World Cup 2026 Draw: Opta Ranks Groups from Strongest to Weakest

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World Cup 2026 Draw: Opta Ranks Groups from Strongest to Weakest

The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw took place at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., unveiling the group stage matchups. This tournament is poised to be the largest in World Cup history, featuring 48 teams, a significant increase from previous editions. While six teams will be finalized later, fans can anticipate diverse matchups.

2026 World Cup Group Rankings

Using the Opta Power Rankings, we rank the groups based on their average strength. This system assigns a rating from zero to 100 to represent each team’s quality, allowing for an insightful comparison among the groups.

Top Groups from Strongest to Weakest

Group J – Average Rating: 77.1

Group J is considered the strongest, featuring the defending champions, Argentina, who have a rating of 97.8. The other teams include Austria (75.3), Algeria (72.2), and Jordan (63.1).
Group I – Average Rating: 76.7

France leads this group with a 96.8 rating. They will face challenges from Norway (77.6) and Senegal (76.1), making it a competitive environment.
Group F – Average Rating: 76.6

The Netherlands (88.7) is the top team here, while Japan (81.2) has the potential to upset. Tunisia (68.3) rounds out the confirmed teams.
Group H – Average Rating: 76.04

Spain holds the highest rating at 100, with Uruguay (82.6), Saudi Arabia (61.7), and Cape Verde (59.8) also participating.
Group L – Average Rating: 75.9

England (92.6) and Croatia (83.4) are the favorites, but Ghana (59.4) and Panama (68.3) also add intrigue to this mix.
Group K – Average Rating: 75.3

Colombia (90.1) is rated highest, with Portugal (87.0) and Uzbekistan (70.4) in the fray, alongside a yet-to-be-determined playoff winner.
Group C – Average Rating: 74.0

Brazil (90.5) is expected to excel, with Morocco (82.3) and Scotland (70.6) looking to make their mark. Haiti (52.3) completes the group.
Group D – Average Rating: 73.2

The U.S. (73.1) faces Paraguay (75.4) and Australia (75.6), while the last team will come from a competitive playoff.
Group G – Average Rating: 72.1

Belgium (83.3) is the top contender, with Egypt (67.7), Iran (76.4), and New Zealand (60.9) creating a more open group.
Group A – Average Rating: 71.3

Mexico (77.2) leads this group, but no team from the top 20 is present, making it a wide-open contest.
Group E – Average Rating: 70.7

Germany (82.4) and Ecuador (69.7) are favored here, while Ivory Coast (48th) and Curaçao (117th) are the least rated.
Group B – Average Rating: 69.9

Canada (71.7) is the lowest-ranked Pot 1 team, and will face Switzerland (81.9) and Qatar (59.2), with a UEFA playoff winner still to join.