Every World Cup has a group that carries the weight of history. Group J carries Argentina. The defending champions open their title defence on June 16 in Kansas City against Algeria, and everything about the draw — the opponents, the venues, the format — hands them a clear path to the Round of 32. The interesting question is not whether Argentina advance. It is who finishes second, and whether the group throws up the upset that everyone expects it will not produce.
Why Argentina still scare everyone
Argentina arrive in 2026 as the team to beat and, crucially, with most of the squad that won in Qatar still intact. Rodrigo De Paul is still the midfield engine. Lisandro Martínez and Cristian Romero remain the best central defensive pair at the tournament. Enzo Fernández has continued to develop at Chelsea into one of the three best midfielders in the world.
The one change everyone notices: Lionel Messi, now 38, returned to the squad after initially indicating he would retire from international football. His involvement is managed — manager Lionel Scaloni has kept him out of friendlies and will use him selectively in the group stage — but the idea that Argentina without Messi at his peak are suddenly beatable is wrong. This squad has been international football's best defensive unit for 18 months. They have not lost in 38 matches. The Messi factor is a bonus, not the foundation.
Algeria: Africa's best outside chance
Algeria made the Round of 16 in 2014, lost in the final group game in 2010, and have spent 12 years trying to find a squad good enough to challenge in the knockout rounds again. The 2026 generation might be it. Islam Slimani's successor as focal point is Riyad Mahrez's former Manchester City teammate Samir Aïssa, a striker who scored 22 goals in Ligue 1 last season. Behind him, Houssem Aouar in the number ten role is technically the best Algerian player since Mahrez himself.
The problem Algeria have is that their draw is hard. Playing Argentina on Matchday 1 before facing Jordan and Austria is the worst possible sequencing — a chastening opener could knock the confidence out of a side whose mental resolve has sometimes wavered at tournaments. If Algeria can take something from the Jordan fixture and then go into the Austria decider with a point in the bank, they can qualify.
Austria: the legitimate dark horse
Austria have not been at a World Cup since 1998. Their route through the European qualifying campaign was anything but serene — they scraped through on goal difference ahead of Ukraine — but the squad they have brought is genuinely exciting. Marcel Sabitzer has reinvented himself at Dortmund as a box-to-box midfielder of real quality. Christoph Baumgartner is the kind of technically gifted number ten that causes problems for compact defences. Patrick Wimmer, their wide forward, is the tournament's most anticipated unknown quantity.
Ralf Rangnick's pressing system is as intensive as any in the tournament. Austria will press high, transition quickly and try to make the group feel uncomfortable for everyone. Against Argentina this might not work. Against Jordan it almost certainly will. Against Algeria on Matchday 3 with both teams possibly needing a result — that is a genuinely open match.
Jordan: the first-timers
Jordan are at their first ever World Cup. Qualification came through the AFC's third round with a squad built primarily from players based in the Saudi Pro League and local Jordan Stars League, with a small but important contribution from Europe-based diaspora players. Musa Al-Taamari, who plays for Montpellier, is their best technical player. Baha'a Faisal is the defensive midfielder holding the shape.
Realistically, Jordan are in the group to gain experience. A point against Algeria or Austria would be one of the tournament's genuine surprise results. Finishing third with four or five points and potentially advancing as one of the best third-placed teams is the most ambitious realistic target. The group stage alone is historic for Jordanian football.
Predicted finishing order
- 1st — Argentina (9 points). Maximum points. The squad is too good and too experienced to slip up here.
- 2nd — Austria (4 points). Rangnick's side beats Jordan, draws with Algeria on Matchday 3 after a narrow loss to Argentina.
- 3rd — Algeria (4 points). Same points as Austria but inferior goal difference. May or may not advance as best third-place team.
- 4th — Jordan (0 points). A first World Cup still represents a landmark achievement.
FAQ
When does Argentina play in Group J? June 16 vs Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City), June 22 vs Austria at AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas), and June 27 vs Jordan at AT&T Stadium. Live scores on Scorelisto's soccer page from kick-off.
Is Messi playing at the 2026 World Cup? Yes. Lionel Messi reversed his retirement from international football and was named in Argentina's 26-man squad. He is expected to play a managed role in the group stage with fuller involvement in knockout rounds.
How does the 48-team group stage work? The top two from each of the 12 groups advance directly to the Round of 32. The eight best third-placed teams also advance, so a third-place finish is not automatically fatal.
Can Algeria or Austria qualify? Yes. Both are realistic candidates for second place. Austria have the stronger squad on paper, but Algeria's Matchday 3 fixture against Austria is effectively a head-to-head for second. For all World Cup group previews, visit the Scorelisto blog.