France vs Norway, USA vs …: Ranking the 3 Best World Cup Group Stage Games
The World Cup is about to kick off in only a few short days, and you’re about to have four games a day from morning to night to watch if you’re a fan of the biggest sports tournament in the world.
With now 48 teams in the event, there are more groups, more games, more stars, and a whole lot more to keep track of as we look towards mid-July when the World Cup Finals will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
But before we get there, what are the games you need to watch even if you’re a casual fan through the first three weeks of the tournament?
Here are my selections for the trio of must-watch matches in the group stage round.
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1. France vs. Norway
No game touches this battle in terms of overall star power and excitement.
It’s France, the back-to-back World Cup Final nation, bringing in maybe its strongest team ever, with an unbelievable attack, taking on Norway and super striker Erling Haaland, who is spearheading his own generational forward group.
Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Alexander Sørloth, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, Antonio Nusa, Haaland. This game has so much exciting attacking talent that it feels impossible to live up to the hype, but there’s a chance for an all-timer in Boston, where the game will be held.
2. United States vs. Turkey
This has all the makings of one of the most competitive and best matches of the entire tournament.
While America has been talking about its “golden generation” for three cycles now, we finally have a squad with the U.S. Men’s National Team that is truly embracing their youth (aside from elder statesmen Tim Ream).
Christian Pulisic, Sergiño Dest, Weston McKennie, Folarin Balogun, and more are in their mid-20s and peaking in what they hope to be a magical tournament at home.
But the funny thing is, Turkey is the team with the actual two best youngsters in the game, Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız, a pair of 21-year-olds who are seen as the future of both Real Madrid and Juventus.
While Turkey has the better high-end talent, the U.S. might have the advantage in overall depth, a product of its academy systems implemented over the past two decades.
This game very well could decide who leaves Group D as the top seed.
3. Colombia vs. Portugal
What’s the most expensive third-party ticket for the group stage?
The obvious guess would be one of the kickoff matches, a Brazil game, or maybe even France vs. Norway.
It’s actually Colombia and Portugal, as Miami will be bright yellow with how many Colombians will be cheering for their team against the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portuguese team, searching for a World Cup title.
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This story was originally published June 7, 2026 at 11:45 PM.