Group I is built around the shadow of Kylian Mbappé and a France side that arrived in 2022 as runners-up and now return as one of the outright title favourites. The group’s most compelling subplot, however, is Norway’s return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998 – armed with Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, one of the most dangerous partnerships in the entire competition. Senegal arrive with Sadio Mané back in the squad after missing the Qatar tournament through injury, eager to make up for lost time. Iraq complete the group in their own historic return – their first World Cup appearance in 40 years.
Below are all the details regarding the matchups, squads, and updated projections from the betting markets.
🗓️ Matches, Dates, Times, and Stadiums
All match times have been adjusted to Montreal Time (EDT) for your convenience:
- June 16, 2026, 3:00 PM: France vs. Senegal – New York (United States)
- June 16, 2026, 6:00 PM: Iraq vs. Norway – Boston (United States)
- June 22, 2026, 5:00 PM: France vs. Iraq – Philadelphia (United States)
- June 22, 2026, 8:00 PM: Norway vs. Senegal – New York (United States)
- June 26, 2026, 3:00 PM: Norway vs. France – Boston (United States)
- June 26, 2026, 3:00 PM: Senegal vs. Iraq – Toronto (Canada)
📋 Official Squad Rosters
As mentioned in our previous coverage, Senegal and Iraq have not yet officially released their final squads. Norway’s squad is also provisionally listed. For France, the selection is locked in.
🇫🇷 France (26-Player Squad)
Didier Deschamps arrives at his third consecutive World Cup with a squad that blends experience and world-class youth in enviable fashion. Mbappé leads, but Désiré Doué, Michael Olise and Warren Zaïre-Emery are already competing for the spotlight.
- Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan, Robin Risser, Brice Samba.
- Defenders: Lucas Digne, Malo Gusto, Lucas Hernández, Theo Hernández, Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Koundé, Maxence Lacroix, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano.
- Midfielders: N’Golo Kanté, Manu Koné, Adrien Rabiot, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Warren Zaïre-Emery.
- Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche, Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Marcus Thuram.
🇳🇴 Norway (26-Player Provisional Squad)
Ståle Solbakken oversees Norway’s long-awaited return to the World Cup after a 28-year absence. The Haaland-Ødegaard partnership is among the most dangerous in the entire tournament – one to score the goals, the other to create them.
- Goalkeepers: Ørjan Håskjold Nyland, Egil Selvik, Sander Tangvik.
- Defenders: Kristoffer Vassbakk Ajer, Fredrik Bjørkan, Henrik Falchener, Sondre Langas, Torbjørn Heggem, Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, Julian Ryerson, David Møller Wolfe, Leo Østigård.
- Midfielders: Thelonious Aasgaard, Fredrik Aursnes, Patrick Berg, Sander Berge, Oscar Bobb, Jens Petter Hauge, Antonio Nusa, Andreas Schjelderup, Morten Thorsby, Kristian Thorstvedt, Martin Ødegaard.
- Forwards: Erling Haaland, Jørgen Strand Larsen, Alexander Sørloth.
🇸🇳 Senegal (28-Player Preliminary Squad)
Pape Thiaw leads a mature and talented Senegalese generation, now strengthened by Sadio Mané’s return – absent in 2022 through injury and carrying considerable motivation for this tournament. The defensive unit, anchored by Koulibaly, is one of the most solid on the African continent.
- Goalkeepers: Mory Diaw, Yehvann Diouf, Édouard Mendy.
- Defenders: Ilay Camara, Krepin Diatta, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Ismail Jakobs, Kalidou Koulibaly, Moustapha Mbow, Antoine Mendy, Moussa Niakhaté, Mamadou Sarr, Abdoulaye Seck.
- Midfielders: Lamine Camara, Pathé Ciss, Habib Diarra, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Pape Gueye, Pape Matar Sarr, Bara Sapoko Ndiaye.
- Forwards: Assane Diao, Bamba Dieng, Nicolas Jackson, Sadio Mané, Ibrahim Mbaye, Chérif Ndiaye, Iliman Ndiaye, Ismaïla Sarr.
