World Cup Group G Betting Guide: Betfair traders rate Belgium, Egypt, Iran and New Zealand

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Belgium

Odds to win the World Cup: 20/121.00
Odds to win Group G: 4/111.36

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Belgium ended their 'golden era' with no silverware to show for it. Their squad these days is very much a blend of youth and experience but I'm not convinced they know their best starting 11. They certainly have individual talent that's capable of producing magical moments, but whether that will be enough for them to stage a serious challenge remains to be seen. 

How they qualified for the World Cup

Belgium topped their qualifying group undefeated, with 18 points (5W, 3D) and a GD of +22. These stats perhaps flatter their performances, with big wins coming against Liechtenstein (home and away) and Kazakhstan at home. Only a late goal from Kevin De Bruyne to secure a 4-3 win over Wales meant Belgium didn't need to qualify via the play-offs. 

The Manager

After taking over at the start of 2025, this will be Rudi Garcia's first major tournament as Belgium manager. He brought back Thibaut Courtois, who had been exiled after refusing to play under the previous manager. Garcia's record with Belgium thus far is W7D4L1. As mentioned, it's hard to know if this means much given the calibre of opposition they've faced. 

The Squad

It's likely that Belgium will play in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with 4-3-3 the most probable alternative, although they played a 3421 in their most recent friendly v Croatia which they hadn't done before. One of their stars is Courtois who is one of the world's best keepers. Belgium place big emphasis on their full backs getting forward while in possession. In midfield, Tielemans and De Bruyne can both launch an attack from nothing, while Doku's pace and ability to take on defenders is a big plus from out wide. They lack a reliable out-and-out striker. Lukaku may prove me wrong but he has seen limited minutes this season due to injury.  

Key Man

In a world full of conservative wingers who would rather play a backwards pass, Doku thrives on the opportunity to take on the full-back and create chances. He is averaging 2.8 successful dribbles per game in the PL this season (ranked #1). While De Bruyne has been Belgium's main creative outlet in recent years, he is ageing and Doku's pace will be necessary to inject a bit more life into their attack. He is more than capable of scoring from distance too. 

One to watch/Rising Star

Matias Fernandez-Pardo recently confirmed his allegiance to Belgium having represented them at youth level (he was also eligible to represent Spain). The fact he has been called up having never represented Belgium at senior level shows that Garcia sees talent in him. Primarily playing a striker, he has led the line for Lille in Ligue 1 this season, contributing eight goals and five assists, but can also play on either wing.  

Tournament Prospects

If they top their group (I expect them to), they have a very winnable route to the quarter-finals, so it would be a failure should they not get that far at least.

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Egypt

Odds to win the World Cup: 500/1501.00
Odds to win Group G: 4/15.00

Profile   

Egypt have appeared at three previous World Cups (1934, 1990 and 2018) and were the first African team to appear at the tournament. They have never got beyond the first round/group stage but they have dominated continental football through the Africa Cup of Nations, winning a record seven titles. 

How they qualified for World Cup 2026  

Egypt were unbeaten in qualifying with eight wins and two draws. They scored 20 goals and conceded just two. Following the qualification campaign, Egypt reached the semi-final of the African Cup of Nations, losing 1-0 to Senegal, and were defeated in the third place play-off on penalties by Nigeria. 

The Manager  

Hossam Hassan was appointed the manager of Egypt in February 2024. His record is 11 wins, five draws and three defeats. A strong record, albeit against many weaker African nations. He is Egypt's record goalscorer as a player with 69 goals but tat record could be broken at this World Cup as Mo Salah is only two behind on 67. 

The Squad   

Egypt will set up either as a 3-5-2 or 4-2-3-1. Recently, they have favoured the 3-5-2 when both of Salah and Marmoush are available. It will be worth noting what shape they play in their final friendly against Brazil on 6 June. Their style of play is disciplined and they're happy to defend for long periods and rely on their two superstars further up the pitch to win games for them. Most of the squad play their club football in the Egyptian Premier League 

Key Man 

FourFourTwo magazine crowned Salah the best African footballer ever which is hard to argue with. Multiple Premier League Golden Boot winner, PFA Players' Player of the year and two-time African Footballer of the Year to list a few of his accolades. 

