Groups I and J Picks and Predictions: 2026 FIFA World Cup

Nate Hornung

Written by: Nate Hornung

Last Update: Fri Jun 05, 2026, 5:33 pm ET

Read Time: 5 minutes

Kylian Mbappe and France won the World Cup in 2018, but lost in the Final in 2022. They are looking for redemption. Groups I and J Picks

FIFA World Cup

The countdown is seriously on for the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup! Our team at Betting News is working their tails off in order to provide analysis and predictions for nearly every single betting market for this tournament. Our group previews continue as we are less than a week out from kick off! Let's get into it!

Check out our other Group Previews below.

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2026 FIFA World Cup – Group I Picks

Can Erling Haaland single handedly lead Norway into the Round of 32? Groups I and J Picks

Can Erling Haaland single handedly lead Norway into the Round of 32?

Group I gives us a team who has been to two straight World Cup Finals in France, a team with the best striker in the world in Norway, the second best African team in Senegal, and then we have Iraq, who likely won't earn a single point.

Odds courtesy of Lucky Rebel Sportsbook.

Odds to Win Group I

  • France -250
  • Norway +275
  • Senegal +750
  • Iraq +6000

France is the clear favorite, followed by Norway and Senegal in that order. I see all three of these teams beating Iraq, thus all three should qualify for the Round of 32. Iraq is listed at -450 to finish last, while Senegal is -260 to advance from the group. Personally, like in Group G, I am having trouble finding value on this board.

I don't see France losing in this group. I imagine that they will be facing Norway in the final group stage match, with the top spot in Group I on the line. In that scenario, having a Norway ticket at +275 wouldn't really move the needle for me. I want more bang for my buck for them to top this loaded group.

Norway is outside the top 30 in the nation, while Senegal sneaks in as a top 15 team. The value lies with that side in my opinion. Senegal to finish second at +220 would be where my money goes if I bet anything in this group, as I do believe they can sneak past Norway in their group stage opener.

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2026 FIFA World Cup – Group J Picks

How far can Lionel Messi lead Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Do they have a shot at defending their title? Groups I and J Picks

How far can Lionel Messi lead Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Do they have a shot at defending their title?

In Group J, we have the defending World Cup Champions in Argentina, along with Austria, Algeria and Jordan.

Odds to Win Group J

  • Argentina -325
  • Austria +350
  • Algeria +850
  • Jordan +5000

I'll keep this one quick, because again, I see the oddsmakers having it right. The group should finish in this exact order, and like Iraq, I don't see Jordan earning a single point. Which gives us the question… How do we bet on Group J?

Group J Best Bet: Exact Dual Forecast: Argentina 1/Austria 2 (+145)

This is very clearly Argentina's group to lose, and I expect them to come out with some fire as the only top 20 team in this group. Argentina currently ranks No. 1 in the world, despite not being the betting favorite in the World Cup. Austria is No. 23 and Algeria is No. 28. To me, betting this exact dual forecast is basically getting Austria over Algeria for a solid price.

Those two teams meet in Kansas City in June 27 in the final group stage match, and at that point, we should just need an Austrian win to cash this wager.

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Nate Hornung
Nate Hornung

Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.

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