Argentina begin their world title defense as 10/1 favorites according to World Cup odds, and their first opponent is Algeria.
Group J action continues when Austria and Jordan square off late Tuesday night, with neither country expected to advance too far in the World Cup bracket.
Here are our World Cup picks for Day 1 of Group J play on June 16.
Group J predictions for today
ARG
ALG
AUT
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Argentina vs Algeria prediction
9 p.m. ET, FOX
Argentina have won their last seven matches while conceding just one goal and scoring 21 of their own. Their midfield of Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, and Rodrigo de Paul will aggressively press their counterparts and quickly win possession back in dangerous areas.
Lionel Messi is still a world-class playmaker, even if he can’t run as much as he did four years ago. Lautaro Martinez will cause problems for Algeria at the back, while playmakers Nico Paz, Giuliano Simeone, and Thiago Almada will look to provide him and Messi service. Julian Alvarez will also be a force off the bench.
Check out Jason Ence's full Argentina vs. Algeria predictions!
Austria vs Jordan prediction
12 a.m. ET, FS1
Austria have won six of their last eight competitive matches. In the friendlies they played after securing qualification, they also looked difficult to break down, beating fellow World Cup participants Ghana 5-1, South Korea 1-0, and Tunisia 1-0.
Jordan, meanwhile, struggled to find form, scoring just once across two friendlies this summer. They suffered a 4-1 defeat to Switzerland and a 2-0 loss to Colombia, leaving many questions unanswered about their true level.
Check out Emanuel Rosu's full Austria vs. Jordan predictions!
Group J standings
Read our World Cup standings for a breakdown of all 12 groups.
| TEAM | GP | PTS | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Argentina |
- | - | - | - | - |
 Algeria |
- | - | - | - | - |
 Austria |
- | - | - | - | - |
 Jordan |
- | - | - | - | - |
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Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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