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World Cup News :: FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group J Preview - Argentina, Austria

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Posted on 2026-06-09 by Auls

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The World Champions Argentina are looking to become the first nation to defend the title in over sixty years and there is a lot to like about this team.

ARGENTINA
In recent times, World Cup Champions have made pretty poor defences of that crown, but France changed the narrative by reaching the Final in 2022 having won the tournament in 2018.

That will give Argentina plenty of encouragement and a squad that has a lot of experience and freshness will be playing in North America confident they can handle the conditions and the sense of expectation.

Argentina have won the last two editions of the Copa America around the World Cup success in 2022 and the last of those Copa America successes came in a tournament hosted by the United States.

A team that is no longer reliant on Lionel Messi has a solid defensive base with real attacking quality and Argentina will be expecting another deep run.

AUSTRIA

The most likely rival for top spot is Austria who impressed in the Euro 2024 Group alongside France, Poland and Netherlands, but who were then beaten 2-1 by Turkiye in the Last 16.

Ralf Rangnick’s team play with a high press and plenty of intensity, but there are questions as to how they will be able to do that match after match in what are very tough summer conditions in North America.

Games are also scheduled to involve plenty of travel and Austria will need to make a positive start in the opening fixture, while the squad are trying to earn a Knock Out tie in the World Cup Finals for the first time since Austria reached the World Cup Semi Final all the way back in 1954.

ALGERIA

It is Algeria who are expected to be the team that pushes Austria for second place, and they return to the World Cup Finals for the first time since 2014. The national reached the Last 16 for the first time in Brazil that summer, but they were beaten in the Quarter Final at the last African Cup of Nations.

Benefiting from a good draw in the World Cup Qualifiers means Algeria made comfortable progress to the Finals, and there is quality within the squad.

Opening up against Argentina means Algeria could be playing catch up from the outset, but there will be a real sense that this squad has enough knowhow to work a pathway through to the Last 32 of the World Cup Finals.

JORDON

Beating Jordan is going to be the key for the other nations in this Group and the debutants will be playing with ‘nothing to lose’.

The expansion of the World Cup places for teams from the Asian Confederation has to be seen as a big factor as to why Jordan are here, but they showed enough in Qualifying to deserve respect.

Inexperience may be the biggest issue though and Jordan will have to learn very quickly when facing the others in this Group.

Three years ago they reached the Asian Cup Final and got the better of South Korea in the Semi Final, but Jordan will already have achieved all they would have set out by merely making it to the World Cup Finals for the first time.

Counter attacking will be key to any successes they can earn within this Group and earning a positive result may be the biggest achievement they can produce within this section.

GROUP SUMMARY

Argentina are the big favourites to win the Group and they are a very short price to do that- they were upset by Saudi Arabia in the opening match in Qatar, but Argentina still won the Group.

Opening up against Algeria and then Austria could see Argentina secure top spot before the last fixture.

Those other two nations mentioned will both be looking to get the better of Jordan to put themselves in a position to Qualify for the Last 32.

Argentina look a decent price to reach at least the Quarter Final as defending Champions (2.00), but the layers are giving away nothing in the Group prices.

They are 1.33 to win the Group, which may be used as a double with another Group Winner.

The value play may end up being Algeria to finish in the top two ahead of Austria with Argentina finishing 1st and Algeria finishing 2nd being priced up at 3.20.

 

Sourced From : Gooners Guide to FIFA World Cup Betting

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