The FIFA World Cup Draw arrived, and the participating nations had their pathways decided. The ceremony felt out of touch with the sport compared to previous editions, but they each leave a mark in the end. The host nations led the way, being their respective group leaders. Mexico is in group A, Canada is in group B, and the USA is in group D. Nations like England, Argentina, and Portugal filled out the remaining group spots for the draw.
Mexico got the opportunity to host the World Cup tournament for a historic third time. The Azteca Stadium will see Mexico face South Africa, reliving the opening match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The match will also see South Africa’s return to the tournament after a 16-year absence. South Korea and the FIFA playoff winner complete the group. Overall is a good group that can see the host nation advance on paper, but everything will have to be decided on the field.
Canada will open their participation against FIFA’s first playoff winner (Italy and Nigeria are in that mix). Qatar makes a return to the tournament after hosting it in 2022, Alongside Switzerland. Should things pan out correctly and Canada continues to build on their ongoing momentum, it is a candidate to exit the group. Their most recent participations in international tournaments give a sense of confidence ahead of their World Cup return. Qatar will be looking to have a better participation than in their previous appearance. The dark horse, however, will be coming from that playoff winner.
The USMNT will face some familiar faces in their opening match. Gustavo Alfaro’s Paraguay will be looking to make a statement as they also return after 16 years. The USMNT will have a very evenly matched group alongside Australia and the third FIFA Playoff winner. Mauricio Pochettino has a slight advantage, having played Paraguay in a friendly last month, but he continues working to find the right players to execute his vision. This group should have both the USMNT and Paraguay advancing if it goes according to plan.
Group I is set to be the group of death, putting Mbappe’s France against Haaland’s Norway. Both nations will be closely watched as the game’s most talented players will be looking to overshadow the return of reigning Champions Argentina. Senegal could spoil the group just as they did in Qatar 2022. But it will all depend on what level they display for years after their latest World Cup appearance. While not decided, Bolivia could take part in this group should they advance in their playoff run. Tough road ahead should they qualify.
Belgium, Portugal, and the Netherlands should be able to dominate their respective groups, with Japan, Egypt, and Colombia as the best nations to advance to the knockout stages. Ecuador and Brazil were handed the most difficult path in comparison to other CONMEBOL nations. They both have the squads to play well and survive, but their recent form is far from what’s expected from them. Don’t be surprised if one of these two nations is unable to make it out of the group stage. Having rivals like Morocco and the Ivory Coast, they can both be challenged if they can’t find the winning formula by the time the tournament starts.
While it’s too soon to pick favorites, I wouldn’t be surprised if France makes a third consecutive appearance in the World Cup Final. While Argentina has handled the generational transition well, it has yet to be seen if that change is enough to defend its championship. Above all, however, the world is ready to see just how far the game’s most legendary players will go in their last appearance on the world stage.
