The draw results have created many notable groups, from classic encounters to opportunities opening up for less famous teams.
In Group C, Brazil will face Morocco - the team that made a strong impression at the 2022 World Cup - along with Scotland and Haiti, promising a dramatic race.
Meanwhile, Group L is considered the "death group" of the tournament as England is in the same group as Croatia - the opponent that eliminated them in the 2018 World Cup semi-finals - along with Panama and Ghana, two teams capable of causing a surprise.
In Group H, Spain and Uruguay are considered the top players, but the presence of Saudi Arabia - the team that created a earthquake when defeating Argentina at the 2022 World Cup - makes the race more unpredictable.
Group E and Group F are also highly competitive, with Germany and the Netherlands facing tough opponents such as Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Japan or Cambodia, teams that are famous for their physical strength, speed and ability to create surprises.
One of the highlights of the group stage was in Group I, where Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe met for the first time at a World Cup, when Norway was in the same group as France and Senegal.
In Group K, Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal will face Colombia - runner-up of Copa America 2024. However, meeting Uzbekistan is considered a favorable opportunity for Portugal, while the remaining 2 positions in the group - CH Congo or Jamaica/New Caledonia - are not too big opponents for coach Roberto Martinez and his team.
In general, many "big guys" still have a certain advantage after the draw, but no group is really safe. Potential risks are always present, especially from teams that are famous for their ability to create surprises.
The 2026 World Cup has 48 teams, divided into 12 groups of four teams. The two teams leading each group and the eight third-placed teams with good results will enter the round of/16. Therefore, big teams have many opportunities to pass the group stage.
