2026 FIFA World Cup Group I: Schedule, Standings & Prediction
The 2026 FIFA World Cup Group I is the tournament’s toughest group. France arrive ranked first in the world, led by Mbappe in what manager Didier Deschamps has confirmed is his final tournament. Norway return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998, powered by Erling Haaland and a golden generation that went unbeaten through UEFA qualifying.
Senegal arrive carrying unfinished AFCON business after one of African football’s most controversial episodes. Iraq end a 40-year absence, qualifying as the very last of the 48 teams just days before the tournament.
Every storyline carries weight. Mbappe stands one goal from equaling France’s all-time scoring record. Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in the AFCON 2025 final in January, only for CAF to strip the title in March after their players walked off in protest, a case now at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Norway’s Odegaard has been absent since September 2024 with a knee injury. Iraq arrived in Mexico with just one week of preparation due to war-related travel chaos.
The top two teams advance automatically to the Round of 32. Third place can also advance as one of the eight best third-place finishers across all 12 groups. France vs Senegal on June 16 in New Jersey and France vs Norway on June 26 in Boston are the two matches that will define this group.
2026 FIFA World Cup Group I Teams
| Team | Confederation | FIFA Rank (Apr 2026) | WC Appearances | Pot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | UEFA | #1 | 17th | 1 |
| Senegal | CAF | #17 | 4th | 2 |
| Norway | UEFA | #24 | 4th | 3 |
| Iraq | AFC | #57 | 2nd | 4 |
Group I Match Schedule 2026
All times are Eastern Time (ET). FOX and FS1 broadcast in English. Telemundo and Universo cover Spanish broadcasts. All matches stream on Peacock.
Matchday 1 (Tuesday, June 16)
| Match | Time (ET) | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| France vs Senegal | 3:00 PM | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ |
| Iraq vs Norway | 6:00 PM | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA |
Matchday 2 (Monday, June 22)
| Match | Time (ET) | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| France vs Iraq | 5:00 PM | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia |
| Norway vs Senegal | 8:00 PM | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ |
Matchday 3 (Friday, June 26)
Both Matchday 3 games kick off simultaneously at 3:00 PM ET on June 26. Norway vs France in Boston is the headline fixture of the group stage.
| Match | Time (ET) | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Norway vs France | 3:00 PM | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA |
| Senegal vs Iraq | 3:00 PM | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada |
Group I Standings
Standings update after June 16, 2026.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Senegal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Norway | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Iraq | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Top 2 teams advance automatically to the Round of 32
- Best 8 third-place teams across all 12 groups also advance
- 4 points is close to a guaranteed third-place advancement; 3 points requires a strong goal difference
Tiebreaker order: Goal difference > Goals scored > Head-to-head points > Head-to-head goal difference > Head-to-head goals scored > Fair play score > FIFA ranking
Venue Guide: Where Group I Matches Are Played
| Match | Stadium | City | Capacity | Key Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France vs Senegal | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, NJ | 82,500 | Hosts two Group I matches |
| Iraq vs Norway | Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, MA | 65,878 | Hosts two Group I matches |
| France vs Iraq | Lincoln Financial Field | Philadelphia | 69,796 | France’s only Group I match in Philadelphia |
| Norway vs Senegal | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, NJ | 82,500 | Same venue as MD1 France match |
| Norway vs France | Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, MA | 65,878 | Same venue as MD1 Iraq match |
| Senegal vs Iraq | BMO Field | Toronto, Canada | 30,000 | Only Group I match in Canada |
Group I spans four cities in two countries. MetLife Stadium in New Jersey hosts two matches. BMO Field in Toronto at 30,000 is the smallest World Cup venue in the tournament.
How to Watch Group I Matches
| Country | TV Channel | Streaming |
|---|---|---|
| USA | FOX, FS1, Telemundo, Universo | Peacock, FOX Sports App |
| UK | ITV, BBC | ITVX, BBC iPlayer |
| Canada | CTV, TSN, RDS | TSN+, CTV GO |
| Australia | SBS | SBS On Demand |
| France | M6, beIN Sports | 54 matches on M6 free |
| Senegal | RTS, Canal+ Afrique | Canal+ streaming |
| Norway | TV 2 Norway | TV 2 Play |
| Iraq | Iraq TV, beIN Sports | beIN Sports Connect |
| Mexico | Televisa, TV Azteca, TUDN | ViX |
| Germany | ARD, ZDF | ARD and ZDF free to air |
| Spain | RTVE, DAZN | RTVE Play free, DAZN all 104 |
Fans in other countries can check the full global broadcaster list at 2026 FIFA World Cup TV channels and broadcasting rights.
