With the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup now complete, and the pathway to glory laid bare for all to contest, teams and fans will eagerly await the start of the world’s most iconic tournament.
Set to expand to 48 teams for the first time in history, the 2026 World Cup will see football stars from around the globe converge on North America to challenge for global glory.
Defending World Cup champions Argentina are hoping to become the first team in over 60 years to repeat as FIFA champions, but there are plenty of challengers to their title. A number of European giants will be hoping to contest for the trophy, and a smattering other underdogs from various other corners of the globe hope to put their names in the mix as well.
The Sporting News rounds up the 10 teams most likely to secure the 2026 World Cup title and discusses the credentials each possess as they make their case in the run-up to the start of the tournament in mid-June.
MORE WORLD CUP NEWS:
World Cup 2026 winner odds
The following odds for the 2026 World Cup favorites are from just after the conclusion of the World Cup draw, which took place on December 5.
Odds via DraftKings in USA, updated as of December 5, 2025.
| Nation | FIFA Rank | Odds to win the 2026 World Cup |
| Spain | 1 | +450 |
| England | 3 | +550 |
| France | 4 | +750 |
| Argentina | 2 | +800 |
| Brazil | 5 | +800 |
| Portugal | 6 | +1000 |
| Germany | 9 | +1200 |
| Netherlands | 7 | +2000 |
| Norway | 29 | +2800 |
| Italy* | 12 | +3000 |
| Belgium | 8 | +5000 |
| Colombia | 13 | +5000 |
| Uruguay | 16 | +6500 |
| USA | 14 | +8000 |
| Mexico | 15 | +8000 |
| Morocco | 11 | +8000 |
| Switzerland | 17 | +8000 |
| Ecuador | 23 | +8000 |
Ranking the 10 teams most likely to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup
All FIFA rankings as of late November, 2025.
10. USA
- Current FIFA world ranking: 14th
- Regional ranking: 1st (CONCACAF)
- World Cup titles: 0
- World Cup appearances (last): 11 (2022)
- How qualified: Automatically (host)
- Coach: Mauricio Pochettino (ARG) since Sept 2024
- Key player(s): Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Weston McKennie (Juventus)
The fact that the United States even sniff this list is reason enough to remember that only a few teams in the world are true World Cup title contenders. No, the U.S. is not among that very short list.
However, the host bump is a very, very real phenomenon, and there has not been a World Cup host of this talent level since Brazil in 2014, who looked good enough to win the title until they infamously came apart at the seams in the semifinals.
No matter how unlikely it seems — and it is very, very unlikely — it’s feels easier to imagine a team of the USMNT’s caliber winning on home soil than, say, perennial underachievers Belgium, or roller-coaster ride Colombia. Especially after the U.S. was handed one of the softest groups at the World Cup draw, where winning Group D would put them in good position to make a deep run.
9. Norway
- Current FIFA world ranking: 29th
- Regional ranking: 15th (UEFA)
- World Cup titles: 0
- World Cup appearances (last): 3 (France 1998)
- How qualified: UEFA Group I winners: 8W-0L-0D
- Coach: Stale Solbakken (Norway) since December 2020
- Key player(s): Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Martin Odegaard (Arsenal), Sander Berge (Fulham)
Norway may be making their first World Cup appearance since 1998, and drawn from Pot 3, but they are a team to take very seriously at this competition.
While they are led by Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard from a superstar perspective, this roster is quite deep and boasts quality contributors at all positions.
In the end, Norway are not true title contenders, but if their results over the past two years are to be believed — and you’d be a fool not to — this is a potential quarterfinal contender should things fall their way.
8. Netherlands
- Current FIFA world ranking: 7th
- Regional ranking: 5th (UEFA)
- World Cup titles: 0
- World Cup appearances (last): 11 (Qatar 2022)
- How qualified: UEFA Group G winners: 6W-2D-0L
- Coach: Ronald Koeman (Netherlands) since January 2023
- Key player(s): Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Cody Gakpo (Liverpool)
As three-time World Cup runners-up, Netherlands fans have been haunted by this competition over the decades. Recent years have not been kind, but many can still easily recall the Dutch finishing second in 2010 and third in 2014.
There are a litany of stars from Europe’s big-five leagues on this roster, but there is also caution to be had. Virgil van Dijk is having a horrible start to the 2025/26 season with Liverpool and suddenly looked washed with little to no warning. His Reds teammate Cody Gakpo has regressed. Memphis Depay is withering away in Brazil at Corinthians. Xavi Simons is flopping at Spurs. They lack a quality goalkeeper.
