Friday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup draw brought us some interesting groups. Few are more wide open than Group A. It’s a fascinating draw that has created a ton of intrigue. Let’s break down the teams in this group, then pick ourselves a winner.
The Field
So far, three teams are confirmed in the group. Let’s go by the FIFA rankings to break down the field.
Mexico (ranked 15th) brings significant momentum into the competition. After their comeback win over the USA in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final, they swiftly punched their ticket to the World Cup. They bring together a veteran team with tons of experience. Led by Fulham striker Raul Jimenez in what could be his last World Cup for his country, they’re hoping to make some serious noise, starting with a victory in Group A.
For now, South Korea (22nd) is the favorite for the second spot in the knockout rounds out of this group. They’ve got some star power from all three levels: Min-Jae Kim is a strong defensive presence for Bayern Munich when called upon; Kang-In Lee is a young whirlwind in the midfield for PSG; and Heung-Min Son brings all the skill in the world to this Cup. In what might be his World Cup swan song, the new LAFC man will be going full-tilt down the flanks.
South Africa pulls up the rear. Getting anywhere near qualification would be a massive upset; most of their players are domestic, and they have only one player (Lyle Foster) playing in a top European league. But wild upsets seem to find their way to the World Cup.
The last team in will come from Group D of the European playoffs. Denmark is the favorite there, and after their crushing upset loss to Scotland, they’ll be determined to get back into the mix. If you missed that game, here’s a bit of a recap from the best Scottish announcers.
We won’t have these playoffs until March, but based on who wins there, a lot can change. The Danes would be the third team more than capable of winning the group here. If they can’t make it, the outlook for Mexico and South Korea is considerably better.
The Pick
Here’s how the odds look for winning Group A:
It’s a big risk since they haven’t even qualified yet, but my gut tells me that Denmark will pull through. The combination of a strong defense with the attacking power of Mikkel Damsgaard and Rasmus Højlund is a potent formula for winning the group. I’ll ride with the Danes.
