B/R Expert Predictions for the 2026 World Cup
Let the games begin.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on Thursday when co-hosts Mexico take on South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
As we inch closer to kick-off, we asked our B/R Football experts to provide their predictions for this year's event. Who will be the top scorer? Which team will be the dark horse? And who will win it all?
Find out here.
Best Young Player
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Leo Collis
The tournament will be peppered with young stars, including João Neves, Yan Diomande, Kenan Yildiz, Arda Guler, Endrick, Nico Paz, and Désiré Doué.
However, one player just stands out head and shoulders above the rest, making this an unfair fight.
Lamine Yamal—the back-to-back Kopa Trophy winner, the 2024 Golden Boy, the 2025 Ballon d'Or runner-up, the Euro 2024 young player of the tournament—will almost certainly be the best young player of the 2026 World Cup, if not challenge for the Golden Ball outright.
The 18-year-old is already so crucial to Spain's game plan and La Furia Roja's chances of World Cup glory. The world will hold its collective breath while watching him burst down the wing, dazzle defenders with his speed and trickery, and fire home stunning goals.
Joe Lowery
It's the obvious answer, but it's also the correct one: Lamine Yamal will be the best youngster at this summer's tournament. Really, he might be the best player at the tournament regardless of age.
The 18-year-old Spain and FC Barcelona right-winger is doing the kinds of things we haven't seen a teenage attacker do since Lionel Messi was playing on the same patch of grass at the Camp Nou. Yamal, who led Barcelona in goal contributions this past season, is special.
Now, he is coming off a hamstring injury that might limit his minutes at the start of the tournament. Still, Spain manager Luis de la Fuente remains bullish about Yamal's fitness ahead of the tournament. When he's on the field, expect magic from Yamal.
If you want a wild-card pick, though, Mexico's Gilberto Mora is one to watch. The 17-year-old central midfielder is the youngest player at the entire World Cup and is the best Mexican prospect in ages.
Calum Rogers
Joe and Leo are right to spotlight Lamine Yamal. All things being equal, he has an argument to be the tournament's best overall player, never mind its best youngster. But that hamstring issue feels significant enough that others could press their case, whether Yamal is forced to miss games or isn't 100 percent.
Of the other names Leo spotlighted, Arda Güler is my alternative pick. Now entering his second major tournament, the 21-year-old showed his eye for the spectacular at Euro 2024 with a stunning goal against Georgia, and he has the personality to thrive under the World Cup spotlight.
He recorded 20 goal contributions in 51 appearances for a dysfunctional Real Madrid team, and his performances could take a step up when positioned as the star in an exciting Turkey team.
Nick Akerman
It doesn't really help if I say Lamine Yamal, does it? He is obviously the correct answer. But let's look further beyond for the sake of it.
I like Joe's shout for Gilberto Mora. World Cups in your own backyard are meant to birth new stars. Mexico face South Africa, South Korea and Czechia in the group stages; three winnable games before something bigger, so Mora has the platform waiting for him.
Yan Diomande is more of a known entity. He has been linked with a move to Liverpool or Paris Saint-Germain and will come away from the tournament with many more admirers.
The Côte d'Ivoire winger plays with the fearlessness of a 19-year-old who knows a watershed moment in his career is fast approaching.
Twelve goals and eight assists in 33 Bundesliga appearances for RB Leipzig pretty much confirm the eternal feeder club has another huge transfer fee coming its way in the near future.
Dark-Horse Team
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Leo Collis
The attention on Belgium is not nearly as focused as it once was, with the team partway through a transitional period after previous stalwarts like Eden Hazard, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen, Radja Nainggolan, Vincent Kompany and Dries Mertens retired.
But almost quietly, the Red Devils are on a 13-match unbeaten run and starting to look like a strong, cohesive unit under the guidance of Rudi Garcia.
A handful of veterans are still around, including Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Axel Witsel, but they are complemented by hungry emerging talent like Jeremy Doku and Charles De Ketelaere, as well as experienced heads like Youri Tielemans and Leandro Trossard.
The balance looks good, and with a spot in Group G alongside Egypt, Iran and New Zealand, Belgium can stack up good results, continue to build on internal squad relationships and make some noise in the knockout stages.
