World Cup 2026 - Groups, bracket and predictions with all 48 teams confirmed

With little more than two months until the start of the World Cup, we finally know the full 48-team line-up for this summer’s tournament.

The remaining six qualifying places have been decided by play-offs held in Mexico and across Europe, with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Turkey, Sweden, DR Congo and Iraq securing their spots at the finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer.

It means the full group-stage schedule is set, so teams know who they will face and can begin to plot their routes through the competition.

We asked seven of our World Cup-bound writers — Oliver Kay, Adam Crafton, Stu James, Felipe Cardenas, Jack Lang, Amy Lawrence and Nick Miller — to look ahead to the World Cup and make some predictions they will probably come to regret by July.

The groups and the bracket

These are the 48 teams who have now qualified for the expanded tournament and below are the groups they are in. The top two from each group will progress to the knockout round along with the eight best performing third-placed teams. There will be 104 matches in total.

What are you most looking forward to about this World Cup?

Kay: The beauty of the World Cup is (or should be) about the world coming together. It threatens to feel very superficial at a time of such political tension, and when extortionate ticket and hotel prices will make it impossible for so many fans, but there will be moments when I arrive in a city or at a stadium and see fans from Uzbekistan, Curacao or somewhere else having the time of their lives. Of course, I’m looking forward to the football too, but the bigger the tournament has become, the more the quality has been diluted. There are positives and negatives to the expansion, but it makes for a much more inclusive tournament.

Crafton: The jeopardy of high-stakes knockout football. There’s just nothing like it and the World Cup is the best version. Great footballers knowing this is their once-in-four-year shot at a dream produces genius and desperation in equal measure.

James: Some of my best World Cup memories have come from time spent around the supporters. Twelve years after the Brazil tournament, I’m still in touch with the Colombia fans who felt sorry for an Englishman asking for a table for one in a steakhouse in Brasilia. I’ll also never forget the sight of thousands and thousands of Peru supporters (that beautiful white shirt with the red sash — wow) descending on the Russian city of Saransk, where one fan was so worried about missing out on a ticket that he put on 24 kilograms (more than 50lbs) in the lead up to the 2018 World Cup so he could apply for an ‘easy-access extra-width’ seat that wasn’t in so much demand. Genius. Let’s hope the right people aren’t priced out of this one.

Cardenas: Many fans prefer club football, but the international game, particularly major tournaments, offers high stakes, national pride and breakout stars. That’s what I love most about the World Cup finals. This edition of the tournament will be unlike any other — and I hope that the product on the field rises above the noise that is surrounding it.

Lang: The football, of course, but also the humanity, the little moments of communion in the stadium and in the street, the rejection — implicit or explicit — of hatred and dogma. It would also be amazing if those same things were not co-opted to within an inch of their lives by FIFA, but that is a big ask.

Lawrence: The roots of this answer date back to the main piazza in Genoa in 1990. The group (when World Cup groups were geographically connected) was Brazil, Scotland, Sweden, Costa Rica, and every night, whoever was around, including local Italians up for a party, congregated to sing each other’s songs, dance, and live the World Cup dream together. Every World Cup is memorable for the melange of people from all over the planet. Croatians celebrating their new country winning bronze in 1998; a very big Brazilian man in drag dressed as Ronaldo’s nurse in 2002 (the fenomeno needed protecting); the German hosts taking pride in their unified country in 2006; the Argentinians sleeping in their thousands on Copacabana in 2014; the Senegal fans in faraway Russia in 2018… we can only hope this year’s hosts welcome everyone to relish this World Cup.

Miller: This is a slightly conflicted answer because, in theory, I’m against this expansion of the World Cup: a 32-team format was perfect, offering elite participants and a neat, symmetrical structure of eight groups of four teams. But the jump to 48 teams has freshened things up, opening the way for first-timers (Cape Verde, Curacao, Uzbekistan and Jordan), for Austria, Norway and Scotland to return after 28 years away, and for Haiti to qualify for the first time since 1974. When we get to the business end, we’ll be focused on the elite — but in the group stage, we can celebrate a newness to the tournament.

Which game are you most excited about going to?

