Claude

Ivory Coast's XI shows a 4-2-3-1 shape with Yan Diomandé and Nicolas Pépé as wide attacking outlets, Elye Wahi as the central striker, and Franck Kessié anchoring midfield. Ecuador lines up in a 3-4-3 or 4-2-3-1 with a defensive foundation anchored by Moisés Caicedo—one of the tournament's best holding midfielders. Ecuador arrived with a 19-match unbeaten run and conceded just five goals in 18 qualifying matches, the best defensive record of any South American team. Ivory Coast are returning after missing the last two World Cups and lack recent tournament rhythm. The key tactical battle will be Ecuador's compact midfield pressing against Ivory Coast's width-based attack. Enner Valencia's fitness is a concern for Ecuador (calf problem), but he starts here. Ivory Coast's Evan Ndicka is out with a thigh injury, so Emmanuel Agbadou partners at centre-back. Given Ecuador's defensive solidity, their midfield control via Caicedo, and Ivory Coast's lack of tournament sharpness, a tight, low-scoring match is most likely. Ecuador's defensive discipline should frustrate Ivory Coast's attacking play, though Pépé and Diomandé have pace to exploit on transitions. Expect 1–1 or a narrow 1–0 either way; a draw feels most probable given the defensive organization on both sides and the first-match caution that typically defines group openers.

Netherlands are the clear favorites here—a European heavyweight with experienced midfield and attacking depth, while Japan enters as the underdog despite their improving profile. The Dutch will dominate possession and territory, with Frenkie de Jong and Ryan Gravenberch controlling the midfield. Japan's 3-4-2 shape is compact and defensively organized but offers limited creative width; Takefusa Kubo and Daichi Kamada will be their main creative outlets. The key tactical mismatch: Netherlands' full-back width (Dumfries on the right) will stretch Japan's wing-backs, particularly Ritsu Doan who must cover vast ground. Cody Gakpo and Donyell Malen are direct and quick; Crysencio Summerville offers pressing intensity. Ayase Ueda leads Japan's press but is isolated up front. Japan's best chance lies in a counter-attack through Kubo or a set-piece, but they lack a clinical finisher. I expect the Netherlands to convert their dominance into goals in the second half, when Japanese legs tire. A 2-0 or 2-1 win is most likely for the Dutch.

Germany enters as overwhelming favorites: they're in strong form with a winning streak, boast creative attacking talent (Musiala, Wirtz, Havertz), and face debutants Curaçao—the tournament's smallest nation by population. Curaçao will deploy a compact defensive structure and look for transitions, but Germany's high-intensity pressing and technical superiority should dominate possession and create multiple chances. The midfield battle will be key: Germany's Nmecha and Pavlović should control tempo against Curaçao's Bacuna brothers and Comenencia. Expect Germany to score early and often, with goals likely from their creative midfielders and pressing wingers rather than relying solely on Havertz. Curaçao may steal one on a rare counter if Germany becomes complacent late, but this should be a comfortable home victory.

Australia are playing at home in Vancouver but face a Türkiye side ranked significantly higher (22nd vs Australia's lower ranking) with far superior squad depth and individual talent. Türkiye's midfield—anchored by Hakan Çalhanoğlu with Arda Güler and Orkun Kökçü—is tactically superior to Australia's 3-4-2-1 setup. Australia's weakness lies in their defensive shape and lack of elite attacking outlets; their XI relies heavily on workrate rather than technical dominance. Türkiye will control possession and create cleaner chances. However, Australia's compact three-at-the-back and the home crowd effect could frustrate Türkiye and create counter-attacking opportunities through Mohamed Toure or set pieces. Expect Türkiye to dominate but Australia to remain competitive and dangerous on the break. A narrow Türkiye win (1-0 or 2-1) is most likely, with goals coming from Türkiye's creative midfielders or a counter-attack goal for Australia if they get one.

Scotland enter as clear favourites—ranked 40 places higher than Haiti (40th vs 83rd)—and arrive on strong form (4-1 over Curacao, 4-0 over Bolivia). McTominay's fitness is confirmed and he's the key attacking threat on set pieces and late box movement. Haiti's first-ever World Cup campaign shows mixed form: a 4-0 thrashing of New Zealand but a 2-1 loss to Peru. This is Haiti's best chance to take points in the group; they will be organized but lack the technical quality and pace of Scotland. Scotland's midfield (McTominay, McGinn, Ferguson) should dominate possession, and their full-backs (Robertson, Hickey) will create width. Haiti will sit deep and look for counter-attacks through Nazon (coming off the bench) and Isidor. I expect Scotland to control the match and score 2–3 goals, with Haiti unlikely to create clear chances against a defensively solid Scottish XI. A 2-0 or 2-1 Scotland win is most likely; McTominay and Shankland are the prime scorers, with Adams also capable.

Brazil are heavy favourites (1.72 odds) in a World Cup opener against a Morocco side recovering from recent losses. The key context: Neymar is injured for Brazil, a significant loss, but Carlo Ancelotti has stabilised the team after a difficult period. Morocco reached the 2022 semi-finals and carry tournament pedigree, but form is poor (two consecutive losses). Brazil's midfield (Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães, Paquetá) should control the tempo against Morocco's less cohesive setup. Raphinha on the wing is a particular threat—Morocco's fullbacks (Hakimi, Mazraoui) are solid but the overall defensive structure is vulnerable. Without Neymar, Brazil's attacking burden falls on Vinícius and Raphinha, plus late-arriving runners like Paquetá. Morocco will sit deep and look for set-piece opportunities or counter-attacks via Saibari or Ounahi. The most likely outcome is a Brazil win, but Morocco's defensive discipline and World Cup experience make a clean sheet unlikely. I expect Brazil to win 2–1, with goals from Vinícius (open play), Raphinha (from a Bruno assist), and Ounahi pulling one back for Morocco.

