World Cup 2026
Group I
The matches in Group I of the 2026 World Cup will be played between June 16 and June 26, 2026. The group features France, Senegal, Iraq and Norway.
The opening match of Group I will take place on June 16, 2026, in East Rutherford, where France will begin its World Cup campaign against Senegal. A few hours later, Iraq and Norway will face each other in Foxborough. The remaining group-stage matches will be played at various venues across the United States and Canada.
The top two teams in the group will qualify directly for the knockout stage. In addition, the third-placed team may also advance to the Round of 32 through the ranking of the eight best third-placed teams. As a result, the battle for qualification is expected to remain open until the final matchday of the group stage.
Participating Teams in Group I
| Pos. | Team | FIFA Ranking (1) | World Cup Appearances | Last World Cup Appearance | Best World Cup Result |
| I1 | France | 3 | 17 | 2022 Runner-up |
World Champion 1998, 2018 |
| I2 | Senegal | 15 | 4 | 2022 Round of 16 |
Quarter-finals 2002 |
| I3 | Iraq | 56 | 2 | 1986 Group Stage |
Group Stage |
| I4 | Norway | 31 | 4 | 1998 Round of 16 |
Round of 16 1998 |
From the Group Stage to the Round of 32
The top two teams in Group I qualify directly for the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup. In addition, the eight best third-placed teams across all twelve groups can also advance to the Round of 32.
Third-placed teams are ranked according to the following criteria in order: higher number of points, superior goal difference, greater number of goals scored, Fair Play ranking and, if necessary, position in the FIFA World Ranking.
Possible Knockout Stage Fixtures
- Fri, July 3, 2026, at 5:00 AM (CEST) in Vancouver: Group B Winner vs. Third-Placed Team from Groups E/F/G/I/J
- Wed, July 1, 2026, at 5:00 AM (CEST): Group I Winner vs. a qualified team from another group
- Thu, July 2, 2026, at 3:00 AM (CEST): Group I Runner-up vs. a qualified team from another group
- A third-placed team from Group I may also qualify for the Round of 32 if it finishes among the eight best third-placed teams.
The final matchups will only be confirmed after the completion of the group stage, as they depend on the standings in Groups A to L and the ranking of the eight best third-placed teams.
World Cup 2026
Group Standings
| Pl | W | D | Lost | Goals | +/- | Points | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | France | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2. | Senegal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3. | Norway | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4. | Iraq | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 | 0 |
World Cup 2026
Fixtures & Results
Tuesday, 16.06.2026, 21:00 Uhr (CEST) in East Rutherford
France -:- Senegal
Wednesday, 17.06.2026, 00:00 Uhr (CEST) in Foxborough
Iraq -:- Norway
Monday, 22.06.2026, 23:00 Uhr (CEST) in Philadelphia
France -:- Iraq
Tuesday, 23.06.2026, 02:00 Uhr (CEST) in East Rutherford
Norway -:- Senegal
Friday, 26.06.2026, 21:00 Uhr (CEST) in Foxborough
Norway -:- France
Friday, 26.06.2026, 21:00 Uhr (CEST) in Toronto
Senegal -:- Iraq
References:
(1) FIFA (2026). FIFA/Coca Cola Men's World Ranking. Retrieved on June 05 2026, from https://inside.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/men