Kay: I’m looking no further than the first game on my itinerary: Argentina against Algeria in Kansas City. Opportunities to watch Lionel Messi in the flesh have been scarce since he left Europe for Inter Miami, so it’s something to savour in what will be his last World Cup. (Yes, this time it really will be.) The holders have often suffered a shock in their opening game of the following tournament — Argentina were beaten by Belgium in 1982 and Cameroon in 1990 — and Algeria will be keen to continue that record.

Crafton: Well, it is probably a game that may or may not happen, as it is dependent on results. But if Argentina and Portugal top their groups, it would set them on course to meet in the quarter-finals, which would be the first time Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo face off in a World Cup match. Even as their powers wane, that match in Kansas City would feel like a golden ticket.

James: I arrive after the group stage, so I can’t say for sure who will be playing in any of the matches. But there’s often a knockout game that surprises you. For example, who would have thought Japan against Belgium in 2018 would go down as a World Cup classic? I walked away from Belgium’s 3-2 win thinking it was one of the best games I’ve reported on. You can never lose sight of what a privilege it is to be at a World Cup, and the first game you go to feels particularly special. So, roll on Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast or Ecuador versus France, Senegal, Norway or Iraq in Arlington at the end of June.

Cardenas: The semifinal in Atlanta. It will be on July 15 (match 102) and that moment will be the most important sporting event in the city’s history. Atlanta has hosted the 1996 Olympic Games and several Super Bowls, but a World Cup semifinal is on another level. It’s not the final, but it’s a match where dreams come true and where hope can be extinguished.

Lang: The opening game, Mexico vs South Africa. The U.S. is hosting most of the matches, but its southern neighbour gets the tournament up and running. The Azteca, 1pm local time, the colour and vibrancy of the Mexican support, the travelling South African fans… sure, it’s not a blockbuster match-up but I cannot foresee the atmosphere being anything less than incredible.

Lawrence: Ever since the draw it has been obvious Group I is to die for. Where would you rather be than France v Norway to seal the outcome of this particular band of nations? Well, in my case, it is destination Toronto for the other two, which pitches Senegal against Iraq. The intrigue of this group, plus the impetus for Senegal to come kicking and screaming into this tournament after AFCON, should be tantalising (even if I might also have half an eye on the screen for France v Norway updates).

Miller: Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia. I was at the game when Cape Verde qualified for their first World Cup, and the joy in the stadium was incredible, so to be there when they actually play will be amazing. It’s their third group game and in another tournament, it might have been a slightly sad and pointless occasion, given that Spain and Uruguay should be safely through. This time, with eight of the 12 third-placed teams reaching the knockout stage, it could be a straight shootout for qualification.

Who will be the tournament’s best player?

Kay: Is it realistic to think Messi can excel consistently when he turns 39 this summer? Probably not. If (spoiler alert) I’m backing France to win the World Cup, it’s hard to imagine Kylian Mbappe having anything less than a significant impact. Likewise, Lamine Yamal, if, as I suspect, Spain are a serious force. But the best player in the world over the past 12 months or so has been the Portugal midfielder Vitinha, so I’ll say him.

Crafton: I’d love to see Vinicius Junior light up the international stage and carry Brazil deep into the tournament, but I can’t look past Mbappe. I was fortunate to be at the final in 2022 — France looked dead and buried, but I’ve never seen any player (live) single-handedly flip a game the way he did. I saw Mbappe play for France in Foxborough last week against Brazil and, even when surrounded by Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise and Hugo Ekitike, he showed an extra level of star quality. It will also be fun to see whether Erling Haaland can take Norway further than we might expect.

James: I’m torn between Yamal, who turns 19 during the tournament but feels like he should be 24, and Mbappe, whose last World Cup appearance ended with him scoring a hat-trick in the final — and losing. Fitness permitting, Mbappe has the potential to light up this World Cup and score the goals that take France to glory, too.

Cardenas: Perhaps Federico Valverde will mirror Diego Forlan’s 2010 form and make history with Uruguay. Yamal could take over the tournament, backed by a strong Spain side. But I do agree on Mbappe. Surrounded by so many elite players, if France’s captain is fit, he’ll score plenty of goals and put his country into another final.

Lang: No prizes for originality here, but I find it hard to look past Yamal. He was terrific at Euro 2024 and two years on, he is more than ready to shine at his first World Cup.

