The World Cup is already underway, and the shock results have already begun to flow. In Group B, Bosnia and Herzegovina managed to hold co-hosts Canada to a draw, while lowly Qatar — whipping boys when hosting four years ago — stole a 94th-minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw against much-fancied Switzerland. Contenders Brazil were also held to a draw by Morocco in their respective opener, while potential dark horse Turkiye was stunned 2-0 by a clinical Australia side.
Those shocking results have already shifted the early betting charts. The latest sports betting at Thunderpick odds have seen Brazil’s position in the charts fall, while Turkiye is now considered an outsider to progress from Group D, despite being thought of as the favorites to win their group before their opening game. But the shocks won’t stop here.
In Qatar four years ago, there was no end to the stunning results. Saudi Arabia upset eventual champions Argentina in their respective opener, while Japan beat both Spain and Germany to shockingly top Group E. But which teams should we be watching this summer; who can potentially spring an upset? These three won’t win the tournament, but they may very well defeat one of the big boys at some point.
New Zealand
New Zealand’s first and last appearance at the World Cup came back in 2010, and believe it or not, the All Whites were the only team that year not to suffer a single defeat. Back in South Africa, they drew all three of their group games against Italy, Slovakia, and Paraguay, missing out on a spot in the last 16 by just one point. Fast forward to now, and New Zealand is strangely armed with a legion of Latin American fans idolizing cult hero Tim Payne, and that newfound mass of support could propel them to pick up a shock result.
They have been drawn into a relatively kind Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and Iran, and the All Whites won’t fear any of them. The Belgians aren’t the force they once were, while the Pharaohs didn’t leave much of an impression on the recent AFCON competition back in January. Iran, meanwhile, has never progressed out of the group stage at a World Cup, and New Zealand will be confident that they can upset at least one of those three, if not more.
With Chris Wood leading the line, New Zealanders will be thinking that anything is possible. He hit 20 Premier League goals for Nottingham Forest throughout the 2024/25 season, and while last term was injury-riddled, he has returned to full fitness in time for the World Cup. With former Bayern Munich youngster Sarpreet Singh feeding him the ball at any given opportunity, don’t be surprised to see Wood net some important goals as his side looks to somehow make its way into the round of 32.
Tunisia
This summer marks the seventh time Tunisia has qualified for the World Cup. They haven’t made it out of the group stage in any of their previous six visits. In fact, they have only won three times in 18 World Cup fixtures, but they, too, have been drawn into a somewhat kind group, a group that provides them with plenty of opportunities.
The Netherlands are without a doubt the biggest name in Group F, but they have just been on the receiving end of a shock 1-0 defeat to Algeria in their last warm-up friendly before the tournament. Should there be any kind of hangover from that defeat, the Eagles of Carthage could take full advantage.
Japan and Sweden are the other two teams in the quartet. The Blue Samurai are without their star player in the form of the injured Kaoru Mitoma, while the Swedes didn’t win a single one of their six qualifying fixtures before ultimately progressing through the playoffs. Neither of those will strike fear into the Tunisians, and they will fancy their chances of springing a couple of upsets as they look to progress to the knockout round for the first time.
Burnley attacking midfielder Hannibal is the man tasked with creating opportunities, while captain Ellyes Skhiri will provide plenty of steel in midfield. If those two perform at their best, each of their three group stage opponents could be in danger of slipping on a potential Tunisia-shaped banana skin.
Canada
Canada has already begun their campaign, drawing 1-1 against Bosnia and Herzegovina. And while they will be somewhat disappointed to have only emerged with a point, they will take plenty of positives from just how dominant they were for long periods against the European outfit.
Juventus striker Jinthan David is as lethal as anybody when he’s in top form, while Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies is arguably the best left back in world football. But the biggest reason why the Maple Leafs could turn heads is that the biggest name in their group, Switzerland, labored to a 1-1 draw with Qatar, opening the door for Canada to surprisingly top Group B.
If they do that, a plethora of possibilities exist in the later stages. They will enjoy a Round of 32 clash against one of the best-placed third-place teams, providing them with the perfect opportunity to reach the Round of 16 and perhaps beyond. Should Canada be able to turn their possession dominance into goals, don’t rule them out from mounting a deep run as the World Cup progresses.
