It is officially 2026 FIFA World Cup week as the biggest tournament in the world kicks off this Thursday on June 11 in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
For the first time in the tournament’s history, 48 teams will take part as 12 groups load up the schedule throughout the month of June before the knockouts start in July. With more teams entering the fray, this presents the opportunity for plenty of chaos to commence throughout the group stage.
There are the typical favorites to win it all, and then there are the squads that can shock everyone by making a lot of noise throughout the tournament. Here are the current odds on the favorites for the tournament while looking at the remaining teams that qualify for the dark horse status.
2026 FIFA World Cup Odds
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2026 FIFA World Cup Favorites
Spain
Spain’s chances of winning the tournament hinges on Lamine Yamal’s health, as he’s nearly done recovering from a recent injury while playing for Barcelona. Nonetheless, the Spaniards stand out as a fierce contender given their incredible quality on both sides of the ball since winning the 2024 UEFA Euro. They scored 21 goals while conceding just twice during qualifying, winning five matches and drawing one in their group. Spain hasn’t won the World Cup since 2010, but they have a great chance of winning this tournament should results fall in their favor.
France
The French possess an explosive attack with Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele manning the offense. They hope to return to the final for the third consecutive tournament after winning it all in 2018 then losing to Argentina in the 2022 edition. France didn’t lose a match during qualifying, but will experience difficult tests against Senegal and Norway in Group I. Despite being in the Group of Death, Mbappe should be able to help his countrymen advance and make another deep run in 2026.
Brazil
Brazil seeks its sixth star after last winning the World Cup in 2002. However, they went through their worst display in qualifying, having expectations be lower than it was in past tournaments. Carlo Ancelotti will be responsible for bring the squad back to prominence, boasting star attackers in Vinicius Junior and Raphinha while having an experienced defenders in Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhaes and Casemiro. Neymar also looks to feature in the lineup as long as he stays healthy on the pitch, providing the Brazilians another dimension on offense they sorely missed while he recovered from injuries.
Portugal
It is officially the Last Dance for Cristiano Ronaldo, who has taken part in the World Cup since his debut in 2006. The all-time leading goalscorer for Portugal looks to have a big impact in the national team’s success, last reaching the quarterfinals in 2022. The Portuguese will look to advance from their group in convincing fashion despite having solid tests against Congo DR and Colombia. Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leao, and Goncalo Ramos will look to assist their veteran star in making one last deep run to cap off an incredible career.
Argentina
Lionel Messi, like Ronaldo, seems to be playing in his last World Cup. Argentina hopes to have him end his career by winning back-to-back World Cups, a feat that Pele achieved in 1958 and 1962. The Argentines were remarkable during CONMEBOL qualifying this cycle, standing out as a fierce threat for many opponents following the group stage should they advance.
2026 FIFA World Cup Dark Horses
Japan
The Japanese has stunned fans with entertaining performances in 2018 and 2022, reaching the Round of 16 in both tournaments. They can fiercely compete with European squads, which shows they have a chance to top their group that involves the Netherlands. Japan has done well in past editions, but can they get over the hump this time as arguably the top squad from Asia?
United States
As one of the three hosts, there is a lot at stake for the Americans. The USMNT made the Round of 16 in 2022, hoping to make a deep run this time around. Christian Pulisic continues to be the face of the squad while Mauricio Pochettino leads the direction as their manager. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Sergino Dest, and Folarin Balogun look to make significant impacts on the pitch as the U.S. look to excite their home fans in a remarkably important tournament.
Croatia
Luka Modric is riding off into the sunset as he takes part in his last World Cup with the Croatians. The national team enjoyed incredible results by finishing second in 2018 and third in 2022, shining as a team that opponents can’t ever underestimate. Their defense continues to be fierce for teams to handle, giving Croatia another chance at gifting fans another deep tournament run.
Ecuador
Ecuador certainly stands out as a clear dark horse in the 2026 World Cup. They stand out as the best defensive squad from South America, only conceding five goals after 18 matches. Enner Valencia looks to enjoy another solid tournament as the team’s star striker, needing valuable assistance from the team’s supporting cast. They have a strong test against Germany in the group stage, but they can make significant noise in the knockouts as long as they produce on the offensive side of the ball.
Senegal
Last making the Round of 16 in 2022, the Senegalese have solid potential to make a deep run in the 2026 World Cup, rightfully standing out as one of the top African sides. They excelled in qualifying as they conceded three goals in 10 matches while scoring 22 times, looking forward to bringing that quality into the tournament. Senegal has tough tasks to handle with France and Norway in the same group as them, but they can develop strong resilience to make their contention case and advance to the knockouts.
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