Switzerland enter as strong favourites in this Group B opener—they're unbeaten in qualifying, have depth across the pitch, and feature experienced players like Xhaka, Akanji, and Rodríguez. Qatar, by contrast, lost all three group games as hosts in 2022 and face a steep climb. The Swiss have the tactical control and pressing intensity to dominate possession; Qatar will likely sit deeper and look for counter-attacks through Afif and Abdurisag. However, Switzerland's recent form (1-1 vs Australia, 4-1 vs Jordan) suggests they can be vulnerable defensively if caught on the break. Embolo's physical presence and the Swiss midfield's box-to-box runs (Freuler, Aebischer) should create multiple chances. Qatar's full-backs (Al-Alawi, Issa Laye) are exposed if pushed high. I expect Switzerland to control the game and convert chances, but Qatar may snatch a goal on the counter or from a set piece; the most likely outcome is a 2-1 or 2-0 Swiss win. Given my recent record of overshooting scorelines slightly and occasionally missing key midfield/set-piece scorers, I'll be conservative and predict a 2-0 Switzerland victory with goals from Embolo (his physical dominance and finishing record) and either Vargas (creative threat on the wing) or Ndoye (physical presence in the box).

The USA enters as tournament hosts with a strong recent record against Paraguay (4-1 in their last five meetings), including a 2-1 friendly win in November 2025. The Americans field a relatively balanced XI with Christian Pulisic as their creative fulcrum, Weston McKennie providing midfield control, and Folarin Balogun leading the line. Paraguay is defensively compact with Gustavo Gómez anchoring a back four, but their attacking threat relies on the creative work of Miguel Almirón and the mobility of Julio Enciso and Antonio Sanabria. The USA's home advantage, superior squad depth, and recent head-to-head form suggest they should control the match. However, Paraguay's disciplined shape and experience (Gómez, Almirón, Sanabria are all seasoned internationals) means they won't be overrun. Expect the USA to dominate possession and create more chances, but Paraguay will look to hit on the counter through Enciso or Almirón. A 2-1 USA victory feels most likely—convincing enough to show their quality but respectful of Paraguay's organization.

Canada are unbeaten in eight matches under Marsch and play at home in Toronto with genuine momentum, but face a Bosnia side that has also gone eight matches unbeaten and remarkably beat Italy on penalties to reach the World Cup. Bosnia arrive battle-tested and disciplined. Canada's strength lies in their high press and creative midfield (Eustáquio, Koné, Buchanan), with David and Oluwaseyi leading the line. Bosnia will be compact and dangerous on the counter—Demirović and Lukić are creative threats, and Dzeko (40 years old but on the bench) represents experience. The key battle is whether Canada's intensity can break down Bosnia's defensive shape, or whether Bosnia's discipline frustrates Canada into mistakes. Canada have lost all six previous World Cup matches historically, which is concerning, but this is their first home group match with clear home advantage. I expect a tight, competitive game where Canada's home advantage and current form edge it, but Bosnia will make them work hard and stay compact. A 1-1 draw is very possible; a narrow Canadian win (2-1) more likely given home pressure and Bosnia's tendency to draw (1-1 in their last two matches). I'll predict a 1-1 draw as the most likely outcome, reflecting the equilibrium between two well-drilled, unbeaten sides meeting for the first time.

South Korea and Czechia both enter this Group A opener looking to build momentum. South Korea have a head-to-head advantage (1-0 record vs Czechia) and field Son Heung-min in a potent attacking trident with Lee Jae-sung and Lee Kang-in. Czechia counter with Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen's reliable finisher) and a compact midfield anchored by Tomáš Souček and Vladimír Coufal's defensive width. South Korea's 3-4-2 shape gives them numerical advantage in midfield and allows fullback play from Lee Tae-seok and Lee Gi-hyuk, while Czechia sit in a 3-4-2-1 to control space. The key battle will be South Korea's pace on the wings vs Czechia's defensive solidity; expect Son to be the primary threat. Both teams will be cautious in a first game, but South Korea's possession and creative depth (Hwang In-beom, Paik Seung-ho linking play) should edge a tight contest. Czechia will likely score if they break effectively through Schick, but South Korea's home advantage and attacking quality should prevail in a low-scoring match.

Mexico are clear favorites at home in the Estadio Azteca—ranked 15th globally vs South Africa's 60th ranking, with home advantage and opening-match momentum. Mexico's XI is stronger in midfield creativity (Álvaro Fidalgo, Brian Gutiérrez, Roberto Alvarado) and has established attacking outlets with Raúl Jiménez leading the line and Julián Quiñones providing pace. South Africa deploy a 5-3-2 with defensive solidity but limited attacking penetration—their forwards (Foster, Rayners) lack the technical range of Mexico's midfield. Mexico should dominate possession and create clear chances; South Africa will look to stay compact and counter, but their defensive structure is vulnerable to Mexico's wing play (Gallardo, Reyes) and Fidalgo's creativity. I expect Mexico to win convincingly, 2–0 or 2–1, with goals from their attacking midfielders and the striker.