1.

Spain 

Lamine Yamal is among the best players in the world and this is already a key factor. So far, it hasn’t been his best season for club Barcelona, but his performances are improving as he’s eyeing the World Cup. They are the most likely team to win the tournament, especially after landing a manageable group in Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and Cabo Verde.

2.

Argentina

It’s never easy go back to back. The 2022 World Cup winners will meet Austria and Algeria in the group stage, two strong teams, and it won’t be easy to win both matches in the first phase. Lionel Messi is expected to play his last World Cup of his career and he will definitely try to leave the stage at the highest level possible.             

3.

France

Watch out for the most interesting match of the first phase: Kylian Mbappe and company against Erling Haaland’s Norway, but also the one against Senegal won’t be easy at all for the team coached by Didier Deschamps, who will leave after the tournament before the likely appointment of Zinedine Zidane. 

4.

Brazil 

The five-team world champions hired Carlo Ancelotti to cope with the disappointments of the past editions and they were extremely unlucky in the draw as they will face Morocco, Haiti and Scotland in the group phase. They are set to renew the deal of their manager even before the start of the tournament, showing their trust in the Italian coach for the long-term project.  

5.

England

England will face Croatia in the group stage in one of the most interesting matches alongside Panama and Ghana. The Three Lions hired an international manager like Thomas Tuchel to overcome the disappointments of two European finals lost in three years and this is their chance and have a team capable of winning. Will they finally bring it home? 

6.

Portugal 

Cristiano Ronaldo’s final World Cup will be a historic moment, but this Portugal side are strong enough to dream big and don’t necessarily need to rely on him. He will get the headlines, but this team is much more than Ronaldo. 

7.

Norway  

Haaland scored 55 goals with Norway in 48 games. If that’s not enough to consider them as a big threat to the other teams, what is? They will immediately face Mbappe and France in the group stage for one of the most intriguing matchups of the first phase. 

8.

Germany

They are always a team to watch at the World Cup, and after their group stage eliminations in 2018 and 2022, they want revenge. First, they will need to get past Ecuador, Ivory Coast and Curacao, and then they can create issues for any team in the competition even if their recent past wasn’t as successful as before. 

9.

Netherlands

They can be one of the most underrated sides of the tournament. They are talented, that’s for sure. They are strong, but they will face Japan and Tunisia in the group stage, and also one between Poland, Sweden, Ukraine and Albania from the UEFA playoff. Can they make another run?

10.

Morocco 

The biggest surprise of the 2022 World Cup, Morocco only lost to France in the semifinals after winning against Spain and then Portugal. They also come from the big disappointment of the 2025 AFCON final lost on their home soil against Senegal that led to a managerial revolution few months before the World Cup. 

11.

United States      

The USMNT will face Australia, Paraguay and the winner of the UEFA Playoff B (Sweden/Ukraine/Poland/Albania). The draw couldn’t have gone better and we can consider Mauricio Pochettino’s side as an outsider ahead of the tournament, but we shouldn’t overrate them too much. 

12.

Belgium 

A lot will depend on the form of players like Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku as they might play their last World Cup if they fully recover from their injuries, especially considering the top younger talents still need more experience to lead the national team. 

13.

Uruguay

Marcelo Bielsa is back at the World Cup after he managed Argentina in 2002 and Chile in 2010. Facing Spain in the group stage is not what he was hoping for but we will definitely have fun with him at the World Cup.

14.

Japan

Watch out for Japan because they are solid and full of talent. Also, the younger national teams look competitive and they can achieve big things in the near future. Only Netherlands are a stronger team in their group, at least on paper. 

15.

South Korea 

Son Heung-min is set to play what will be his last World Cup but there is much more to know about this side that surprised the world when they eliminated Germany at the 2018 World Cup. They are dangerous.

16.

Croatia 

Another historic national team preparing for an emotional farewell is Croatia, as Luka Modric, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup finalist, is set to play his final tournament while he’s still yet to make a decision on his future at AC Milan. They will face England, Ghana and Panama. They should end up at least in second place in that group.      

17.

Mexico 

They have the potential to at least qualify for the round of 32 but watch out for their opponents. They will play the opening match against South Africa in what will be one of the most awaited games of the year as it will be the opening game of the 2026 World Cup, a rematch of the 2010 opening game of the World Cup. 

18.

Switzerland

If Italy qualify for the World Cup, their group with Qatar and Canada will be much more difficult than what it looks like now, but they already knocked out the Azzurri at the 2024 Euro and will be confident in doing it again.

19.

Ecuador

La Tri only conceded five goals in the 17 matches played in the World Cup qualifiers, something that really stands out ahead of the tournament. Moises Caicedo is their engine.

