The origin of one of the strangest World Cup statistics

Every World Cup leaves behind stories, records, and curiosities that stand the test of time. But there is one little-known trend that has caught the attention of fans and analysts alike: since the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain, no team that started the tournament in Group F has gone on to lift the trophy.

Over more than four decades, some of the world's most prestigious national teams have passed through that group. Some arrived as favorites, others reached the latter stages of the competition, but none managed to complete the journey to world glory.

Great teams have tried to break the curse

Some of the biggest national teams in the world have competed in Group F. Sides such as England, Portugal, Croatia, Belgium, Mexico, Germany, and Morocco have all been part of the group in different editions of the tournament.

Several of them produced memorable campaigns. Croatia reached the final in 2018, while Morocco made history in 2022 by becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup semifinal.

However, none of them managed to win the championship.

Champions have always come from another group

Since 1982, every World Cup title has been won by teams that started the tournament in other groups.

What makes the statistic even more remarkable is that none of those champions began their World Cup journey in Group F. The trend has survived format changes, tournament expansions, and multiple generations of footballers.

Can the trend be broken at the 2026 World Cup?

With the 2026 World Cup approaching, the curiosity surrounding this statistic is growing once again. The tournament, hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will be the first to feature 48 teams, bringing significant changes to the format.

The question is inevitable: will Group F finally produce its first world champion, or will the streak continue to grow?