BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- The 2026 FIFA World Cup Group G witnesses Belgium from Europe, Iran from Asia, Egypt from Africa and New Zealand from Oceania.
All the four teams are led by experienced veterans: Belgium's Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, Iran's Mehdi Taremi, Egypt's Mohamed Salah and New Zealand's Chris Wood.
According to the latest FIFA rankings, Belgium stands ninth, Iran 20th, Egypt 29th and New Zealand 85th.
Belgium's best finish was third place in Russia in 2018, while the other three sides have never progressed beyond the group stage.
With the tournament expanded to 48 teams, the top two in each group plus the eight best third-placed teams advance to the knockout stage, a format that improves the chances of Iran and Egypt making deeper runs.
BELGIUM
The team:
Belgium's "golden generation" that emerged in the early 2010s included Eden Hazard, Vincent Kompany, De Bruyne, Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois. Now only De Bruyne, Lukaku and Courtois remain, but the Red Devils remain clear favorites in Group G.
"We have a great deal of respect for all three teams drawn in our group. Egypt is one of the best teams in Africa. We know less about Iran and New Zealand," Belgium coach Rudi Garcia said.
"Our aim is to win the group and we'll potentially have easier games later on," he added.
Star player:
De Bruyne is a midfield master known for his passing and shooting. He collected many trophies with clubs in the Bundesliga, Premier League and Serie A. Internationally, he has been a consistent presence for Belgium at major tournaments since 2014 and now the team's second-highest scorer.
Player to watch:
Napoli striker Lukaku scored in a 2-0 warmup win over Croatia on Tuesday, his first international goal in more than a year, despite limited club minutes this season. Belgium captain Youri Tielemans hailed the goal as "ideal."
EGYPT
The team:
Egypt was the first African team to compete at the World Cup in 1934. This will be its fourth appearance and a strong opportunity to finally advance from the group stage.
Star player:
Egypt's record scorer Salah has unfinished business in what could be his final World Cup as he seeks to deliver Egypt's first tournament win.
The Liverpool star's only previous World Cup, in 2018, was hampered by a shoulder injury, and he arrives in 2026 with fitness concerns after a hamstring tear suffered in late April.
Player to watch:
As Salah's attacking partner in the national team, 27-year-old Omar Marmoush joined Manchester City in 2025, winning the English League Cup and FA Cup in the 2025-26 season.
IRAN
The team:
This is the seventh time that Iran has qualified for a World Cup finals. Despite failing to survive group stages all the time, Iran boasted three wins: 2-1 over the United States in 1998, 1-0 over Morocco in 2018, and 2-0 over Wales in 2022. This time, the Asian powerhouse will aim to break that pattern.
Star player:
Olympiacos striker Taremi provides Iran's main firepower. In 2020, Taremi joined Portuguese Primeira Liga giant Porto, helping the team claim one league title and multiple cup crowns over four years. He also had a one-year spell with Inter Milan before joining Olympiacos in September 2025.
Player to watch:
Dennis Dargahi, a forward from Belgian first-division side Standard Liege, is a key supporting power to Taremi in the national team.
NEW ZEALAND
The team:
New Zealand will make its third World Cup finals appearance, chasing a first-ever tournament win, after drawing all three group matches in 2010 and losing all three in 1982.
Star player:
Nottingham Forest forward Wood, a prolific striker who has scored 45 goals in 89 matches for New Zealand, will captain the team at this year's World Cup.
Player to watch:
Braintree Town defender Tommy Smith and Wood are the only members of the squad who also played in New Zealand's most recent World Cup appearance in South Africa in 2010.