Joe Lowery
Only eight nations have won a men's World Cup. There hasn't been a new winner since Spain lifted the trophy in 2010. So, the odds are heavily stacked against a team outside the expected group of favorites going all the way this summer.
Still, if there's a team that could pull off a run similar to the one Morocco enjoyed en route to the semifinals at the 2022 World Cup, my money's on Ecuador.
With a truly elite defense headlined by Paris Saint-Germain's Willian Pacho and Arsenal's Piero Hincapié and a midfield anchored by Chelsea's Moisés Caicedo, breaking through the South American outfit won't be an easy task.
While the attack isn't quite as strong for Sebastián Beccacece's team, starlet Kendry Páez could just be in for a breakout tournament as Ecuador's string-puller.
Don't be shocked if La Tricolor go deep at this World Cup.
Calum Rogers
The controversy surrounding January's Africa Cup of Nations final between Senegal and Morocco ultimately overshadowed both teams' quality, but they could each be a significant threat in the World Cup.
Morocco have the experience of reaching the semi-finals in 2022 after beating Spain and Portugal along the way, while Senegal were initially the winners of the two teams' AFCON matchup before the result was overturned.
Senegal's extra star power makes them my pick, though. Their front three of Sadio Mané, Iliman Ndiaye and Nicolas Jackson has enough quality to worry any team, while their depth in midfield is also impressive.
They do have tough group opponents in France, Norway and Iraq, but the added experience of Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly, Idrissa Gana Gueye and Edouard Mendy could be vital in securing at least a high third-place spot.
From there, they have enough to cause an upset against anyone.
Nick Akerman
This World Cup feels fairly even. France and Spain are the favourites, but a great run of form for Argentina, Brazil, England, Germany or Portugal would put them seriously in the mix.
Even the next tier, the Netherlands and Belgium, don't feel too far away. Not like it has been in the past.
With that said, it makes a dark horse pretty hard to nail down. An Erling Haaland-powered Norway will get plenty of votes from fans who see him banging in goals every week.
I'd pick Colombia if I had to. I don't think they can win it, but they can do enough to make millions of viewers sit up and take notice.
Disappointment
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Leo Collis
Hedging my bets here slightly after suggesting Harry Kane should be the tournament's top scorer based on a possible deep run for England.
But I also have a lingering suspicion that the Three Lions' bid to end 60 years of hurt is going to unravel quickly.
Group L isn't a cakewalk, with Croatia still proving competitive despite an aging squad, Panama boasting a stubborn back line, and Ghana capable of springing a surprise. It will be more of a battle than hoped for, leading to tired legs in the knockout rounds.
After appearing to have things under control following a rough start, recent results under Thomas Tuchel have also been disappointing, with limp, uninspired performances.
Gareth Southgate might not have been the most expansive of tacticians, but he was a great man-manager. Tuchel is perhaps a better strategist, but his football isn't particularly thrilling, and he doesn't have the rapport with his players that his predecessor did.
Confidence among the squad papered over the cracks in Southgate's tenure, but since the German isn't an "arm around the shoulder" leader, England will likely be exposed as doubt creeps in.
Joe Lowery
While expectations aren't sky-high for Canada at this World Cup, they are the co-host looking most at risk for an early exit. The primary reason? Injury issues.
Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies is already expected to miss the World Cup opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday due to a hamstring injury.
Potentially without Davies in the attack for a game that Jesse Marsch's team may well need a result from, it's fair to wonder who is going to create for Canada's stable of quality strikers in his absence.
It's not just Davies who's struggling with an injury, though. The same can be said of Moise Bombito, the team's best centre-back. The athletic Nice defender hasn't had the smoothest recovery from a broken leg sustained last October.
Should Bombito be unable to suit up for Canada at the World Cup, Marsch's high-pressing system may falter.
It's time to worry about Canada.
Calum Rogers
Perhaps this says as much about the nation's collective anxiety over international tournaments, but I agree with Leo that England look the most likely of the favourites to not make it to the later rounds.
If the Three Lions win their group, Ecuador and Mexico likely loom in the first two knockout rounds. Ecuador haven't lost in 19 matches, while a last-16 game against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium would be daunting.
Despite the inevitable complaints around Thomas Tuchel's squad selection, it's still a quality group, and Harry Kane is arguably the best player in the world.
