Yahoo users are largely united about how the group stage of the 2026 World Cup will go.
A team in 11 of the 12 groups has been picked by at least 70% of entries in Yahoo Sports’ Soccer Pick ‘Em with Fox One. In our pick ‘em for the World Cup, users select who they think will win each of the 12 groups ahead of the tournament’s first game on Thursday. Then, after the group stage concludes and 32 of the tournament’s 48 teams move on to the knockout rounds, users can then pick the results of each of the 31 elimination games.
There’s still time to enter before Mexico and South Korea play at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday (Fox). Here are the teams getting an overwhelming amount of support from fans on Yahoo.
Group A
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Mexico (82%)
Mexico has -115 betting odds to win Group A and will play all three games of the group stage at home. The No. 2 pick is South Korea at 10%.
Group B
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Switzerland (64%)
The only team getting less than 70% is the Swiss. They’re in a group with Canada, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Qatar. Like Mexico, Canada’s group games will all be at home and the Canadians are the No. 2 pick of the group with 30%.
Group C
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Brazil (90%)
Both Haiti and Scotland are getting just 1% of picks. Morocco, which finished fourth at the 2022 World Cup and won the African Cup of Nations earlier this year, is second with 7%.
Group D
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United States (70%)
The U.S. isn’t in the Mexico and Brazil stratosphere thanks to a relatively even group. Türkiye is the No. 2 pick at 22% even though it snuck into the World Cup in one of the final playoff spots. The United States is +105 to win the group while Turkey is the No. 2 favorite at +230. Paraguay, at +320 to win Group D, has just 6% of picks.
Group E
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Germany (92%)
There does not seem to be much doubt that Germany will make it out of the group stage for the first time since 2014. If you’re not sold on the Germans, a great dark horse pick will be Ecuador. They’re getting just 5% of users to back them even though they’re +310 to win the group and allowed all of five goals in World Cup qualifying.
Group F
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Netherlands (80%)
The Dutch are -120 to win Group F ahead of a Japan team that would be very well-positioned for a deep World Cup run without some untimely injuries. Japan’s odds would be much better if Kaoru Mitoma and Takumi Minamino were available.
Group G
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Belgium (92%)
Nearly everyone thinks Belgium has a very favorable path to the knockout rounds. No one else in the group is getting more than 4% of picks. That’s Egypt, while Iran and New Zealand are each getting 2%.
Group H
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Spain (94%)
Spain has the best odds of anyone to win a group at -310 and are the World Cup favorites overall at +450. A group that includes Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay looks so manageable that the Euro 2024 champions could be extra cautious and hold out Yamine Lamal for the entire group stage as he recovers from the hamstring injury he suffered for Barcelona.
Group I
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France (91%)
This expanded World Cup’s version of a Group of Death has a clear favorite. The French are -180 to win the group and the No. 2 favorites to win the tournament behind Spain at +500. Norway, which is +250 to win the group, is getting picked by 6% of users and Senegal, at +750 to win the group, has just 2%. If you want to go against the grain, Senegal to top the group isn’t a terrible option.
Group J
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Argentina (95%)
The defending World Cup champions are getting the most backing of any team to win the group stage. That’s undoubtedly helped by the Lionel Messi effect. Austria (+400 to win Group J) are being picked by 2%.
Group K
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Portugal (75%)
This number might be the most surprising given how strong Portugal’s team looks. But 23% of users are eyeing Colombia and Luis Diaz to top the group. The Colombians missed the World Cup in 2022 but made it to the knockout rounds in both 2014 and 2018.
Group L
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England (85%)
Is this the year England finally breaks its World Cup drought? Granted, that question has been asked every four years for decades at this point. The Three Lions are -240 to win Group K while an incredibly experienced Croatia squad that has finished second and third at the last two World Cups is getting 12% of picks to win Group L.
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Will Kylian Mbappé score the most goals in the first three games of the World Cup?
Most goals scored in group stage
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France F Kylian Mbappé (33%)
The France star has a significant plurality ahead of England’s Harry Kane (20%) and Norway’s Erling Haaland (18%). Messi is at 8% along with Yamal, though as we mentioned earlier, he might not see much action in the group stage.
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