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The 2026 World Cup is almost here, with anticipation building for this summer’s expanded tournament. A new format will see 48 nations compete across 12 groups of four. Group E brings together four-time champions Germany , African heavyweights Ivory Coast , South America’s Ecuador and Caribbean debutants Curaçao. It shapes up as one of the tournament’s most evenly matched groups. Germany arrive as the highest-ranked side and the standout favourites to finish top, but Ecuador have become one of CONMEBOL’s most reliable teams and will believe they can push for first place. Ivory Coast return to the finals after missing the last two editions and have enough quality to challenge for a knockout spot, while Curaçao make their World Cup bow as one of the competition’s standout underdog stories. With three teams holding genuine qualification ambitions — and a debutant eager to shake up the hierarchy — Group E could deliver a string of tight, hard-fought games. You can also find more betting offers at the Mirror Betting Hubs Free Bets offers . Germany head into this summer’s World Cup determined to consign the pain of back-to-back group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022 to history. An unexpected away loss to Slovakia in their opening UEFA qualifier briefly raised doubts, but it proved a blip as Die Mannschaft responded with five straight wins to top Group C - rounded off by a ruthless 6-0 home victory over Slovakia to settle the score. They have since added friendly wins over Switzerland, Ghana and Finland, and 38-year-old coach Julian Nagelsmann now carries the responsibility of guiding Germany to a first World Cup title since 2014 - and a record-equalling fifth crown. Odds to win group: 1/3 ( Betfred ) Odds to qualify: 1/100 ( William Hill ) Odds to not qualify: 16/1 ( Sky Bet ) Odds to finish bottom: 90/1 ( Paddy Power ) Squad: Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Alexander Nübel (Stuttgart); Waldemar Anton (Borussia Dortmund), Nathaniel Brown (Eintracht Frankfurt), David Raum (RB Leipzig), Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich), Malick Thiaw (Newcastle); Pascal Gross (Brighton), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Aleksandar Pavlovic (Bayern Munich), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Liverpool), Jamie Leweling (Stuttgart); Maximilian Beier (Borussia Dortmund), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sané (Galatasaray), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart), Nick Woltemade (Newcastle) Caribbean island Curacao are the smallest nation by population ever to qualify for a World Cup in the tournament’s 96-year history, and they are among the sides to have benefited from FIFA awarding hosting rights to the CONCACAF trio of Canada, Mexico and the United States. Their build-up has been unsettled by a coaching saga. Dick Advocaat resigned in February for family health reasons, his replacement Fred Rutten stepped down on May 11 after disagreements with players, and in a surprise turn Advocaat has since returned. The 78-year-old is now set to become the oldest manager in World Cup history. Curaçao came through qualifying unbeaten, winning seven and drawing three of their 10 matches, but a 4-1 warm-up defeat to Scotland last week underlined why they will be viewed as clear underdogs in Group E. Odds to win group: 100/1 ( Betfred ) Odds to qualify: 8/1 ( William Hill ) Odds to not qualify: 1/14 ( Sky Bet ) Odds to finish bottom: 14/1 ( Paddy Power ) Squad: Eloy Room (Miami FC), Tyrick Bodak (Telstar), Trevor Doornbusch (VVV Venlo); Riechedly Bazoer (Konyaspor), Joshua Brenet (Kayserispor), Roshon van Eijma (RKC Waalwijk), Sherel Floranus (PEC Zwolle), Deveron Fonville (NEC Nijmegen), Jurien Gaari (Abha), Armando Obispo (PSV Eindhoven), Shurandy Sambo (Sparta