Supercomputer Predicts 2026 World Cup Winner After Portugal Stumble, Argentina Win Big
- Opta’s supercomputer has named a new country as the favourites to win the 2026 World Cup after their strong opening victory over Senegal
- Spain and Portugal have seen their tournament outlook affected after early struggles against Cape Verde and DR Congo respectively
- Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and other World Cup stars have already influenced the predictions after a dramatic opening round
Opta’s supercomputer has predicted who is most likely to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup after the completion of the tournament’s opening round of matches.
Every team has now played one game each following Colombia’s 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan on Thursday morning, bringing the first set of group-stage fixtures to a close.
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The opening week of the tournament has already delivered everything fans hoped for, dominant performances, unexpected results and major shocks as nations battle for qualification to the knockout stages.
From Lionel Messi scoring a hat-trick to Cape Verde holding European champions Spain to a draw, Opta’s simulations have had plenty to analyse after the first 24 matches.
Supercomputer predictions after World Cup first round matches
According to Opta’s supercomputer, France are now the leading contenders to lift the World Cup trophy, with Didier Deschamps’ side given a 15.87% chance of winning the tournament.
Les Bleus began their campaign with a 3-1 victory over Senegal, with captain Kylian Mbappe once again stepping up on the biggest stage.
The forward scored twice, including a stunning long-range effort that has already been considered one of the goals of the tournament, helping France overcome the 2022 African champions.
Spain, who entered the competition as one of the pre-tournament favourites, have dropped into second place after their disappointing opening draw against Cape Verde.
Luis de la Fuente’s side now have a 12.85% chance of going all the way, despite dominating much of their match but failing to break down a determined Cape Verde defence.
Defending champions Argentina remain firmly in contention, with Opta ranking them third with a 12.23% chance of retaining their crown.
Lionel Messi showed he remains a decisive figure after scoring a hat-trick in Argentina’s opening match against Algeria, strengthening hopes that he can lead the team to another deep tournament run.
England’s chances have also improved after their impressive 4-2 victory over Croatia.
The Three Lions are expected to reach at least the semi-finals, although Opta’s model places them fourth in terms of their chances of winning the entire tournament.
Portugal, Germany, the United States and Brazil are the other teams currently backed to reach at least the quarter-finals.
Portugal and Brazil, however, experienced difficult starts after being held to 1-1 draws by DR Congo and Morocco respectively.
Meanwhile, the United States and Germany made strong statements with convincing victories in their opening matches.
Second round brings pressure for struggling favourites
The second round of group-stage matches begins on Thursday evening, with several teams facing early pressure to avoid a difficult position in their groups.
Teams that won their opening matches will secure qualification to the Round of 32 if they win again, while nations that dropped points will be desperate for a response.
Spain, Portugal and Brazil will all be looking to bounce back after disappointing results when they face Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Haiti respectively.
One of the biggest matches of the next round will see Argentina face Austria, with the game considered the most competitive fixture based on the combined FIFA rankings of the teams involved.
As the tournament continues, Opta’s predictions are expected to shift again, especially with several favourites already facing unexpected challenges.
Source: YEN.com.gh
