The 2026 World Cup is the biggest yet, with 48 teams split into 12 groups of four sides. Here is your insight into the pools, writes Nick Said.
GROUP A
Teams: Mexico (15), South Africa (60), South Korea (22), Czech Republic (43)
(April World Ranking in brackets.)
Bafana Bafana must navigate a tricky but not insurmountable group if they are to reach the knockout rounds for the first time.
With the eight best third-placed sides advancing from the 12 groups, one win could well be enough for any team, and Bafana may well be targeting their final game against South Korea for that.
That is not to say the Asian side are not very good – they are – but they have also been out of form of late and may be vulnerable.
Mexico in the opener at the Azteca Stadium will be tough, but there is no reason why South Africa cannot get at least a point against a good but limited Czech Republic side.
GROUP B
Teams: Canada (30), Bosnia & Herzegovina (71), Qatar (56), Switzerland (19)
Canada are probably the weakest of the co-hosts at the finals, but they should still get out of their group, as they do not lose many at home.
The efficient Swiss are favourites to finish top of the pool, while Bosnia & Herzegovina will still be basking in the glory of ousting Italy in the intercontinental play-offs.
Qatar are not expected to make much of an impression, but they might prove spoilers somewhere along the line in the group.
Expect Canada and Switzerland to finish in the top two, with the Bosnians perhaps taking third place and also advancing.
GROUP C
Teams: Brazil (7), Morocco (8), Haiti (83), Scotland (40)
There are two stand-out teams in the race for the top two places in this pool, with Brazil and Morocco both ranked in the top eight in the world. No other group has two teams from the top 10, let alone the top eight, so this is something of an anomaly.
Haiti are the second-lowest-ranked side in the competition and are expected to be cannon fodder, while Scotland could spring a surprise but do not have the weaponry to match the top teams.
Their goal will be not to lose too heavily to the big guns and to hope for a big win over Haiti to boost their chances of finishing third with a decent goal difference.
GROUP D
Teams: USA (16), Paraguay (38), Australia (27), Turkey (24)
This is a tough group to call in many ways, with all four teams ranked between 16 and 38, meaning there is not all that much between them.
You get the feeling that in this pool anyone can beat anyone else on their day, so there may not be a clear winner.
It is not helped by the fact that the United States, the top-ranked team with home advantage, have not been in great form in the build-up to the finals.
Australia are probably not quite as good as their position in the FIFA rankings suggests, and Paraguay may be a bit better. It will be highly contested.
GROUP E
Teams: Germany (10), Curaçao (81), Ivory Coast (35), Ecuador (23)
Germany will be delighted with this draw. They face debutants and minnows Curaçao, and will feel they have the beating of both Ivory Coast and Ecuador.
The decisive game in the race for second place will be the fixture between those two, which is their first match in the pool on 15 June.
Curaçao, with all of their Dutch influence, will be a curiosity, but are unlikely to have the quality to trouble the other members of the pool.
GROUP F
Teams: Netherlands (6), Japan (18), Sweden (41), Tunisia (44)
This is another close group and, while the Netherlands are ranked sixth in the world, they have a habit of dropping points when you do not expect them to. All three of the other teams in this pool are capable of taking points off them.
Sweden were, in many ways, surprise qualifiers, having finished bottom of their preliminary group but been gifted a path into the intercontinental play-offs by winning their Nations League pool. There they beat Poland.
Japan are a very structured and organised side, while Tunisia can be equally tough to beat. This is one of the more difficult pools to call.
GROUP G
Teams: Belgium (9), Egypt (29), Iran (21), New Zealand (85)
New Zealand are the lowest-ranked side at the World Cup and are unlikely to feature much, though this will be a great platform for the likes of Orlando Pirates’ Andre de Jong.
Belgium will be desperate to make up for their 2022 failure, while Egypt and Iran have a gritty feel to them, with a few good individuals. Mo Salah will likely be playing in his final World Cup for the Pharaohs.
How Iran handle being in the United States after the political tensions between those two countries in 2026, and before that, remains to be seen. Belgium and Egypt should finish in the top two.
GROUP H
Teams: Spain (3), Cape Verde (67), Saudi Arabia (61), Uruguay (17)
Spain will believe they can repeat their 2010 success with a young team packed with promise, though they are probably not yet the finished article. That said, they are the current European champions.
Uruguay are always difficult opponents and technically very good, and then there is a big drop-off to the next two teams, both of whom are ranked lower than Bafana Bafana.
Saudi Arabia have had a difficult build-up, while Cape Verde are on debut and this will be a huge step up for a side that did not even qualify for the last 24-team Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
GROUP I
Teams: France (2), Iraq (58), Senegal (14), Norway (31)
France will want to make up for their final defeat four years ago and should get out of this group with ease, though their meeting with Senegal is a reminder of the 2002 opener when the African side stunned the then champions.
Norway have Erling Haaland, and that makes them dangerous regardless of who they are playing, while Iraq will appear at the finals for the first time since their debut in 1986 but could struggle to make an impression.
GROUP J
Teams: Argentina (4), Algeria (28), Austria (25), Jordan (64)
Champions Argentina will hope to give Lionel Messi a World Cup swansong – surely he cannot play another? – to remember as they seek to defend their title.
Algeria and Austria are probably quite closely matched, as the world rankings suggest, and then there is a drop-off to Jordan, who are on debut.
The key clash for second place will be between the “A-teams” – Algeria and Austria.
GROUP K
Teams: Portugal (5), DR Congo (47), Uzbekistan (48), Colombia (13)
Portugal and Colombia will be red-hot favourites in this pool, with the Congolese and Uzbekistan looking to do more than just make up the numbers.
Uzbekistan are one of those teams who have benefited from the expanded World Cup; they would have had very little chance of qualifying otherwise.
DR Congo have come close before and appeared in 1974 under the name Zaire.
GROUP L
Teams: England (4), Croatia (11), Ghana (72), Panama (34)
This is a tough pool in which England and Croatia look like the favourites for the top two places, but, as Bafana Bafana know all too well, Ghana and Panama are no easy opponents.
England are hoping to end their tortuous 60-year wait for the title, while Croatia were losing finalists in 2018.
They should have too much technical quality for the Ghanaians and Panama, but you never know…
