The 2026 World Cup group stage is divided into 12 groups of four teams each.
Here are key facts about Group E.
Group E
Germany (GER)
Nicknames(s): Die Mannschaft (The Team)
FIFA World Ranking: 10th
Appearances: 21 (1934, 1938, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026)
Active Consecutive Appearances: 19 (1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026)
Best Finish: champions (four times: 1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)
Record (W-D-L): 68-21-23
Top Scorer: Miroslav Klose, 16 (most in WC history)
Top Scorer in Single Tournament: Gerd Müller, 10 (1970)
Oldest Scorer: Miroslav Klose, 36 years, 29 days (2014 vs. Brazil)
Youngest Scorer: Edmund Conen, 19 years, 198 days (1934, hat trick vs. Belgium)
Fact: Germany became the first men's team to advance to the semifinals in four straight World Cups (2002-2014) before failing to advance past the group stage in the last two tournaments.
Curaçao (CUW)
Nicknames(s): The Blue Wave
FIFA World Ranking: 82nd
Active Consecutive Appearances: Making debut at 2026 WC
Fact: The smallest nation by both population (156,000) and area (171 square miles) to ever qualify for the World Cup.
Ivory Coast (CIV)
Nicknames(s): Les Éléphants (The Elephants)
FIFA World Ranking: 34th
Appearances: four (2006, 2010, 2014, 2026)
Active Consecutive Appearances: 1 (2026)
Best Finish: group stage
Record (W-D-L): 3-1-5
Top Scorer: Aruna Dindane, Didier Drogba, Wilfried Bony, Gervinho, all with two
Top Scorer in Single Tournament: Aruna Dindane (2006), Wilfried Bony (2014), Gervinho (2014), all with two
Oldest Scorer: Didier Drogba, 32 years, 101 days (2010 vs. Brazil)
Youngest Scorer: Bakary Kone, 24 years, 272 days (2006 vs. Netherlands)
Fact: Won the Africa Cup of Nations three times (1992, 2015, 2023) and were runners-up two times (2006, 2012).
Ecuador (ECU)
Nicknames(s): La Tri (The Three)
FIFA World Ranking: 23rd
Appearances: five (2002, 2006, 2014, 2022, 2026)
Active Consecutive Appearances: two (2026, 2022)
Best Finish: round of 16 (2006)
Record (W-D-L): 5-2-6
Top Scorer: Enner Valencia, six
Top Scorer in Single Tournament: Enner Valencia (2014, 2022), three goals
Oldest Scorer: Valencia, 33 years, 21 days (2022 vs. Netherlands)
Youngest Scorer: Moisés Caicedo, 21 years, 27 days (2022 vs. Senegal)
Fact: Valencia scored six straight goals for Ecuador at the World Cup from 2014-2022. He is one of three players to score six straight goals for their country at the World Cup (Eusebio for Portugal in 1966, Paolo Rossi for Italy in 1982, and Oleg Salenko for Russia in 1994).
For more World Cup content, check out the ESPN World Cup hub page for news, stats, scores and more.
