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- Group E fixtures and schedule
- Who is in World Cup Group E?
- Odds to win World Cup Group E
- Group E path in World Cup knockout bracket
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is now just months away, with anticipation in full-swing for one of the biggest global sporting events of the year — and perhaps ever.
A total of 48 teams will compete in this edition of the tournament, meaning there will be more action than ever to keep up with in the summer of 2026 across matches in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
At the 2026 World Cup draw, four teams were be placed into Group E, with a total of six in-group matches set to be played in Philadelphia, Houston, Toronto and more. Either two or three of those squads will be able to advance to the knockout stage.
Here's a full guide to Group E's four teams and match schedule for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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World Cup Group E schedule
Group E table
| Pos | Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Germany | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2. | Curacao | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3. | Ivory Coast | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4. | Ecuador | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group E fixtures
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Sun, Jun. 14 | 1 p.m. | Germany vs. Curacao | NRG Stadium (Houston, TX) |
| Sun, Jun. 14 | 7 p.m. | Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador | Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA) |
| Sat, Jun. 20 | 4 p.m. | Germany vs. Ivory Coast | BMO Field (Toronto, CAN) |
| Sat, Jun. 20 | 8 p.m. | Ecuador vs. Curacao | Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, MO) |
| Thu, Jun. 25 | 4 p.m. | Ecuador vs. Germany | MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ) |
| Thu, Jun. 25 | 4 p.m. | Curacao vs. Ivory Coast | Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA) |
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World Cup Group E teams
Germany
Historically one of the World Cup's most successful nations, Germany have endured a tough time since their most recent triumph in 2014. At Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, Die Mannschaft bowed out at the group stage. Remarkably, between their maiden triumph in 1954 and the first of those disappointments, the earliest Germany had departed a World Cup was the quarterfinals.
Julian Nagelsmann's side were eliminated from the last eight at Euro 2024 on home soil, their best major tournament showing for eight years and something to build upon. Along with four World Cup wins — second only to Brazil in the all-time stakes — Germany have also been runners-up on four occasions. Despite recent failures, hopes will always be high in that historical context.
Despite a nightmare start to qualifying, losing 2-0 in Slovakia, Germany stormed to five straight victories to top UEFA Group A. This run was capped by an emphatic 6-0 victory over Slovakia in Leipzig. Nick Woltemade (four) and Serge Gnabry (three) led the scoring charts as Bayern Munich superstar Jamal Musiala continued his lengthy rehabilitation from a serious leg break.
- Current FIFA world ranking: 9th
- Regional ranking: 7th (UEFA)
- World Cup titles: 4 (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)
- World Cup appearances (last): 20 (Qatar 2022)
- How qualified: UEFA Group A winners: 5W-0D-1L
- Coach: Julian Nagelsmann (Germany) since September 2023
- Key player(s): Florian Wirtz (Liverpool), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich)
Ecuador
Ecuador are the fastest-growing team in South American soccer. In 2026, they will play in their fifth World Cup out of the last seven, having made their debut in 2002. A strong performance in the last qualifiers, where they finished second in South America, suggests that La Tri could have an unforgettable World Cup this time around.
Ecuador have won at least one match in every World Cup for which they have qualified, but they have never advanced beyond the round of 16. In their last two appearances, they were eliminated on the final day of the group stage despite being in a good position to advance. In the last Copa America, they managed to take Argentina to penalties, but once again the final feeling was one of frustration.
However, soccer always offers a chance for revenge, and in 2026 Ecuador will be led by coach Sebastian Beccacece and a generation of talented young players, including Moises Caicedo, Willian Pacho, Kendry Paez, and Joel Ordonez, as well as the experience of Enner Valencia in attack and Hernan Galindez in goal.
- Current FIFA world ranking: 23th
- Regional ranking: 5th (CONMEBOL)
- World Cup titles: 0
- World Cup appearances (last): 4 (Qatar 2022)
- How qualified: 2nd in South American qualifying: 8W-2L-8D
- Coach: Sebastian Beccacece (Argentina) since August 2024
- Key player(s): Moises Caicedo (Chelsea), Willian Pacho (PSG), Kendry Paez (Strasbourg)
Ivory Coast
Led by Franck Kessie and rising Manchester United star Amad Diallo, Ivory Coast are stepping back onto the world stage after a 12-year wait, and they're hungry to eclipse anything they've done before.
