If you’re based in the UK this summer it won’t be as straightforward as you’d like to watch the games. With kick off times ranging from 5pm through till 4am you may need to cherry pick your live matches for this tournament. With that in mind I’ve curated which teams are worth an early alarm and a tired day at work.

I must admit, it would be easy to pick the obvious choices. But the World Cup is about so much more than that! Each team comes with it’s own styles, approaches, culture and superstars.

Norway

A team with a point to prove and a skillset to do it. Norway arrive on the global stage for the first time in nearly three decades, a timeframe that shapes a nations expectations and intrigue around their return. Their last appearance came in 1998, a time vastly different in football terms to now and a squad filled with players with no memory of that tournament.

That squad elevates this story from simply a returning nation to, ‘are they dark horses?’ Erling Haaland has established himself as one of the best strikers in world football and is already highly decorated and influential even at the age of 25. Haaland is decisive on and off the pitch and offers this team a constant goal threat. Martin Ødegaard offers a level of control and creativity that gives Norway structure, he can receive the ball comfortably from his defenders and transfer the ball up the pitch whilst also offering a killer pass the previously mentioned Haaland.

Around them, however, is where the story becomes more interesting. The emergence of players shaped by the rise of clubs such as Bodø Glimt has added depth and identity to the squad, it also shows the strength and development of the Norwegian Eliteserien. If you’re not interested in taking Norway seriously, have a look at Italy. In qualifying Norway beat Italy twice to send the European giants into the play offs. Shortly after, Bodo beat Inter Milan home and away to knock them out of the Champions League. A show of intent and power from Norway that can’t be overlooked.

Norway’s group stage fixtures (Time-BST):

• Iraq v Norway - June 16 - 23:00pm

• Norway v Senegal - June 23 - 01:00am

• Norway v France - June 26 - 20:00pm

Senegal

I’d like to divert our attention back to group I and talk about the true dark horses of this competition. Having reached and won the final of AFCON, only for the title to be technically stripped from them and given to Morocco, Senegal have stumbled upon a situation where they have major competition winning history and a fire inside them to prove themselves true champions.

It’s been well covered how Senegal walked off the pitch at the end of the AFCON final when disputing a penalty decision. This was a strange and ultimately dark day for African football. 5 months later and Senegal have a good opportunity to put that behind them and make a statement for African football on the World stage.

If you look at their group, many would consider this the toughest group in the tournament, with already spoken about Norway and European giants France making up a group that also includes a tricky and much improved Iraq team. Contrary to most peoples opinion, a tough group stage can often catapult teams to a strong tournament. A positive result against France and Norway will give the Senegal team all the confidence they need to show the world the African football can finally have it’s first World champion.

Sadio Mane, Iliman Ndiaye, Ismaila Sarr, Nicholas Jackson, Gana Gueye, Pape Gueye, Kalidou Koulibaly. These are just some of the household names in this powerful, balanced squad. They have intensity, pace and skill coupled with a defensive resilience, plus they know how to handle playing high level football in a hot climate. Keep your eye on group I.

Senegal’s group stage fixtures (Time-BST):

• France v Senegal - June 16 - 20:00pm

• Norway v Senegal - June 23 - 01:00am

• Senegal v Iraq - June 26 - 20:00pm

Portugal

There’s a fascination around Portugal at the moment. A team that has had such a identity over the past fifteen years as the Cristiano Ronaldo team is now faced with a crossroad. There’s no doubting the influence Ronaldo has had on the whole of world football, his goalscoring over his career is a phenomenon, his skill, determination and relentless pursuit to be the best has created more than just a footballer but an icon, a symbol to so many around the world. However, with each passing year that Ronaldo plays, the elephant in the room keeps getting bigger. When do Portugal put aside their hero for the good of the team.

Ronaldo won’t go quietly, his legacy is so engrained into people’s mind that they can’t accept his inevitable drop off in ability and it’s clear that the more he plays in a league that not many in the western world watch the more people are hidden from that reality. Okay, so you may say, he’s scored twenty five goals again this season, for his age this is still really impressive and not many others will be able to repeat that feat. Yet the World Cup doesn’t take any prisoners and will not sit back and allow Ronaldo the luxury he’s allowed in Saudi Arabia. To put this into perspective Julián Quiñones has four more goals this season that Ronaldo, a twenty eight year old striker who won’t be called up to the Colombian national team. Ivan Toney has five more goals than Ronaldo this season. How many of you would put him in your England squad this summer?

