Germany and the Ivory Coast both finished on 6 points to take the top two qualification spots. Germany opened with a dominant win over Curacao and also beat Ivory Coast, though they were beaten by Ecuador. Ivory Coast recovered from that loss with wins over Ecuador and Curacao to secure progression. Ecuador finished third on 4 points after beating Germany and drawing Curacao, but were eliminated on tiebreaks. Curacao finished bottom with 1 point from their draw with Ecuador.

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World Cup Group E Standings 

TeamPlayedWinsDrawsLossesGoal DifferencePoints
Germany3201+66
Ivory Coast321026
Ecuador311104
Curacao3012-81

World Cup Group E Schedule 

Group E will play out across World Cup venues in the United States and Canada, with most of the games going on in the US and one matchup in Canada. No Group E matchups are scheduled to take place in Mexico.

Matchday 1 

  • Sunday, June 14: Germany vs. Curacao – 1 p.m. ET (Houston, USA)  
  • Sunday, June 14: Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador – 7 p.m. ET (Philadelphia, USA) 

Matchday 2

  • Saturday, June 20: Germany vs. Ivory Coast – 4 p.m. ET (Toronto, CA) 
  • Saturday, June 20: Ecuador vs. Curacao – 8 p.m. ET (Kansas City, USA) 

Matchday 3 

  • Thursday, June 25: Ivory Coast vs. Curacao – 3 p.m. ET (Philadelphia, USA) 
  • Thursday, June 25: Germany vs. Ecuador – 3 p.m. ET (New York/New Jersey, USA) 

The final group matches are usually decisive, with qualification and elimination scenarios playing out simultaneously. 

Key Matches to Watch 

  • Germany vs. Ecuador: Likely the most important match in determining the group winner
  • Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador: Could decide second place and qualification
  • Germany vs. Ivory Coast: A matchup that could shift momentum in the group

World Cup Group E Players to Watch 

  • Jamal Musiala (Germany): The Bayern Munich (Bundesliga) midfielder is one of the most creative young players in world football and a key attacking presence
  • Moisés Caicedo (Ecuador): The Chelsea (Premier League) midfielder anchors the midfield and contributes both defensively and going forward
  • Sébastien Haller (Ivory Coast): The Borussia Dortmund (Bundesliga) forward provides a physical presence and goal-scoring ability
  • Leandro Bacuna (Curaçao): The Watford (EFL Championship) midfielder is an experienced leader and key contributor

Group E Team Profiles 

Below is a closer look at each team in Group E, including how they qualified, key players, and their World Cup history.

Germany

Germany remains one of the most successful nations in World Cup history and enters the tournament with expectations of competing deep into the knockout rounds. Despite some recent inconsistency, the squad is filled with high-level talent and tournament experience.

Germany’s ability to control possession and create chances makes it a constant threat in group play.

  • Federation: UEFA
  • Key players: Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Joshua Kimmich
  • World Cup history: Four-time champions (most recently in 2014)

Ecuador

Ecuador continues to develop into a competitive international side, combining youth with athleticism and strong defensive organization. The team has shown it can compete with top South American nations.

They will look to stay compact and capitalize on transition opportunities.

  • Federation: CONMEBOL
  • Key players: Moisés Caicedo, Piero Hincapié, Enner Valencia
  • World Cup history: Second straight World Cup, best finish 2016 (Round of 16)

Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast brings a mix of physical strength and technical ability, often relying on its attacking players to create chances. The team has a history of producing talented individuals who can influence matches. They will aim to stay competitive in what could be a tightly contested group.

  • Federation: CAF
  • Key players: Sébastien Haller, Nicolas Pépé, Franck Kessié
  • World Cup history: First appearance since 2014

Curacao

Curaçao enters the tournament as one of the lesser-known teams but has made steady progress in recent years. The squad features players with experience in European leagues and a growing presence on the international stage. They will aim to stay organized and take advantage of opportunities against stronger opponents.

  • Federation: CONCACAF
  • Key players: Leandro Bacuna, Cuco Martina, Rangelo Janga
  • World Cup history: First appearance

World Cup Group E Best Bet

Here’s our favorite of the many World Cup Group E predictions to choose from:

Germany To Win Group E ()

This is one not to overthink. The value isn’t there, and you can add on a second-place team to improve it by choosing between the Ivory Coast and Ecuador, but we’re sticking to simplicity because Germany should win this group rather handily. We estimate the toughest competition being Ecuador, which they play last, so they’ll know what needs to be done ahead of time. There is a high likelihood of Germany needing any result to top the group.

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World Cup Group E betting FAQs

Which teams can qualify from Group E? 

The top two teams automatically advance, with a possible third-place qualification depending on results across all groups.