Despite their talent and the forgiving format, some established nations are on the brink of going out.
The 2026 World Cup group stage is heading towards a close and some big nations are looking anxiously at the permutations.
Former winners and perennial dark horses are calculating what they need to get through into the knockouts.
We’ve ranked five of the most surprising names who are in danger of an early exit, despite their talent and the forgiving format.
