Group G

Belgium's last stand

This is likely the final World Cup for Belgium's core — Kevin De Bruyne (35 by 2026), Romelu Lukaku (33), and Jan Vertonghen (39). Their 2022 group stage exit was a disaster; now they face Egypt's Mohamed Salah, who'll be 34 but still lethal. The Red Devils must top the group to avoid a potential Round of 32 clash with a heavyweight from Group E (likely Brazil or Netherlands).

Egypt's Salah dilemma

Egypt qualified via AFCON performance, not CAF qualifiers — a first since 1990. Their record scorer Salah has never netted at a World Cup (3 games in 2018). Manager Hossam Hassan must decide whether to build around him or blood younger attackers like Mostafa Mohamed. Iran's Mehdi Taremi (33) presents a direct counterpoint as Asia's top striker.

New Zealand's aerial gamble

The All Whites qualified by winning Oceania but face a brutal step up. Chris Wood (34) remains their target man, but manager Darren Bazeley may deploy Burnley's 6'6" center-back Nando Pijnaker to handle Lukaku and Salah. Their opener against Iran in Vancouver could decide third-place hopes — a draw might not be enough with goal difference looming large.

Third-place math

With Belgium likely taking one slot, the scrap between Egypt, Iran and New Zealand comes down to margins. Iran's defensive solidity (5 clean sheets in 2023 Asian Cup) gives them an edge. The group's third-placed team needs 4+ points to have a shot at advancing — meaning someone must beat Belgium or force two draws. Check live standings for permutations as matches unfold.

Standings

#	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Belgium	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	Egypt	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Iran	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	New Zealand	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Fixtures

Match	Date	Group	Score	Status
Belgium vs EgyptEstadio Seattle	Mon, Jun 15, 2026 · 20:00 ET	g	–	Scheduled
Iran vs New ZealandEstadio Los Angeles	Tue, Jun 16, 2026 · 02:00 ET	g	–	Scheduled
Belgium vs IranEstadio Miami	Sat, Jun 20, 2026 · 20:00 ET	g	–	Scheduled
New Zealand vs EgyptBC Place	Mon, Jun 22, 2026 · 02:00 ET	g	–	Scheduled
Egypt vs IranEstadio Seattle	Sat, Jun 27, 2026 · 04:00 ET	g	–	Scheduled
New Zealand vs BelgiumBC Place	Sat, Jun 27, 2026 · 04:00 ET	g	–	Scheduled

Qualification rules

Top two in Group G advance to the Round of 32. Third place enters the pool of twelve third-placed teams; the best eight on points, goal difference, and goals scored join the knockout bracket.

Scenarios

Use the predictor below to test scorelines. A win is three points, a draw one. Goal difference matters when points are level.