There's a way through this bracket for them, but they could just be victims of circumstance.
Nick Akerman
I'm English, so there's no way I'm picking any other side for this category.
The Three Lions lost two European Championship finals and a World Cup semi under Southgate. His aversion to risk played a part in that, which in my mind, is best defined by Cole Palmer barely playing during Euro 2024.
The same player is the source of headlines in Tuchel's selection, with him somehow being left at home despite being one of the nation's best creative sparks.
Tuchel has gone for the bigger picture, the squad of players he can trust, the balance of people who work hard and encourage each other throughout camp. That's the only reason Jordan Henderson and John Stones have made it to the tournament over the likes of Adam Wharton and Harry Maguire.
England have a tough group and a potential route forward. There's the prospect of facing Mexico at the Azteca in the knockouts, which feels like a very English way to lose, especially as the squad just doesn't seem to be completely in sync right now.
Golden Boot
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Leo Collis
In a straight shot of all the strikers at the tournament who should score the most goals, Erling Haaland would be strolling away with the honor.
However, his Norway side probably won't make it as far as the teams featuring other big hitters, so he has fewer games to make an impact.
With that in mind, the door opens up to goal-getters from England, France, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Argentina and Brazil, teams that could all make deep runs at the tournament.
For ease of group opponents, potential to play regularly, and likelihood of getting to the competition's latter stages, Harry Kane is primed to claim his second World Cup Golden Boot award.
The Bayern Munich striker has been the highest scorer in Germany's top flight for the last three seasons, and he's on a run of 11 goals in 11 games for the Three Lions.
Count on Kane to continue that form and add another individual honor to his collection.
Joe Lowery
Is it a fool's errand to try to pinpoint one player in France's stacked attack who will lead the way in goals? Probably. Didier Deschamps has an embarrassment of riches at his disposal this summer.
Still, I've landed on Kylian Mbappe as my Golden Boot pick—even over teammates Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele.
While Mbappe's club season with Real Madrid was filled with drama, there's no doubting his status as one of the world's premier attackers. He managed 25 goals in La Liga this past campaign, a total that was good for the league lead and good enough to place him third among all players in Europe's five biggest leagues.
With his ability to play through the middle or on the left wing, plenty of playmaking around him in the France squad (both Olise and Dembele are more playmakers than pure scorers), and national team duty perhaps feeling like a breath of fresh air after a difficult year in Spain, the Golden Boot could belong to Mbappe.
Calum Rogers
In a spoiler for my pick to make the final, I've gone with a player I expect to play the most games.
Mikel Oyarzabal has scored nine goals in his last six outings for Spain, and he is likely to be the penalty-taker for one of the tournament favourites.
While concerns about the fitness of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams could hamper Spain, the team's first two games in the tournament are against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia.
His team will be expected to dominate possession and create plenty of chances regardless of who plays in those games, so Oyarzabal should still get plenty of opportunities before his star creators return for the knockout rounds.
Nick Akerman
This is between Mbappe and Kane.
I think Kane will start stronger, notching a good return in the group stage. I also believe England will be eliminated well before France, which could play two or three more games.
That would suggest Mbappe will have far more chances to make the trophy his own.
Golden Ball
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Leo Collis
Michael Olise is steadily reaching superstar status, and the World Cup will officially mark his coronation.
The Frenchman is just a joy to watch, as impactful as he is aesthetic, and his ability to both score and assist will make him the most consequential player at the tournament.
In a French team with supporting talent to make the most of his skills, rather than counting on him to shine on his own, he will elevate Les Bleus rather than hog the limelight, pushing them to even better performances and more goals.
Olise will truly make his mark at his first World Cup, setting the competition alight and boosting his Ballon d'Or bid in the process.
Joe Lowery
Earlier, I said Lamine Yamal might be the best player at the tournament regardless of age. I'm doubling down here and choosing him as my Golden Ball winner.
This sport simply hasn't seen a winger as well-rounded as Yamal in a long time. There are the 18-year-old's impressive physical attributes, which allow him to knife in behind backlines and muscle past full-backs with ease.
There are his technical attributes, which allow him to dribble through a crowd and pick out absurd passes that no one else on the field can see. Then there's his penchant for rapid improvement.
