Ranking the World Cup 2026 groups: Which teams are favourites to progress?
The first stage of the 2026 World Cup 2026 features 12 groups. We’ve ranked them and picked the favourites to advance.

The first stage of the 2026 World Cup 2026 features 12 groups. We’ve ranked them and picked the favourites to advance.

![Bedouin people who were forced to leave their lands under the settlers attacks. [Courtesy of Mohamad Ateeq]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/original-E022BAAD-9F9E-44C0-8800-6CB17FD2A7C1-1-1780414557.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)

![Yemeni negotiators and other officials disembark from a plane flying under the banner of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) upon arrival at Yemen's Aden International Airport on April 14, 2023 during a previous prisoner exchange with the Houthi group [File: Saleh Al-Obeidi/AFPB]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AFP__20230414__33D74JY__v5__HighRes__TopshotYemenConflictPrisoners-1778771267.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)

![Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani [Screengrab/Al Jazeera]](/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-11-at-12.12.57-PM-1778491421.jpg?resize=770%2C513&quality=80)



White House says Trump could ask Arab nations to bear the cost of the Iran war.
Joint Arab condemnation of cross-border attacks exposes Baghdad’s failure to control armed proxies on its soil.
The Ukrainian leader’s visit comes after Kyiv agreed to cooperate on defence with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The Iran war revealed how dependent Israel’s Arab neighbours are on its gas exports.
The proposed deal includes the sale of drones, missiles and radars for Gulf allies, including UAE, Kuwait and Jordan.
Foreign ministers formulate a unified response to Iranian strikes, asserting their right to self-defence.
For the past 12 days, Israel has closed Al-Aqsa Mosque and restricted movement in the Old City of Jerusalem.
Ukraine has battle experience with Iranian-made Shahed drones and has mass-produced cheap interceptors.
Preliminary figures are 3,468 people dead in Iran, 3,371 dead in Lebanon, and 28 killed in Gulf states.