Supercomputer predicts winner of 2026 FIFA World Cup after all 48 teams qualify
- Opta’s supercomputer predicts outcomes for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Spain national football team tipped as favourites
- France national football team, England national football team and Argentina national football team are among the top contenders
- Brazil national football team rank lower, while Morocco national football team are Africa’s highest-ranked side
Opta’s supercomputer has released its early projections on how the 2026 FIFA World Cup could unfold, following the confirmation of all 48 participating teams.
The upcoming tournament will be the first expanded edition, arriving four years after Lionel Messi famously “completed football” by lifting the trophy with Argentina national football team in Qatar.
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The football world is now preparing for another month-long spectacle, where the best nations will compete for the sport’s most prestigious prize.
With the full lineup confirmed, there is no shortage of talent, although notable absentees include teams such as Italy national football team and Nigeria national football team.
Supercomputer predicts World Cup 2026 winner
Opta ran its first simulation last year, prior to the group-stage draw, and backed Spain national football team to win the tournament with a 17% probability.
Spain arrive in North America as European champions and are powered by the emergence of teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.
The side, which has not lost in three years, has been drawn into Group H alongside Uruguay national football team, Cape Verde national football team, and Saudi Arabia national football team.
“Everyone likes to be spoken of positively, but we must perform at an almost perfect level to win. We appreciate the recognition, while understanding there are other equally strong teams,” said head coach Luis de la Fuente following a draw with Egypt on March 31, via the federation’s website.
Second on the list is France national football team, who are expected to boast one of the most dangerous attacks in the tournament, led by Kylian Mbappe. The 2018 champions were given a 14.1% chance and drawn alongside the disputed AFCON champions, Senegal national football team, Norway national football team featuring Erling Haaland, and Iraq national football team.
England national football team rank third with an 11.8% chance, while defending champions Argentina national football team sit fourth at 8.7%. A much-anticipated Finalissima clash between Argentina and Spain, scheduled for last month, was postponed.
Record winners Brazil national football team are ranked seventh, trailing both Germany national football team and Portugal national football team. Meanwhile, recently crowned AFCON champions Morocco national football team are the highest-ranked African side with a 1.1% chance. The Atlas Lions reached the semi-finals at the previous edition but have since appointed a new head coach, replacing Walid Regragui.
Source: YEN.com.gh