Group I Team Analysis and Preview
France
Manager: Didier Deschamps (since 2012, final tournament)
Deschamps confirmed 2026 is his last tournament. He won the World Cup as player (1998) and manager (2018). Zidane has verbally agreed to take over after the tournament. France beat Brazil 2-1 in Foxborough and Colombia 3-1 in Maryland in March 2026. Desire Doue scored twice against Colombia. France have not lost since June 2025.
Key players: Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid, captain), Ousmane Dembele (PSG, Ballon d’Or winner), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan), Hugo Ekitike (Liverpool), Mike Maignan (AC Milan, GK), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid), Desire Doue (PSG). Injury concern: William Saliba.
World Cup record: 17 appearances. Won 1998 (home) and 2018 (Russia).
Last appearance: 2022 runners-up. Lost to Argentina on penalties. Mbappe scored a hat-trick in the final.
Senegal
Manager: Pape Thiaw (permanent since December 2024)
Thiaw was part of the 2002 Senegal squad that beat defending champions France in the group stage. He guided Senegal to the AFCON 2025 final where they beat Morocco 1-0 in extra time. CAF stripped the title in March 2026 after Senegal’s players walked off in protest at a controversial penalty.
Mane convinced teammates to return, Morocco’s Panenka was saved, and Pape Gueye scored the winner, but the ruling is under appeal at CAS. In March 2026, Senegal beat Peru 2-0 and Gambia 3-1, both without Mane who had a calf injury.
Key players: Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr, captain, Senegal all-time top scorer, calf injury concern), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal, CB), Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahli, GK), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham), Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea/Bayern Munich loan), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton), Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace), Lamine Camara (Monaco), Pape Gueye (Villarreal).
World Cup record: 4 appearances (2002, 2018, 2022, 2026). Third consecutive.
Best finish: Quarter-final (2002). Beat defending champions France in that group stage.
Norway
Manager: Ståle Solbakken (since 2020)
Solbakken suffered a heart attack in 2001, was clinically dead for nearly seven minutes, and was revived en route to hospital. He is the first manager in 30 years to take Norway to the World Cup. Norway won all eight UEFA qualifying matches, scoring 37 goals. Haaland scored 16. In March 2026, Norway lost 2-1 to the Netherlands without Haaland and Odegaard, then drew 0-0 with Switzerland. Odegaard has been absent since September 2024.
Key players: Erling Haaland (Man City, 16 qualifying goals), Martin Odegaard (Arsenal, captain, serious injury doubt), Alexander Sorloth (Atletico Madrid), Antonio Nusa (RB Leipzig, 20), Sander Berge (Fulham), Julian Ryerson (Borussia Dortmund), Jorgen Strand Larsen (Crystal Palace).
World Cup record: 4 appearances (1938, 1994, 1998, 2026).
Best finish: Round of 16 (1998). First World Cup since 1998.
Iraq
Manager: Graham Arnold (appointed May 2025)
Arnold is Australian and took Australia to the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup. He spent eight of his first ten months in the Iraq job living in Baghdad. Iraq beat Bolivia 2-1 on April 1, 2026 in Monterrey to become the 48th and final team to qualify. The squad arrived in Mexico just one week before the match on a charter flight due to war-related travel chaos. Al-Hamadi scored the opener and Hussein sealed the win after half-time.
Key players: Ali Al-Hamadi (Luton Town, 25, grew up in Liverpool after leaving Iraq as a child), Aymen Hussein (domestic Iraqi league, 30, 90+ caps), Zidane Iqbal (FC Utrecht), Merchas Doski (Viktoria Plzen), Marko Farji (Venezia), Youssef Amyn (AEK Larnaca).
World Cup record: 2 appearances (1986, 2026).
Notable: Lost all 3 group games in 1986. Won the 2007 AFC Asian Cup during the Iraq War, one of football’s most remarkable achievements.
Head-to-Head Records
| Matchup | Record | Last Result | World Cup H2H |
|---|---|---|---|
| France vs Senegal | France edge (16 meetings) | France 4-0 (2014 friendly) | France beat Senegal R16 (2022) |
| France vs Norway | France edge (7W 4L 4D) | France 4-0 (2014 friendly) | Multiple WC meetings |
| France vs Iraq | Never met | First ever June 22 | 0 |
| Senegal vs Norway | Senegal edge (1 meeting) | Senegal 2-1 (2006 friendly) | 0 |
| Senegal vs Iraq | Never met | First ever June 26 | 0 |
| Norway vs Iraq | Never met | First ever June 16 | 0 |
Three of the six Group I matchups are first-ever meetings. France and Iraq have never played. Senegal and Iraq have never played. Norway and Iraq have never played. France last beat Norway 4-0 in 2014, before either Mbappe or Haaland had been capped.
