FIFA revealed this week
the composition of the hats for the 2026 World Cup. We must now wait until December 5 and the draw for the group stage for the qualified teams to know the identity of their first opponents.
Placed in pot 1, Portugal is one of the top seeds in the competition, along with other nations such as Argentina (title holder), Spain, England and the French team. But that doesn’t guarantee him an easy future group. Portugal is guaranteed to avoid the other heavyweights in hat 1, but Roberto Martinez’s team could still inherit a tough group.
A group of death for Portugal?
Hat 2 brings together formidable nations like Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay and even Japan. Hat 3 is just as homogeneous, and not necessarily more affordable if we rely on the forces present, such as Riyad Mahrez’s Algeria and Erling Haaland’s Norway.
Finally, the fourth hat could reserve a tougher opponent than expected since Italy would join it in the event of qualification via the play-offs in March 2026. In the worst-case scenario, Portugal could therefore inherit a “group of death” made up of Morocco, Norway and Italy.
The 2026 World Cup hats
Hat 2: Croatia, Morocco, Colombia, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, Senegal, Iran, South Korea, Ecuador, Austria, Australia
Hat 3: Norway, Panama, Egypt, Algeria, Scotland, Paraguay, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Uzbekistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
Hat 4: Jordan, Cape Verde, Ghana, Curaçao, Haiti, New Zealand, 6 roadblockers.
