World Cup 2026 Picks: Group J Winner Prediction, Schedule & Team Previews
The current holders of the FIFA World Cup will headline Group J this summer, and Argentina should face few challenges in topping the opening round after being drawn alongside Austria, Algeria, and Jordan. Find the odds and our World Cup Group J picks here.
World Cup 2026: Group J Odds
| Group J Team | To Win Group J Odds | To Qualify Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | -300 | -5000 |
| Austria | +425 | -618 |
| Algeria | +650 | -267 |
| Jordan | +4000 | +310 |
Group J World Cup Schedule
Matchday 1
- Argentina vs. Algeria (June 16)
- Austria vs. Jordan (June 16)
Matchday 2
- Argentina vs. Austria (June 22)
- Jordan vs. Algeria (June 22)
Matchday 3
- Algeria vs. Austria (June 27)
- Jordan vs. Argentina (June 27)
Group J: Meet The Teams
Argentina
- Manager: Lionel Scaloni
- Odds to Win World Cup: +950
- Best World Cup Performance: Winners (1978, 1986, 2022)
- Key Player: Lionel Messi
The reigning World Cup holders will be expected to dominate Group K. Everything fell into place for Lionel Scaloni’s team four years ago, and they were undeniably the standout team in the 2022 World Cup. Argentina topped South American qualification, and they have won five straight games before this summer’s competition.
However, one of the big worries before their opening game is the fitness of superstar Lionel Messi, who was forced off in Inter Miami’s final MLS fixture. An aging team is a major concern this summer, but Julian Alvarez could be a star ready to step up if Messi is unavailable.
Algeria
- Manager: Vladimir Petkovic
- Odds to Win World Cup: +40000
- Best World Cup Performance: Round of 16 (2014)
- Key Player: Riyad Mahrez
Algeria will be aiming for a return to form at this summer’s World Cup following a disappointing exit in the quarterfinals at AFCON earlier this year. The nation earned progression for the World Cup after winning eight of their ten qualifying fixtures, but their unreliability is becoming a slight issue.
They have failed to win in two of their last three, and they remain over-reliant on Riyad Mahrez. This will be a final World Cup for the vast majority of the squad, and it could end before the knockout round gets underway.
Austria
- Manager: Ralf Rangnick
- Odds to Win World Cup: +15000
- Best World Cup Performance: Third-Place (1954)
- Key Player: Nicolas Seiwald
It could be argued that Austria are the wildcard in Group J. Ralf Rangnick has overseen an excellent return to form for the national team over the last few years, with Austria reaching the round of 16 at EURO 2024. They qualified in excellent style for the World Cup, winning six of their eight fixtures, and scoring a national-team record 22 goals.
While they rely on aging stars such as Marko Arnautovic at the top of the field, they have excellent depth in the middle of the park, with Xaver Schlager, Nicolas Seiwald, and Marcel Sabitzer both effective at both ends of the field. Solid team, and should impress.
Jordan
- Manager: Jamal Sellami
- Odds to Win World Cup: +250000
- Best World Cup Performance: Debutants
- Key Player: Ali Olwan
Jordan will be making their World Cup debut this summer after qualifying for the tournament for the first time in their history. The nation won an impressive eight of their 18 qualifying matches, scoring 32 goals and allowing just 12.
However, they are expected to struggle against the more established nations in the United States. Wins have been in short supply since gaining qualification, having failed to win in their last six full internationals.
World Cup 2026 Picks: Who Will Win Group J?
Argentina should have the quality to top Group J, regardless of whether Messi is fit or not. However, their aging squad will hinder their chances of retaining the World Cup as the tournament progresses. Austria are the standout selection to join the world champions in the next round.
