FIFA 2026 | Germany most likey to end up as group toppers but coach Nagelsmann not liking it

Germany have sealed top spot in Group E and are bound for the last 32 of the FIFA World Cup 2026, but coach Julian Nagelsmann is not entirely pleased with the situation. The four-time world champions, who thrashed debutants Curacao 7-1 before coming from behind to beat Ivory Coast 2-1, will only know their round-of-32 opponents less than 48 hours before their first game in Foxborough on June 29. Under the expanded 48-team format - the first of its kind in World Cup history - the eight group winners from the opening round must wait until late Saturday (Jun 27) to discover which of the eight best third-placed teams awaits them. Germany are among those eight group winners facing that uncertainty, and their final group game against Ecuador on Thursday (Jun 25) adds little clarity to their knockout preparation.

Germany coach isn't happy about topping Group

Nagelsmann made no secret of his frustration at a pre-match press conference in New Jersey, though he acknowledged the structural complexity behind the scheduling. "I think we are being punished as the group leader," the 38-year-old told reporters.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Live on Zee5 Photograph: (WION)

"But if you look at all the algorithms and how everything plays together, it's extremely complex and the more teams you have, the more complex it gets."

The Germany coach added that his staff have done what they can to prepare for multiple scenarios and said: "It's not ideal that we don't find out until (late Saturday) who we will play, but we are prepared, we worked out the opponents that are most likely."

"We are prepared well enough that we don't have to prepare for the match in such a hectic way on Sunday, because it will be our last training session where we can actually change something. There's a little time pressure there... (but) we are all still pretty young as coaches, and if we have to, then we'll work through the night."

Where to watch and live stream Belgium's FIFA World Cup 2026 matches?

Germany's group-stage and possible knockout matches in FIFA World Cup 2026 will be aired LIVE across WION's sister company Zee5 app and website. (link: https://www.zee5.com/)