Yamal's progress at Barcelona and with the Spain national team has been almost near a straight line since he burst onto the first-team scene three years ago.
Some are scared to say it given his youth, but Yamal looks like the best player on the planet virtually every time I watch him. He'll show as much at this World Cup.
Calum Rogers
Vitinha will be at the heart of (another spoiler alert) my pick for the tournament. Portugal's midfield is the stuff dreams are made of.
Bruno Fernandes' final-third creativity and production, Bernardo Silva's tactical flexibility and all-round excellence, and João Neves' energy and physicality would be a nice blend for any team.
Adding Vitinha on top of all that feels unfair, and the 26-year-old has shown at club level with Paris Saint-Germain that he thrives as the orchestrator in a star-studded lineup.
Cristiano Ronaldo will, of course, be a major story if Portugal make a deep run, but in what could end up being a low-scoring tournament, a silky playmaker like Vitinha could stand out more than his team's superstar attacker.
Nick Akerman
Olise's individuality should make him a fantastic watch at this tournament. It's individuality in the sense that he should be the player to try something special, but not to the detriment of his team.
He deserves one of those beautiful cut-inside curling finishes in front of the world.
It would have been a battle between Olise and Yamal had the latter gone into this with a clean bill of health. As it stands, I'd outline Pedri or Bruno Fernandes as key rivals to Olise for the award.
It feels like a month when the heartbeat of each team needs to stand up and be counted. One of the aforementioned three can do so while putting in a run of proper shifts.
Tournament Winners
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Leo Collis: If you asked me a year ago, the answer would have been Spain. If you asked me two months ago, the answer would have been Spain.
On the eve of the competition, though, I think France has too much quality to not take home the trophy. That squad is stacked, chock full of players who have just claimed a domestic league title or won a European club competition.
In the case of Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola and Warren Zaire-Emery, they are all still glowing after winning back-to-back UEFA Champions League winners' medals.
That's not even mentioning stars such as Kylian Mbappe, Aurelien Tchouameni and Rayan Cherki, who all had great individual seasons.
If Didier Deschamps can get the balance right, Les Bleus should be unstoppable on the way to a third successive World Cup final and a second title in eight years.
Joe Lowery
Give or take, there are six nations at this World Cup whose talent stands above the rest.
Spain can count themselves among that group, with a squad filled with players plying their trades at the best clubs on the planet. But there's something different about the European champions—something that separates them from the other top-tier contenders this summer.
It's their stylistic symmetry.
Unlike, say, France and England, Spain have a group of players drilled in a near-uniform style. Luis de la Fuente, like the managers before him, will use a dominant, controlled tactical approach at the World Cup.
With a midfield highlighted by Rodri and Pedri that's uniquely suited to owning the ball and an attack highlighted by Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres that's able to create a chance at a moment's notice, Spain will constantly be on the same page.
The team's blend of talent and cohesion will be almost impossible to beat.
Calum Rogers
Portugal could end up on the much kinder side of the bracket if they win their group—likely avoiding France or Spain until the final—and sometimes that bit of luck is more important than any other ingredient in a major tournament.
While it is foolish to expect everything to play out as expected, it would be surprising if they don't meet Argentina in the quarter-finals. And while the Ronaldo vs. Messi narrative would be exhausting, Portugal just look like the better team.
Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha are two of the world's best and most in-form midfielders, and Argentina look poorly equipped to deal with them.
From the quarter-finals onward, it's anyone's title. But Portugal have the attacking quality to blow away lesser teams and the defensive steel to go head-to-head with the world's best.
In a projected matchup with Spain in the final, they have enough to cause an upset.
Nick Akerman
As Leo excellently summed up, the end-of-season momentum feels like it's with a France squad that just couldn't stop winning things at their respective clubs. The strength in depth is pitch-wide and terrifying.
The combo of physicality at the back and outrageous speed going forward will also elevate Les Bleus in the difficult conditions, where small gains can play a huge part in deciding who deals with the heat.
Spain's squad is elite, and they could well go all the way, but I wonder if having zero Real Madrid players is more of a cause for concern than a joke when you really think about it.
La Roja have traditionally gone up a level when Madrid and Barcelona's stars are in top form. Not having as many stars with years of winning big matches behind them might cause some cracks further down the line.
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