2026 World Cup predictions: Group by group takeaways, must-see games

The groups are now set for the 2026 FIFA World Cup! With the conclusion of Friday's draw, we now know which teams will square off in the group stage of the tournament, and many tantalizing matchups are in store.

The United States will face Paraguay in their first World Cup match on home soil in 32 years. Kylian Mbapp and Erling Haaland will go toe-to-toe for France and Norway, respectively. And England will take on Croatia eight years after the Three Lions fell to the same nation in the tournament's semifinals.

What are the top matches to watch, and how will it all go down? We asked ESPN's writers to break down each group, highlight the top storylines and make their predictions as the clock ticks down to next summer's big event.

JUMP TO: Group A, Group B, Group C, Group D, Group E, Group F, Group G, Group H, Group I, Group J, Group K, Group L

GROUP A

Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, UEFA Playoff D

Winner of UEFA Playoff D: Denmark, North Macedonia, Czech Republic or Republic of Ireland

Top-line takeaways: There's a tradition of World Cup hosts ending up with "gentle" draws and while it doesn't always happen (and is probably conspiracy theorist lore), Mexico are probably grateful with what the Kennedy Center delivered. That's good news for Javier Aguirre's side given that confidence in El Tri -- despite being ranked 15th in the world -- has been waning of late. Friendlies are always a dubious bellwether of future performance, but not beating anyone since the Gold Cup final isn't a great look.

South Africa, ranked 61 in the world, are coming off a qualifying campaign so lackadaisical they were actually docked points for fielding an ineligible player. South Korea, 22nd in the FIFA rankings, sailed through Asian qualifying undefeated and, while not as gifted as previous squads, are a tough out and are probably co-favorites for second spot. The big conundrum, of course, is who comes through the European path. Denmark, 21st in the FIFA rankings, on paper look the most formidable and should have qualified directly, had it not been for their last-ditch meltdown against Scotland. Should they stumble in the playoffs and someone else take their place, Mexico will be even happier.

Best game of the group: Mexico vs. South Korea. This one in Zapopan stands out, especially for El Tri on home soil. If they win their opener -- as expected -- against South Africa, this is where their confidence swells, they lock up the group with a win and start making plans for the knockouts. On the other hand, if they screw up the opener -- lose, draw or even just play poorly -- and start slow against Korea, things could get very hairy very quickly. There's also a potential nice subplot of young vs. old centerforwards looking to bounce back after iffy campaigns in the form of Santi Gimenez versus Son Heung-Min.

X-Factor/Biggest question: Mexico, as in the country, more than the team. With all due respect to their northerly neighbours, this is a proper footballing country, steeped in footballing culture. Games here are just going to feel different than in the other two host nations. That can work for Mexico -- obviously the fan support and familiarity play a role -- or it can work against Mexico (and by extension, for the other nations) if the pressure gets to be too much.

Predicted order of finish: Mexico, South Korea, UEFA Playoff D, South Africa. Host nations used to never exit in the group stage -- 2010 and 2022 changed that. Surely that can't happen here, can it?-- Gab Marcotti

GROUP B

Canada, UEFA Playoff A, Qatar, Switzerland

Winner of UEFA Playoff A: Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina

Top-line takeaways: Canada's wait to secure their first-ever World Cup point should soon be over. Coach Jesse Marsch will not take anything for granted -- especially given four-time winners Italy could be their opening opponents on June 12 -- but Group B offers genuine hope of progress for the co-hosts.

This is their third World Cup and they have lost every single match at the previous two, including four years ago in Qatar. Yet they avoided some of the heavyweights in pot two to land Switzerland, who are currently ranked 17th in the world by FIFA, a full 10 places above Canada.

Qatar are ranked 51st, but that's largely built on their hosting of the last World Cup to qualify directly for this one, having beaten United Arab Emirates in October to top Group A of Asia's fourth-round play-offs. They are coached by Julen Lopetegui, whose previous job came at Premier League side West Ham, though on the international stage he is perhaps best-known for quitting as Spain head coach on the eve of the 2022 World Cup after announcing he had agreed to join Real Madrid after the tournament.

What Canada gain in home advantage, however, they lose slightly in a shortened preparation time for their final opponents. Along with Italy, they could play Northern Ireland, Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Best game of the group: Switzerland vs. Canada. The toughest test may come last for the co-hosts. Switzerland are unbeaten in qualifying, securing four wins and two draws from games against Kosovo, Slovenia and Sweden. Swiss coach Murat Yakin is in charge for his third consecutive tournament having most recently lost on penalties to England at Euro 2024 quarter-finals. Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka remains a talismanic figure despite turning 33 in September and they knocked out defending champions Italy at the last Euros.