The talent is there in the Netherlands squad to put up a fight — it always has been — but putting it all together on the field to WIN a World Cup feels ludicrous. Out of all the legendary Dutch teams that fell just short on this stage, would this one really win it? Nah.
7. Portugal
- Current FIFA world ranking: 6th
- Regional ranking: 4th (UEFA)
- World Cup titles: 0
- World Cup appearances (last): 8 (Qatar 2022)
- How qualified: UEFA Group F winners: 4W-1L-1D
- Coach: Roberto Martinez (Spain) since January 2023
- Key player(s): Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Every four years at the European Championships, we do the same song and dance with Portugal. Yes, they look like title contenders on paper. No, they don’t look very good when you watch them on the field. Then suddenly, they’re deep into the knockout bracket and challenging for a title.
Then, when the World Cup comes around, Portugal can never seem to clone that same magic, and we’re back to wondering, “what are they really?” Beyond the ageing Ronaldo, Vitinha seems to be losing form at the wrong time, and their defensive line remains full of question marks.
It would feel remiss to leave Portugal off this list, but it also feels quite odd to include them. In the end, Portugal are simultaneously quite beatable and also a daunting opponent to face. Can they win the title? It’s plausible, but also unlikely. Back them at your own risk.
6. Brazil
- Current FIFA world ranking: 5th
- Regional ranking: 2nd (Conmebol)
- World Cup titles: 5
- World Cup appearances (last): 22 (2022)
- How qualified: 5th in South American qualifying: 8W-6L-4D
- Coach: Carlo Ancelotti (Italy) since May 2025
- Key player(s): Neymar (Santos), Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid), Estevao (Chelsea), Alisson (Liverpool)
A list of this caliber without Brazil, the most successful team in World Cup history, would be laughable. Yet in 2026, Brazil seemingly have a lot more to prove than normal. There are significant flaws on this team to patch up, and very little time for Carlo Ancelotti to triage the wounds.
The biggest job for Ancelotti is to get Vinicius Jr. firing on the international stage. Regardless of his world-class club form, the Real Madrid star has struggled throughout his Brazil career, with just eight career international goals in nearly 50 appearances.
Thankfully, young Estevao is raising eyebrows at Chelsea. If Vini gets going, Estevao becomes an international sensation, and their talented defenders stay healthy, absolutely Brazil could make a run and put their demons of the last 20 years to bed. Yet the list of things that have to go right for them to lift the trophy is quite long.
5. Germany
- Current FIFA world ranking: 9th
- Regional ranking: 7th (UEFA)
- World Cup titles: 4 (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)
- World Cup appearances (last): 20 (Qatar 2022)
- How qualified: UEFA Group A winners: 5W-0D-1L
- Coach: Julian Nagelsmann (Germany) since September 2023
- Key player(s): Florian Wirtz (Liverpool), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich)
Whatever illness has plagued Brazil over the last two decades has seemingly afflicted Germany too, albeit to a lesser degree. Since winning the 2014 World Cup title, Die Mannschaft have been eliminated in the group stage at each of the subsequent two World Cups.
While Germany have had far more success outside of those two tournaments than Brazil, their standing within the global football community has seemingly taken a hit. It has forced head coach Julian Nagelsmann to refresh the squad considerably, and they have a seriously unproven group of players on hand.
It is plausible that Germany could make a run and win the World Cup title in 2026, no question. That possible outcome does not feel like a stretch. Yet the number of players who would have to max out their international potential — Florian Wirtz, Josh Kimmich, Leroy Sane, and Nick Woltemade, for starters — is large. Germany will be expected to reach the semifinals at the very least, and you’d back them to do so, but a lot has to go right for this team to make a title-winning push.
4. England
- Current FIFA world ranking: 4th
- Regional ranking: 3rd (UEFA)
- World Cup titles: 1
- World Cup appearances (last): 16 (Qatar 2022)
- How qualified: UEFA Group K winners: 8W-0L-0D
- Coach: Thomas Tuchel (Germany) since January 2025
- Key player(s): Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Declan Rice (Arsenal)
This is the start of the real title contenders. There is a huge gap between the top four contenders and everyone else, and it starts with England.
