We’re into the month of June. That means the 2026 World Cup is upon us, beginning with the group stage. On paper, Group G looks like chalk, but there’s a lot more than meets the eye. Let’s preview the group along with a prediction, top goalscorer pick, and dark horse to win the group.
Group G Preview
Here’s a look at the odds to win Group G on the DraftKings Sportsbook:
Belgium, ranked No. 9 by FIFA heading into the World Cup, has awfully short odds to win the group. A squad marked by continuity, they’re going to bring some familiar faces to North America, including Kevin De Bruyne, Leandro Trossard, Romelu Lukaku, Axel Witsel, and Thomas Meunier. While those vets are still strong contributors, De Bruyne in particular, the young guns are beginning to pitch in. Jérémy Doku is their top danger man out wide, Amadou Onana is a stud defensive midfielder, and Charles De Ketelaere is a super-sub up top. The back line outside of Meunier is young, but there are strong options to play for manager Rudi Garcia. It would be a surprise to see the Belgians win it all, but they have a strong chance of making a deep run.
Egypt is the favorite for the second knockout spot in the group. Of course, it’s all about Mohamed Salah, Egypt’s star attacker, who is looking to make a mark on the world stage after a decade of success in the Premier League. He’s got plenty of help up top between Omar Marmoush and Trezeguet. The questions around this team center on central midfield and defense; manager Hossam Hassan has a lot of options, but some tinkering during the group stage may be needed.
Iran sits just behind them. Like many other countries in this tournament, the Iranians are navigating turbulent times, looking to block out the noise and play their best footy. They have a deep, veteran team with a lot of experience playing together. Unlike many other teams of their caliber, Iran isn’t reliant on one or two stars to get it done; they play a cohesive, balanced brand of football, one that is conducive to success in these kinds of tournaments.
New Zealand brings up the rear. Ranked 85th by FIFA, they cleaned up in the Oceania qualifiers, going 5-0-0 in the tournament with a 29-1 goal differential. Chris Wood brings a steadying presence as the striker, but they’re ready to show off some young talent. Tyler Bindon, Finn Surman, and Benjamin Old are all 23 or younger and ready to pitch in on the back line. Marko Stamenic and Liberato Cacace, both playing in the English Championship, have posted strong results in midfield. While the odds are against them in this tournament, the Kiwis are set up well for the future.
Now we know these squads a bit better. Let’s get into some predictions.
2026 World Cup Group G Predictions
Again, it’s not easy to find value when one team has such short odds to win the group outright. We have to dig a bit deeper here.
Picking between Iran and Egypt for the second spot is difficult. But if you assume Belgium will claim the top spot in the group, it’s easier to get value out of Group G. Looking at the dual forecast, Belgium/Iran as the top two in the group at +150 is my favorite way to bet the group. Iran has a chip on its shoulder and a squad that won’t be shaken by the moment.
Romelu Lukaku, the longtime Belgian striker, is tops amongst the group in Golden Boot odds. But I’m looking at one of his teammates as the true value. Jérémy Doku scored five goals in eight qualifying games for Belgium; compare that to two goals in 33 other caps for his country, and it’s not hard to say Doku is playing the best football of his national team career. The young Manchester City dynamo will have to make things happen on the outside, and his superior long-range shooting talent will come in handy if they make a deep run. That’s where the value is at +8000.