However, Canada have conceded just one goal in their six friendlies and Marsch can now use a planned bonus camp in January -- designed to get extra time with players based in either Major League Soccer or the Canadian Premier League -- to strategize success against what are, right now anyway, their most difficult opponents in Group B.

X-Factor/Biggest question: How effective will Davies be? Much will depend on Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies recovering from his ACL injury and returning to his prior form. Davies is Canada's standout individual talent, but he underwent an operation in March after suffering the injury while on international duty against United States. Tensions between Bayern and Canada Soccer surfaced with the Bundesliga club accusing them of "negligence" over their handling of the injury.

Home support will obviously help, but Canada have to prove they belong at this level and having Davies fully fit and back to his optimum level will be a key factor. The 25-year-old was the first player ever to score for the Maple Leafs at a World Cup when netting against Croatia in 2022.

Predicted order of finish: Switzerland, Canada, UEFA Playoff A, Qatar. It's hard to predict given one team is yet to be finalised, but Canada should have enough to qualify. -- James Olley

GROUP C

Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland

Top-line takeaways: This is a group that Brazil should win, but Morocco are a dangerous second seed in this section, especially after their heroics at the 2022 World Cup when they became the first African nation to reach the semifinals.

Carlo Ancelotti has been hired to win Brazil's sixth World Cup, though, and the former Real Madrid coach will be happy with a group that also contains Scotland and Haiti. Haiti are appearing in their first World Cup since 1974 and Scotland are back for the first time since 1998 and they meet in the first game, so the winner could take a huge leap towards making it to the knockout stages.

Overall, this group will almost certainly be decided by the Brazil-Morocco clash and Morocco will believe they can pull off a shock, especially with Brazil under so much pressure to perform and win the World Cup for the first time since 2002.

Best game of the group: Brazil vs. Morocco. This has a box office feel to it because Brazil will have to hit the ground running straight away to avoid an upset against the African side. Achraf Hakimi is Morocco's star right-back and the Paris Saint-Germain defender has the big-game mentality to inspire his team, while goalkeeper Yassine Bounou showed himself to be one of the world's best during Qatar 2022.

If Brazil can count on their stars -- will Neymar be fit and available? -- then Ancelotti's side should make a winning start to the tournament. Make no mistake, though. Brazil would have much preferred to start off against Scotland or Haiti than a team as dangerous as Morocco.

X-Factor/Biggest question: Can Scotland get out of the group? The Scots have qualified for eight previous World Cups, but they have failed to reach the knockout stage on every previous occasion. This time, they are in a really tough group and will meet Brazil for the fifth time since the 1974 World Cup, when they held the then-world champions to a 0-0 draw.

With third-place potentially earning a qualifying spot, Scotland really need to beat Haiti to have any hope of ending their long wait to escape the group stages.

Predicted order of finish: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti. The top two look pretty set in stone, but Scotland will just edge out Haiti for third spot and maybe a place in the knockout stages. -- Mark Ogden

GROUP D

United States, Paraguay, Australia, UEFA Playoff C

Winner of UEFA Playoff C: Turkiye, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo

Top-line takeaways: If you're Mauricio Pochettino and the United States, you couldn't ask for a much better draw than this. That's not to say it'll be a walk in the park, but cast your eyes across some of the other groups and it becomes clear it could have been much worse.

Put simply, they were drawn against the sixth-best team in CONMEBOL qualifying in Paraguay; an Australia side who lost 1-0 to Bahrain and were held 0-0 with Indonesia in their quest to get here; and one of four teams who failed to come through the European gauntlet in their first try.

You'd take that, right? It'll probably peeve the three confirmed teams that they can't start their preparation on the final opponent until March, as we don't yet know which one of Trkiye, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo will join them.

If the qualifiers unravel according to the respective talent levels of each team, we can expect to see Trkiye take up the last slot. That would certainly put the cat among the pigeons; they have stars like Arda Gler (Real Madrid) and Kenan Yildiz (Juventus) ready to roll.

-- How the USMNT matches up against Group D opponents

Best game of the group: USA vs. Paraguay. It's got to be that Group D opener, scheduled for June 12 at SoFi Stadium. A host's first game is always a tremendous, celebrated, but also highly pressurised occasion -- and this will be no different. Paraguay conceded just 10 goals during qualifying -- level with Argentina, second only to Ecuador -- and will relish the role of potential spoilers on the day.

