It’s a term whose origin is credited to Mexican journalists just over half a century ago: the World Cup “group of death”.

Used to refer to the biggest-name, toughest group in a round-robin stage, “el grupo de la muerte” is said to have been the phrase uttered by local reporters when England, Brazil, Czechoslovakia and Romania were drawn together in the first round of the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.

England were the holders; Brazil were two-time winners and went on to lift the Jules Rimet Trophy in Mexico; and the Czechs were two-time runners-up.

Spain ‘82’s famous “group of death”

Perhaps the most memorable “group of death” came just over a decade later, when Spain hosted the 1982 World Cup.

In a second-round group stage involving three-team sections, Brazil, Italy and 1978 winners Argentina were pitted against each other in a devastatingly heavyweight group. Only one could progress to the knockout phase.

It was the Italians who advanced - on their way to lifting a third world title - after a decisive win over the Brazilians in Barcelona. Inspired by a Paolo Rossi hat-trick, the Azzurri’s 3-2 victory is one of the World Cup’s greatest ever games:

What was the last World Cup “group of death”?

At the most recent World Cup, in Qatar in 2022, the consensus is that the “group of death” was Group E, in which two European heavyweights - four-time champions Germany and 2010 winners Spain - were joined by Japan and Costa Rica.

The Germans would certainly agree with that moniker: Die Mannschaft suffered a second-straight group-stage exit, with the Japanese and Spaniards advancing.

So what about World Cup 2026?

At Friday’s World Cup draw in Washington, D.C., the toughest group that came out of the hat appears to be Group I, which features France, Senegal, Norway, and one of Bolivia, Iraq or Suriname.

The group pits Kylian Mbappé’s Frenchmen, the two-time world champions and the runners-up in 2022, against Erling Haaland’s Norwegians, who have just qualified with eight wins out of eight. That included a 4-1 thumping of Italy in Milan.

Senegal, meanwhile, are a top-20 ranked team that reached the knockout stages four years ago. Famously, moreover, the Teranga Lions have form for beating Les Bleus at the World Cup.

Of the groups that do not include an unconfirmed qualifier, Group L’s teams - England, Croatia, Panama and Ghana - have the highest aggregate current FIFA world ranking, at 116. All but the Panamanians have reached at least the quarter-finals over the past four World Cups.

Indeed, England were semi-finalists in 2018, before reaching consecutive finals at the European Championship. Croatia were World Cup finalists seven years years ago - having knocked the Three Lions out in the last four - then returned to the semis in 2022.

Having reached the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998, Scotland have been given a very tough draw. Placed in Group C, Steve Clarke’s men face five-time champions Brazil, ranked fifth in the world, and 2022 semi-finalists Morocco, ranked 11th. Curiously, the Scots also faced both teams at France ‘98.

And, depending on who qualifies from UEFA playoff path B, Group F - which so far features the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia - may end up with the best aggregate world ranking, per FIFA’s Nov. 19 list. Either Poland or Ukraine, ranked 31st and 28th, respectively, would keep the group’s cumulative total below three figures. That’s not a possibility in any other round-robin section in 2026.

What do you think? Here are the 2026 World Cup groups:

• Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, UEFA playoff D
• Group B: Canada, UEFA playoff A, Switzerland, Qatar
• Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
• Group D: USMNT, Paraguay, Australia, UEFA playoff C
• Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curaçao
• Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, UEFA playoff B
• Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand
• Group H: Spain, Cabo Verde, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia
• Group I: France, Senegal, winner FIFA playoff 2, Norway
• Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
• Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, FIFA playoff 1
• Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana

Who still has to qualify?

One team will emerge from each of the following six playoff paths - four from the final round of UEFA’s qualification process, and two from FIFA’s inter-confederation tournament:

• UEFA playoff path A: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales
• UEFA playoff path B: Albania, Poland, Sweden, Ukraine
• UEFA playoff path C: Kosovo, Romania, Slovakia, Turkey
• UEFA playoff path D: Czech Rep., Denmark, North Macedonia, Rep. of Ireland
• FIFA playoff path 1: DR Congo, Jamaica, New Caledonia
• FIFA playoff path 2: Bolivia, Iraq, Suriname

All of these playoff tournaments are to be held in March.

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