France sit near the top of the World Cup odds board, and they'll begin their journey to glory against Senegal this afternoon in Group I's first game.
Meanwhile, Norway — led by Erling Haaland — could be a sleeper team to make some noise in the World Cup bracket.
With both teams clear-cut favorites, it's no surprise they're the topic of our World Cup picks for Group I on June 16.
Group I predictions for today
FRA
SEN
NOR
IRAQEnjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account
France vs Senegal prediction
3 p.m. ET, FOX
France have scored more than 1.5 goals in each of their last nine matches and three or more in three of their last four, so this is not a team that eases off once they start scoring.
And given their attacking quality, it would be difficult for them to do so. The French are in excellent form and have won six of their last seven matches.
They used their two friendlies in June to test players, and after watching Michael Olise's masterclass against Northern Ireland, where he scored all three goals, I'd say they're well covered even if Kylian Mbappe has an off day or two in front of goal.
I'm backing France to win by 2+ goals against Senegal and get their campaign off to the perfect start before facing Iraq and Norway in Group I of the World Cup.
Check out Emanuel Rosu's full France vs Senegal predictions!
Norway vs Iraq prediction
6 p.m. ET, FOX
Since November 2024, Norway’s record sits at 12 wins, three draws, and just a single loss, and their tournament warm-ups included a 3-1 victory over Sweden.
In contrast, Iraq are short on game-changing talent, and their winding route to the tournament was a high-wire act that doesn’t inspire confidence for a strong effort in Group I. Manager Graham Arnold has installed an organized structure, but they labored in a 2-0 loss to Venezuela last week, and the talent deficit will be significant here.
Norway have tricky contests ahead against Senegal and France, so I expect a focused, relentless approach in this opening clash.
Check out Tom Oldfield's full Norway vs. Iraq predictions!
Group I standings
Read our World Cup standings for a breakdown of all 12 groups.
| TEAM | GP | PTS | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 France |
- | - | - | - | - |
 Senegal |
- | - | - | - | - |
 Iraq |
- | - | - | - | - |
 Norway |
- | - | - | - | - |
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Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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