This game has the opportunity to set the tone for the group, as it pits the strongest two teams that are confirmed to have made it against one another. Perhaps that picture changes once we know the identity of the fourth qualifier, but for now, this one's the headline event.

X-Factor/Biggest question: A potential battle of playmakers. If Trkiye make it to the World Cup, then Real Madrid's Arda Gler will set up quite the date of destiny with fellow playmaker Christian Pulisic, of AC Milan. These are two creative midfielders at the top of their game, playing for some of the world's most prestigious clubs, and both will feel immense responsibility to make the difference for their nations.

Above all else, football was invented to entertain, and Group D has the potential to pit a handful of bonafide superstars against one another.

Predicted order of finish: With the identity of the fourth nation currently unknown, here are two "top and bottom" scenarios.

If the highest-ranked play-off team qualifies: Trkiye, USA, Paraguay, Australia.

If the lowest-ranked play-off team qualifies: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Kosovo. -- Sam Tighe

GROUP E

Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador

Top-line takeaways: This is a group with a strong, big-name favourite to qualify -- Germany -- two intriguing, easy to underrate teams in Ecuador and Ivory Coast, and a clear underdog in Curaao.

The 2014 winners Germany are looking to bounce back from their embarrassing group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022. They've got a highly-rated coach in Julian Nagelsmann, a clear playing style based on possession and pressing, and talented young players, although when they've come up against elite teams like France and Portugal in 2025, they've fallen short.

Ecuador excelled in qualifying, finishing ahead of giants Brazil, and have key players playing regularly for top European teams, like Moiss Caicedo at Chelsea, Piero Hincapi at Arsenal and Willian Pacho at PSG. Their strength is a rock-solid defence. Ivory Coast are back at the World Cup after a 12-year absence, and while this group can't match that golden 2000s generation in terms of names, they look a solid unit. As for Curaao, they'll be expected to make up the numbers, but coach Dick Advocaat is vastly experienced, and they'll be hopeful of pulling off the odd upset.

Don't expect Germany to have an easy ride.

Best game of the group: Germany vs. Ecuador. Look at Ecuador's results against South America's biggest nations, Brazil and Argentina, in CONMEBOL qualifying: a 0-1 defeat to Argentina in Buenos Aires and a 0-1 loss to Brazil in Curitiba, followed by a 0-0 draw with Brazil and then a 1-0 victory over Argentina in Guayaquil in September. Those matches were tight. Be prepared for more of the same here, in what could be a frustrating, exhausting 90 minutes for the Germans against one of the best-organized, toughest backlines in world football.

X-Factor/Biggest question: Are Germany back? Their performances at the last two World Cups, after the success of 2014, were shockingly poor, but this is a new era. This Germany side are packed with talent, and if creative fulcrum Jamal Musiala can return to form in the second half of the 2025-26 season after his long-term injury -- and ideally if Florian Wirtz can find himself at Liverpool, too -- they'll have reason to believe they can go deep in this tournament, for the first time in 12 years.

Predicted order of finish: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao. Yes, Germany will be favourites to top the group, but don't underestimate the South American side. -- Alex Kirkland

GROUP F

Netherlands, Japan, UEFA Playoff B, Tunisia

Winner of UEFA Playoff B: Ukraine, Sweden, Poland or Albania

Top-line takeaways: Of course, anything can happen at a World Cup, but it's hard to see anyone but the Netherlands topping this group. Ronald Koeman's side reached the quarter-finals back in 2022, only losing out on penalties to eventual winners Argentina. It is a squad packed with talent -- many of whom play in the Premier League -- and they went unbeaten in qualifying, winning six of their eight games.

That said, Japan are credible underdogs, having beaten Spain in the group stages in Qatar. They also became the first non-host nation to qualify for next summer's tournament back in March and have some gifted technical players, including Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo and Brighton & Hove Albion's Kaoru Mitoma. It's tricky to see Tunisia making it to the knockout stages, however they did pull off a major upset in 2022, beating runners-up France in their final group stage game. It will be the seventh time they have competed at the finals, although they have never progressed past the group stage.

The other four teams still competing to qualify do have some quality, with Ukraine ranked the highest, so there is scope for some interesting match-ups.

