Before the 2026 World Cup gets underway, Group E is an interesting group of four teams, with Germany being the obvious favorite to win. Ecuador, the Ivory Coast, and Curacao are the other three teams looking to make noise alongside Germany in the group.
Before and during the 2026 World Cup group stage, you can make real-money predictions on countries to win their group or advance to the knockout stage on PrizePicks.
To set the stage for the World Cup Group Stage, we’ll break down all four teams in Group E for the World Cup and highlight which teams have the best shot to win the group and advance.
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2026 World Cup Group E Teams & Favorites to Win
Here are the teams in Group E of the 2026 World Cup, in order of highest implied chance to win the group.
- Germany
- Ecuador
- Ivory Coast
- Curacao
The top two teams from every group and the top eight third-place teams across all groups will advance in the World Cup knockout stage.
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2026 World Cup Group E Winner Payouts, Favorites
Here are the payouts for each team to win Group E, per PrizePicks Team Picks. Germany is a massive favorite to win the group, while Ecuador, the Ivory Coast, and Curacao are expected to vie for the other spots.
The payouts below indicate real-money earnings if a prediction is correct on PrizePicks; for example, a 2x on a $100 entry would pay out $200 on PrizePicks Team Picks.
The lower the payout multiplier, the higher the chance of the outcome occurring, according to user picks. Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
Germany to Win Group E: Yes 1.4x | No 2.77x
Ecuador to Win Group E: Yes 4x | No 1.21x
Ivory Coast to Win Group E: Yes 7.14x | No 1.07x
Curacao to Win Group E: Yes 33.33x | No N/A
2026 World Cup Group E to Qualify Payouts
Here are the payouts for each team to advance to the knockout stage in Group E.
Once again, Germany is considered a big-time favorite to advance, followed by Ecuador, the Ivory Coast, and Curacao.
Germany to Quality from Group E: Yes 1.01x | No 14.28x
Ecuador to Quality from Group E: Yes 1.08x | No 5.55x
Ivory Coast to Quality from Group E: Yes 1.17x | No 3.57x
Curacao to Quality from Group E: Yes 7.69x | No 1.05x
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2026 World Cup Group E Winner Prediction: Germany
Germany to win Group E: Yes 1.4x | No 2.77x
Germany to Win 2026 World Cup: Yes 11.11x | No 1.02x
It’s no surprise to see Germany as the clear favorite to win Group E, as they possess the seventh-shortest payout (11.11x) to win the 2026 World Cup, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
In the World Cup qualification stage, Germany won their final five matches, and they’ve won their last two friendlies in March. Germany has a great blend of experience and young talent on their roster, featuring the likes of 40-year-old GK Manuel Neuer, 33-year-old DF Antonio Rudiger, 31-year-old MF Joshua Kimmich, 23-year-old MF Jamal Musiala, and 24-year-old F Nick Woltemade.
Although manager Julian Nagelsmann is making his World Cup debut and Germany has surprisingly failed to make it beyond the group stage in back-to-back World Cups, they’re positioned well for a deep run in this year’s tournament.
Ecuador – World Cup Group E Prediction, Preview
To Win Group E: Yes 4x | No 1.21x
To Qualify for Knockout Stage: Yes 1.08x | No 5.55x
Ecuador has been eliminated in the group stage in each of their last two World Cup appearances (2014, 2022), but outside of Germany, there isn’t full confidence in the other teams to advance.
To earn qualification for the 2026 World Cup, Ecuador placed second (only behind Argentina) in the CONMEBOL standings with an 8-8-2 record. Ecuador played stifling defense, allowing just 5 goals across their 18 qualification matches, the fewest of any team in CONMEBOL qualification.
The fact that Ecuador deploys a formidable defense shouldn’t come as a shock, with Premier League standout MF Moises Caicedo and PSG DF Willian Pacho strengthening the midfield and back line. Ecuador is an enticing team to watch in group play.
Ivory Coast – World Cup Group E Prediction, Preview
To Win Group E: Yes 7.14x | No 1.07x
To Qualify for Knockout Stage: Yes 1.17x | No 3.57x
This will be the Ivory Coast’s first World Cup appearance since 2014, and they’ve never managed to advance beyond the group stage in their three World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014).
Even though the Ivory Coast outscored their opponents 25-0 during qualification via the CAF (Confederation of African Football), they’ll face stiffer competition in the World Cup.
That being said, the Ivory Coast is led by F Amad Diallo from Man United, and all it takes is one positive result in the group stage to give any team a chance of earning a spot in the knockout round. As a reminder, the top eight third-place teams across all groups will advance.
Curacao – World Cup Group E Prediction, Preview
To Win Group E: Yes 33.33x | No N/A
To Qualify for Knockout Stage: Yes 7.69x | No 1.05x
FIFA World Rankings aren’t going to determine what happens on the pitch once the World Cup begins, but it’s worth noting that Curacao is the worst team in the rankings in Group E by a wide margin. Curacao is sitting at 82nd in the World Rankings, while the other three teams in the group are no worse than 34th.
Not only is this Curacao’s first World Cup appearance, but they have also become the smallest nation to ever qualify for the tournament. With that in mind, there will certainly be a rooting interest from those who love to back massive underdogs.
Generating support from the masses likely won’t be enough for Curacao to overcome their lack of experience and talent in uncharted waters.
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Pick The World Cup Group E Winner on PrizePicks
Germany has their sights on dominating in Group E and bouncing back from disappointing results in recent World Cups. Can Ecuador, the Ivory Coast, or Curacao surprise many in the 2026 World Cup?
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Stick around with the Playbook for continued World Cup predictions, picks, and analysis through the end of the tournament.
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