World Cup Previews Put France, Belgium and Algeria On Course Ahead of Matchday 2

Overview

• Matchday 1 results published June 18–19 left groups in flux with France beating Senegal 3-1, Iraq losing 4-1 to Norway, Belgium drawing 1-1 with Egypt, Iran drawing 2-2 with New Zealand, Jordan losing 3-1 to Austria, and Algeria losing 0-3 to Argentina.
• France are overwhelming favourites to beat Iraq in Philadelphia with markets pricing a France win around 1/10 and Kylian Mbappé highlighted after his two goals on matchday one.
• Belgium are strong favourites at roughly 4/9 to beat Iran at SoFi Stadium and are expected to use Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku to break down a deep Iranian block.
• Iran must cope with restrictive U.S. entry rules that require the squad to arrive the day before and leave the same day, a logistical handicap flagged as likely to affect their preparation and tournament prospects.
• Jordan versus Algeria is a must-win for both sides in Levi’s Stadium with bookmakers favouring Algeria at about 4/7 and previews steering bettors toward goals and scorer markets while listing UK broadcasters and responsible‑gambling guidance.