Their return isn't luck or timing; it's the product of a talented, fearless generation determined to make their mark. They have continued to ride the wave of their 2023 AFCON success, when they defeated Nigeria 2-1 in the final on home soil.
Under the guidance of Emerse Fae, the Elephants have looked rejuvenated and ruthless. A commanding 3-0 win over Kenya in their final Group F match sealed top spot ahead of Gabon and punched their ticket to the 2026 tournament in Canada, Mexico and the USA. The Elephants now gear up for their fourth appearance at football's biggest event, eager to show they truly belong among the elite.
- Current FIFA world ranking: 42
- Regional ranking: 5th (CAF)
- World Cup titles: 0
- World Cup appearances (last): 3 (Brazil 2014)
- How qualified: CAF Group F winners: 8W-0L-2D
- Coach: Emerse Fae (France) since January 2024
- Key player(s): Amad Diallo (Man Utd), Evann Guessand (Aston Villa), Franck Kessie (Al Ahli)
Curacao
With Suriname flopping at the final stage of qualifying, Curacao became the big story of the CONCACAF qualifying section. They are the smallest-ever nation ever to qualify for a World Cup, with just 185,000 inhabitants.
As a former Dutch colony (they competed as Netherlands Antilles in the early days of their national-team history), Curacao have elevated their profile by securing commitment from a number of players not good enough to make the cut for the Netherlands but still wish for an avenue to international football.
Their coach Dick Advocaat, who has previously helmed big European clubs in Germany, England, Turkey, and Scotland as well as the national teams of the Netherlands, Belgium, Russia, Iraq, UAE, and South Korea, is set to become the oldest head coach in World Cup history at the age of 78.
- Current FIFA world ranking: 82
- Regional ranking: 8th (CONCACAF)
- World Cup titles: 0
- World Cup appearances (last): 0
- How qualified: 1st, CONCACAF qualifying Group B: 3W-0L-3D
- Coach: Dick Advocaat (NED) since January 2024
- Key player(s): Leandro Bacuna (Bandirmaspor), Tahith Chong (Sheffield United), Armando Obispo (PSV)
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World Cup Group E odds and predictions
Below are the odds for each team in Group E to win and qualify from the group, with odds courtesy of DraftKings. Germany and Equador are favored to win the group, with the Germans having the best odds among them to win it all.
| Team | Group Winner | To Qualify | Win title |
| Germany | -230 | -10000 | +1200 |
| Curacao | +6500 | +1000 | +200000 |
| Ivory Coast | +800 | -250 | +20000 |
| Ecuador | +250 | -1000 | +8000 |
WORLD CUP DRAW BREAKDOWNS:
Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D | Group F
Group G | Group H | Group I | Group J | Group K | Group L
World Cup 2026 bracket for Group E
The winner of Group E will enter the knockout stage scheduled to take on a third-place qualifier from either Group A, B, C, D or F.
The Group E runner-up enters the bottom half of the bracket and will meet the Group I runner-up.
The third-place finisher in Group E has six potential landing spots in the bracket, but only eight groups will have a third-place qualifier for the knockout stage.
Until all third-place qualifiers are known, it cannot be predicted where or when they could potentially play, because there are 495 mathematical combinations of third-place qualifiers.