🇮🇶 Iraq (34-Player Preliminary Squad)
Graham Arnold oversees Iraq’s historic return to the World Cup after a 40-year absence. Midfielder Amir Al Ammari is the primary creative force, with Ali Jassim providing width and Aymen Hussein serving as the attacking reference point.
- Goalkeepers: Ahmed Basil, Jalal Hassan, Kumel Saadi, Fahad Talib.
- Defenders: Hussein Ali, Merchas Doski, Akam Hashem, Maytham Jabbar, Ahmed Maknzi, Dario Naamo, Frans Putros, Mustafa Saadoon, Rebin Sulaka, Zaid Tahseen, Ahmed Yahya, Manaf Younis.
- Midfielders: Hasan Abdulkareem, Amir Al Ammari, Youssef Amyn, Ibrahim Bayesh, Marko Farji, Peter Gwargis, Zidane Iqbal, Zaid Ismail, Ali Jassim, Karar Nabeel, Jussef Nasrawe, Ahmed Qasim, Aimar Sher, Kevin Yakob.
- Forwards: Mohanad Ali, Aymen Hussein, Ali Al Hamadi, Ali Yousef.
💰 Team Odds & Predictions
France are the undisputed favourites to top the group. Norway hold a meaningful edge over Senegal in the race for second place, though the gap is narrow enough that their direct matchday two clash is likely to be decisive.
Stage & Title Projections
| Betting Market | France | Norway | Senegal | Iraq |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| To Win Group I | -250 | +275 | +800 | +4000 |
| To Qualify from Group | -1400 | -164 | +175 | +750 |
| To Reach Round of 16 | -333 | -125 | +250 | +800 |
| To Reach Quarter-Finals | -125 | +175 | +700 | +2000 |
| To Reach Semi-Finals | +150 | +400 | +2000 | +6600 |
| To Reach the Final | +275 | +1000 | +5000 | +30000 |
| To Win the World Cup | +500 | +2500 | +10000 | +150000 |
Match Results (Moneyline / 1X2)
- France vs. Senegal: France (-225) | Tie (+350) | Senegal (+550)
- Iraq vs. Norway: Iraq (+1100) | Tie (+525) | Norway (-455)
- France vs. Iraq: France (-1000) | Tie (+800) | Iraq (+2000)
- Norway vs. Senegal: Norway (+100) | Tie (+230) | Senegal (+270)
- Norway vs. France: Norway (+375) | Tie (+260) | France (-163)
- Senegal vs. Iraq: Senegal (-200) | Tie (+310) | Iraq (+475)
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⭐ Individual Player Odds & Awards
France dominate every award market, with Mbappé the outright tournament favourite for the Golden Boot. The Haaland-Ødegaard combination offers the most compelling non-French value across multiple categories, and the Best Young Player market from this group features some of the shortest prices in the entire competition.
Top Goalscorer (Golden Boot)
- Kylian Mbappé (France): +600
- Erling Haaland (Norway): +1400
- Ousmane Dembélé (France): +2000
- Michael Olise (France): +4000
- Alexander Sørloth (Norway): +8000
- Sadio Mané (Senegal): +8000
Best Player (Golden Ball)
- Kylian Mbappé (France): +1000
- Michael Olise (France): +1000
- Erling Haaland (Norway): +2500
- Ousmane Dembélé (France): +2500
- Rayan Cherki (France): +2500
- Martin Ødegaard (Norway): +6600
- N’Golo Kanté (France): +6600
- Sadio Mané (Senegal): +12500
- Iliman Ndiaye (Senegal): +12500
Top Assist Provider
- Michael Olise (France): +1000
- Kylian Mbappé (France): +2000
- Ousmane Dembélé (France): +2500
Other Notable Awards
- Mike Maignan is one of the tournament’s overall Golden Glove favourites, listed at +600 – the same price as Mbappé for the Golden Boot, reflecting France’s dominance across every market. Ørjan Nyland is Norway’s representative at +3300, with Édouard Mendy the top non-European option at +12500.
- Désiré Doué is one of the tournament’s strongest Best Young Player candidates at +225, with compatriot Warren Zaïre-Emery right behind at +450. Norway’s Antonio Nusa is the best non-French option in the market at +2500.
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