World Cup preview: Who's likely to advance from Groups A, B and C?

Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland

Split between the comparatively mild climates of San Francisco, Vancouver, Los Angeles and Seattle, Group B should be less about external forces and more about the strength of each individual team.

Switzerland is the standout here: it's consistently underrated on the world stage but has hardly put a foot wrong under coach Murat Yakin. It's scalped teams as big as France and Italy in recent tournaments and should fancy its chances of winning this group outright.

Don't sleep on Bosnia, though. It took down Wales and Italy to claim its World Cup spot, and it did so in style. Its coach Sergej Barbarez is a former professional poker player who excels at outfoxing opponents; its 40-year-old captain Edin Dzeko is out to deliver one more stellar performance for his nation before he hangs up his cleats.

Canada has been a regional force under American coach Jesse Marsch, but it's struggled in recent months and failed to beat Iceland, Tunisia and Ireland in pre-World Cup friendly matches. It's also missing several key players due to late injuries: defender Moises Bombito and winger Marcelo Flores are certain to miss the Cup, while winger Ali Ahmed and defender Alphonso Davies are likely scratches.

As for Qatar, qualification was the big victory for the tiny Middle Eastern nation. It proved its soccer bona fides by getting here—it qualified automatically as host in 2022—but it's unlikely to hang around for long.

Predicted to Advance: Switzerland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland

Group C is one of the most fascinating groups at the World Cup: it's got a five-time champion, a (sort of) African champion, an underrated Caribbean power player and a famed European nation making its long-awaited World Cup return. This one could tilt in any direction.

The smart money, though, is on Morocco. It's one of the most consistent soccer teams on earth and will enter this World Cup on the back of a 28-game unbeaten streak. It shocked the world by making the semifinals of the Cup in 2022; it will shock no one by repeating the feat here in the States.

Brazil is always a threat at World Cups, but it's been through its fair share of turmoil on its way to the tournament. There was a period in 2023/24 where it looked like the selecao might not even qualify. The arrival of famed coach Carlo Ancelotti—and the rise of attackers Endrick and Igor Thiago—has helped it immensely, but this is still a team with serious problems. It's not quite the presumed champion it once was.

Haiti and Scotland, meanwhile, are a fabulous pair for one another. Haiti is a reliable side without much hype; Scotland is a beloved team whose lack of firepower is in direct opposition to its global standing. Neither is likely to challenge Morocco or Brazil, but both will be locked in a fascinating battle for third place.

Predicted to Advance: Morocco, Brazil, Scotland