World Cup Group J Preview: Betting Predictions & Team Analysis

The defending World Cup champions do not enter this summer as one of the top favorites on the board. Argentina are instead grouped with Brazil and Portugal in the second tier of contenders, sitting behind Spain, France, and England in the World Cup betting market. Lionel Messi will turn 39 in June and is almost certainly preparing for his final World Cup, leaving La Albiceleste at an important transition point.

Odds to win Group J

Argentina -300
Austria +425
Algeria +700
Jordan +6000

Argentina should be favored in each of their Group Stage matches according to the soccer betting odds. They have far more proven talent than the other teams in Group J, and their only Group Stage exit in World Cup history came back in 2002. Austria are returning to the tournament for the first time since 1998 after coming through a favorable qualifying group, Algeria have never advanced beyond the Round of 16, and Jordan are making their World Cup debut with some of the longest title odds in the field.

Odds to Win World Cup for Group J Teams

Argentina +900
Austria +17000
Algeria +45000
Jordan +255000

As three-time World Cup winners, Argentina are the only side in Group J with a realistic path to winning the tournament. Still, Austria and Algeria are capable of making the group more competitive if their recent form carries over. Austria beat Ghana 5-1 and edged South Korea 1-0 in March, while Algeria routed Guatemala 7-0 before playing Uruguay to a scoreless draw during the same international window.

Match Schedule

Argentina vs. Algeria, June 16, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri (Match 19)

Austria vs. Jordan, June 17, 2026, at 12 a.m. ET from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California (Match 20)

Argentina vs. Austria, June 22, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (Match 43)

Jordan vs. Algeria, June 22, 2026, at 11 p.m. ET from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California (Match 44)

Algeria vs. Austria, June 27, 2026, at 10 p.m. ET from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri (Match 69)

Jordan vs. Argentina, June 27, 2026, at 10 p.m. ET from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (Match 70)

Team Previews

Argentina

There is little debate left around Lionel Messi’s place as the greatest player of the 21st century. His achievements over the past several years pushed Argentina back to the top of world soccer, highlighted by the country’s first World Cup title since 1986 and Copa America championships in 2021 and 2024. Messi has also won the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year honors a record eight times, along with the World Cup Golden Ball in both 2014 and 2022.

Messi remains in strong form and is expected to make his 200th appearance for Argentina during this World Cup. His 198 caps and 116 goals are national records that may never be caught, and Argentina’s hopes will once again be tied closely to what he can create in the final third.

Only two other players on Argentina’s World Cup roster have scored more than 10 goals for the national team. Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez is the clearest secondary scoring option with 36 goals in 75 appearances, while Julian Alvarez has scored 14 times in 51 caps. Lionel Scaloni also leaned heavily on Atletico Madrid forwards, with Alvarez, Nicolas Gonzalez, Thiago Almada, and Giuliano Simeone all playing their club soccer for Atleti.

Angel Di Maria’s absence will be felt in midfield. Enzo Fernandez of Chelsea is likely to take on a larger creative role, though Scaloni could also turn to Giovani Lo Celso, Leandro Paredes, or Rodrigo De Paul, Messi’s teammate at Inter Miami, to help replace that production.

Nicolas Otamendi will be the second-most experienced player on the roster. At 38, he is no longer as mobile as he once was, but he remains steady enough to hold a starting role in central defense. Tottenham Hotspur’s Cristian Romero should partner him in the middle, with Nicolas Tagliafico and Nahuel Molina expected to operate out wide.

Emiliano Martinez is set to remain Argentina’s No. 1 goalkeeper. He was outstanding in penalty situations during the 2022 World Cup and won the Golden Glove for his performances. Opponents convert only slightly more than half of their penalties against Martinez, giving Argentina a major edge if knockout matches go to spot kicks.

Austria

Marko Arnautovic has finally reached the World Cup stage. The veteran forward is Austria’s all-time leader in both appearances and goals, with 132 caps and 47 goals. He played in the Bundesliga, Serie A, and Premier League during his prime, but at 37, he is no longer the same consistent scoring threat. Even so, Arnautovic remains dangerous in the air and should be one of Austria’s main attacking options alongside Michael Gregoritsch and Christoph Baumgartner.

Baumgartner has been excellent for both club and country and is coming off his best season yet with Red Bull Leipzig. He has scored 19 goals in 58 appearances for Austria and has strong chemistry with Leipzig teammate Xaver Schlager. Marcel Sabitzer is another important midfield piece, bringing 25 goals in 97 caps.

David Alaba will anchor the defense. He has had a brilliant club career, spending 16 seasons with Bayern Munich or Real Madrid, and he has been named Austrian Footballer of the Year a record 10 times. Alaba’s versatility remains one of his biggest strengths, and he is expected to start centrally alongside Philipp Lienhart, who appears to be healthy again after missing two months with an abdominal injury.

Alexander Schlager of Red Bull Salzburg has reclaimed the No. 1 goalkeeper spot after suffering an injury at Euro 2024. He does not bring much experience at the international level, but backup Patrick Pentz is also relatively untested, leaving Austria with some uncertainty in goal.

Algeria

Algeria exited the Africa Cup of Nations in the quarterfinals against Nigeria, but the Fennecs still have the profile of a team that could surprise people at the World Cup. Vladimir Petkovic gives them an experienced manager who has been on this stage before, and the roster includes several players capable of causing problems.

Captain Riyad Mahrez is likely entering his final World Cup. He was outstanding at Leicester City and later became a valuable player for Manchester City, though his level has gradually dipped in recent seasons. Mahrez still offers real quality on set pieces and can create chances for forwards Amine Gouiri and Mohamed Amoura.

Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Ibrahim Maza looks like Algeria’s next major talent. The 20-year-old stepped into a bigger role after Florian Wirtz earlier this year and made the most of the opportunity. Bigger clubs are already monitoring him, and a strong World Cup could raise his profile even more. Fares Chaibi and Hicham Boudaoui are two other midfielders worth watching.

There is a lot of experience in central defense. Vice captain Aissa Mandi has made 116 appearances for Algeria, while Ramy Bensebaini has 81 caps. Recent Manchester City signing Rayan Ait-Nouri should start on the left side, but the right side of the defense is still less settled.

Goalkeeper is Algeria’s biggest concern. Anthony Mandrea had been the first-choice option, but he is no longer playing in a top league. Luca Zidane, the son of Zinedine Zidane, appeared ready to take over before suffering a concussion and undergoing surgery for fractures to his chin and jaw in April. Petkovic may be forced to hand the No. 1 shirt to a goalkeeper with limited international experience.

Jordan

Jordan face a very difficult path to the knockout rounds. This will be the country’s first World Cup appearance, and the expanded field played a major role in opening the door for their debut.

The Jordanians have struggled when facing opponents outside their region. Last year, they lost 1-0 to Bolivia, 4-2 to Albania, and 3-2 to Tunisia. In late March, they earned 2-2 draws against Costa Rica and Nigeria, showing some fight but also leaving questions about whether they can consistently hold up against stronger teams.

Captain Musa Al-Taamari and Ali Olwan should be the main attacking outlets. Al-Taamari has scored 24 goals in 90 appearances and is still only 28 years old. Olwan also delivered one of the biggest moments in Jordanian soccer history, scoring a hat trick in the win over Oman that sent the country to the World Cup.

There are many unknowns beyond those attacking options. Jordan do not have a midfield loaded with creators, and the defense is difficult to evaluate outside of Yazan Al-Arab. Ihsan Haddad is a respected figure for his performances with domestic club Al-Faisaly, but he has not consistently shown that he can organize the back line against higher-level attacking talent.