2026 World Cup Group G Betting Guide

Belgium kickstart their World Cup journey against Egypt in Seattle while Iran and New Zealand are due to face off in Inglewood. Iran will stay put as Belgium travel to face them in round two in California before the Asian’s face off with Egypt in Seattle in the final round.

The Red Devils will be on the move once again to face New Zealand in Vancouver, Canada, with Belgium doing the most amount of travelling in Group G.

Will that see Roberto Martinez’s men struggle? Or will they cruise to three wins and bank their spot in the knockout stage? World Cup tipster Nathan Joyes returns to talk through one of the more difficult groups to predict at the 2026 World Cup.

Group G Team analysis

Belgium

The Red Devils’ golden generation has continuously failed in major tournaments but their draw looks to have been kinder than most - despite having the most travelling to contend with.

Qualification came easy for Rudi Garcia’s men, collecting 18 points from a possible 21, scoring 29 goals in the process. Yet this was expected in a group involving North Macedonia, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein.

After achieving their place at the World Cup, Garcia's team hammered USA 5-2 and drew with fellow hosts Mexico 1-1. And while there are familiar faces once more, there’s a younger feel to Belgium this time round.

The re-build has begun and seven of their 11 that beat Wales 4-2 in Cardiff were 25 or younger. There’s more pace to this Belgian side than what we witnessed four years ago, and that could see them underestimated at this World Cup.

Kevin De Bruyne will still do the steering, but with Jeremy Doku and Charles De Ketelaere supporting him, it would be foolish to write Belgium off before a ball is kicked.

Egypt

AFCON semi-finalists proved to be rather competitive back in January - and not so reliant on just Mohammed Salah to score points and seal wins. Friendlies since - without him - have also strengthened that claim.

Hossom Hassan’s team brushed Saudi to one side 4-0 before holding World Cup favourites Spain to a 0-0 draw. They’ve vastly improved in recent years and they aren’t second favourites to qualify out of this group for no reason.

This will be their first World Cup since Russia 2018 where they lost all three matches. Before that, Egyptians hadn’t seen their team at the finals since 1990. And although they’ve had to be patient, their team looks more prepared to compete this summer than previous years.
Of course, Salah will be their not-so-secret weapon. But there’s a strong attacking contingency from Al Ahly that includes Zizo, Emam Ashour and Trezeguet, while Man City’s Omar Marmoush only strengthens their front line.

It’s easy to focus on Liverpool’s main man but the Pharaohs have plenty of talent that can see them be competitive within this group.

Iran

After weeks of controversy, Iran will play at the 2026 World Cup - and they fully deserve to be there. Iran finished top of their qualifying group with 23 points from their 10 matches. More impressively, they only conceded eight goals en route to finishing above Qatar, UAE and Uzbekistan.

Amir Ghalenoei’s team have played in a series of friendlies since their qualification as they prepare for their fourth World Cup in a row - the first time they’ve achieved this.

The results, however, suggest there’s work to do. Out of their six friendly appearances to date, Iran have only won two of those within 90 minutes. Wins to nil over Tanzania and Costa Rica won’t worry too many nations. Yet defeats to Russia and Nigeria showcase their defence, when tested against stronger opponents, struggles.

This group isn’t the most difficult compared to others, but Iran will know they will need to up their game to get any points from their matches against Belgium and Egypt. What mindset the staff and players will be in could also be a factor to consider.

New Zealand

New Zealand will need a miracle if they are to make it out of the group stage. In 2025, the Kiwis played eight friendlies and won just one. They lost against Ecuador, Colombia, Australia (twice), Poland and Ukraine. Within those matches they scored twice.

They may have held Norway to a 1-1 draw, but it was very much an opportunity for the Scandinavians to field fringe players.

New Zealand have only qualified for two World Cup finals (1982 and 2010) but they have yet to bank a point, losing all six of their matches. Will this year be any different? They have Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood leading the line, but those in behind aren’t up to this level. A swift exit is on the cards.

Group G Betting tips

Group winner: Belgium 1/3 with Betfred

There’s no one in this group quite on the same level as Belgium who should breeze through to the knockouts stage in pole position. Only Egypt should rival them, but the Red Devils have injected plenty of young talent into their squad which has strengthened them considerably.

Their World Cup qualifying campaign saw how lethal Garcia’s side are in front of goal yet defensively resilient - the perfect combination that should see them go far.

Both Iran and New Zealand don’t have enough quality to be considered for a top two spot, let alone being able to take any points away from Belgium. The Red Devils are a short price of 1/3 at several World Cup sports betting sites, but it’s short for a reason, and there should be little to no complications for them.

Qualifiers: Egypt 4/11 with Betfred

Egypt showed at AFCON earlier in the year that they are one of the more competitive sides from the continent and they are a nation that should relish the conditions this summer.

Not only are Egypt stacked with quality in the final third, they have also proven to be defensively sound. Senegal - the eventual AFCON “winners” only narrowly beat them in the semi-finals 1-0.

Both Belgium and Egypt are the two standout nations in Group G and with both Iran and New Zealand lacking the quality required to compete at this level, the Pharaohs should sneak through behind the Red Devils.

Longshot team to watch: Belgium

Although Belgium have disappointed over the last decade, failing to make the most of their golden generation, there seems to be a lot less pressure on them heading into the 2026 World Cup.

And while key figure heads remain - including De Bruyne - there’s a younger feel to their side yet one that is still experienced enough to have a deep run in the competition. A good blend of old and new players could work - especially with far less pressure on them compared to four years ago in Qatar.

With the focus very much on the likes of Spain and France, Belgium could have Group G wrapped up by round two and be resting players in their final group match - and heading into the knockouts fresh can only be a plus. Their golden generation may have failed, but this squad looks just as enticing. We have a list of World Cup betting bonuses and backing Belgium to progress to the later stages could be a good way to redeem a free bet.

World Cup Group G Standings

2026 World Cup Group G Fixtures