2026 World Cup: Supercomputer Predicts Who Will Win Tournament
- Opta’s supercomputer has disclosed its early predictions for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
- The projections rank the strongest contenders after all 48 participating nations were confirmed
- Morocco are viewed as Africa’s biggest hope following their historic 2022 World Cup run
Opta's supercomputer has revealed its latest predictions for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the tournament just hours away from kicking off.
Following confirmation of all 48 participating nations, Opta has released its first major forecast for football's biggest competition.
Source: Getty Images
A record 48 teams will descend on North America to compete for the most prestigious prize in world football. The tournament begins on June 11 with co-hosts Mexico facing South Africa in Mexico City and concludes with the final in New Jersey on July 19.
The 2026 edition will be the first World Cup to feature the expanded 48-team format, coming four years after Lionel Messi led Argentina to glory in Qatar to secure the only major trophy missing from his illustrious career.
Football fans around the globe are now preparing for another month-long spectacle as the world's top nations battle for supremacy on the biggest stage.
Supercomputer predicts World Cup 2026 winner
According to Opta’s projections, reigning European champions Spain are favourites to lift the trophy in July.
Led by exciting Barcelona stars such as Lamine Yamal, Pedri and Fermín López, Spain have been given a 16.23% chance of winning the tournament.
La Roja last won the World Cup in 2010 before going through a difficult period, but under coach Luis de la Fuente they are once again considered among football’s elite.
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The biggest challenge to Spain is expected to come from France.
France narrowly missed out on retaining their title in 2022 after losing to Argentina on penalties, while Les Bleus have reached three of the last five World Cup finals.
Opta gives Didier Deschamps’s side a 12.54% chance of winning the title.
Next on the list is England, who are assigned a 10.66% chance of winning their first World Cup since 1966.
The Three Lions remain something of an unknown quantity under new manager Thomas Tuchel, but few can question the quality available in the squad.
Defending champions Argentina are narrowly behind England with a 10.09% chance as Messi hopes to finish his international career on another historic high.
Nation | Chance of Winning |
Spain | 16.02% |
France | 12.54% |
England | 10.66% |
Argentina | 10.09% |
Beyond those four nations, the probabilities drop significantly, suggesting any other winner would be viewed as a major surprise.
Portugal are given a 6.92% chance, narrowly ahead of Brazil at 6.82%.
Germany follow with a 5.84% chance of reclaiming the trophy they last won in 2014.
The Netherlands and Norway are viewed as dark horses, with both given better odds than Belgium, another sign that Belgium’s celebrated golden generation may finally be fading away.
Colombia are also tipped to make a strong run in the tournament.
Nation | Chance of Winning |
Portugal | 6.92% |
Brazil | 6.82% |
Germany | 5.84% |
Netherlands | 3.86% |
Norway | 3.30% |
Belgium | 2.35% |
Colombia | 2.10% |
Only nine more nations are given more than a 1% chance of winning the competition.
Morocco are regarded as Africa’s strongest hope with a 1.93% chance after their historic run to the semifinals in 2022 captivated fans around the world.
Among the three co-host nations, Mexico are rated highest with a 1.74% chance of lifting the trophy.
That places El Tri comfortably ahead of United States, who sit at 1.24%, while Canada are just outside the top 20 with a 0.82% probability.
Source: YEN.com.gh
