The 2026 World Cup is now under two years away and qualifying is underway across most of the globe – but who are the favourites to lift the trophy in North America?
The finals will be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, with 48 teams competing in an expanded format to win the greatest prize in football.
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We’ve taken a temperature check of the 21 teams we’d expect to be prominent at the finals in the summer of 2026.
With the 2026 finals kicking off in the iconic Azteca Stadium, Mexico have every incentive to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since they last hosted the tournament in 1986.
The catch? This is arguably the worst Mexican side since the 1970s.
After falling at the first hurdle in the last World Cup, Mexico also bombed out early of last summer’s Copa America and there is precious little elite talent coming through.
Javier Aguirre is the manager once more and, in the form of AC Milan’s Santiago Gimenez, does have a potentially prolific striker in his ranks.
Whether that’ll be enough to live up to expectations is touch and go.
One of the star turns of last summer’s European Championship, Turkey will be aiming to qualify for their first World Cup since reaching the semi-finals in 2002.
Real Madrid’s Arda Guler is the jewel in their crown, with able assistance from Juventus striker Kenan Yildiz and Hakan Calhanoglu of Inter Milan, as the Turks bamboozle opponents with their full-throttle football.
They’ll be in a qualifying group with either Spain or the Netherlands, but Turkey could beat anyone on their day should they make it to the States.
The appointment of Mauricio Pochettino was made with the aim of transforming the USA’s chances of making a serious impression next summer.
Christian Pulisic, the side’s captain and talisman, is thriving at AC Milan and plenty of Americans can be found across Europe’s top five leagues.
This is a talented squad, but one who horrendously underperformed at the 2024 Copa America and has seen their attitude questioned by several former USMNT stars.
Pochettino has plenty of work to do and a loss to Panama in the CONCACAF Nations League semis in front a sparse crowd in Los Angeles wasn’t the most auspicious start.
Canada have yet to win a World Cup finals match and exited the last finals in Qatar with three defeats – but they’re probably the best of the 2026 co-hosts.
Alphonso Davies is the best player in the CONCACAF region and Lille’s Jonathan David is the definition of a reliable striker.
Managed by former Leeds coach Jesse Marsch, Canada play a pro-active style of football and ran Argentina close in the Copa America semi-finals last year.
They have every chance of rectifying their unenviable World Cup record in 2026.
Always 10% better than you think, Switzerland are one of Europe’s most consistent nations and have reached the knockout stages of the last six major tournaments.
Unlucky not to beat England in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024, the Swiss have a team packed full of experienced operators like Granit Xhaka and Manuel Akanji.
They also have one of Europe’s finest goalkeepers in Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel, who has replaced the retired Yann Sommer between the sticks.
Their Nations League performance was a worry, there is few bright talents coming through and they face a resurgent Sweden in their qualifying group – but you’d be foolish to write the Swiss off.
Having won AFCON on home soil at the start of 2024, Ivory Coast are looking to reach for their first World Cup in 12 years and are blessed with a growing number of promising young players.
Ousmane Diomande and Odilon Kossounou are two of Europe’s most in-demand centre-backs, while Simon Adringa has shown plenty of promise at Brighton.
With a capable set of midfielders and Sebastian Haller up top, Ivory Coast are unsurprisingly top of their qualifying group and could make waves in North America.
Everybody’s favourite major tournament disappointments, Belgium are phasing out more members of their golden generation and won’t be among the favourites in 2026.
Kevin De Bruyne is increasingly outspoken in his disillusionment with the national side, while Romelu Lukaku cemented his cursed status with three disallowed goals at the European Championship.
That said, Belgium do have the capability to renew their side, with a conveyor belt of promising talent coming through the ranks, and should be competitive in the States.
Football’s ultimate Terminator team, Croatia never know when they are beaten and impressively beat France in their Nations League quarter-final first leg.
Luka Modric is still running the show from midfield at 39, while Josko Gvardiol and Luka Vuskovic represent the future of Croatia’s defence.
While the team underperformed at Euro 2024, Croatia always produce talent and don’t be surprised to see them compete once more at next summer’s World Cup.
Part of the World Cup furniture having reached every edition since 1998, Japan became the first team to qualify for the 2026 finals with a 2-0 win over Bahrain.
The Japanese are regularly pumping out top players who are both technically proficient and tactically adept.
By far the best team in Asia, Japan beat both Spain and Germany in the last World Cup and will be aiming to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in 2026.
They have every chance of doing so.
After reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 tournament in Qatar, Morocco are the pride of African football and have arguably got stronger over the past two years.
Exciting young attackers Bilal El Khannouss, Amine Adli and Eliesse Ben Seghir have strengthened the Moroccan attack, while Brahim Diaz has switched allegiance from Spain to the North Africans.
The trademark defensive diligence still remains too, making Morocco a formidable opponent, while a run to the semis of the 2024 Olympic football tournament suggests increasing strength in depth.