Best game of the group: Netherlands vs. Japan. This is probably the tastiest match-up, with both teams likely feeling as if they have a chance to win Group F. Both teams sit in the top 20 of the FIFA rankings, with several of the players involved currently performing in Europe's top leagues. While it could be a competitive game, the Netherlands' superior squad depth will see them come out on top.

X-Factor/Biggest question: A clash of Liverpool teammates. One potential storyline to keep an eye on is the Netherlands' Virgil van Dijk up against his fellow Red, forward Alexander Isak. Of course, that is dependent on Sweden reaching the finals, with their qualifying campaign so far having been pretty dismal. However, with former Chelsea boss Graham Potter now in charge, they will hope to see their fortunes change in the play-offs.

It would certainly be interesting to see Van Dijk defending against a fit and firing Isak, who got the better of him on more than one occasion before he made the switch to Anfield in the summer.

Predicted order of finish: Netherlands, Japan, UEFA Playoff B, Tunisia. The Netherlands could be the dark horses of next summer's tournament and they should win the group comfortably, but Japan will cause some problems for Koeman's side. -- Beth Lindop

GROUP G

Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand

Top-line takeaways: This one is tough to call. On paper, Belgium and Egypt are the best teams in the group and should qualify. That said, both have shown in the past they've got the ability to implode and that leaves the door open for Iran and New Zealand -- after all, Belgium were drawn in a group with Morocco, Croatia and Canada in 2022 and finished third.

New Zealand will be one of the lowest ranked teams at the World Cup, but have the ability to cause an upset. In 2010, they earned a 1-1 draw with holders Italy and were unlucky not to get out of their group. Iran should not be taken lightly either. They're ranked 20th in the world and came close to getting out of their group in Qatar in 2022 despite being drawn with England, United States and Wales. If nothing else, they will be hard to play against and that makes them dangerous.

Group G is one where the top seeds will expect to go through, but there could also be some major shocks. Keep an eye on this one.

Best game of the group: Belgium vs. Egypt. It will be well worth watching Kevin De Bruyne face off with Mohamed Salah -- two players who defined a Premier League era while Pep Guardiola's Manchester City and Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool were going head-to-head for the title year after year. De Bruyne is 34 (and recovering from a serious hamstring injury) while Salah (struggling at Liverpool) is 33 and it could be the last time we see them both sharing a pitch on the world stage.

Ultimately, it's not just Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi having international send-offs next summer.

X-Factor/Biggest question: Will Doku be a breakout star? Jrmy Doku's talent is no secret, but this could be his breakthrough campaign. In and out of the Manchester City team for the last two years, he's now a regular for Pep Guardiola and was outstanding in the win over Liverpool last month. Guardiola believes he's one of the best one-on-one wingers in the world and he could have a massive impact at the World Cup for Belgium. He could be their most dangerous weapon as the golden generation of De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois have one more crack at winning a major tournament.

Predicted order of finish: Egypt, Belgium, Iran New Zealand. This projects to be a tight group, with everyone earning at least a point, but Egypt and Belgium going through. -- Rob Dawson

GROUP H

Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay

Top-line takeaways: The start of the draw had Spain a bit scared. Starting by drawing Uruguay and Marcelo Bielsa was far from ideal, and while it seemed like this could be the toughest group at that point, it didn't end that way as the other two countries drawn were much kinder and should offer minimal threat.

So, the focus will be on Spain and Uruguay and who will top the group. Both of them will qualify, but in which order? Bielsa has done good things with Uruguay, certainly at the start of his tenure. The last few months have been more difficult, especially after being humiliated by the U.S. during the last international break. They have talent behind captain Federico Valverde and will play with intensity, boasting talent well beyond Edinson Cavani and Luis Surez.

So for Spain, it should be pretty straightforward. Despite losing the UEFA Nations League final to Portugal, they have been amazing since Luis de la Fuente took charge. Lamine Yamal is convinced he will lead his team to win the whole tournament and he will surely be happy with this draw.

Cape Verde are a very interesting team. This is going to be their first World Cup, they were outstanding in their qualifiers, and they have some really good players like Paris-born defender Logan Costa. For Saudi Arabia, it is a big challenge for French head coach Herv Renard, who was already in charge in Qatar in 2022 and came back to try this time to qualify for the knockout stages.

Best game of the group: Spain vs. Uruguay. Talent-wise, the Spaniards are ahead obviously, but the South Americans will make it a proper battle with intensity and physicality, which should unsettle the Spain machine. It is probably the only way to actually stop Lamine Yamal & Co., though it's easier said than done. Spain have showed for months now that regardless to who they face, they have such a great structure with the ball. They will need Pedri, Lamine and Mikel Oyarzabal to be fit and firing, of course.

