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The Group I of the 2026 World Cup features an indisputable favorite: France, the reigning runner-up and owner of one of the deepest squads in the tournament. However, lurking behind the French team is one of the most exciting rivalries of the first round, with Norway and Senegal ready to battle for one of the most coveted spots in the championship.
The French team arrives in North America with a clear mission: to return to the final and complete the task that remained unfinished in Qatar 2022, when they lost to Argentina in a penalty shootout after finishing 3-3 in regulation time.
The Gallic team, led by Kylian Mbappé as captain and offensive leader, combines world cup experience and elite youth with figures like Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Aurélien Tchouaméni, among others.
This depth makes France the team with the most resources to face any competitive scenario without losing quality, an advantage that few teams in the tournament can match.
The group has been assessed as the most expensive in the 2026 World Cup, with an estimated value of 2,624.95 million euros for all of its squads combined.
But while the spotlight is on the Europeans, the real drama of Group I could unfold behind them.
Norway returns to the World Cup after 28 years of absence, driven by a generation that has rekindled hope for an entire country.
The Scandinavians qualified undefeated in the European qualifiers, concluding with a 1-4 victory against Italy on November 16, 2025, and with Erling Haaland as the standout performer of the campaign, having scored 16 goals.
Their vertical, dynamic, and aggressive style of football allows them to compete on equal footing with rivals who have a greater history in the World Cup, and many point to them as one of the potential surprises of the tournament.
Senegal, for its part, reaffirms its position as one of the great references in African football, with Sadio Mané serving as the captain and offensive figure of the Lions of Teranga.
Unlike other teams that rely on a specific star player, Senegal stands out for the strength of its collective structure, with players like Pape Matar Sarr, Lamine Camara, and Idrissa Gana Gueye providing balance across all lines.
That combination of defensive organization, physical power, and speed in transition makes the Africans a team designed to compete in short tournaments, leading many observers to see the match between Norway and Senegal as a genuine anticipated final within the group.
Irak completes the quartet as the great outsider, returning to a World Cup after 40 years of absence since Mexico 1986.
The Asians were ranked as the last team in the tournament, defeating Bolivia 2-1 in the intercontinental playoff held in Monterrey on March 31, 2026.
The kicks off on June 16 with the exciting match of France vs. Senegal at the MetLife Stadium, while Iraq vs. Norway will take place on June 17 at Gillette Stadium.
The last day, June 26, could be decisive with Norway vs. France and Senegal vs. Iraq taking place simultaneously, in what could become one of the most intense afternoons of the .
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