The 2026 World Cup is now less than a few weeks away, and it is gearing up to be the biggest ever with 48 teams, three host nations, and endless possibilities. The tournament will now feature 104 games taking place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In this new format, there are currently twelve groups of four teams, with the top two of each group moving on, as well as the top eight third-place teams. While many teams are extremely strong, personally, we believe the final four will be France, Argentina, England, and Spain.
The two-time consecutive finalists, France, are a runaway favorite for us this year. Just four years ago, France had a heartbreaking loss after a nearly solo comeback from the tournament’s golden boot winner, Kylian Mbappe. This year, a major advantage for this team is their attack, which is led by Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise, who have proven incredibly strong all season long.
Spain, the winners of the 2024 Euros, are another favorite of the tournament. Barcelona winger and one of Spain’s youngest talents, Lamine Yamal, scared many fans with a recent hamstring injury, but is expected to make a full recovery before the upcoming tournament. Spain has long been recognized for its technically refined midfield, a trait still visible today in players like Pedri and Rodri, an additional reason showing Spain will be entertaining to watch this year. If there is any team built to dominate possession from start to finish this year, Spain is the team.
England, a finalist in both of the previous Euros and a semi-finalist in the previous World Cup, is another popular choice worldwide. England is known for their surplus of world-class players, such as Eberechi Eze, Harry Kane, and Marcus Rashford. This year, many are curious about former stars such as Phil Foden, who hasn’t been the same since the Euros of 2024, as well as Cole Palmer, another key piece of the previous Euro tournament.
Defending champion and home to the greatest of all time, Argentina is another big name. With Messi close to retirement, playing in the MLS, many are curious to see if he can make one last run to victory. Just as important, other names such as Di Maria and Julian Alvarez circulate on the topic of World Cup prediction. While some say Argentina may have gotten weaker since their 2022 victory, with Messi involved, nobody can count them out for sure.
With some of the first games kicking off only a few hours from DC, the only question left is who you think will win it all, and whether you will be watching from home or up and close at the stadium. •