Greece at the World Cup: Can They Hold Off Denmark and Scotland in Group C?

The 2026 World Cup qualifiers are well underway, and several favorites and dark horses have already emerged after the first couple of fixtures of competitive play. 

The Greek national football team, led by head coach Ivan Jovanovic, was considered one to watch in Group C, where they face off against Denmark, Scotland, and Belarus. 

While Greece opened the group with a convincing 5-1 win against Belarus, the second fixture ended with a 0-3 home loss to Denmark.

With three clear favorites competing for one direct qualification and one playoff spot, each match result will have major implications for Greece’s ambitions to play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament proper. 

With 6 fixtures still left in the challenging Group C, can Greece rise above Scotland and Denmark and make it to North America in 2026?

How the Loss to Denmark Complicates Things

After a positive start to the group stage with a 5-1 thrashing of Belarus, Greece underwhelmed against Denmark, losing 0-3 in front of the home crowd. This loss has greatly complicated things for Greece, as Denmark and Scotland are the two direct competitors in Group C. Thus, collecting points against direct competitors is the key to beating the group stage and advancing to the tournament proper.

As things stand, Greece is third in the group with 3 points in two games, 5 goals scored, and 4 conceded. While the second fixture against Belarus is likely to be a planned 3 points for Greece, that is also the case for Scotland and Denmark, which further highlights the importance of winning against these two opponents. 

Apart from the 0-3 loss, the quality of play left a lot to be desired. Lack of focus in defence, coupled with a toothless attack, left Greece chasing limited opportunities against a Denmark that looks primed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

For Greece, dropping more points against Scotland and Denmark could very well leave the team in third place by the end of the group stage. 

Betting on Greece and What the Odds Tell Us

When looking through Greek betting sites, the odds for the national team topping Group C have risen to 3.50, Scotland’s odds stand at 3.25, while Denmark are the clear favorites with 1.90.

It is worth noting that bookmakers favored Denmark to top the group even before the first fixtures had been played, which creates lucrative opportunities for die-hard Greek fans to wager on their national team to turn things around and achieve direct qualification to the 2026 World Cup. 

Belarus as the Clear Outsiders of Group C

According to fans, punters, and analysts alike, Group C of the European qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is a three-horse race, which is driven by the fact that the Belarus national team is considerably weaker this time around than Greece, Denmark, and Scotland.

This creates an intriguing dynamic in the group. Since all three are favorites to beat Belarus both home and away, every single point (if any) Belarus manages to collect could decide the fate of which teams ultimately qualify. 

For this reason, Belarus even playing a draw with either Scotland or Denmark could be a major tailwind for Greece’s World Cup aspirations. 

Greek Players to Keep an Eye On

While the plight of other teams can and will affect the chances of Greece qualifying for the World Cup, it is important to focus on the capabilities of the Greek team and where the core strengths and weaknesses may lie.

Looking through the squad, Odisseas Vlachodimos is one of the first weak points that jumps out. While a skilled goalkeeper throughout his career, persistent injuries and lack of playing time over the past two seasons have meant that Vlachodimos has yet to play a match for the national team in 2025. Lack of match fitness for the first-team goalkeeper can be a major issue for Greece.

On the other hand, the attack is looking much stronger, with Vangelis Pavlidis, Christos Tzolis, and Fotis Ioannidis leading the charge. Pavlidis enjoyed a fruitful individual season with Benfica, scoring 30 goals in all competitions for the Portuguese side, including a stunning hat-trick against FC Barcelona. Also in Portugal, Ioannidis has only recently made his move to Sporting CP from Panathinaikos and is the one to watch as the Portuguese Primeira Liga season progresses. 

Christos Tzolis has been instrumental in Club Brugge’s attack and has been prolific in front of goal for the national team as well. 

Direct Qualification VS Playoffs

Even if Greece fails to win Group C, second place allows the team to participate in the playoffs alongside runner-ups from other groups in the UEFA qualifying stage. While the opponents are unlikely to give them a cake walk, anything can happen in an elimination game.

Because most favorites to win each group are performing relatively well, the odds of Greece receiving a fair shot at qualifying through the playoffs are decent. However, the focus of the team will be firmly on topping the group and clinching direct qualification.