World Cup 2026 Sets 12 Groups as France’s Group I Emerges Toughest

3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jun 5

Forty-eight teams will open World Cup 2026 in 12 groups, with the top two in each group and eight best third-placed sides advancing to a new 32-team knockout round.
FIFA’s bracket design also separates Spain, Argentina, France and England into different quadrants, meaning the four highest-ranked teams would avoid each other until the semifinals if they win their groups.
Group I — France, Senegal, Iraq and Norway — is rated the hardest section, with France and Senegal tipped for automatic qualification ahead of Erling Haaland’s Norway.
At the other end, Group B with Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar and Switzerland looks the easiest, while co-hosts Mexico and the United States also received relatively favorable draws.
The rankings underline how the expanded 48-team format broadens the path to the knockouts, giving traditional powers protection while leaving several middle-tier groups open to upsets.