FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C: McT, Vini, Hakimi and Haiti in the place to be

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is almost upon us, with a five-week paean to the beautiful game emanating from the USA, Mexico and Canada. The expanded 48-team tournament will be the nucleus of the sporting world, with all eyes trained on the 16 host cities for the summer.

Read on for my World Cup Group predictions and preview, with a full rundown of a group that contains a certain Tartan Army and a Samba-styled team that has defined this competition over the decades.

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Brazil

FIFA World Ranking: 6

To win the group: 1/6

The weight of expectation is always huge for the Selecao. Sometimes they dance in the spotlight; having won the tournament a record five times.

Sometimes, the intense scrutiny from an expectant fanbase has seen them wilt under the pressure. Nobody who witnessed it will ever forget Germany’s 7-1 annihilation of an ideology on Brazilian soil back in 2014. 

Considering the esteem in which Brazil are held, it is surprising that they have not reached a final since they won the 2002 World Cup. But Carlo Ancelotti was appointed for a reason. The Brazilian FA have gone for a serial trophy winner as they look to end a near-quarter-century of drought.

The squad sprung one major surprise when it was announced. Neymar will represent the Selecao at his fourth World Cup. The 34-year-old has endured a tough time since the 2022 tournament, bouncing from PSG to an ill-fated spell at Al-Hilal. The forward looks like his old self at Santos back in his home nation, but his fitness is reportedly a concern ahead of the tournament.

Ancelotti’s squad also boasts Barcelona firecracker Raphinha and Manchester United’s free-wheeling forward Matheus Cunha. 

Key Player: Vinicius Jr

Brazil can rely on the titanic talents of Vinicius Jr., who has bagged 22 goals for Real Madrid in all competitions this campaign. With Neymar bidding farewell, this is a massive tournament for the man tipped to replace him.

Prediction: The talent is there and Brazil have a manager in place who knows his way to the trophy podium. But the modern Brazil are often found wanting and appear to be in a transitional phase. This will likely be the last World Cup for Casemiro and Neymar while youngsters like Endrick and recent call-ups such as Igor Thiago and Danilo Santos will probably have more impact at the next tournament.

Football Odds

Morocco

FIFA World Ranking: 8

To win the group: 11/2

It has been an unusual but successful 2026 for The Atlas Lions. They reached the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, losing 1-0 on the day after extra-time. But in an unprecedented move, they were later awarded a 3-0 victory and their second AFCON title when the result was overturned. Senegal had left the field of play in protest due to a pair of contentious decisions in stoppage time. While play later resumed, this protest was enough grounds to remove their title and hand it to Morocco.

With that loss now erased, Morocco have not officially lost an international match since August 2025. They are coming off a best-ever showing at the last World Cup, where a side led by Walid Regragui reached the semi-finals, where they were eliminated by France. 

Regragui resigned in March after belatedly securing Morocco the AFCON trophy. His replacement is Mohamed Ouahbi; a continuity appointment who has managed The Atlas Lions at under-20 and under-23 level. The former side clinched the Under-20 World Cup under his tutelage last year. Now Ouahbi looks to replicate his success in the full version.

Key Player: Brahim Diaz

The Manchester City youth product worked his way into Real Madrid’s first team via a successful loan spell at AC Milan. It has been a quiet season on the goal front, with the 26-year-old yet to register in La Liga despite playing 29 games. 

But Morocco is where we see the best of the attacking midfielder. He finished AFCON as top scorer, with five goals across seven matches. Any Moroccan success at the World Cup will surely be inspired by the boot of Brahim

Prediction: Morocco’s style suits tournament football. A quick, physical counter-attacking side that is comfortable without the ball, that style stands up to the rigours of this format well. They’ll ease out of the group before succumbing to a stronger nation in the last eight.

Scotland

FIFA World Ranking: 43

To win the group: 10/1

The Tartan Army returns to the World Cup for the first time since France 98, when Craig Brown led a side containing Jim Leighton and Colin Hendry to a winless group stage exit.

Most of the 2026 vintage won’t be old enough to remember Scotland tackling a 1998 group that looked broadly similar to this one. They met Brazil (lost 2-1) and Morocco (lost 3-0). It was Norway rather than Haiti in France, with Scotland securing their sole point of the tournament in a 1-1 draw.

Head coach Steve Clarke looks to have got the balance right, with plenty of quality to call upon. There’s veteran nous with the likes of Craig Gordon and John McGinn. Chest-beating confidence from George Hirst, whose goals just got Ipswich Town promoted to the Premier League and Scottish Premiership winners Kieran Tierney and Anthony Ralston of Celtic. 

There’s even room for the obligatory surprise call-up. Southampton striker Ross Stewart returns to the Scotland squad for the first time in four years, having helped fire Southampton into the Championship Play-Off Final.

Key Player: Scott McTominay

Manchester United didn’t quite know what they had in the 29-year-old midfielder miscast as a defensive pivot, it is in the opposition box that McTominay does his best work. Signing off from Old Trafford with a career-first 10-goal season, Scott has won the hearts of Napoli fans, netting 27 goals from midfield. 

McTominay helped fire Napoli to the Serie A title last season, while he opened the scoring in the 3-0 win over Pisa that secured Champions League football this term. Scotland’s long-awaited return to the world stage brings with it a player capable of impressing at a major tournament.

Prediction: With this expanded World Cup offering an avenue for third-placed teams to make it to the knockouts, this placing may not be disastrous. Scotland have enough quality in their side to make it through as one of the best third-placed sides, judged on points, goal difference and other metrics.

World Cup Odds

Haiti

FIFA World Ranking: 83

To win the group: 100/1

Haiti are the only Caribbean nation to have qualified for two World Cups as they make their return following their 1974 debut. Les Grenadiers lost just once in qualifying and secured a win and a draw against Chile to reach the tournament proper.

Haiti are led by former Leyton Orient midfielder Sebastien Migne. He is a richly experienced coach at international level, having managed the likes of Kenya and DR Congo as well as serving as assistant for Cameroon.

Haiti’s all-time top goalscorer, Duckens Nazon, gets the platform his contributions deserve. The ex-Coventry City man is joined by Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor and Wolves midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde as players familiar to followers of English football.

Key Player: Frantzdy Pierrot

Sentimentality almost saw Nazon take this spot, while Premier League followers know what Isidor can do. But in recent years, when Haiti have needed something a bit special, AEK Athens forward Pierrot is usually who they turn to.

Third on the all-time scorers list for Haiti, a hit-rate of 33 goals from 49 games is mightily impressive. Pierrot’s winner against Chile was vital in getting Haiti here.

Prediction: Something of an unknown quantity, it is hard to see Haiti managing anything more than a brave, but early, exit. Brazil and Morocco have world class players at their disposal while Scotland have the sort of well-balanced and cohesive group they have craved for decades. Something has to give.

Look for Haiti to turn a few heads and win over the neutrals, perhaps even nicking a memorable draw off one of their three group rivals. But it’ll be home and hosed for Haiti before the knockout rounds begin.

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