Published on May 3, 2026 • 4 min read
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Group I might be the most loaded non-Brazil group in the tournament. France enter as title contenders, Norway finally arrive on the World Cup stage with a generational attack, Senegal bring Africa’s most consistent recent pedigree, and Iraq complete the draw as a determined AFC side stepping up to the global stage.
France arrive with the kind of squad most nations only dream of: depth in every position, world-class attackers, and tournament experience that runs the length of the bench. Anything short of comfortably topping the group would feel like an early misstep on what should be a deep tournament run.
Norway’s long absence from the World Cup ends with a side built around some of the planet’s most dangerous attacking talent. If their defense holds up under pressure, they have the firepower to overwhelm anyone outside the group’s top seed — and they’ll genuinely fancy their chances of finishing second.
Senegal continue to set the standard in African football. Strong in midfield, athletic across the back, and increasingly comfortable in the biggest matches, the Lions of Teranga will be a tough out for anyone they meet — and a real threat to push Norway for the runner-up spot.
Iraq face by far the steepest climb in the group, but they’ve grown steadily through AFC qualifying and arrive with a tactically disciplined approach. They’ll likely look to make matches scrappy and hope to spring a counter-attacking surprise on a side that underestimates them.
Early predictions favor France to win the group with room to spare, while Norway look slightly ahead of Senegal for second on the strength of their attacking ceiling. Senegal remain very much in the conversation and could advance as a best third-place side, while Iraq will target every chance to disrupt the order.
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