Salah will be leaving Liverpool after the World Cup, after a poor season by his high standards. But he is still Egypt's most important player with four goals in the recent African Cup of Nations and nine in qualifying. Any hopes of a good World Cup for Egypt will surely go hand in hand with Salah's performances. He scored both of Egypt's goals at the 2018 World Cup. 

One to watch/Rising Star  

The man dubbed "The Egyptian Haaland" - Hamza Abdelkarim - the is an uncapped 18-year-old who Barcelona signed from Al Ahly in January. He's featured for their B team with a development plan in place for him. Could he be the long term successor to Salah? 

Tournament Prospects  

Egypt have been given a relatively good draw. They play Belgium in their opening game before very winnable games against Iran and New Zealand. Should they finish second in the group, they will play the runners up of the group containing USA, Paraguay, Australia and Turkey so a round of 16 appearance is not beyond the realms of possibility. A lot will depend on Salah and Marmoush. If they struggle for form, then a group stage exit beckons.

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Iran

Odds to win the World Cup: 500/1501.00
Odds to win Group G: 7/18.00

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Iran are Asia's great underachievers. Asia's England if you will. They have some of the best players in the confederation, sell out their national stadium of 100,000 for qualifiers and even play in white. They had a glorious period 50 years ago, (Asian cup wins in '68, '72 and '76) and have won nothing since then, with numerous close calls involving dramatic semi-final losses and penalty heartache. They even have a prolific centre forward playing abroad that drops deep and whose fitness and form is central to their hopes of doing well this summer. 

This is their fourth World Cup in a row but they have yet to get through to the knockout stages. Their aim here will be to qualify from this group. Ranked 20th in the world, and with some excellent performances in the last four years, they'll be targeting a win against New Zealand along with something from the Egypt game to at least go through as one of the best third place finishers. 

How they qualified for World Cup 2026 

Team Melli qualified relatively easily for the World Cup, winning their group in both rounds of qualification, although they were in an easier group with tournament newcomers Uzbekistan their main rival in both rounds. Iran only lost one game from 16, to fellow qualifiers Qatar, but that was once they had already qualified. 

The Manager 

Amir Ghalenoei was appointed in 2023 and has continued predecessor Carlos Queiroz's ethos of being hard to beat in big games. Their Asian Cup campaign shows us that Iran can beat top teams on their day, such as their win over Japan in the quarter final of that competition. Much will rest on Ghalenoei's ability to galvanise a hardened squad that has suffered numerous setbacks in their preparation for the World Cup. 

The Squad  

Iran have one of the oldest squads and may only have three players younger than 29 starting their first match, with the youngest 25. The political situation in Iran has been additionally problematic. Visa issues with entering Canada and the US, as well as the uncertainty over their participation in the tournament, has heavily affected the squad.  

Three players have been omitted from the preliminary squad, all for political reasons. Sardar Azmoun is by far the most important. He's the third top scorer in the country's history but due to his association with protest against the regime, has been excluded.  

Key Man 

Mehdi Taremi, the former Inter striker who's currently at Olympiakos, is the one genuine superstar. With 59 goals in 103 caps, he is a goal threat at all levels of the game. Depending on the formation, he might play centre-forward, but with Azmoun missing he could play as more of a 10 with his passing from deep a real asset.  

One to watch/Rising Star 

Dennis Eckert, the German-born Standard Liege forward, has been called up after receiving his Iranian passport with a name change to Dennis Dargahi. As one of the few players in the squad with any European top league experience, he will surely see some game time. 

Tournament Prospects 

With third place now a path to the knockout stages, Iran will consider a group stage exit as a disaster. In their last two appearances, they won one match in the group stage (against Morocco and Wales) and a similar performance should see them through to the last 32.