The Three Lions not only boast a truly talented squad, and a coach with glittering credentials, but they’ve proven capable of putting it all together over the last two World Cup cycles. They reached the semifinals in 2018, finishing fourth, and were only dumped from the 2022 quarterfinals at the hands of eventual finalists France. Between those tournaments, they finished second at both the 2020 and 2024 Euros.
England have everything you look for in a true title contender, except maybe that title-winning history, instead craving a push over the hump. From here on up in the list are the four true World Cup title challengers, and it’s extremely difficult to imagine anyone else lifting the trophy at the end.
3. France
- Current FIFA world ranking: 3rd
- Regional ranking: 2nd (UEFA)
- World Cup titles: 2 (1998, 2018)
- World Cup appearances (last): 16 (Qatar 2022)
- How qualified: UEFA Group D winners: 5W-0L-1D
- Coach: Didier Deschamps (France) since July 2012
- Key player(s): Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid), Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain), William Saliba (Arsenal)
Nobody has proven capable of extended World Cup success in this generation of modern football than Didier Deschamps and France. It seems whatever slips they suffer between the four-year gap, they always seem to put it all together when the bright FIFA lights shine.
Fans can easily recall not only their triumph in 2018, despite the considerable criticism of their style of play, but also their electric 2022 tournament, only cut down at the last moment by an Argentina team of destiny. With Kylian Mbappe in tow, and the soaring duo of Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise, anything is truly possible.
Yet something just doesn’t feel quite right about France coming into this tournament. The health of Dembele in the wake of his Ballon d’Or season is a concern, as is the same for their talented back line. There are some concerns about France entering this tournament, but that hasn’t stopped them before, and it certainly may not again here.
2. Spain
- Current FIFA world ranking: 1st
- Regional ranking: 1st (UEFA)
- World Cup titles: 1 (2010)
- World Cup appearances (last): 16 (Qatar 2022)
- How qualified: UEFA Group E winners: 5W-0L-1D
- Coach: Luis de la Fuente (Spain) since December 2022
- Key player(s): Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Pedri (Barcelona), Rodri (Manchester City)
Nobody’s stock is higher in world football right now than that of 18-year-old superstar Lamine Yamal. Already dubbed on this very website as the “most next-Messi” player in the world, Lamine is a true global icon. At such a young age, he’s not only won a European championship, but also built such astronomical buzz that he finished second in the latest Ballon d’Or voting in spite of his relatively mediocre raw statistics compared to other contenders for the award.
The European champions have proven time and again why they are ranked No. 1 in the world, and are true title contenders at this tournament for a reason. Beyond their glittering young talisman, this Spain team boasts some of the world’s best midfielders in Fabian Ruiz and Mikel Merino, plus young anchors Pau Cubarsi and Dean Huijsen at the back alongside the now-consistent Marc Cucurella.
Very few teams have been able to stop this Spain side over the past four years, but there’s still just a hint of proving doubters wrong. Since lifting their only World Cup title in 2010, Spain have been eliminated in the group stage once and Round of 16 twice. Can Lamine put those questions to rest?
1. Argentina
- Current FIFA world ranking: 2nd
- Regional ranking: 1st (CONMEBOL)
- World Cup titles: 3 (1978, 1986, 2022)
- World Cup appearances (last): 18 (2022)
- How qualified: 1st in South American qualifying: 12W-4L-2D
- Coach: Lionel Scaloni (Argentina) since 2018
- Key player(s): Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid)
To be the best, one must beat the best, and that is more true at the 2026 FIFA World Cup than ever before. Four years after Lionel Messi’s magical run to his first World Cup title in Qatar, there remains no logical reason to dethrone the defending champions, even if the FIFA rankings have done so.
Argentina were nearly untouchable at the 2024 Copa America, and while they suffered a few missteps in World Cup qualifying this cycle, there were none that proved remotely damaging as they walked to the top spot in the standings.
La Albiceleste not only boast the greatest player in history in Messi, who at 38 years old remains capable of performing at the highest level, but also arguably the best coach in international football in Lionel Scaloni. The 47-year-old boss has crafted a national team roster that can both lean on its iconic superstar and also turn to other players if necessary. Argentina under Scaloni have already positioned themselves well to move on from Messi, yet his presence within the squad remains a boon of unparalleled nature — a dichotomy largely considered impossible to achieve.
Until their position atop the football universe is dethroned, there is no team in this World Cup field more likely to lift the trophy than Argentina.
