Group G at the 2026 World Cup brings together Belgium, Egypt, Iran and New Zealand across three West Coast venues, with Belgium installed as strong favourites to top the section.
Group: G
Teams: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Host Cities: Seattle (Lumen Field), Los Angeles/Inglewood (SoFi Stadium), Vancouver (BC Place)
Qualification: Top two teams qualify automatically; best third-placed sides also advance
TV/Streaming: BBC iPlayer / ITVX
Group G is one of the more straightforward-looking sections at the 2026 World Cup, with Belgium carrying a clear quality advantage over the three sides they face. The Belgians arrive as a side still built around elite European club talent and come off a World Cup qualifying campaign in which they went unbeaten across eight matches, losing none. Their 29 goals scored and just seven conceded across that qualifying phase underline why they are priced so short for this section.
Egypt return to the World Cup for the first time since 2018 and will be targeting their first-ever knockout-round appearance. Iran also carry 2018 memories, having won that group-stage meeting with Egypt, and they arrive at a fourth consecutive tournament. New Zealand are the relative newcomers in this group, qualifying through the intercontinental playoff, and their recent form of one win from five matches is honest enough to set expectations.
All six group fixtures are staged across Seattle, the Los Angeles area and Vancouver, keeping travel distances manageable for all four squads. The tight geography should at least ensure no side is at a meaningful logistical disadvantage when it comes to recovery between games.
Belgium to win Group G is the straightforward call here. An unbeaten qualifying record, a settled squad, and opponents who have never beaten them in World Cup finals football make this a strong selection at the best available price of 4/9. Belgium went through a qualifying campaign of eight games with five wins and three draws, scoring 29 goals in the process. There is genuine depth in their squad, and the group draw presents no fixture that should derail them. The short price reflects reality rather than hype.
Belgium are appearing at their fifteenth World Cup and arrive with their best-ever result, a third-place finish at Russia 2018, still serving as the benchmark for this generation. Their qualifying record was emphatic: five wins and three draws from eight matches, conceding only seven goals while scoring 29. That kind of defensive solidity and attacking output across a full qualifying campaign points to a well-organised side that did not slip into casual defeats when already through.
They have never previously faced Egypt, Iran or New Zealand in a World Cup finals match, meaning all three group fixtures are fresh match-ups. That absence of prior World Cup head-to-head history removes any psychological weight for the opposition, but it also means Belgium’s players carry no scars from this group either. Their qualification as an automatic European berth holder confirms they were among the stronger sides in the UEFA process without needing a playoff.
Egypt are back at the World Cup for the fourth time, having previously appeared in 1934, 1990 and 2018. They have never advanced beyond the group stage in any of those appearances, and breaking that pattern is the challenge Carlo Queiroz’s side will set themselves here. Their African qualifying campaign was outstanding: five wins and one draw from six matches, with nine goals scored and none conceded. An entirely clean defensive sheet across six qualifying games is a genuine marker of organisation and resilience.
Recent form is more mixed, with two wins, two draws and one defeat from their last five matches. Egypt’s one World Cup meeting with Iran came in the 2018 group stage, a match Iran won. They have no prior World Cup finals history with Belgium or New Zealand. Reaching the knockout rounds for the first time would represent a historic achievement for Egyptian football, and their qualifying form at least suggests they are capable of competing in this group’s lower half.
Iran are making their seventh World Cup appearance and have now qualified for every tournament from 2014 onwards, though they have never progressed beyond the group stage. They qualified automatically through the AFC process, finishing among the top sides in the decisive Asian qualifying round. Their recent form mirrors Egypt’s almost exactly: two wins, two draws and one defeat from the last five matches.
Iran’s best chance in Group G is likely to come against New Zealand in Los Angeles on 15 June, and a positive result there could give them a platform to target second place. They will know from 2018 that Egypt are beatable, and that meeting in Seattle on 26 June could determine which of the two sides takes second spot. Iran’s qualifying record of two wins, one draw and one defeat across four matches was competitive without being dominant, so they arrive with realistic rather than expansive ambitions.
