Has time passed Belgium by? Will Salah find his footing in a more familiar setting after a sad goodbye to Liverpool, and is Iran participating at all, given the political context it finds itself in? How about New Zealand’s chances as the complete outlier? Find out by looking into my assessment of the 2026 World Cup Group G odds! There are quite a few savvy lessons to get a grip on, so let me get you through the most important facts, storylines, and prices!
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The Best 2026 World Cup Group G Predictions are on BetOnValue
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Well, now that you’re here, football predictions of the highest quality are coming your way. If you’ve come specifically for those related to Group G of this edition of the World Cup, you’re also in the best possible position.
Our platform assesses how sportsbooks set up their prices. From the core piece of context to my personal input into various details, you’ll get plenty of assistance.
My name is Lukas, and this is BetOnValue's introduction to the essentials of Group G!
Disclaimer: Please rest assured: I did not use AI to write this text, and neither did my colleagues working on the coverage for the World Cup predictions!
Our Formula: Competitive Odds and Expert Guidance
Let’s make a conscientious start and talk about some outright winner odds that inform how bookies feel about this group.
Despite a dip in peak talent, Belgium is still the faraway favourite to win Group G. Most sportsbooks agree on chances in the 1.36–1.40 range.
Egypt, headlined by Mo Salah, comes with the 2nd-best odds. Many books look at them with a 5.00–5.50 price.
Iran, for all of its woes, is relatively close, with 7.00 being a relatively popular set of odds across bookmakers.
New Zealand is all quite distant, with the Kiwis having their chances at around 21.00.
Key Context: Group G’s Teams Explained
Each team had its own storyline going into the tournament, with some not even having the full picture by now. Here’s what to look into:
Belgium
Time forgives no one, and this most definitely applies to the legends of yesteryear’s Belgium. The Red Devils are still a formidable team, but they’re not in the uppermost echelon anymore, especially now that players like De Bruyne and Lukaku are far from their prime and dealing with all kinds of injuries.
The only outlier from that past generation has to be Courtois, who still anchors Real Madrid’s goal, but has also had injury trouble. Belgium still has good players, headlined by Jeremy Doku, and their form in the qualifiers was excellent, scoring 29 goals.
One of the main narratives going into this tournament is whether they’re a strong team due to their collective performance or a bypassed giant whose glory days are over.
It’s a team to watch, especially in a 2026 World Cup Group G setting that may not be too much of a breeze.
Egypt
Egypt’s actual worth as a total squad is one of the biggest points of contention for any football fan. On the flipside, any team that does well in the AFCON, qualifies for 2 of the last 3 World Cups, and has Salah in its roster, should be a respectable outfit.
However, the truth is the following: the Pharaohs will be relying on the standout talent of Salah and, nowadays, Omar Marmoush. There are a few players doing their thing in Europe, but most of Egypt’s squad plays internally, which makes them hard to assess on a global scale.
This means that the talent may actually be there, even if it’s far from proven. It’s interesting to see if there’s more in the locker.
Iran
Any discussion about the actual chances and status of Iran’s participation and preparation for this World Cup goes beyond the confines of football really fast. I understand its effect, but it’s not my expertise to discuss geopolitical machinations, even if it informs circumstances.
What’s clear is that Iran’s football team, if given safe passage, will have to face an insurmountable level of pressure. This can either give them strength or pressurise them to unthinkable degrees.
We don’t know what the future holds for this team, but they must really hope that Taremi can channel some more of his magic. One to watch, for sure!
New Zealand
Chris Wood, the talisman of this team, is still finding his footing after recovering from a banged-up knee that will likely affect him. Wood’s interview on his knee condition has sparked a lot of doubt about whether the veteran forward will be anywhere close to his best.
There’s a bit of fascinating history regarding New Zealand’s participation. Namely, the fact that the Kiwis became the very first-ever nation from Oceania to qualify directly for a World Cup via its confederation’s system.
The team, quite keen on looking sharp at this tournament, will be an interesting presence given that its squad may not be as far from its opponents as the odds suggest.
Value Bets and Opportunities: Editor’s Choice
I strongly believe that the uncertainty that fills the air of this group will turn it outright unpredictable. More than in other cases, free bets may be useful to mitigate this volatility.
There’s reason to believe that New Zealand are, in fact, better than the books might think. Yes, Iran and Egypt are direct qualifiers from much stronger confederations, but each of them has very significant questions around them. The forecast for the Kiwis to qualify alongside Belgium is at either 7.00 or 8.00.
Salah is coming off a sour goodbye season with Liverpool, and this tournament may be his way of healing his wounded pride. You might want to take him to score in either of the non-Belgium matches.
Iran, for all the drama, has still outplaced Uzbekistan and Qatar in its qualification group. Both teams ended up clinching a spot in the finals table, which should speak to the fact that they’re not pushovers. There are various value bets that you may want to consider on its matches, especially given that it has longer-than-usual odds.
Author’s Verdict: What To Expect From the 2026 World Cup Group G
I think that, given the hand it has been dealt, Belgium will not have too much trouble prevailing. Yes, it has seen a dip in its ultimate ability, especially given its ageing stars, but the squad is still good, and it functions really well as a collective unit. This is valuable, especially in the opening stages.
For the other teams, the upside is there, especially given the actual sports prowess. The question is whether it will be good enough to outpace Egypt, which is a team that I rate to a similar level.
In the end, I’m really intrigued by New Zealand. I think that its road in its group can be similar to Australia’s 2022 performance (not an antipode-driven comparison). It wouldn’t surprise me if it qualified, or if it simply neutralised the other teams.
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