Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador. Germany are the clear favourites, but Ecuador's defence, the Ivory Coast's athleticism and debutants Curacao's fearlessness make the second slot a real scrap.
Key stats of each team
Below are numbers from each team's recent matches, computed from the ScanGoal database. Each card ends with auto-insights — what stands out in the data.
Germany last 12 months · 12 matches| Goals for/game | 3.1 |
| Goals against/game | 0.8 |
| xG for/game | 2.7 |
| xG against/game | 0.5 |
| Over 2.5 goals | 75% |
| Both teams score | 50% |
| Corners/game | 6.8 |
| Yellow cards/game | 0.9 |
| Shots on target/game | 7.0 |
- a high-scoring side: over 2.5 goals in 75% of games
- a tight defence — just 0.8 conceded per game
- a strong attack — 3.1 goals per game
- works the flanks — 6.8 corners per game
- disciplined — only 0.9 yellows per game
- creates real chances: 2.7 xG per game
- out-finishing their xG
Curacao last 12 months · 12 matches| Goals for/game | 1.8 |
| Goals against/game | 1.8 |
| xG for/game | 1.0 |
| xG against/game | 1.6 |
| Over 2.5 goals | 58% |
| Both teams score | 50% |
| Corners/game | 3.3 |
| Yellow cards/game | 1.6 |
| Shots on target/game | 5.1 |
- a high-scoring side: over 2.5 goals in 58% of games
- few corners — 3.3 per game
- out-finishing their xG
Ivory Coast last 12 months · 16 matches| Goals for/game | 1.9 |
| Goals against/game | 0.6 |
| xG for/game | 1.2 |
| xG against/game | 0.8 |
| Over 2.5 goals | 50% |
| Both teams score | 31% |
| Corners/game | 5.6 |
| Yellow cards/game | 1.1 |
| Shots on target/game | 4.9 |
- a tight defence — just 0.6 conceded per game
- often one-sided for goals: both teams score in just 31%
- disciplined — only 1.1 yellows per game
- out-finishing their xG
Ecuador last 12 months · 12 matches| Goals for/game | 1.0 |
| Goals against/game | 0.5 |
| xG for/game | 1.9 |
| xG against/game | 0.6 |
| Over 2.5 goals | 17% |
| Both teams score | 42% |
| Corners/game | 4.6 |
| Yellow cards/game | 1.9 |
| Shots on target/game | 4.1 |
- tilts under: under 2.5 goals in 83% of games
- a tight defence — just 0.5 conceded per game
- blunt in attack — only 1.0 goals per game
- creates real chances: 1.9 xG per game
- under-finishing their xG
Form going in
Germany — recent form WWWWWW| 20.06.26 | Germany2:1xG 1.8 : 1.2Ivory Coast | World Cup 2026 |
| 14.06.26 | Germany7:1xG 3.9 : 0.4Curacao | World Cup 2026 |
| 06.06.26 | USA1:2xG 1.0 : 1.4Germany | Friendlies |
| 31.05.26 | Germany4:0xG 3.8 : 0.4Finland | Friendlies |
| 30.03.26 | Germany2:1xG 3.0 : 0.6Ghana | Friendlies |
| 27.03.26 | Switzerland3:4Germany | International Match |
Curacao — recent form LLWLD| 21.06.26 | Ecuador0:0xG 3.1 : 0.5Curacao | World Cup 2026 |
| 14.06.26 | Germany7:1xG 3.9 : 0.4Curacao | World Cup 2026 |
| 07.06.26 | Curacao4:0Aruba | International Match |
| 30.05.26 | Scotland4:1Curacao | International Match |
| 31.03.26 | Australia5:1xG 1.6 : 0.6Curacao | Friendlies |
Who goes through
Germany top the group barring disaster. Ecuador, one of the most miserly defences in qualifying, are best placed for second; the Ivory Coast, recent AFCON winners, are right behind and can pip them with one good result.
Dark horse & possible upset
Curacao are the story of the group — a tiny island nation at a World Cup. Realistically the upset to watch is Ivory Coast beating Ecuador to second; their ceiling is higher than their seeding.
Squads: call-ups & shocks
Germany welcome back 40-year-old Manuel Neuer as Julian Nagelsmann's first-choice keeper. Bayern teenager Lennart Karl and Maximilian Beier are the surprise inclusions, while the cuts are brutal: Marc-André ter Stegen, Serge Gnabry, Karim Adeyemi, Niclas Füllkrug and Robert Andrich all miss out — Füllkrug reportedly because his hold-up style doesn't fit Nagelsmann's faster, higher-tempo attack. Sources: Bundesliga, Yahoo Sports.
Betting angles
Ecuador's elite goals-against number screams unders and clean sheets. Germany fixtures point to overs and team-total overs. Two very different betting profiles in one group.
Remember: totals, corners and cards are markets where our national-team data is most useful. Cross-check live odds and our Value Picks of the day; the handicap mechanics are covered in our Asian handicap guide.
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