Lawrence: France’s attacking collective overspills with talent. Given Mbappe’s relationship with this tournament, he has every chance of seizing the moment.

Miller: Yamal and Mbappe are the obvious choices but I wonder if Michael Olise, who I recall watching a few years ago with Reading and has since become one of the world’s most thrilling players at Bayern Munich, could be the decisive player if France go far.

Which player could be a surprise package?

Kay: Jhon Arias was superb for Fluminense at last summer’s Club World Cup. Then he came to the Premier League and made a negligible impact for a struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers team. He has since returned to Brazil with a loan move to Palmeiras — that didn’t go down well with Fluminense’s fans — and is thriving again. Nobody in South America will be surprised if he excels for Colombia this summer, but here in England, there might be a few people wondering if that really is the same guy who looked lost at Wolves.

Crafton: English football has only seen flashes of Florian Wirtz at his best, but there’s clearly a player of world-class potential in there. I suspect the slightly slower pace of the international game may suit him better. He was outstanding in Germany’s 4-3 win against Switzerland last week, scoring twice, and the Liverpool playmaker may surprise some people this summer.

James: Basically, you’re looking for another James Rodriguez in 2014, right? Well, how about James Rodriguez in 2026? Watching him at the Copa America two years ago, it was astonishing to see the level of his performances, mindful of the chaos of his club career and how far he had fallen. At 34 and entering his 16th year as an international footballer, Rodriguez’s capacity to turn it on for Colombia when it matters is remarkable — he ended up winning the player of the tournament at the Copa America, when plenty of people thought he was finished. Could he do it again, at his third World Cup? You wouldn’t put it past him.

Cardenas: Paraguay’s Diego Gomez. The 23-year-old Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder arrived in England with little fanfare, but his development across his career has been outstanding. He was once a shy and quiet teammate of Messi at Inter Miami. Today, he is an established playmaker for his country. If Paraguay surprises at this World Cup, Gomez will be one reason.

Lang: This might be stretching the definition of the term, but it has to be Neymar. He has been out of the spotlight for so long now that a part-time observer would be forgiven for assuming he had retired, but rumours of his demise have been overstated. Neymar dragged boyhood club Santos out of a relegation battle last year and reportedly has his sights set on one last hurrah for Brazil. If he can prove his fitness to Carlo Ancelotti — a big ‘if’, admittedly — we could be in for one last ride on the rollercoaster.

Lawrence: Senegal might be in the nightmare group, but they have a special determination after the craziness of the Africa Cup of Nations final and aftermath. Any of their front three has the ability to shine. Nicolas Jackson’s experience with Bayern could be the X factor.

Miller: Yan Diomande, Ivory Coast’s exciting winger who will be atop many shopping lists, could be a standout. I like the idea of Jordan captain Musa Al-Taamari leading them to some surprise wins. At the other end of the scale, this might be Mohamed Salah’s last chance to star at a World Cup: his and Egypt’s previous record is pretty terrible, so from that perspective, he might be a surprise package too…

Who is your favourite to win the Golden Boot?

Kay: Theoretically, the expanded tournament means more weak opponents, so there’s an opportunity for Harry Kane, Mbappe, Haaland, Lautaro Martinez or Ronaldo to rack up loads of goals in the group stage alone. There is an extra knockout game, too. Portugal’s first two games are against DR Congo and Uzbekistan. Ronaldo will be rubbing his hands at the prospect. Mind you, he might need to score in the knockout stage for the first time (yes, you read that right). I’ll say Mbappe for the Golden Boot, but Ronaldo, even at 41, cannot be ruled out.

Crafton: Mbappe. Next.

James: Sorry to be predictable, but Kane or Mbappe. Their form and goalscoring records at club level this season are just astonishing. Kane has scored 48 goals in 40 appearances for Bayern Munich, and Mbappe has 38 in 35 for Real Madrid. Sometimes an ‘easy’ group stage can be a big factor in the battle for the Golden Boot — Kane in 2018 comes to mind, when he scored five of his six goals against Tunisia and Panama. England have got Panama again, but Croatia and Ghana should be more difficult opponents, while Senegal and Norway could be awkward for France. That said, I expect England to reach the last eight and France to get to the final, so there’s plenty of opportunity for both to fill their boots. Mbappe, aged 27 and at his peak, looks the likely winner. Again.