20.

Iran 

Iran dominated their group stage of qualification, losing only one of the 10 games played, so we shouldn’t underestimate them as they will face Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand in the group stage. 

21.

Canada

Jesse Marsch will lead Canada at the 2026 World Cup that will be played on their home soil. A lot will depend on who will qualify in the last spot of the group, as Italy can make things much more difficult for them. 

22.

Austria

When Ralf Rangnick chose to take over as head coach of the Austrian national team, many people questioned his decision. Now, we understand exactly why he made that choice but he will need to show it against 2022 World Cup winners Argentina. 

23.

Egypt

The African team failed to win a single match in their World Cup history with an overall record of five defeats and two draws. They now have the chance to make history with Mohamed Salah leading the team in what will likely be his last World Cup. 

24.

Senegal

The 2025 AFCON winners dominated the group stage of qualifying as they were undefeated, scoring 22 goals and only conceding only three goals, but they will face France and Norway in the group phase. They managed to win against Morocco in the heated final last December. Can they also surprise everyone at the World Cup? 

25.

Scotland

They are in the worst group possible with Brazil and Morocco. They desperately need the best version of Scott McTominay, the 2024–25 Serie A MVP of the season, to have a realistic shot of advancing.

26.

Saudi Arabia

After a disappointing spell under Roberto Mancini, who left the team in 2024, Saudi Arabia called back Herve Renard and will face Spain, Uruguay and Cabo Verde in the group stage. After their shocker against Argentina in 2022, might they pull off another upset?      

27.

Colombia

Colombia’s seventh World Cup appearance comes from a strong qualification group when they ended up tied on points with teams such as Brazil and Uruguay. They will face Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo in the group stage.        

28.

Tunisia

With 22 goals scored, none conceded, nine wins and one draw, Tunisia have been one of the most impressive teams in the qualifiers. They have chances with Japan and Netherlands, but a lot will depend on who will qualify for the last spot between Sweden, Poland, Albania and Ukraine. 

29.

Ivory Coast

They did not concede a single goal in the group stage of qualifying, scoring 25 times across 10 matches and finishing with eight wins and two draws, but they will need to perform against Curacao, Ecuador and most notably against Germany. 

30.

Qatar

The 2022 World Cup hosts managed to qualify for their second time ever at the World Cup and are coached by former Real Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui, who will finally lead a team at the tournament after what happened with Spain in 2018, when he was sacked few hours before the kick off of the tournament as he agreed to join Real Madrid after the World Cup.        

31.

Paraguay 

It will be the first time Paraguay will play at the World Cup since 2010 and they will face the USMNT and Australia, while they will wait some months to know who is going to be their final opponent between Turkiye, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo.

32.

Ghana

The African side delivered a strong qualifying campaign, winning eight of their 10 matches, but they were really unlucky to get both England and Croatia. 

33.

Australia

In 2022, they only lost to Argentina in the round of 16. As mentioned with the United States, things will be much more difficult if Turkiye join the group. 

34.

Algeria

Managed at the World Cup by former Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic, Algeria can compete with Jordan and Austria for a spot in the round of 32, no doubt.

35.

Jordan

Jordan made history by qualifying for the World Cup for the first time. They can’t miss this chance and not leave their mark in 2026 and they have a chance with Austria and Algeria, but not with Argentina. 

36.

South Africa

Bafana Bafana are back at the World Cup for the first time since they hosted the tournament in 2010 and for the first time in the history, the opening match of the World Cup will be a second timer, with South Africa facing Mexico. 

37.

Haiti

The 2026 World Cup will mark Haiti’s second appearance at the tournament, their first since 1974. They don’t have chances to do better this time as they will face Brazil, Morocco and Scotland in the group. Horrible draw. 

38.

Panama

After qualifying for the 2018 World Cup when they lost all three games against England, Belgium and Tunisia, they will face the Three Lions again, hoping to do better.       

39.

Cape Verde

They qualified for the first time ever at the World Cup and they are ready to shock the world as they have already done in the qualification stages. 

40.

Uzbekistan 

Another team that will feature at the World Cup for the first time in their history and they will be led by 2006 Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro, their coach. 

41.

New Zealand

Same group with Belgium, Iran and Egypt. Hard to think they can get points here. 

42.

Curacao

The smallest nation to ever qualify for the World Cup will face giants like Germany, Ivory Coast and Ecuador. What a story, but difficult to imagine they can qualify for the round of 32. Sadly, their former manager Dick Advocaat who led the team to the qualification resigned for personal reasons and won’t lead the team at the World Cup.