After a poor showing at Euro 2024, Italy have been written off before qualifying for the World Cup begins next March. They didn’t even qualify for the last two finals, of course.
But the Azzurri are never more dangerous than when disregarded and have a brilliant manager in Luciano Spalletti.
While Serie A doesn’t produce the players it once did, a 3-1 win against France in the UEFA Nations League suggests Italy do have the raw materials to assemble a watchable team.
If they can rustle up a prolific striker, with Atalanta’s Mateo Retegui currently banging in the goals at club level, the Italians may cause a few surprises in 2026.
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Former Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa has turned Uruguay into one of international football’s must-watch sides since taking charge in 2023.
Blessed with a gifted bunch of players, Bielsa has got the Uruguayans playing some high-octane football and reached the semi-finals of last summer’s Copa America.
Darwin Nunez is more clinical than at Liverpool, while Federico Valverde is a world-class midfielder. They are currently third in South American qualifying.
Ignore the rumblings of Luis Suarez after his international retirement; we can’t wait to watch Uruguay in 2026.
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Portugal possess an enviable blend of youth and experience with quality in all positions… and Cristiano Ronaldo.
We don’t want to disparage one of the greatest players of all time, especially as he still scores for the national team, but Ronaldo was a shadow of his former self at Euro 2024 and actively undermined Portugal’s efforts with his self-centredness.
Roberto Martinez has indicated Ronaldo will likely travel to the States at the age of 41 meaning, despite their embarrassment of riches, we can’t rank Portugal any higher.
Buoyed by the renaissance of James Rodriguez, Colombia reached the final of the 2024 Copa America and played some superb football throughout the tournament
A narrow defeat to Argentina came at the end of an exhilarating run and they quickly avenged that result by beating the world champions in a World Cup qualifier in September.
With a healthy Premier League contingent including Luis Diaz and Daniel Munoz, Colombia have recovered strongly after missing the last World Cup and will almost certainly be there in 2026.
The Dutch had a schizophrenic Euros, producing some sublime stuff before undermining those efforts with ineptitude, but still reached the semis before losing to England.
Ronald Koeman has a growing list of top defenders to work with, while Frenkie de Jong has returned after missing the summer tournament through injury.
Perhaps lacking a top goalscorer, there is still enough to suggest the Netherlands can make a strong impression at the 2026 finals.
Brazil have qualified for every World Cup since the first finals in 1930, but they’ve made a dog’s dinner of their attempt to reach North America.
But, after a run of indifferent form, their win over Colombia in March 2025 showed the Selecao still possess the quality to go far.
Many countries would kill to choose between Endrick, Estavao Willian, Vinicius Jr and Raphinha. Don’t write them off just yet.
Germany went into their home Euros uncertain of themselves after a string of early tournament exits, but looked revitalised under Julien Nagelsmann and their quarter-final defeat to Spain was a high-quality ding-dong encounter.
Stalwarts Manuel Neuer, Ilkay Gundogan and Toni Kroos have all quit the national team since July, but the Germans have the talent to replace them and possess a future Ballon d’Or winner in Jamal Musiala.
They exited the last two World Cups in the opening round. Don’t bet on a repeat in 2026.
Strangely flat at the European Championship despite reaching the semi-finals, France still have more depth in talent than anybody else despite the international retirement of Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud.
Nations League defeats to Italy and Croatia have given the critics of Didier Deschamps more ammunition, but we still expect Les Bleus to hustle their way deep into the 2026 tournament.
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The Thomas Tuchel era is here and England will expect nothing short of ultimate glory in 2026.
Despite a forward line unmatched in international football, the Three Lions struggled to click at the Euros and relied heavily on individual moments to progress to the final.
Tuchel’s task is to mould a talented group of players into a coherant team capable of beating big opponents in the knockout rounds. Good luck, Thomas.
The world champions retained the Copa America last summer to cement their status as one of Argentina’s best-ever sides.
Lionel Scaloni has created a team in the best image of Argentine football, marrying skill and sh*thousery to devastating effect, but it remains to be seen whether Lionel Messi will make the 2026 World Cup.
Defeats to Colombia and Uruguay in qualifying hint at vulnerabilities, but Argentina will be strongly fancied to defend their trophy next year
Take a moment to consider the players who were absent from Spain’s Euro 2024-winning squad; Pedri, Gavi, Pau Cubarasi, Alejandro Balde and Samu Omorodion.
Take a moment to consider their triumph in Germany was inspired by a teenager (Lamine Yamal) and an equally inventive winger who tore opposition defenders to shreds (Nico Williams).
And consider Spain have the world’s best midfielder in Rodri and the Premier League’s current best goalkeeper, David Raya, only makes their bench.
The 2010 winners are rightful favourites to win the next World Cup. It will take a superb side to stop them.