New Zealand make their third World Cup appearance, having also featured in 1982 and 2010. Their most notable tournament came in 2010, when they went unbeaten with three draws in the group stage, a result that still represents the high point of football in the Oceania confederation. They qualified for 2026 by dominating OFC qualifying, winning both second-stage matches and claiming the confederation’s direct slot with a 10-0 aggregate across those two games.
However, recent form tells a more sobering story: one win, one draw and three defeats from their last five matches. The step up in class from Oceanic competition to Group G’s other three opponents will be significant, and their odds of 27/1 reflect that honestly. There is pride and history on the line for New Zealand, but realistic prospects of topping or finishing second in this section are limited based on current form and squad depth.
Matchday 5 – 15 June 2026
Belgium vs Egypt – Seattle (Lumen Field), 12:00 UTC-7
Iran vs New Zealand – Los Angeles/Inglewood (SoFi Stadium), 18:00 UTC-7
Matchday 11 – 21 June 2026
Belgium vs Iran – Los Angeles/Inglewood (SoFi Stadium), 12:00 UTC-7
New Zealand vs Egypt – Vancouver (BC Place), 18:00 UTC-7
Matchday 16 – 26 June 2026
Egypt vs Iran – Seattle (Lumen Field), 20:00 UTC-7
New Zealand vs Belgium – Vancouver (BC Place), 20:00 UTC-7
None of the four sides in Group G have previously met each other in World Cup finals play, with one exception: Iran defeated Egypt in the 2018 group stage. That result gives Iran a minor psychological edge in the meeting between those two sides, which falls on the final matchday and could prove decisive in the race for second place.
Belgium have no World Cup history against any of their three group opponents. Egypt and New Zealand have never met at a World Cup, and neither have Iran and New Zealand. The near-complete absence of World Cup head-to-head history across this group means the three group matchdays are genuinely open in terms of historical reference points, with the Iran-Egypt 2018 result the only meaningful data point from previous tournaments.
The match most likely to settle the Group G runner-up spot is Egypt vs Iran in Seattle on 26 June, the final matchday. By that point, Belgium should have secured top spot, leaving Egypt and Iran to fight for second place in a direct head-to-head. Iran’s 2018 win over Egypt adds a layer of history to what will already be a high-stakes fixture. Both sides enter the tournament with identical recent form records, making form an unreliable separator and suggesting the team with the greater tactical discipline on the day will advance.
The simultaneous kick-off format on the final matchday means both deciders are played at the same time, so neither Egypt nor Iran will be able to adapt their approach based on Belgium’s result against New Zealand. That simultaneous scheduling increases the pressure on both sides to play for the win from the first whistle rather than settling for a calculated draw.
Group G Winner: Belgium – 4/9
To Also Qualify (Top 2): Egypt – 5/1
Belgium are the only reasonable pick to win Group G at the 2026 World Cup. Five wins and three draws across eight qualifying matches, 29 goals scored, seven conceded, and an automatic UEFA qualification place all point to a side that managed their qualifying campaign without distress. No prior World Cup losses against any of their three opponents and a depth of squad that extends well beyond a single superstar makes this a selection based on evidence rather than reputation alone. At 4/9, it is a short price, but it is a fair one.
Egypt to finish second in the group represents the better-value angle in the Group G betting. Their qualifying run was immaculate defensively, six matches without conceding a single goal, and their 5/1 price reflects the uncertainty around Iran and the modest calibre of New Zealand rather than any serious doubt about Egypt’s ability to take second. Iran carry identical recent form but face a tougher route, with their head-to-head against Egypt falling on the final matchday. Egypt’s slightly stronger qualifying record and a home advantage in that decisive fixture in Seattle tilts the balance toward them as the second qualifier from Group G.
All Group G fixtures will be available to watch in the UK on BBC iPlayer and ITVX, with coverage split across both broadcasters throughout the tournament.
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