Round of 32
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Sun, Jun. 28 | 3 p.m. | M1: 2nd, Group A vs. 2nd, Group B | SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA) |
| Mon, Jun. 29 | 4:30 p.m. | M2: 1st, Group E vs. 3rd place finisher | Gillette Stadium (Foxboro, MA) |
| Mon, Jun. 29 | 9 p.m. | M3: 1st, Group F vs. 2nd, Group C | Estadio BBVA (Guadalupe, MEX) |
| Mon, Jun. 29 | 1 p.m. | M4: 1st, Group C vs. 2nd, Group F | NRG Stadium (Houston, TX) |
| Tue, Jun. 30 | 5 p.m. | M5: 1st, Group I vs. 3rd place finisher | MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ) |
| Tue, Jun. 30 | 1 p.m. | M6: 2nd, Group E vs. 2nd, Group I | AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX) |
| Tue, Jun. 30 | 9 p.m. | M7: 1st, Group A vs. 3rd place finisher | Estadio Azteca (Mexico City, MEX) |
| Wed, Jul. 1 | 12 p.m. | M8: 1st, Group L vs. 3rd place finisher | Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA) |
| Wed, Jul. 1 | 8 p.m. | M9: 1st, Group D vs. 3rd place finisher | Levi's Stadium (Santa Clara, CA) |
| Wed, Jul. 1 | 4 p.m. | M10: 1st, Group G vs. 3rd place finisher | Lumen Field (Seattle, WA) |
| Thu, Jul. 2 | 7 p.m. | M11: 2nd, Group K vs. 2nd, Group L | BMO Field (Toronto, CAN) |
| Thu, Jul. 2 | 3 p.m. | M12: 1st, Group H vs. 2nd, Group J | SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA) |
| Thu, Jul. 2 | 11 p.m. | M13: 1st, Group B vs. 3rd place finisher | BC Place (Vancouver, CAN) |
| Fri, Jul. 3 | 6 p.m. | M14: 1st, Group J vs. 2nd, Group H | Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, FL) |
| Fri, Jul. 3 | 9:30 p.m. | M15: 1st, Group K vs. 3rd place finisher | Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, MO) |
| Fr, Jul. 3 | 2 p.m. | M16: 2nd, Group D vs. 2nd, Group G | AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX) |
Round of 16
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Sat, Jul. 4 | 1 p.m. | M2: Winner, R32 M1 vs. Winner, R32 M3 | NRG Stadium (Houston, TX) |
| Sat, Jul. 4 | 5 p.m. | M1: Winner, R32 M2 vs. Winner, R32 M5 | Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA) |
| Sun, Jul. 5 | 4 p.m. | M3: Winner, R32 M4 vs. Winner, R32 M6 | MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ) |
| Sun, Jul. 5 | 8 p.m. | M4: Winner, R32 M7 vs. Winner, R32 M8 | Estadio Azteca (Mexico City, MEX) |
| Mon, Jul. 6 | 3 p.m. | M5: Winner, R32 M11 vs. Winner, R32 M12 | AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX) |
| Mon, Jul. 6 | 8 p.m. | M6: Winner, R32 M9 vs. Winner, R32 M10 | Lumen Field (Seattle, WA) |
| Tue, Jul. 7 | 12 p.m. | M7: Winner, R32 M14 vs. Winner, R32 M16 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA) |
| Tue, Jul. 7 | 4 p.m. | M8: Winner, R32 M13 vs. Winner, R32 M15 | BC Place (Vancouver, CAN) |
Quarterfinals
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Thu, Jul. 9 | 4 p.m. | QF1: Winner, R16 M1 vs. Winner, R16 M2 | Gillette Stadium (Foxboro, MA) |
| Fri, Jul. 10 | 3 p.m. | QF2: Winner, R16 M5 vs. Winner, R16 M6 | SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA) |
| Sat, Jul. 11 | 5 p.m. | QF3: Winner, R16 M3 vs. Winner, R16 M4 | Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, FL) |
| Sat, Jul. 11 | 9 p.m. | QF4: Winner, R16 M7 vs. Winner, R16 M8 | Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, MO) |
Semifinals
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Tue, Jul. 14 | 3 p.m. | SF1: Winner, QF1 vs. Winner, QF2 | AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX) |
| Wed, Jul. 15 | 3 p.m. | SF2: Winner, QF3 vs. Winner, QF4 | Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA) |
Third-place match
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Sat, Jul. 18 | 5 p.m. | Loser, SF1 vs. Loser, SF2 | Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, FL) |
Final
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Sun, Jul. 19 | 3 p.m. | Winner, SF1 vs. Winner, SF2 | MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ) |
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