The expanded 48-team format at the has opened the door for several debutants and lower-ranked nations to test themselves against more traditional international heavyweights.
Taking into account the latest, the widest gulf between opponents in the group stage stretches to 77 places, with high-flying Brazil, England and Spain all set to face sides ranked outside the top 65.
Yet World Cup history . Saudi Arabia stunned eventual winners , while La Albiceleste were also as defending champions at Italy 1990, and Korea DPR Italy at England 1966.
As the countdown to the upcoming global showpiece continues, these five fixtures stand out as the tournament’s biggest David v Goliath encounters on paper.
Group C - Philadelphia Stadium, June 19 Ranking gap: 77 places
Five-time world champions enter the World Cup ranked sixth in the world, while sit 83rd. The nations have met four times before, with the Seleção claiming resounding six-goal victories in the last two encounters - winning 7-1 in the 2016 and 6-0 in an international friendly in 2004.
Haiti’s qualification represents one of the stories of the tournament, with Les Grenadiers reaching the World Cup for the first time since 1974. Back then, wrote his name into football folklore by scoring against Italy to end Dino Zoff’s world-record 1,142-minute clean-sheet streak. Although Haiti eventually lost 3-1, Sanon’s goal is still one of the most celebrated moments in the nation’s football history.
Brazil also know that World Cups rarely follow the script. The Seleção suffered one of the greatest shocks in tournament history when they lost the on home soil to Uruguay, while their 7-1 semi-final defeat against Germany in 2014 - also as tournament hosts - was another seismic result.
Group G - Vancouver Stadium, June 26 Ranking gap: 76 places
and have never previously met at senior men’s international level. Ranked ninth in the world, Belgium have remained one of Europe’s most consistent tournament performers despite the gradual transition away from their celebrated “golden generation.” New Zealand, ranked 85th, return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010, when they famously exited unbeaten after draws with Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay. That 1-1 draw against then-reigning champions Italy is arguably the greatest result in the All Whites’ history.
Belgium have secured plenty of memorable results of their own over the years, though the Red Devils were also stunned by eventual semi-finalists Morocco in Qatar - a defeat that contributed to their group-stage elimination despite entering the tournament ranked second in the world. Back in 1994, Belgium were also on the wrong end of an upset - losing 1-0 to Saudi Arabia after to score one of the most iconic goals in World Cup history.
Group E - Houston Stadium, June 14 Ranking gap: 72 places
meeting with in Houston will mark the Caribbean nation’s first-ever World Cup match. Ranked 82nd in the world, Curaçao are the smallest country by population to ever qualify for the FIFA World Cup and face a tough inaugural match against four-time champions Germany, who are aiming to reassert themselves after disappointing exits in 2018 and 2022.
Given that only Brazil have played in more than Germany’s 20 World Cups, it is perhaps not surprising that Die Mannschaft have suffered a couple of shock results in their 112 previous matches at the tournament. match in 1982 is etched into Les Fennecs folklore while, in 2018, Korea Republic defeated Germany when they were defending champions. Stoppage-time goals from Kim Younggwon and Son Heungmin secured a 2-0 win that eliminated Die Mannschaft at the group stage for the first time.
Group L - Boston Stadium, June 23 Ranking gap: 69 places
and have never met in a competitive senior international, though they played a 2011 friendly at Wembley in which a late Asamoah Gyan goal cancelled out Andy Carroll's opener in a 1-1 draw. Ranked fourth in the world, England head to Canada, Mexico and the USA among the favourites and face a Ghana side that are 73rd place in the second Group L game at Boston Stadium.
The Black Stars have defied their ‘underdog’ tag before, however, memorably becoming only the third African side to reach the World Cup quarter-finals in 2010, before narrowly missing out on a spot in the semis. The Three Lions’ World Cup history contains one of the tournament’s original giant-killing acts: a 1-0 defeat to the USA in 1950 that while their elimination against Iceland at UEFA EURO 2016 remains another reminder of how quickly expectations can unravel in international football.
Group H - Atlanta Stadium, June 15 Ranking gap: 65
and will meet for the first time in Atlanta in a contest that represents one of the tournament’s most striking contrasts. Spain are ranked second in the world and arrive as UEFA EURO 2024 champions, powered by a dazzling new generation featuringand Pedri. Cabo Verde, ranked 67th, are making their World Cup debut after years of steady progress fuelled by diaspora talent and increased domestic investment.
The Blue Sharks have spent the last decade building a reputation as one of African football’s most dangerous outsiders. At the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, Cape Verde defeated Ghana and Mozambique, as well as drawing 2-2 with Egypt; in qualifying for the World Cup, Bubista’s team beat Cameroon to help secure their place at the tournament. Spain will be wary of their opponents, having been . La Roja were tournament hosts but suffered a 1-0 defeat as Gerry Armstrong’s winner sealed one of the great World Cup upsets.
Sources: FIFA Official
