After four years of waiting, the world’s biggest football festival is approaching very soon. When the kickoff of World Cup 2026 sounds, millions of fans will turn their eyes to the grass with emotions of suspense, elation, and full of hope. Besides the unprecedented scale of the event in North America, what fans care about most at this moment is the World Cup 2026 group stage and each team's chances of advancing.
Overview of the 12 World Cup 2026 groups featuring 48 teams
For the first time in history, the world's biggest football festival expands to 48 teams competing.
This landmark change brings about the appearance of 12 groups instead of 8 groups as in previous tournaments. Below is detailed information about the World Cup 2026 groups as determined by the organizers:
|
Group |
Teams participating |
|
Group A |
Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic |
|
Group B |
Canada, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland |
|
Group C |
Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland |
|
Group D |
United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey |
|
Group E |
Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador |
|
Group F |
Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia |
|
Group G |
Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand |
|
Group H |
Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay |
|
Group I |
France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway |
|
Group J |
Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan |
|
Group K |
Portugal, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia |
|
Group L |
England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama |
Under the new format for World Cup 2026, the top two teams from each group along with the eight best third-placed teams will advance to the Round of 32. This promises to create dramatic point races until the final whistle, where even a single goal can change the group standings.
Analysis of notable groups: Which is the group of death?
With the number of teams increasing, the World Cup 2026 groups witness many fateful confrontations and fiery clashes between some of the world’s top stars.
Group L: England’s enduring rivalries
Fans of the land of fog are surely feeling mixed emotions when looking at Group L’s list of opponents. England will once again face Croatia — the foe that dealt them heartbreak in the 2018 semifinal.
Additionally, the physically imposing and collision-prone style of Ghana together with the resilient fighting spirit of Panama make this group one of the tournament’s most unpredictable challenges.
Group I: The stage for the new generation of superstars
If you love fiery attacking football, Group I is the place you cannot miss. This group brings together France with a star-studded lineup and the emergence of a new power, Norway.
Fans will have the chance to witness a fascinating individual duel between two of the world’s top forwards today, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland.
Group D: The host nation United States' ambition to assert its status
Placed in Group D with Paraguay, Australia and Turkey, the United States national team carries huge expectations from the home fans.
With a squad featuring many young players competing in Europe’s top leagues, the U.S. team aims not only to advance from the group but also to go deep in the tournament hosted on its own soil.
Group K: Cristiano Ronaldo's Last Chance?
Bồ Đào Nha rơi vào một bảng đấu được đánh giá là vừa sức. Tuy nhiên, sự góp mặt của Colombia với lối chơi kỹ thuật đậm chất Nam Mỹ cùng ẩn số Uzbekistan sẽ là những chướng ngại vật buộc Ronaldo và các đồng đội phải hết sức tập trung nếu muốn đi tiếp với ngôi vị đầu bảng.
Ở độ tuổi ngoài 40, giải đấu năm nay rất có thể là màn trình diễn cuối cùng của siêu sao người Bồ Đào Nha trên sân chơi thế giới.
Group H: The fiery clash between Spain and Uruguay
Alongside Group L, Group H is also predicted by experts to hide many interesting surprises. Spain, with its dominant ball-control style, will face a fateful direct clash against a very tough, fiery Uruguay featuring stars such as Federico Valverde and Darwin Núñez.
The group’s outcome becomes even harder to predict with the appearance of Saudi Arabia – the team that caused a historic upset against Argentina in 2022 – and the wildcard Cabo Verde from Africa. This will surely be a brain-teasing challenge for both giants if they don’t want to stumble early in the group stage.
Group J: Lionel Messi and Argentina's quest to defend the throne
In Group J with Algeria, Austria and Jordan, the reigning champions Argentina are not expected to have too much trouble securing a spot in the knockout stage. The world’s attention is focused on Lionel Messi.
Fans of El Pulga are hoping this superstar will continue to lead the Tango dancers to perform the most beautiful football dances to defend the prestigious gold cup.
If you love the flamboyant style of El Pulga and want to fuel the king defending the throne. 2-in-1 Legendary Lionel Messi Football LEGO Edition allows young players to recreate iconic goal celebrations or Messi’s graceful runs on the pitch.
With the flexible 2-in-1 assembly mechanism, the model offers both the fun of solving brick challenges and a proud display piece for your family’s football corner this World Cup season.
Answers to common questions about the World Cup 2026 group stage
When and where will the 2026 World Cup take place?
According to FIFA’s official schedule, the tournament will begin on June 11, 2026 and end with the final on July 19, 2026 (local North American time).
However, due to time zone differences, fans in Vietnam will follow the world’s biggest football festival from the early morning of June 12, 2026 until the early morning of July 20, 2026. This is the historic tournament co-hosted for the first time by three North American countries: the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Which group is considered the "group of death" at World Cup 2026?
Group L with England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama and Group H with Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cabo Verde are regarded by experts as the two most balanced and unpredictable groups of the tournament this year.
Where can I watch World Cup 2026 matches live in Vietnam?
Football fans in Vietnam can watch all 104 matches live through official channels of Vietnam Television (VTV) and licensed online streaming apps.
Igniting football passion with authentic official products
Besides closely following the World Cup 2026 group dynamics, owning licensed merchandise is a great way to connect your passion and fully preserve every historic moment of the tournament.
To own LEGO Editions Sports building sets or official Panini trading cards, visit My Kingdom stores nationwide or visit the website. Let My Kingdom accompany you and fuel your passion for your fiery football season!
Photo source: FIFA
See more
World Cup 2026: When does it take place? Hot FIFA information and toys
World Cup 2026 schedule by Vietnam time—detailed update
LEGO Editions Sports: Spreading the heat of World Cup 2026 with Mykingdom
