The fixtures and team profiles for Group I of the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been finalized, with matches scheduled to take place from June 16 to June 26, 2026, across Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Toronto.
The group features a competitive lineup consisting of France, Senegal, Norway, and Iraq.
Team Profiles and Tournament Outlooks
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France (Les Bleus): Under head coach Didier Deschamps and captain Kylian Mbappe, the squad enters the tournament seeking to overcome their 2022 World Cup final defeat.
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Key Players: Ousmane Dembele (Key Player) and Rayan Cherki (One to Watch), alongside Michael Olise and Desire Doue.
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Tournament History: 17 appearances, winning the tournament in 1998 and 2018.
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Senegal (The Teranga Lions): Managed by Pape Thiaw and captained by Kalidou Koulibaly, the team enters the competition following a controversial period in which their AFCON 2025 final victory was overturned three months later via email.
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Key Players: Star forward Sadio Mane (Key Player), who has announced his retirement from the national team effective after the World Cup, and Ibrahim Mbaye (One to Watch).
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Tournament History: 4 appearances, with a best finish as quarterfinalists in 2002.
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Norway (Landslaget): Head coach Stale Solbakken and captain Martin Odegaard lead a squad aiming to surpass the nation’s previous best Round of 16 finishes from 1938 and 1998.
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Key Players: Manchester City forward Erling Haaland (Key Player), marking his first time representing the country at a senior major tournament, Antonio Nusa (One to Watch), and Oscar Bobb.
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Tournament History: 4 appearances, with a best finish in the Round of 16.
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Iraq (Lions of Mesopotamia): Led by head coach Graham Arnold and captain Jalal Hassan, Iraq secured its second World Cup appearance by defeating Bolivia in the final round of the Interconfederation World Cup Playoffs.
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Key Players: Ali Al-Hamadi (Key Player) and Zidane Iqbal (One to Watch).
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Tournament History: 2 appearances, with a best finish in the Group Stage in 1986.
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Group I Match Schedule
The official match dates, times, and venues for the group stage have been set as follows:
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June 16, 2026: France vs Senegal – 7 PM GMT, New York
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June 16, 2026: Iraq vs Norway – 10 PM GMT, Boston
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June 22, 2026: France vs Iraq – 9 PM GMT, Philadelphia
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June 23, 2026: Norway vs Senegal – 12 AM GMT, New York
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June 26, 2026: Norway vs France – 7 PM GMT, Boston
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June 26, 2026: Senegal vs Iraq – 7 PM GMT, Toronto