Before the start of the tournament, Group I presents a clear "top seed plus three chasers" structure. France leads the group at 2nd in the FIFA rankings, and while the overall picture is clear, the gap between second and fourth place is not significant, making the focus of the competition more about the battle for second than the top spot.
France has won four of its last five matches, defeating Northern Ireland, Colombia, Brazil, and Azerbaijan, with its only loss coming against Ivory Coast; they are the strongest in terms of both form and ranking. Senegal is ranked 18th by FIFA, with their last five matches resulting in a 0-0 draw, a 2-3 loss, a 3-1 win, a 2-0 win, and a 0-3 loss, showing clear inconsistency. Norway is ranked 31st, and in their last five matches, they recorded a 4-1 win over Italy, a 3-1 win over Sweden, and a 0-0 draw with Switzerland, showing significant attacking potential.
Iraq is the lowest-ranked team at 58th in the FIFA rankings. In their last five matches, they managed a 1-1 draw against Spain, but also suffered a 0-2 loss to Venezuela and a 0-1 loss to Jordan, lacking overall stability. Based on the data, Senegal is the team most likely to be a dark horse, but their direct clash with Norway will determine if that assessment holds true.
The key schedule is concentrated on two matches: France vs. Senegal on June 16 and Norway vs. Senegal on June 23; the France vs. Norway match on June 26 could also directly influence the outcome of the top spot. The variable that will determine the direction of Group I is whether Senegal can reduce their volatility in high-stakes matches.