Cardenas: We’re all expecting to see some fairly lopsided results in a 48-team field. Brazil’s Vinicius Jr and Estevao versus Haiti could be a goal fest. Spain’s Mikel Oyarzabal could become a candidate to win the award after facing Cape Verde on June 15. Germany opens their group stage against minnows Curacao, so why not Wirtz? And as Oli says, maybe even Ronaldo!

Lang: In an oddly sparse field, Mbappe looks the logical pick. He has been scoring at a healthy lick for Real Madrid, plays for one of the strongest teams in the tournament and takes penalties. He won’t need additional motivation but he will surely feel that Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup goalscoring record is there for the taking. The German ended his career on 16; Mbappe is on 12.

Lawrence: I am still scarred from tipping Martinez last time. Can I sit this one out?

Miller: Kane. His industrial quantities of goals for Bayern are just extraordinary, and if he stays injury-free, there’s no reason he won’t pile them up again here. Nobody has ever won the Golden Boot twice…

Which team do you see as this year’s dark horse?

Kay: If Colombia can be deemed a dark horse, they are my choice. An experienced, battle-hardened squad took seven points from four games against Brazil and Argentina in qualifying and, in Bayern Munich’s Luis Diaz and Sporting CP’s Luis Suarez, they have two forwards who have excelled at club level this season. They lost March’s warm-up games against Croatia and France, but they should not be taken lightly.

Crafton: Can England be a dark horse? Given few people expect them to win it, I’d say probably. Nobody is quite sure who will play or how Thomas Tuchel will set this team up. But he’s been a great coach of club teams and can handle high-pressure moments and get a team over the line. And England needs some of that. We could say the same about Brazil and Ancelotti. I was also very impressed by Belgium on Saturday against the USMNT and while their ‘golden generation’ is almost out, there’s some real fresh talent coming to the fore and they will trouble some good teams.

James: I want to say Norway, whose return to the World Cup finals is long overdue, but they would need Haaland and Martin Odegaard to be at the top of their game for that to happen, and that feels unlikely right now. Instead, I’m going for Germany — a country I never thought I’d describe as a footballing dark horse. This, though, is a new team — the days of Manuel Neuer keeping clean sheets, Toni Kroos playing eye-of-the-needle passes, Ilkay Gundogan weaving pretty patterns in midfield and Thomas Muller upstaging Ronaldo are gone. Germany failed to get out of the group at the past two World Cups, so they’re not exactly fancied this summer. But, come on, this is still Germany. Let’s hope Jamal Musiala is back in time to link up with Wirtz.

Cardenas: I considered the Netherlands but the Dutch don’t have a killer striker. Colombia is a popular choice but I’ll go with a team that recently defeated the South Americans: Croatia. I know, the Croats are boring. They’re too defensive. Well, those characteristics can win tournaments. In their 2-1 win over Colombia in Orlando last week, they were very sharp tactically and technically. Croatia can defend but Zlatko Dalic’s side are also an effective attacking team.

Lang: Sebastian Beccacece’s Ecuador were the story of South American qualifying, finishing second behind Argentina (and ahead of Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay) despite a three-point deduction for a rules violation in the previous World Cup cycle. Their success was almost entirely down to their defensive solidity — Ecuador, remarkably, conceded just five times across their 18 matches. They won’t win many awards for aesthetics, but they’ll take some beating.

Lawrence: My gut is backing Senegal to make waves, but in the spirit of World Cups historically inspiring teams from the region, Ecuador have impressed recently. Paris Saint-Germain’s Willian Pacho, and Moises Caicedo and Piero Hincapie, who are consistently impressive in the Premier League, add nous to a team that are increasingly hard to beat.

Miller: I was speaking to some Switzerland fans recently who were pretty bullish about their chances, and not without reason: they got battered 6-1 against Portugal in the 2022 round of 16 but only went out of the past two European Championships on penalties, having already beaten France in 2021. This could be the last chance for Granit Xhaka and his generation, and in Murat Yakin, they’ve got a manager capable of smart, innovative tactical decisions that tend to work at tournaments.

Is there a fancied team you think might disappoint?

