Welcome to The Athletic’s 2026 World Cup tactical group guides, walking you through the key battles on the pitch, the players to look out for, and the fun facts to impress your friends ahead of the tournament.In this article, we will break down Group J, containing Argentina, Algeria, Austria and Jordan.Argentina are the standout favourites to top the group, with the holders ranked by FIFA as the third-best team in the world — comfortably higher than Austria (23rd), Algeria (29th) and debutants Jordan (63rd).Jordan are not the only inexperienced nation in this tournament, with Austria qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in 28 years under the guidance of Ralf Rangnick. Meanwhile, Algeria might be the most ‘tournament-ready’ after their recent Africa Cup of Nations campaign in January, when they reached the quarter-finals.So, can Jordan provide a shock? Will Austria’s ‘club approach’ prevail? Might Argentina actually look better without Lionel Messi?Can Argentina become the first country since Brazil in 1962 to retain the World Cup? (Daniel Jayo/Getty Images)The gamesMatchday one
Tuesday, June 16: Argentina vs Algeria (9pm ET, 6pm PT, 2am BST+1) — Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
