who is supposed to be doing the 38-year-old’s running.

The world champions have already won the group, so Lionel Scaloni must be tempted to wrap his captain in cotton wool.

Yet no manager is telling Messi he’s being rested when he is leading the race for the Golden Boot. If the skipper wants to start, he starts.

Austria 1-1 Algeria

Here’s the issue with the current format.

A draw puts both nations on four points. That’s enough to guarantee second place in the group for Austria, while that total apparently gives Algeria a 99.8% chance of qualifying as one of the best third-place sides.

This will also be the final group to finish, so by kick-off both teams will know exactly what they require or might even already have done enough.

Let’s just say that with 15 minutes to go, if the scoreline is level, there is zero reason for either country to chase a winner.

Group K

Colombia 1-1 Portugal

Society seems to enjoy taking people who have been successful and wanting to tear them down.

Therefore, I was happy for Cristiano Ronaldo that he got to score at a sixth consecutive World Cup.

The 41-year-old has earned the right to prove whether this is one tournament too many, and ultimately it’s not his fault if a manager keeps selecting him.

As great a moment Tuesday was, though, Colombia are not Uzbekistan.

So while the next few days will be positive back in Portugal, Roberto Martínez still needs to decide how he manages his captain in the knockout stages.

His skipper producing a strong performance against Colombia would calm a lot of Portuguese nerves ahead of the business end of the competition.

DR Congo 1-0 Uzbekistan

DR Congo might never get a better chance to secure their first-ever World Cup victory and, if they do, that will surely be enough to reach the last 32.

Having been the underdogs for most of Group K, the challenge now will be dealing with certain expectations and the pressure of what is at stake.

It helps that, due to goal difference, Fabio Cannavaro will struggle to convince his team they are not heading home.

So in theory one team should want this more than the other.

Group L

England 3-0 Panama

Thomas Tuchel rightfully received praise for whatever he said at half-time against Croatia. So understandably it stood out that England couldn’t raise their levels in the second half against Ghana.

Some England fans got carried away after the first week of the World Cup and therefore felt Tuesday was an anticlimax. Like always with the Three Lions, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

Panama will equally let England have all of the ball and invite them to break down two banks of five.

They have been competitive in their two matches and have improved significantly since losing this fixture 6-1 eight years ago, but getting a result on Saturday is asking too much.

Croatia 0-0 Ghana

Many Ghana fans were sceptical when Carlos Queiroz was appointed manager so close to the World Cup.

While the 73-year-old is tactically respected within the game, some Ghanaians felt his defensive approach wasn’t what their squad needed.

That might have changed after two consecutive clean sheets, and there is really zero reason to alter that approach this weekend.

If they hear England are leading, then a draw achieves the same outcome as a victory.

Four points will almost certainly put Croatia into the knockout stages as well, so there is little reason for some tired legs to chase a winner.

What do you think, Gooners? Do you agree with Dan’s predictions, or are there a few shock results waiting to happen?

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