Rodri's fitness is a massive worry too. He has only played six Premier League matches so far this season. Martn Zubimendi is in great form for Arsenal and would be a great replacement, but it's not the same without Rodri.

X-Factor/Biggest question: Can Yamal take the World Cup by storm? Of course, the big headline after this draw is on Mbapp vs. Haaland in Group I and they will be two of the tournament's top stars, without a doubt. But this could well be Yamal's World Cup too. He will turn 19 halfway through it and if he can be fully fit for it, off the back of a great season with Barcelona, then he could be totally unstoppable in this competition. He has the talent and the confidence for it.

I truly believe this will be Lamine's World Cup. And if it is, the Ballon d'Or will follow.

Predicted order of finish: Spain, Uruguay, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia. La Roja will be too strong for everyone else, including Uruguay. -- Julien Laurens

GROUP I

France, Senegal, IC Playoff 2, Norway

Winner of Intercontinental Playoff 2: Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname

Top-line takeaways: Those old enough to remember the 2002 World Cup will be immediately drawn to France's opening game next summer. The two-time winners and runners-up at Qatar in 2022 will open their campaign against Senegal in a rematch of their first game from over 20 years ago when they were famously beaten 1-0 by the African side. Senegal went on to reach the quarterfinals that year and, along with Morocco, are perhaps the pick of the African sides heading into the tournament.

Back in the present, though, and all eyes will be on that fixture between France and Norway, a match which pits Kylian Mbapp and Erling Haaland, two of the most clinical strikers in the world, against each other. Haaland scored a record-equalling 16 goals in UEFA qualifying to lead a talented generation of Norwegian footballers to their first finals since 1998. To put that into context, Memphis Depay was the second-top scorer with eight.

The final spot in the group is yet to be decided, but whether it's Iraq, Suriname or Bolivia, the odds are going to be stacked against them to make it through to the last 16 in what looks like a really tricky group.

Best game of the group: Senegal vs. Norway. Mbapp taking on Haaland will be the most eye-catching match, but with the talent France coach Didier Deschamps has at his disposal, Les Bleus should make it out of the group at a canter. That leaves Senegal and Norway fighting to go through with them -- and both could qualify, of course, given the new Round of 32 awaiting the eight highest third-place teams in the 12 groups.

Pape Thiaw's Senegal team press aggressively, so it will be fascinating to see how they fare against a stacked Norway attack including Haaland, Alexander Srloth and Martin Odegaard.

X-Factor/Biggest question: Can Norway take their recent form into the finals? Stle Solbakken's side swashbuckled their way through qualifying, winning all eight of their games, including two against Italy. During those eight matches, they registered a remarkable 37 goals, conceding just five in the process.

If that's a sign of what's to come, they could be a real threat next summer. We should find out if they will be pretty soon, too, with big early tests against France and Senegal.

Predicted order of finish: France, Senegal, Norway, IC Playoff 2. -- Sam Marsden

GROUP J

Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan

Top-line takeaways: The reigning champions face a range of challenges though they will fancy their chances of qualifying in first position.

Algeria have the familiar faces of Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani leading the attack, but Mohamed Amoura was their leading scorer in qualifying as they won eight of 10 games. They have plenty of creativity, and boast Luca Zidane as one of their goalkeeping options, but the jury's still out on manager Vladimir Petkovic.

Austria are managed by Ralf Rangnick and will no doubt have a plan up their sleeves focused on relentless pressing. And then there's Jordan, one of the four teams making their World Cup debut, who are happy to sit in and let the opposition have the ball. So Argentina will take this. They'll head to the World Cup as one of the oldest teams, and we wait to see if one of the world's greatest ever players makes it.

One of the benefits of being in Group J means the team who tops the group will only face another group winner first at the quarterfinal stage.

Best game of the group: Argentina vs. Austria. Austria's qualification was hardly straight forward as they nearly tripped up at the last, losing to Romania, and then facing a cup final (effectively) against Bosnia and Herzegovina for the top spot in the pool. They came through, but this is their first World Cup since 1998. Rangnick has his stamp all over this team -- and they will press from the outset. So Argentina will be hurried and hustled, but you expect them to come through.

In terms of occasion, Argentina facing first-time World Cup participants Jordan will be one to remember, but in terms of quality -- Argentina-Austria will be a real test of Lionel Scaloni's team.

