PREMIER LEAGUE 26/27
34DAYS TO KICK-OFF
One final left. The new season is already called — all 380 matches, the final table, the fantasy edge.
25 GROUP MATCHES WITH UPSET POTENTIAL ≥ 35%
10 TOP UPSETSMODEL-DRIVENGROUP STAGE

Where the underdogs have a real shot

Every group-stage fixture where our model gives the underdog a combined win-or-draw probability of 35% or higher. These are the matches the favourites should be uncomfortable about — where a result on the day could rewrite a group's qualification path.

Ranked by upset potential, descending. Each row links to the full per-fixture prediction page with the model inputs and probability split.

TOP 10 · BIGGEST UPSET POTENTIAL

The ten group-stage matches that could swing

#1Brazil vs MoroccoGroup C · MD1 · Sat 13 Jun 22:00 UTC
UPSET POT. 50%

Morocco (FIFA #8) have a combined win-or-draw probability of 50% against Brazil (FIFA #6). The 2-place ranking gap is narrower than the typical favourite vs underdog spread; confederation difference (CONMEBOL vs CAF) is a small factor. The model gives moderate confidence to the favourite — a single tactical surprise could flip this.

What would need to happen: Morocco need to absorb first-half pressure and sustain attacking transitions; Brazil can drop off after taking an early lead.

Brazil50%
Draw 23%
27%Morocco
#2Switzerland vs CanadaGroup B · MD3 · Wed 24 Jun 19:00 UTC
UPSET POT. 50%

Canada (FIFA #30) have a combined win-or-draw probability of 50% against Switzerland (FIFA #19). The 11-place ranking gap is narrower than the typical favourite vs underdog spread; confederation difference (UEFA vs CONCACAF) is a small factor. The model gives moderate confidence to the favourite — a single tactical surprise could flip this.

What would need to happen: Canada need to absorb first-half pressure and sustain attacking transitions; Switzerland can drop off after taking an early lead.

Switzerland50%
Draw 23%
27%Canada
#3Bosnia & Herzegovina vs QatarGroup B · MD3 · Wed 24 Jun 19:00 UTC
UPSET POT. 50%

Bosnia & Herzegovina (FIFA #65) have a combined win-or-draw probability of 50% against Qatar (FIFA #55). The 10-place ranking gap is narrower than the typical favourite vs underdog spread; confederation difference (AFC vs UEFA) is a small factor. The model gives moderate confidence to the favourite — a single tactical surprise could flip this.

What would need to happen: Bosnia & Herzegovina need to translate their home support into early-press pressure; Qatar are road-vulnerable when chasing a game.

Bosnia & Herzegovina27%
Draw 23%
50%Qatar
#4Paraguay vs AustraliaGroup D · MD3 · Fri 26 Jun 02:00 UTC
UPSET POT. 50%

Paraguay (FIFA #40) have a combined win-or-draw probability of 50% against Australia (FIFA #27). The 13-place ranking gap is narrower than the typical favourite vs underdog spread; confederation difference (AFC vs CONMEBOL) is a small factor. The model gives moderate confidence to the favourite — a single tactical surprise could flip this.

What would need to happen: Paraguay need to translate their home support into early-press pressure; Australia are road-vulnerable when chasing a game.

Paraguay26%
Draw 24%
50%Australia
#5Cape Verde vs Saudi ArabiaGroup H · MD3 · Sat 27 Jun 00:00 UTC
UPSET POT. 50%

Cape Verde (FIFA #69) have a combined win-or-draw probability of 50% against Saudi Arabia (FIFA #61). The 8-place ranking gap is narrower than the typical favourite vs underdog spread; confederation difference (AFC vs CAF) is a small factor. The model gives moderate confidence to the favourite — a single tactical surprise could flip this.

What would need to happen: Cape Verde need to translate their home support into early-press pressure; Saudi Arabia are road-vulnerable when chasing a game.

