World Cup 2026 Group I: Standings, results, and who can qualify
After Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland both starred on matchday two, Group I top spot will come down to a final-round showdown between France and Norway.
France and Norway have both stamped their tickets to the 2026 World Cup knockout stages, after matchday-two doubles from their superstar strikers ensured the nations will be the top two in Group I. Iraq and Senegal both remain pointless - and face an uphill battle to snatch a last-32 berth in the group’s final round of games.
What happened on Group I matchday two?
After a Kylian Mbappé brace had powered France to a 3-1 win over Senegal on matchday one, Les Bleus again benefited from a two-goal Mbappé display on Monday, in a weather-affected win over Iraq. The Real Madrid forward netted in each half - goals that came either side of a two-hour delay to the second 45, amid lightning strikes in Philadelphia. Ousmane Dembélé added a third for Les Bleus.
On the same day that Lionel Messi broke Miroslav Klose’s all-time scoring record in the men’s World Cup, Mbappé’s double saw him draw level with the German, on 16 goals in 16 tournament appearances.
In Monday’s second Group I game, Erling Haaland also registered his second straight two-goal haul, as the Norwegians beat Senegal despite Ismaila Sarr’s brace for the Teranga Lions. Marcus Holmgren Pedersen also netted at MetLife Stadium, where Norway’s 3-2 win followed up a 4-1 victory over Iraq a week ago.
This is only the second time in team history that the Scandinavians have negotiated the opening group stage of a men’s World Cup.
So who needs what on Group I matchday three?
Having both made sure of a top-two finish, France and Norway will now meet on matchday three in Foxborough, with first place on the line. The Frenchmen head into the clash with the slight edge: their goal-difference advantage over the Norwegians means a draw will be enough for Didier Deschamps’ men to top the section on tiebreakers.
Meanwhile, Senegal and Iraq will face off in Toronto, each knowing they must win to have any hope of advancing as one of the eight best third-placed teams. Given their negative goal differences, though, three points may not be enough to sneak through. This is a particularly acute probem for Iraq, who are now languishing on -6.
Group I: results
Matchday one: June 16
Matchday two: June 22
Group I: standings
After matchday two, the table looks like this:
| Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France (Q) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 6 |
| Norway (Q) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 6 |
| Senegalen | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 0 |
| Iraq | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 0 |
Group I: remaining games
- June 26: Norway vs France
- June 26: Senegal vs Iraq
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