X-Factor/Biggest question: Messi's final World Cup? If he makes it, it will be his Last Dance and until the squads are named, the narrative around this group is whether Messi will play. Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has remained diplomatic on the matter, saying before the draw on Friday that "he will decide, and we will support whatever he decides." So either it will be all about Messi going for his second World Cup on the bounce, or it'll be Argentina in the post-Messi era. Either way, Messi will dominate the discourse.

Predicted order of finish: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan. The reigning champions should progress, but they'll be tested in varied ways. -- Tom Hamilton

GROUP K

Portugal, IC Playoff 1, Uzbekistan, Colombia

Winner of Intercontinental Playoff 1: DR Congo, Jamaica or New Caledonia

Top-line takeaways: Portugal will have been slightly nervous watching Colombia being pulled out of Pot 2 because, at that point, Group K had the makings of being the hardest group. After seeing Uzbekistan drawn from Pot 3 and Fifa Play-off 1 (DR Congo, Jamaica, New Caledonia) drawn from Pot 4, they will be feeling far happier.

Uzbekistan, ranked 55 in the world and managed by Italy legend Fabio Cannavaro, will be big underdogs against both Portugal and Colombia. The addition of a play-off team gives the group an unknown quantity. Facing DR Congo is a very different prospect to playing New Caledonia and the final member of the group won't be known until next March. Really, though, there are no excuses for Portugal or Colombia. Both nations have got world class players in their ranks, like Bruno Fernandes (Portugal) and Luis Daz (Colombia), and they should both qualify for the knockout rounds with ease.

Whatever happens, there will be plenty of eyeballs on Group K because of Cristiano Ronaldo. He has the ability to fill stadiums on his own, whoever he happens to be playing against.

Best game of the group: Portugal vs. Colombia. If the group goes the way it's supposed to, then this will be the match deciding who finishes top and who has to settle for second. Neither nation is perhaps in the top category of potential winners, but both will feel that they can make it through at least a couple of knock-out games and from there anything can happen.

It will also be an early test of the conditions, because there's an argument that the climate next summer will be better suited to South American sides like Colombia rather than European sides like Portugal.

X-Factor/Biggest question: Ronaldo's last World Cup... right? It will surely be his last World Cup and one final chance to add the only trophy that's missing from a truly remarkable resume. At 40 years old, he's still scoring for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia as he continues to mark towards 1,000 goals for club and country, and he's still the go-to centre forward for Portugal boss Roberto Martinez.

Ronaldo's last two major tournaments have not gone well, but FIFA have played their part in giving him the best chance this time by cutting short his suspension for a red card in qualifying against the Republic of Ireland to ensure he will be available for Portugal's first game next summer.

Predicted order of finish: Portugal, Colombia, IC Playoff 1, Uzbekistan. Portugal and Colombia should progress into the knockouts. Anything else would be a major surprise. -- Rob Dawson

GROUP L

England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

Top-line takeaways: There are 2018 vibes to this draw for England, who are one of the top four seeds going into the finals. They fired six past Panama eight years ago as they reached the semifinal, where their hopes of reaching a first final since they lifted the trophy in 1966 were ended by Croatia after extra time. Thomas Tuchel's side will meet both those nations again next summer. On paper, England are stronger than they were in Russia, when expectations weren't as high, and will be favourites to win this group given Croatia's golden generation has aged, even if Luka Modric is still going at 40.

Ghana's role in this group will be interesting. They may be ranked 72nd in the world, but Otto Addo's side are better than that. They are appearing in their second successive World Cup and are capable of causing problems for England and Croatia. There is perhaps a lack of goals, with 34-year-old striker Jordan Ayew their most efficient performer in qualifying, but Tottenham's Mohammed Kudus could help take the weight off Ayew's shoulders.

Panama will be out to not just make out the numbers, too, and improve on their 2018 showing. Under Thomas Christiansen they have become a possession-heavy side, but it may be difficult to execute that style against stronger opposition.

Best game of the group: England vs. Croatia. There is always something special about a team's first game at a World Cup finals, which makes England taking on Croatia the standout fixture in Group L. The two teams will lock horns on June 17 with the Three Lions out to avenge that defeat in 2018. There have been three meetings since then, including in Euro 2020 at Wembley, but nothing matches the stage the World Cup provides.

It will be Tuchel's first game in charge at a major tournament after replacing Gareth Southgate last year. That will increase the scrutiny on England to deliver a statement performance when they kick off against storied opposition.