Predicting the 2026 World Cup

Everyone enjoys predicting the World Cup
The Champions League might be able to claim to be the biggest club competition. But when it comes to international football – and national pride – there is nothing like the FIFA World Cup. Played every four years since 1930 (with a break during WW2), the best players in the world get to play with their countrymen and attempt to win the ultimate prize.

Predicting the World Cup finals, however, is just as tricky as a standard EFL League One game. Some of the teams on show will be full of superstars, but still have trouble getting past a country enjoying its first finals. As with any type of football predicting, you will have to do your homework to give yourself the best chance of success.
All the top online sportsbooks will be offering their own betting markets on the finals, so predicting the games, group outcomes, and eventual winner could be a lucrative, as well as a satisfying experience. Here are a few tips to take into consideration when it comes to making predictions for World Cup 2026.

Recent Form
Brazil has won the most World Cup finals, with Germany and Italy coming in just behind the Seleção when it comes to titles. But a long history of success at the World Cup does not necessarily make for a guarantee of future acclaim. Recent form is a much more important factor than a list of honors. 

Experience of tournament gameplay is obviously important, but a team like Norway is expected to do well at next summer’s tournament because of its recent results, no matter that it has not even appeared at a finals since 1998. Take a look at how each team fared in qualification and use that as a basis for all predictions before the World Cup kicks off. 

Big Favorites
That being said, there have only ever been eight different World Cup winners, with a few of those not having lifted the most recent version of the trophy awarded after Brazil claimed its third title in 1970. So, if you are thinking of predicting an outright winner of World Cup 2026, it could be well worth consulting the favorites list.

Host nations have traditionally done well on home soil, so although none of the US, Mexico, and Canada are expected to end up winning the tournament, they do have an advantage when it comes to individual games – especially early on. But when it comes to the winner of the competition, choosing one from Spain, Argentina, or France should put you in good standing.

Game Conditions
Gone are the days of Europeans not being used to the heat of South America, but game conditions can still play their part in their outcome. Almost every player competing at next summer’s World Cup finals will be well used to playing football all over the world – and the pitch conditions should be of the highest quality. But there are still caveats to that.

The heat in the southern section of the host venues could really make things difficult for all players, especially those used to playing in the colder climate of Europe. Many of the US venues have retractable roofs and air conditioning – but those conditions may be new and strange to some. Remember to take a look at the weather and stadium conditions before predicting the outcome of games.

Final Group Games
With an unprecedented 48 different nations competing at World Cup 2026, there are more games than ever before – 104 to be exact. That’s a lot of predicting, and the format of the tournament becomes important when it comes to many of them. Although recent form and experience are always important factors, when the games are taking place is also crucial.

Although winning all three group games is obviously best for teams and their potential routes through the competition, the final group game might be a chance to rest weary legs and prepare for the knockout rounds. There could be some surprising results at the end of the opening phase, if top teams have already secured their passage to the round of 32. 

Derby Games
Another factor that can cause upsets when it comes to predicting World Cup scores is that, in international football, national pride and history can be amplified. Passions on and off the field are raised when national identity is a factor, and this can make form and the talent of the players less important.

Some more contentious international relations are avoided altogether in qualifying, for safety and security concerns, but only seeding decides who plays who at a World Cup finals. Basing your predictions purely on which team is better on paper should be avoided if two nations with a long history – such as Germany and the Netherlands or Brazil and Argentina – are forced to face each other.

Don’t Put All Your Faith in the FIFA Rankings
It would be nice if there was some way of knowing which national team is the best, wouldn’t it? You might think that the official FIFA rankings would be ideal for making predictions, but you shouldn’t put all your faith in what has become a heavily criticized system.

There has been evidence of historical confederation bias, as well as teams “gaming” the system in the past, which affects the validity of the rankings. With many new nations taking part in World Cup 2026, the rankings are a good starting point. But, as with any kind of football predicting, doing your own research is much more important.