The last time France and Senegal shared a World Cup group, it did not go to plan for the reigning champions. Senegal walked out at the 2002 World Cup, beat France 1-0, and sent shockwaves through the entire tournament. France went home in the group stage. Senegal reached the quarter-finals.
Twenty-four years later, they meet again. Group I of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ opens on June 17 with France vs Senegal — and the weight of that history hangs over both sides. France will want to set the record straight. Senegal will want to write a new chapter.
Norway arrive with Erling Haaland and a simple proposition: give him a chance, any chance, and he will score. Iraq are here, having shown at least once this year that they can compete with the very best — even if Spain’s strongest players were not all on the pitch in the warm-up friendly. This group has stories running in every direction.
Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™ live in India on ZEE5. Choose the ₹799 quarterly plan or the ₹1,699 annual plan to stream every Group I match live.
France: redemption, twenty-four years in the making
France do not like talking about 2002. Defending champions, Zinedine Zidane injured, eliminated in the group stage without scoring a single goal. Senegal were responsible for the wound that opened it all.
This France side is built differently. Kylian Mbappé leads the attack with a combination of pace and finishing that remains unmatched in world football. Michael Olise, arriving at this FIFA World Cup 2026™ in the form of his life after a hat-trick in the final warm-up, gives Deschamps a genuine option on the wide right who can unlock any defence. Antoine Griezmann brings intelligence and movement in the spaces between the lines. France are not here to manage the group — they are here to dominate it. The Senegal match is the acid test. Win that, and everything else becomes significantly simpler.
Senegal: the lions who never forgot 2002
Senegal were Africa’s finest team at the 2002 World Cup. They beat France. They beat Sweden. They reached the quarter-finals. It remains the high-water mark of Senegalese football.
The current generation has its own claims to history — AFCON champions in 2021 and runners-up in 2025 — and is built around one of the most technically gifted squads the continent has ever produced. Sadio Mané may no longer be the Mané of Liverpool, but his movement and experience in big matches still matter. Around him, the squad depth is real. If Senegal can draw with France on matchday one, they keep themselves in the conversation for first place and make the path to the knockout rounds much cleaner. A repeat of 2002 is too much to ask of any neutral. But Senegal will make France work for every point.
Norway: one man, one mission
Erling Haaland is the reason to watch Norway. That is not an insult to his teammates — it is simply the truth about what he does to a match.
He does not need much. A cross he can get to. A rebound. Half a yard of space in the box. Defenders at the highest level know this yet still cannot consistently stop him. Norway are a functional, well-organised side — compact, physical, and difficult to break down. They will not match France for individual brilliance or Senegal for collective quality. What they have is Haaland, and Haaland has a habit of making the difference in matches where nothing else does. Second place in this group is up for grabs in Senegal vs Norway on June 23 at 5:30 AM IST — that match could decide everything.
Iraq: written off too quickly
Iraq look like the fourth side in this group on paper. They may well finish fourth. But dismiss them entirely, and you risk being embarrassed.
In a recent warm-up against Spain, Iraq held their own. Spain were not at full strength — several of their key players were on the bench — but Iraq showed the kind of defensive discipline and tactical awareness that can make them difficult to break down even against superior opposition. They qualified for this FIFA World Cup 2026™ through the AFC with results that consistently surprised. A point against Norway or Senegal is not impossible. In World Cup Football 2026, stranger things have already happened.
Group I fixtures (all times IST)
| Match | Fixture | Date (IST) | Kick-off (IST) | Venue |
| 1 | France vs Senegal | Jun 17 | 12:30 AM | MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey |
| 2 | Norway vs Iraq | Jun 17 | 3:30 AM | Gillette Stadium, Boston |
| 3 | France vs Iraq | Jun 23 | 2:30 AM | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia |
| 4 | Norway vs Senegal | Jun 23 | 5:30 AM | MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey |
| 5 | Norway vs France | Jun 27 | 12:30 AM | Gillette Stadium, Boston |
| 6 | Senegal vs Iraq | Jun 27 | 12:30 AM | BMO Field, Toronto |
The verdict
France should top the group. Their quality is too deep and too consistent for Norway, Senegal, or Iraq to overcome across three matches. The June 17 opener against Senegal is the one occasion where that certainty wobbles slightly — history has a way of making itself felt in football, and Senegal are not here to be respectful opposition. Second place is between Senegal and Norway, and the June 23 match between them decides it. Haaland vs Senegal’s defence. A draw keeps both sides alive. A winner probably goes through. Iraq will compete, will cause problems in at least one match, and may take a point that matters to someone. France and one of Senegal or Norway advance. The 2002 sequel starts on June 17.
Watch France, Senegal, Norway, and Iraq live on ZEE5 — the official streaming home for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in India. Explore the latest ZEE5 FIFA subscription plans and catch every Group I match from the first whistle.