Kay: I’m not sure whether this makes me a pessimist, a realist or a treasonist, but I’m not entirely positive about England’s prospects. There’s a popular assumption that, having fallen agonisingly short under Gareth Southgate, they will achieve success under Tuchel, who has a far greater track record. But it’s not as straightforward as that. The togetherness that Southgate fostered will not be easy to replicate and England have not really taken shape under Tuchel. There’s so much emphasis on their range of options in attacking areas, but Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and Eberechi Eze have struggled at points this season. The defence doesn’t look great either. And that’s without mentioning England’s usual issues with heat and end-of-season fatigue.

Crafton: I’m not sold on Germany, particularly given Musiala has been absent for much of this season, and I also fear that Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay, who have been pretty poor for the past year or so, may particularly underwhelm.

James: A question that sets you up to look a fool — and, talking from experience, I’m more than capable of being that fool. Portugal could be a real force at this World Cup. They could also make a pig’s ear of things if they don’t adopt a sensible approach with Ronaldo and think carefully about how much football he plays at the World Cup (I’m not sure Portugal will adopt a sensible approach with how much football Ronaldo plays at the World Cup).

Cardenas: Argentina were the cardiac kids in 2022 and won the World Cup on Messi’s inspired form across seven matches. Their squad has become a bit younger but Lionel Scaloni still relies heavily on a strong core from four years ago. Asking them to do it again in 2026 is a tall task. Additionally, exhibition games against Puerto Rico, Mauritania, Angola and Zambia are a laughable World Cup preparation plan.

Lang: This could so easily come back to bite me, but I agree with Felipe: I’m saying Argentina. Yes, they have Messi, along with a huge number of options in central midfield and attack. The defence, however, looks fragile and their failure to line up top-level opposition in this international window looks like a strategic fumble. Stiffer tests would surely have been beneficial.

Lawrence: Brazil ought to be classical front-runners but something keeps nagging at the back of my mind. Nobody is mad enough to predict a horror show as extreme as Germany 7 Brazil 1 on home soil, but despite Ancelotti’s expertise, this does not feel like a wonder team ready to take the world by storm.

Miller: Aside from France last time, the holders have miserable records at the World Cup, so partly on that basis, I’m also going with Argentina. There is some logic, too: their midfield looks really strong but Messi will turn 39 during the tournament and has been playing in MLS, Julian Alvarez hasn’t had a great season and building a defence around Cristian Romero is… a high-wire act.

And finally… pick a World Cup winner…

Kay: I’ll go for France. They have the most talented squad and, although I usually steer clear of this phrase, they have a great blend of youth and experience. My only concern is that, with so much talent, can Didier Deschamps get the tactical balance right and retain a sense of unity among the sidelined players? They were unlucky not to win the 2022 World Cup, but they didn’t do themselves justice at Euro 2024. So much will be expected of Mbappe as a player and as a leader. I’m fascinated to see how he carries that responsibility.

Crafton: Brazil. Ancelotti was assistant coach to Arrigo Sacchi when Italy lost on penalties to Brazil at the final of the 1994 World Cup in the States. Thirty-two years later, he returns as Brazil manager and it would be very nice to see him lift the trophy.

James: France. The quality of their squad is ridiculous. No wonder Deschamps has decided to hang in there for so long. Look at their attacking options: Dembele, Mbappe, Rayan Cherki, Ekitike, Desire Doue, Olise, Bradley Barcola and Marcus Thuram. They’ll also be the best/worst-dressed team at the World Cup, depending on your outlook. Anyway, to get back to the point, Brazil, under Ancelotti’s management, fascinate me (anything could happen), Argentina won the Copa America without being close to their best (a worrying sign for everyone else), and Spain will be the formidable force they often are. But France are the team to beat.

Cardenas: After the draw, I felt England could do it. They are a strong team (boring, but strong) but after watching France in March, I have a hard time picking against such a talented and deep squad. Les Bleus.

Lang: Spain have been my favourites for some time and I see no reason to deviate from that view. They were brilliant at Euro 2024. They have a settled system that suits their players. The midfield controls matches in a way that could be incredibly important in the severe heat we expect at many World Cup venues. In Yamal, they have a player who can win a tough game with a single moment of genius.

Lawrence: France are imperfect at full-back and it is not the most dominant midfield they have ever had but the attacking riches are supreme. They have more out-and-out match-winners than any other nation, so that might swing it.

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