Why Group I is Interesting
- Norway vs France on June 26 in Foxborough is the first-ever international meeting between Mbappe and Haaland, two of the best players alive finally facing each other on the world stage
- Deschamps confirmed 2026 is his final tournament. He wants to win a second World Cup before handing over to Zidane
- Senegal beat Morocco in the AFCON 2025 final in January, then had the title stripped by CAF in March. They head to the World Cup fighting a legal battle at CAS
- Iraq ended a 40-year World Cup absence, qualifying as the very last team with just one week of preparation after war-related travel chaos in the Middle East
- Mbappe stands one goal from equaling France’s all-time scoring record of 57, held by Giroud. He could break it in Group I
- Norway’s Odegaard has been absent since September 2024 with a knee injury. Haaland without his best creative partner is a significantly weaker team
- Group I is the “Group of Death”. France, Senegal and Norway are all in the FIFA top 25, making this the deepest top-three in any group at the tournament
2026 World Cup Group I Predictions
- Matchday 1: France 2-0 Senegal. Norway 3-0 Iraq.
- Matchday 2: France 4-0 Iraq. Norway 1-1 Senegal.
- Matchday 3: Norway 1-2 France. Senegal 2-0 Iraq.
Our Final Predicted Standings
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | +7 | 9 | Advance |
| 2 | Senegal | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 | Advance |
| 3 | Norway | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 4 | Eliminated |
| 4 | Iraq | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9 | -9 | 0 | Eliminated |
France win the group. Senegal edge Norway on goal difference. If Odegaard returns fit by June, Norway’s picture changes significantly.
- 4 points: close to guaranteed Round of 32 advancement
- 3 points: possible with strong goal difference
- 1-2 points: very unlikely to advance
Group I Road to the Round of 32
| Finish | Next Match | Date | Venue | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Round of 32 | TBD | TBD | Best third-place team from Groups C/D/F/G/H |
| 2nd | Round of 32 | TBD | TBD | Group E runner-up |
The Group I winner faces the best third-place team from Groups C, D, F, G or H. The runner-up faces the Group E runner-up. Group E consists of Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curaçao.
2026 FIFA World Cup Group I FAQs
Who is in Group I at the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Group I consists of France, Senegal, Norway and Iraq.
When does Group I start?
Group I opens on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, with France vs Senegal at 3:00 PM ET at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and Iraq vs Norway at 6:00 PM ET at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
How did Iraq qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
Iraq qualified through the AFC pathway to the inter-confederation playoff, where they beat Bolivia 2-1 on April 1, 2026 in Monterrey. Al-Hamadi and Hussein scored. Iraq were the 48th and final team to qualify, ending a 40-year absence.
Is this Norway’s first World Cup since 1998?
Yes. Norway last appeared at the 1998 World Cup, where they reached the Round of 16. The 2026 tournament is their first in 28 years. They qualified by winning all eight UEFA qualifying matches. Haaland scored 16 goals in those eight games.
Who is France’s manager for 2026?
France are managed by Didier Deschamps, in charge since 2012. He confirmed 2026 is his final tournament. Deschamps won the World Cup as a player in 1998 and as manager in 2018.
What is Senegal’s World Cup history?
Senegal are making their fourth World Cup appearance. Their best finish was the quarter-final in 2002, beating defending champions France in the group stage. They reached the Round of 16 in 2022.
Will Mbappe break France’s scoring record at the 2026 World Cup?
Mbappe enters the tournament on 56 goals, one away from equaling France’s all-time record of 57 held by Olivier Giroud. He could break it in the group stage against Senegal, Iraq or Norway.
What happened with Senegal and the AFCON 2025 title?
Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in extra time in the AFCON 2025 final on January 18, 2026. Their players walked off in protest over a controversial stoppage-time penalty. CAF stripped Senegal of the title in March 2026 and awarded Morocco a 3-0 administrative win. Senegal appealed to CAS. The case will not be resolved before the World Cup. Thiaw is available to manage at the tournament.
Group I runs June 16 to June 26. France are favorites. Senegal and Norway fight for second, with Norway vs Senegal on June 22 and Norway vs France on June 26 deciding who advances. Check back for updated standings.
