World Cup Group I Predictions, Exclusive 5/1 Betting Tips, Odds & Preview
Ramis Ibrahim
Avid football writer and Premier League specialist. Meticulous eye for player prop bets across English, European and International football honed over four years in football analysis.
- Group I
- World Cup 2026
- 20:00
A £10 bet on this returns £55 if it wins.
You can only place this bet on Betfred. Sign up using the link below, and get 66/1 for England to Wear White v Croatia👇
Group I Preview
France headline a competitive group as one of the favourites for the tournament, with Norway and Senegal acting as commendable underdogs that could cause an upset and beat France to top this group.
It’s Didier Deschamps’ final tournament with the national side, and he’s expected to persist with the pragmatic approach which doesn’t really maximise the talent of his squad, but has proved effective on the international stage before, with France lifting the trophy under his stewardship back in 2018.
Senegal are one of my teams to watch throughout the tournament; they’re the most complete side out of Africa for me at the moment and are (unofficially) reigning AFCON champions after beating Morocco in controversial circumstances in extra time of the final. We saw a taste of the problems they can cause even the top European teams when they came to Wembley last year, becoming the first side to beat Thomas Tuchel’s England.
Norway’s main threat is obviously Erling Haaland, but creating a system that will feed the lethal striker chances could prove difficult. Norway impressed during qualifying and contributed to Italy failing to qualify for the tournament - but they have been away from this stage for a while, and that lack of experience may cost them when it comes to going deep.
Iraq are naturally favourites to finish bottom of this group, but could still produce some special moments. They were the final side to qualify for the World Cup, beating out Bolivia in the play-offs to secure their spot. They’re headed up by Graham Arnold, who took charge of Australia in the 2022 edition of the tournament - and is aiming to give Iraq their first-ever win at a World Cup.
More Group Previews
🇫🇷 France
After going within a penalty shoot-out of back-to-back World Cup titles, France are back and seeking a third crown in North America. Of course, their main man, Kylian Mbappe, became just the second player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final four years ago, and his impact with France has only grown.
He is likely to be the captain for this tournament, but he is comfortable with such a burden. The 27-year-old is entering what are expected to be the peak years of his career and will be seeking to celebrate that with a second world title. He could play for France through the middle as he does at club level, or move off to the left wing in a role he has previously admitted is his favourite.
🇸🇳 Senegal
The main talking point surrounding Senegal at the moment is the AFCON final controversy, and they should be fired up for this tournament. The Lions of Teranga find themselves in a tough Group, but Senegal have a very strong squad on paper, and they will be hopeful of causing an upset.
Attacking talent is not in short supply for this Senegal team, who are likely to go with a front three of Sadio Mane, Iliman Ndiaye and Nicolas Jackson at the World Cup. Senegal were one of the strongest sides at AFCON, and they will fancy their chances of making it out of a competitive Group I.
🇳🇴 Norway
After a flawless World Cup qualifying campaign, Norway secured their spot at the 2026 World Cup for the first time since 1998. It’s a tough group, but Norway have real talent in their ranks, and they will hope to make it to the knockouts.
Norway’s qualifying run to the World Cup could not have gone smoother, as they won all eight of their matches to top their group. They even pulled off a memorable 11-1 victory against Moldova, which is the second-highest winning margin in a European World Cup qualifying match. Haaland bagged five goals in that game!
🇮🇶 Iraq
Iraq are returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1986, ending a 40-year hiatus from the competition, after scraping through the AFC qualifiers.
Graham Arnold has been in charge of Iraq since the third round of the qualifiers, having previously been the manager of the Australian national team. He led the Socceroos for six years, making him the longest-serving coach in their history.
Aymen Hussein is Iraq's record goalscorer, with 33 international goals under his belt. He bagged five goals in 11 matches during the AFC qualifiers, which shows just how important he is. He is the captain and talisman for his side.
🔮 What is Andy's Bet Club and how does it work for World Cup 2026 tips?
Keep up with Andy's Tips, including World Cup Predictions and World Cup 2026 Free Bet Offers, on Andy's Bet Club.
There will be Daily Free Football Tips available, as well as Football Predictions, Bet Builder Stats and Accumulator Stats.
For World Cup outright betting, check out our World Cup Players to Watch Tips, World Cup Golden Boot Tips and World Cup Outright Winner Tips.
Team Previews
Best Free Bets, Offers & Betting Sites for World Cup 2026
The World Cup is the best time to create a new bookmaker account because the Bookmaker Offers are much better. Andy and the Andy's Bet Club experts have tried and tested the Free Bets, and here are their favourites:
* I recommend waiting for confirmed team line-ups before placing any bets.
* All odds displayed correct at the time of publishing.
18+ please gamble responsibly.