Cape Verde26%
Draw 24%
50%Saudi Arabia
#6Egypt vs IranGroup G · MD3 · Sat 27 Jun 03:00 UTC
UPSET POT. 50%

Egypt (FIFA #28) have a combined win-or-draw probability of 50% against Iran (FIFA #21). The 7-place ranking gap is narrower than the typical favourite vs underdog spread; confederation difference (AFC vs CAF) is a small factor. The model gives moderate confidence to the favourite — a single tactical surprise could flip this.

What would need to happen: Egypt need to translate their home support into early-press pressure; Iran are road-vulnerable when chasing a game.

Egypt27%
Draw 23%
50%Iran
#7Colombia vs PortugalGroup K · MD3 · Sat 27 Jun 23:30 UTC
UPSET POT. 50%

Colombia (FIFA #13) have a combined win-or-draw probability of 50% against Portugal (FIFA #5). The 8-place ranking gap is narrower than the typical favourite vs underdog spread; confederation difference (UEFA vs CONMEBOL) is a small factor. The model gives moderate confidence to the favourite — a single tactical surprise could flip this.

What would need to happen: Colombia need to translate their home support into early-press pressure; Portugal are road-vulnerable when chasing a game.

Colombia26%
Draw 24%
50%Portugal
#8DR Congo vs UzbekistanGroup K · MD3 · Sat 27 Jun 23:30 UTC
UPSET POT. 50%

Uzbekistan (FIFA #50) have a combined win-or-draw probability of 50% against DR Congo (FIFA #46). The 4-place ranking gap is narrower than the typical favourite vs underdog spread; confederation difference (CAF vs AFC) is a small factor. The model gives moderate confidence to the favourite — a single tactical surprise could flip this.

What would need to happen: Uzbekistan need to absorb first-half pressure and sustain attacking transitions; DR Congo can drop off after taking an early lead.

DR Congo50%
Draw 23%
27%Uzbekistan
#9Algeria vs AustriaGroup J · MD3 · Sun 28 Jun 02:00 UTC
UPSET POT. 50%

Algeria (FIFA #29) have a combined win-or-draw probability of 50% against Austria (FIFA #24). The 5-place ranking gap is narrower than the typical favourite vs underdog spread; confederation difference (UEFA vs CAF) is a small factor. The model gives moderate confidence to the favourite — a single tactical surprise could flip this.

What would need to happen: Algeria need to translate their home support into early-press pressure; Austria are road-vulnerable when chasing a game.

Algeria26%
Draw 24%
50%Austria
#10South Korea vs CzechiaGroup A · MD1 · Fri 12 Jun 02:00 UTC
UPSET POT. 49%

Czechia (FIFA #41) have a combined win-or-draw probability of 49% against South Korea (FIFA #25). The 16-place ranking gap is narrower than the typical favourite vs underdog spread; confederation difference (AFC vs UEFA) is a small factor. The model gives moderate confidence to the favourite — a single tactical surprise could flip this.

What would need to happen: Czechia need to absorb first-half pressure and sustain attacking transitions; South Korea can drop off after taking an early lead.

South Korea51%
Draw 24%
25%Czechia
ALSO WORTH WATCHING · 15 MORE

Other live fixtures (upset potential ≥ 35%)

HOW WE DEFINE AN UPSET

An "upset-potential" figure is the underdog's combined win-or-draw probability. 35% means: even though they're not the favourite, the underdog has a better than one-in-three chance of not losing — a meaningfully live result.

Full model methodology →
All 72 predictions →Champion simulator →Tournament hub →
WC MATCHDAY BRIEF · ONE LIST, TWO SEASONS

Get the World Cup brief in your inbox — plus early FPL 2026/27 picks

Match-by-match predictions, captain picks for World Cup Fantasy, likely scorers, and the first FPL 2026/27 differentials to watch. Same engine that powers our Premier League tools, pointed at the world's biggest pre-season.

Weekly digest

Captain picks, transfer tips & differentials — every week.

One email per gameweek. Unsubscribe any time.

SAME ENGINE · POINTED AT FPL

Tracking the World Cup? Use the same engine for FPL 2026/27.

v5 depth-2 GBT stacker · 51k+ OOS predictions · MAE 0.86. Captain picks, MILP squad optimiser, AI Coach, set-piece intel — the production Premier League tools.