Defending champions
Argentina
Manager: Lionel Scaloni · FIFA rank: 3 · Route: CONMEBOL winners · Last World Cup: 2022 (winners) · Best result: Winners (1978, 1986, 2022)
Argentina arrive as defending champions, having topped CONMEBOL qualifying with a familiar core: Messi at his sixth World Cup, Lautaro, Julian Alvarez, Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Cristian Romero. Scaloni’s pragmatism — defending deep, releasing the runners in transition — is the system that won them the 2022 final.
Key man: Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) — the captain, the icon, the difference-maker.
Betting angle: Argentina around 6-7/1 for the outright title (depending on book). Messi anytime goalscorer in every group match is one of the most-bet markets of the tournament.
Argentina full squad
GK: Emiliano Martinez, Juan Musso, Geronimo Rulli.
DF: Leonardo Balerdi, Lisandro Martínez, Facundo Medina, Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel, Nicolas Otamendi, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Tagliafico.
MF: Valentín Barco, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez, Giovani Lo Celso, Alexis Mac Allister, Exequiel Palacios, Leandro Paredes.
FW: Thiago Almada, Julian Alvarez, Nicolas Gonzalez, Jose Manuel Lopez, Lautaro Martínez, Lionel Messi, Nicolas Paz, Giuliano Simeone.
European seed
Austria
Manager: Ralf Rangnick · FIFA rank: 23 · Route: UEFA Group H winners · Last World Cup: 1998 · Best result: Third place (1954)
Austria’s first World Cup in 28 years, and Ralf Rangnick has built one of the most cohesive units at the tournament. David Alaba leads at the back; Sabitzer, Laimer, Xaver Schlager and Seiwald form an aggressive press in midfield; Baumgartner provides creativity; Arnautovic the experience. Bayern, Dortmund and Leipzig players run through the spine — this is a deeply trained side.
Key man: David Alaba (Real Madrid) — the captain and the leader.
Betting angle: Austria short for qualification, longer for group winner. Rangnick’s pressing system makes them dangerous to anyone — the Argentina fixture is the value angle.
Austria full squad
GK: Alexander Schlager, Florian Wiegele, Patrick Pentz.
DF: David Affengruber, Kevin Danso, Stefan Posch, David Alaba, Philipp Lienhart, Phillipp Mwene, Alexander Prass, Marco Friedl, Michael Svoboda.
MF: Xaver Schlager, Nicolas Seiwald, Marcel Sabitzer, Florian Grillitsch, Carney Chukwuemeka, Romano Schmid, Christoph Baumgartner, Konrad Laimer, Patrick Wimmer, Paul Wanner, Alessandro Schopf.
FW: Marko Arnautovic, Michael Gregoritsch, Sasa Kalajdzic.
African qualifier
Algeria
Manager: Vladimir Petkovic · FIFA rank: 29 · Route: CAF Group G winners · Last World Cup: 2014 · Best result: Round of 16 (2014)
Algeria’s first World Cup in 12 years. Croatian coach Vladimir Petkovic — former Switzerland manager — took over in 2024 and has built a side around the Premier League and Bundesliga core. Mahrez is still the captain; Mohamed Amoura at Wolfsburg has emerged as the rising goal threat; Ait-Nouri at Manchester City gives them a top-six full-back. Petkovic’s teams are organised and counter quickly.
Key man: Mohamed Amoura (Wolfsburg) — the rising goal threat overshadowing the established names.
Betting angle: Algeria to qualify (third-place route) is the realistic angle. Amoura anytime goalscorer is the popular player pick.
Algeria full squad
GK: Luca Zidane, Oussama Benbot, Melvin Mastil.
DF: Aissa Mandi, Ramy Bensebaini, Mohamed Amine Tougai, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Jaouen Hadjam, Rafik Belghali, Zineddine Belaid, Achref Abada, Samir Chergui.
MF: Nabil Bentaleb, Ramiz Zerrouki, Hicham Boudaoui, Fares Chaibi, Houssem Aouar, Ibrahim Maza, Yacine Titraoui.
FW: Riyad Mahrez, Mohamed Amoura, Amine Gouiri, Anis Hadj Moussa, Adil Boulbina, Nadhir Benbouali, Fares Ghedjemis.
World Cup debutants
Jordan
Manager: Jamal Sellami · FIFA rank: 63 · Route: AFC Group B runners-up · Last World Cup: Debut · Best result: n/a
Jordan’s first ever World Cup. Sellami has built around the experienced domestic-league core; Musa Al-Taamari at Rennes is the only European-based regular and the squad’s biggest name. Jordan’s rise has been remarkable — AFC Asian Cup finalists in 2023, now World Cup qualifiers via the AFC second qualifying spot. Defensively disciplined, attacking limited.
Key man: Musa Al-Taamari (Rennes) — the creator and the goal threat.
Betting angle: Three-game tournament realistically. Under 2.5 in every match is the popular angle. Al-Taamari anytime goalscorer is the upset player pick.
Jordan full squad
GK: Yazeed Abulaila, Abdallah Al-Fakhouri, Nour Bani Attiah.
DF: Ihsan Haddad, Yazan Al-Arab, Abdallah Nasib, Mohammad Abu Hashish, Saed Al-Rosan, Husam Abu Dahab, Mo Abualnadi, Salim Obaid, Anas Badawi.
MF: Rajaei Ayed, Noor Al-Rawabdeh, Ibrahim Sadeh, Nizar Al-Rashdan, Mohannad Abu Taha, Amer Jamous, Mohammad Al-Dawoud.
FW: Musa Al-Taamari, Mahmoud Al-Mardi, Ali Olwan, Mohammad Abu Zrayq, Odeh Al-Fakhouri, Ibrahim Sabra, Ali Azaizeh.