Rotterdam); Juninho Bacuna (Volendam), Leandro Bacuna (Igdir), Livano Comenencia (Zurich), Kevin Felida (Den Bosch), Ar'jany Martha (Rotherham United), Tyrese Noslin (Telstar), Godfried Roemeratoe (RKC Waalwijk); Jeremy Antonisse (Kifisia), Tahith Chong (Sheffield United), Kenji Gorre (Maccabi Haifa), Sontje Hansen (Middlesbrough), Gervane Kastaneer (Terengganu), Brandley Kuwas (Volendam), Jurgen Locadia (Miami FC), Jearl Margaritha (Beveren) After a 12-year absence from the World Cup, Ivory Coast will be one of 10 African nations at the 2026 tournament following an outstanding CAF qualifying campaign under head coach Emerse Faé. The Elephants powered through qualification with eight wins and two draws from 10 matches, fuelled by a clinical attack that scored 25 goals and a defence so tight they did not concede once. Three-time Africa Cup of Nations winners, Ivory Coast also hosted the continental tournament between December 2025 and January 2026, reaching the quarter-finals. They have since notched friendly victories over South Korea (4-0) and Scotland (1-0), and will be targeting a first-ever run to the World Cup knockout rounds. Odds to win group: 6/1 ( Betfred ) Odds to qualify: 1/7 ( William Hill ) Odds to not qualify: 9/2 ( Sky Bet ) Odds to finish bottom: 11/1 ( Paddy Power ) Squad: Yahia Fofana (Rizespor), Mohamed Koné (Charleroi), Alban Lafont (Panathinaikos); Emmanuel Agbadou (Beşiktaş), Clément Akpa (AJ Auxerre), Ousmane Diomande (Sporting CP), Guela Doué (Strasbourg), Ghislain Konan (Gil Vicente), Odilon Kossounou (Atalanta), Evan Ndicka (AS Roma), Wilfried Singo (Galatasaray); Seko Fofana (Porto), Parfait Guiagon (Charleroi), Franck Kessié (Al Ahli), Christ Inao Oulaï (Trabzonspor), Ibrahim Sangaré (Nottingham Forest), Jean Michaël Seri (NK Maribor); Simon Adingra (AS Monaco), Ange-Yoan Bonny (Internazionale), Amad Diallo (Manchester United), Oumar Diakité (Cercle Brugge), Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig), Evann Guessand (Aston Villa), Nicolas Pépé (Villarreal), Bazoumana Touré (Hoffenheim), Elye Wahi (Nice) Ecuador will be appearing at their fifth World Cup in the last 24 years and will be aiming to get out of the group stage for only the second time, having reached the last 16 in their standout 2006 campaign. Sebastián Beccacece’s side enjoyed an outstanding CONMEBOL qualifying run, finishing second behind reigning champions Argentina — and ahead of Brazil, Uruguay and Colombia. They posted eight wins, eight draws and only two defeats from 18 matches, conceding just five goals along the way. They have since extended their momentum into friendlies with a seven-game unbeaten sequence (W2 D5), including score draws against the Netherlands and Morocco in March, before edging Saudi Arabia 2-1 in their latest outing last week. Odds to win group: 7/2 ( Betfred ) Odds to qualify: 7/1 ( William Hill ) Odds to not qualify: ( Sky Bet ) Odds to finish bottom: 1/16 ( Paddy Power ) Squad: Hernán Galíndez (Huracan), Moisés Ramírez (AE Kifisias), Gonzalo Valle (LDU Quito); Willian Pacho (Paris Saint-Germain), Piero Hincapié (Arsenal), Joel Ordóñez (Club Brugge), Félix Torres (Internacional), Pervis Estupiñán (AC Milan), Yaimar Medina (Racing Genk), Ángelo Preciado (Atlético Mineiro), Jackson Porozo (Club Tijuana); Alan Minda (Atlético Mineiro), Moisés Caicedo (Chelsea), Jordy Alcivar (Independiente del Valle), Denil Castillo (FC Midtjylland), John Yeboah (Venezia), Alan Franco (Atlético Mineiro), Pedro Vite (Pumas UNAM), Kendry Páez (River Plate), Nilson Angulo (Sunderland), Gonzalo Plata (Flamengo); Kevin Rodríguez (Union St.-Gilloise), Anthony Valencia (Antwerp), Enner Valencia (Pachuca), Jordy Caicedo (Huracán), Jeremy Arévalo (VfB Stuttgart) 18+ | Gamble responsibly | | Odds subject to change Reach plc is committed to promoting safer gambling. 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