Group I — France's 4.0 favourites in Deschamps's final WC

Teams in Group I

Group I overview

Group I is statistically the strongest group of the tournament — three teams ranked in FIFA's top 30 (France 3rd, Senegal 18th, Norway 27th) plus Iraq at 58th who returned to a World Cup for the first time since 1986. France are the outright favourites for the tournament at 4.0 and 1.30 to win the group.

Erling Haaland's first World Cup. The Manchester City striker — top of every metric in European football — leads a Norway squad that also includes Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) and Alexander Sørloth (Atlético Madrid).

Senegal under Pape Thiaw return for their fifth World Cup, looking to upset France in a rematch of the 2002 opening match (Senegal's famous 1-0 win in Seoul). The squad spine: Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr), Édouard Mendy (Al-Ahli), Krepin Diatta (Monaco), Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace).

Iraq under Graham Arnold (appointed June 2025 after his Australia exit) face the most difficult assignment of any tournament debutant or returner — three teams ranked in the FIFA top 30.

Full match schedule

All six Group I fixtures with live odds from our three partner bookmakers — Mostbet, Fonbet, 1xBet. Click any match for the full preview, predicted lineups and value-bet picks.

Standings outlook & knockout path

Most likely winner: France (priced around 1.30). Outright tournament favourites for a reason.

Most likely runner-up: Norway. Haaland's individual quality and Ødegaard's midfield orchestration give them the genuine second-tier ceiling.

Best longshot for second: Senegal. The 2002 surprise vs France is the operational template — Pape Thiaw's tactical setup can deliver.

Iraq bottom is the modal outcome — but Arnold's defensive structure will produce one upset moment.

Group I venues

Group I FAQ