This point is further emphasised when you look at the options Portugal have for this summer. WOW.

The talent on offer to Roberto Martinez is exceptional, he has to find a structure to get the best out of them and find a way to incorporate potentially the best four midfielders in world football at this current time: Vitinha, João Neves, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva. Of course, balance is key and having a bigger squad is important in this extended World Cup, it’s easy to visualise this Portugal team having the fluidity, technical ability and excitement that emulates the current Paris Saint Germain team.. plus it helps having the heartbeat of that team in your line up in Vitinha and Neves.

As is always the case with Portugal, the team get swept up the noise and circus that follows Cristiano Ronaldo. Does he have one last swan song in him or can Portugal break free from those golden shackles?

Portugal’s group stage fixtures (Time-BST):

• Portugal v Congo DR - June 17 - 18:00pm

• Portugal v Uzbekistan - June 23 - 18:00pm

• Colombia v Portugal - June 28 - 00:30am

USA

Okay, this could be considered an obvious choice. But, it’s hard to overlook the host nations. This World Cup is unique in that three countries are hosting the tournament. The World Cup has only ever had the hosting shared once in 2002 in which Japan and South Korea co-hosted the competition. This will be the first time three nations have done so.

The USA is the largest of those three countries and will host the most amount of games including the final which is being held in New Jersey at MetLife Stadium.

Home advantage has always played a factor in how well teams compete, the most recent example is Russia in 2018 reaching the quarter finals, only to be knocked out on penalties to Croatia and beating Spain along the way.

Football or Soccer has been a rising sport in America over the past 10-15 years with participation increasing considerably. This has had a further boost with the investment from David Beckham to create Inter Miami and the move to bring Lionel Messi into the MLS.

So, how well can this crop of players do?

Firstly, they have brought in a coach of real substance in Mauricio Pochettino. His level of coaching, leadership and all round presence gives them a good starting point. The team itself isn’t in the best form coming into the tournament losing the CONCACAF Gold Cup final to fellow hosts Mexico last year, plus the two most recent friendlies finished quite sobering with Belgium and Portugal winning comfortably against the USMNT.

Let’s sprinkle some hope for USA. Cristian Pulisic is widely regarded as one of the top performing attackers at AC Milan scoring eight goals this season. Weston Mckennie had a fantastic individual champions league campaign with Juventus scoring four goals and they do have a litter of players playing in Europe’s top five leagues including striker Folarin Balogun who has thirteen goals this season with Monaco.

If Pochettino can get the balance in the squad and a nation behind them, who knows.

USA’s group stage fixtures (Time-BST):

• USA v Paraguay - June 13 - 02:00am

• USA v Australia - June 19 - 20:00pm

• Türkiye v USA - June 26 - 03:00am

Ecuador

There’s mixed views on how difficult CONMEBOL qualifying is with six teams out of ten automatically making it through to the World Cup with another one entering into a play off. Italy for example failed to qualify this summer having only lost two games (both to Norway), yet Brazil have comfortably made the tournament despite losing six games.

Having said that to finish second behind only Argentina is no mean feet. In qualifying Ecuador recorded victories over Argentina, Colombia and draws in both games with Brazil. This is where it becomes impressive…

Ecuador only conceded five goals in the eighteen games played, that’s half the amount of Argentina. Okay, Ecuador didn’t score many goals either so if you’re tuning in I wouldn’t expect thrilling goal mouth action.

However, let me sell it to you. The World Cup is all about contrasting styles meeting and with ‘La Tri’ facing teams from Europe, Africa and Concacaf it will be fascinating to see if they can keep the door closed against those from around the world.

The squad at their disposal included Chelsea midfielder Moisés Caicedo, Arsenal defender Piero Hincapié and Paris Saint Germain centre back Willian Pacho. They play with an aggression that is organised and purposeful, pressing high, closing space quickly, and looking to transition forward with speed.

Ecuador’s group stage fixtures (Time-BST):

• Ivory Coast v Ecuador - June 15- 00:00am

• Ecuador v Curaçao - June 21 - 01:00am

• Ecuador v Germany - June 25 - 21:00pm