FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F brings together Brazil, Belgium, Japan and DR Congo for a three-match round-robin between June 14 and June 26, 2026. The top two advance directly to the Round of 32; the third-placed side has a chance via the best-third-place bracket.
Key Takeaways
- Group F teams: Brazil, Belgium, Japan, DR Congo.
- Projected winner: Brazil; runner-up: Belgium.
- Matchday 1: June 14, 2026. Matchday 3 (simultaneous final round): June 26, 2026.
- Matches staged across: Houston / Atlanta / Miami.
- Top two qualify automatically; third place is in play via the best-third-place rule.
Contents
The four teams in Group F
Brazil
Manager: Dorival Junior. Key players: Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Endrick, Bruno Guimaraes. Confederation: CONMEBOL.
Five-time champions, longest current title drought since 2002. A bookmaker title favourite, Brazil should win this group comfortably barring early-tournament upset.
See full Brazil squad analysis for tactical breakdown and player profiles.
Belgium
Manager: Domenico Tedesco. Key players: Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Jeremy Doku. Confederation: UEFA.
2018 third-place finish. Golden generation in transition. Dangerous middle-tier side capable of taking points from any opponent on its day.
See full Belgium squad analysis for tactical breakdown and player profiles.
Japan
Manager: Hajime Moriyasu. Key players: Takefusa Kubo, Wataru Endo, Kaoru Mitoma. Confederation: AFC.
Round of 16 in four of seven appearances. Strongest AFC squad ever. Dangerous middle-tier side capable of taking points from any opponent on its day.
See full Japan squad analysis for tactical breakdown and player profiles.
DR Congo
Manager: Sebastien Desabre. Key players: Cedric Bakambu, Chancel Mbemba, Yoane Wissa. Confederation: CAF/IC.
1974 (as Zaire) – only previous appearance. Now under DR Congo. Outsiders for advancement but with a real chance via the best-third-place rule.
See full DR Congo squad analysis for tactical breakdown and player profiles.
Group F fixture schedule
Each team plays three matches across three matchdays. Matchday 3 fixtures kick off simultaneously to prevent collusion.
| Matchday | Fixture 1 | Fixture 2 |
|---|---|---|
| MD1 (June 14) | Brazil vs DR Congo | Belgium vs Japan |
| MD2 | Brazil vs Japan | Belgium vs DR Congo |
| MD3 (June 26) | Brazil vs Belgium | Japan vs DR Congo |
Full kickoff times and venue assignments are on our World Cup 2026 schedule page.
Group F prediction
Our pre-tournament model rates Brazil as the most likely group winner, with Belgium as runner-up. Japan is the most plausible third-placed candidate with a path through the best-third-place bracket; DR Congo enters as a clear outsider.
The decisive matchup: Brazil vs Belgium on Matchday 3 likely decides top spot, with first place rewarded by a theoretically easier Round of 32 tie against a third-placed qualifier. For our running tournament projections, see the predictions hub.
Frequently asked questions
Which teams are in World Cup 2026 Group F?
Group F contains Brazil, Belgium, Japan, DR Congo. The grouping is from the FIFA Final Draw held on December 5, 2025 in Las Vegas.
When does Group F play?
Group F fixtures run from June 14 to June 26, 2026 across three matchdays. Matchday 3 plays simultaneously to prevent collusion.
Who is favourite to win Group F?
Brazil enters as Futbolzen’s projected group winner, ahead of Belgium. Tier 1 title contender pedigree gives them the clearest path to first.
Where do Group F matches take place?
Group F matches are spread across: Houston / Atlanta / Miami. For city-by-city details see our host cities hub.
How do third-placed teams advance from Group F?
The 48-team format takes the best eight third-placed teams across the 12 groups into the Round of 32. Group F’s third-place finisher is in play, but goal difference and goals scored against the top three become the tiebreaker.
What’s next?
- Full schedule with kickoff times
- All 48 teams – squad analyses
- Predictions hub – tournament forecasts
- Host cities – venue and travel guides
- Latest news – daily updates
Last updated: May 23, 2026 by the Futbolzen editorial team. Tell us if you spot something out of date via our Corrections Policy.