World Cup 2026 Group G

World Cup 2026 Group G is one of the most intriguing pools of the tournament: European side Belgium alongside African heavyweight Egypt, the experienced Iran of the AFC, and Oceania's New Zealand. On paper Belgium are clear favourites to top the group, but the expanded 48-team format — where the top two from each group plus the eight best third-placed teams advance — leaves the race for the qualifying places genuinely open. For South African and wider African readers, Egypt are the side to follow: led by Mohamed Salah, they carry continental hope into a group they will fancy reaching the knockout rounds from for the first time since 1934. Below we break down all four teams, every Group G fixture, the qualification maths and the latest odds-to-qualify snapshot for ZAR punters.

Group G at a glance

Rankings: Wikipedia "2026 FIFA World Cup Group G", June 2026 column. Belgium are the clear seeds, but Iran and Egypt are well-matched in the chase for second.

The four teams

Belgium are the group favourites at around 4/9 to finish top. They came through UEFA qualifying unbeaten — five wins, three draws, 29 goals scored and only seven conceded — but their golden generation of Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku is now in its mid-thirties, with Jérémy Doku the one explosive younger star. A group-stage exit in Qatar in 2022 is a reminder that their tournament momentum does not always match the qualifying numbers.

Egypt (29th) are the most credible challenger, priced around 5/1 to win the group. They qualified as CAF Group A winners without conceding a single goal, reached the AFCON 2025 semi-finals and held Spain to a 0-0 draw in a warm-up. Built on defensive organisation and the quality of Salah and Omar Marmoush, they shape up as the direct rivals to Belgium and Iran for a qualifying place.

Iran (20th) are the highest-ranked of the non-European sides and around 7/1 to top the group. Team Melli qualified from the Asian section with just one defeat and bring a battle-tested, experienced core. They prefer to control tempo and grind out results rather than overwhelm opponents — a profile that makes them awkward to play against and a live contender for second.

New Zealand (85th) are the group outsiders at around 27/1. The All Whites won the Oceania pathway and return to a World Cup for the third time, proud of an unbeaten 2010 campaign that included a 1-1 draw with reigning champions Italy. Recent form is thin — roughly one win in their last five — and the step up in class is significant, but Chris Wood gives them a genuine focal point and they will fancy their meeting with Iran as a route to points.

Group G fixtures

All six Group G games are played at three West Coast venues — SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles), Lumen Field (Seattle) and BC Place (Vancouver):

• Mon 15 June — Belgium vs Egypt, Lumen Field, Seattle (21:00 SAST). The headline opener. Read our full Belgium vs Egypt prediction and odds.
• Mon 15 June — Iran vs New Zealand, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood (03:00 SAST, 16 June). Potentially decisive for second place. Read our Iran vs New Zealand prediction and odds.
• Sun 21 June — Belgium vs Iran, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood. The seeds meet in a likely group-deciding clash.
• Sun 21 June — New Zealand vs Egypt, BC Place, Vancouver. Egypt aim to consolidate; New Zealand chase a foothold.
• Fri 26 June — Egypt vs Iran, Lumen Field, Seattle. A potential straight shoot-out for the second qualifying spot.
• Fri 26 June — New Zealand vs Belgium, BC Place, Vancouver. Played at the same time as Egypt vs Iran on the final matchday.

How the qualification maths work

Under the 2026 format, the top two teams from each of the 12 groups, plus the eight best third-placed teams, advance to the Round of 32 — a 32-of-48 cut, so two thirds of the field survive the group stage. For Group G that opens a few clear scenarios:

1. Belgium to top the group. The market's strong expectation; their superior squad and unbeaten qualifying run make them favourites to win all the matches that count.
2. A three-way fight for second. Egypt, Iran and New Zealand are realistically scrapping for the runner-up berth. The simultaneous final-matchday kick-offs — Egypt vs Iran and New Zealand vs Belgium at the same time — mean neither Egypt nor Iran can react to the other's result, raising the pressure to win their head-to-head.
3. Best third-placed route. Even a third-place finish can be enough to reach the Round of 32, depending on points and goal difference across the other groups — keeping more than one side alive deep into the group.

Odds to win Group G — snapshot

Odds snapshot 12 June 2026 (correct at time of writing, T&Cs apply, 18+ only):

• Belgium are favourites to win Group G at around 4/9 (−220 to −245), with prediction markets giving them roughly a two-thirds chance of finishing top.
• Egypt are second favourites at about 5/1, their clean-sheet qualifying record and Salah's quality making them the bookmakers' pick to take second.
• Iran sit close behind at around 7/1, with some analysts rating their experienced core as value to pip Egypt to the runner-up spot.
• New Zealand are the outsiders at around 27/1, reflecting the gap in class and recent form.

South African operators such as Hollywoodbets, ZarBet and BetBus price these group markets in ZAR and broadly track the global numbers above. Compare welcome offers and World Cup market depth on our best betting sites in South Africa page before you bet.

Betting Group G as a South African punter

The sensible angles here mirror the market's read: Belgium to win the group is the banker but offers little value at 4/9, while the more interesting plays are around second place — Egypt or Iran "to qualify" at bigger prices. Match by match, the goals lines tend to offer cleaner value than the results, as several Group G sides play tight, low-scoring football. Whatever you back, treat it as entertainment: only stake what you can afford to lose, and never chase losses. Head to the World Cup hub for the rest of our tournament coverage, and read our Hollywoodbets review for the operator's ZAR World Cup markets.

FAQ

Q: Which teams are in World Cup 2026 Group G? Group G features Belgium (UEFA), Egypt (CAF), Iran (AFC) and New Zealand (OFC). Belgium are the favourites, with Egypt and Iran fighting for second.

Q: Who are the favourites to win Group G? Belgium are clear favourites at around 4/9, helped by an unbeaten qualifying campaign. Egypt (around 5/1) and Iran (around 7/1) are battling for the runner-up spot, with New Zealand the outsiders at around 27/1.

Q: Can Egypt or Iran qualify from Group G? Yes. The top two teams plus the eight best third-placed teams advance to the Round of 32. Egypt and Iran are both realistic to finish second, and even a third-place finish can be enough depending on points and goal difference across the groups.

Q: What is the qualification format for the World Cup 2026 group stage? The top two teams from each of the 12 groups qualify automatically, and the eight best third-placed teams across all groups also advance — 32 of the 48 teams reach the Round of 32.

Q: Where can South Africans bet on Group G? At any NGB-licensed bookmaker, including Hollywoodbets, ZarBet and BetBus, which price World Cup markets in ZAR. Odds correct at time of writing, T&Cs apply, 18+ only.

Odds correct at time of writing. T&Cs apply. 18+ only. Gambling involves financial risk — never bet more than you can afford to lose. All bookmakers listed are licensed by the National Gambling Board or a provincial gambling authority. This is our opinion, not financial advice. If gambling is no longer fun, contact the National Responsible Gambling helpline on 0800 006 008 or SMS HELP to 076 675 0710.