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New Zealand

Odds to win the World Cup: 500/1501.00
Odds to win Group G: 20/121.00

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New Zealand are ranked 85th in the world - the lowest of any team at the World Cup. That might be in part because New Zealand don't play many games (so can't accumulate as many ranking points as some teams), due to their geographical remoteness, and they don't get much time together as a squad. The squad seems to have a good vibe, and they are hopeful that will bring out the best of their talents.  

How they qualified for World Cup 2026 

New Zealand qualified as winners of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) which gained an automatic qualification place due to the expansion of the finals. Previously, OFC champions had to go through an intercontinental playoff.  The OFC is not a competitive federation, so NZ's qualifying route is not necessarily a sign of quality. They beat Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Tahiti on the way to qualification.  

The Manager 

Darren Bazeley is English but he is New Zealand football through-and-through. When 2026 kicks off he'll become the first person ever to manage a team in every FIFA-run or affiliated men's international tournament: the U-17 World Cup, the U-20 World Cup, the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup (all NZ). 

As a result of leading the various New Zealand age categories stretching back to 2011, Bazeley's influence is felt deep within the Kiwi soccer landscape - more than half his World Cup squad started out in his junior national teams. 

The Squad  

The squad is heavy on experience, with half the group having already accrued at least a quarter century of international caps. They're a physical team, with big lads at the back, fast lads on the wing. Squad mentality seems solid, with NZ pride coming through in interviews.  

Key Man 

Chris Wood is the biggest name in NZ football, the only New Zealander playing top tier football in any of the big five leagues, and his country's all-time top goal scorer (45 goals from 88 caps). Wood was out of action for the majority of the Premier League season after operations on a knee injury. His form is going to be vital for New Zealand.  

One to watch/Rising Star 

With Chris Wood out injured for a stretch, there has been healthy competition in the forwards. Jesse Randall has shown the most potential in the last couple of friendlies. He's got a good goal-scoring record in Australia's A-League and has looked sharp in NZ games, though not quite delivering many goals. Fast and busy, he can play as a 10 alongside Wood. 

Elijah (Eli) Just would be another talent on the radar after a standout season in the SPL, being voted Player's Player of the Year at Motherwell and shortlisted for the SPL Player of the Year award.  

Tournament Prospects 

Ambitions in 2026 are realistic, with any results in the group stages being seen as a coup. The team talk about the potential for creating an upset through being underestimated.  

There is a volatility in their play. As a physical side they keep busy and do create opportunities but have looked wasteful in front of goal. However, with Chris Wood back they might find an edge. The volatility works the other way too, and they've conceded some soft goals through simple errors or slack play.  

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World Cup Tips: How to bet Group G

Stage of Elimination - Belgium Quarter Finals @ 11/43.75

Their route to the quarters (reliant on them topping the group) is in their favour. This is a better value play than backing them to reach the quarters at 6/52.20 in our opinion, as we couldn't see them progressing any further than that with Spain being a likely quarter-final opponent.

Group 1st / 2nd - 1st Belgium / 2nd Egypt @ 17/102.70

Egypt are 4/111.36 to qualify from the group and this outcome would appear to be the most likely route to that. Belgium are by far the strongest team in the group and should top the group with ease. Egypt must then overcome New Zealand & Iran to finish second which would be the goal coming into the competition.

To Qualify - Iran @ 8/151.53

NZ famously were the only team not to lose a game in the 2010 world cup, the last time they qualified, going out after three draws in the group games, with even winners Spain losing in the groups stages. With no expectation of winning anything, not losing is a good ambition and would be a neat narrative to repeat the 2010 performance. However the have warmed up for the World Cup with a 4-0 loss to Haiti. Therefore we would expect Iran to get the win needed against New Zealand to give them a chance of qualifying in third place.

These three legs can be combined on site in our new Bet Builder Outrights for a price of 17/118.00. If you still like your outright singles, then the exact order '1st Belgium / 2nd Egypt / 3rd Iran / 4th New Zealand'  is available at 3/14.00.

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