The 2026 World Cup is finally here! Ahead of Thursday's opening match, theScore's soccer editors - Michael J. Chandler, Jamie Johnstone, Caio Miari, Gianluca Nesci, and Daniel Rouse - make their predictions on a wide variety of tournament topics.
👉 Jump to:
Standings | Tournament Final | Awards | Assorted
Group standings
Uniformity to kick things off! The tournament co-hosts - Mexico, Canada, and the United States - were all handed favorable draws, but El Tri arguably have the most manageable task of that trio in the group stage.
Switzerland is the consensus best team in Group B, but that didn't stop Rouse from taking a big swing and picking the Canadians to not only get their first-ever win at a men's World Cup, but to go on and top the quartet. Bold.
Brazil is calling upon Carlo Ancelotti to extract the maximum from a wildly talented but lopsided squad. If anyone can do it, it's the decorated Italian. But 2022 semifinalist Morocco poses a huge challenge in the opening match.
The U.S. and Turkiye are expected to battle for top spot. The Americans may have a more balanced team overall, but the top-end talent of Arda Guler, Kenan Yildiz, and Hakan Calhanoglu has enchanted some of our editors.
Could Germany be in trouble? Chandler is the only editor that has the four-time world champion finishing atop the group, while Nesci has gone to the extreme and picked the Germans to barely advance as a third-place team.
Despite boasting Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres up front, our editors don't think Sweden can seriously challenge the balance of the Oranje or the industry and ingenuity of the Samurai Blue in Group F.
The draw was very kind to Belgium. The Red Devils, still somewhat in a transitional phase after their "golden generation," are expected to be the dominant force in Group G, with Egypt and Iran vying for second place.
Another clean sweep here. Tournament favorite Spain gets the benefit of easing into the World Cup with matches against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia before, presumably, battling for top spot with Uruguay.
France was viewed as one of the big losers of the draw after being placed together with Erling Haaland's Norway and a very good Senegal side, but Les Bleus' unreal array of attacking talent is simply too good to pick against.
Argentina doesn't have the same motivation of four years ago, when the entire squad was desperate to win the World Cup for Lionel Messi, but it does have a very forgiving group where Austria and Algeria are the primary challengers.
If any nation is going to join the World Cup winner's circle for the first time, Group K seems like the most obvious place to look; Portugal and Colombia have all the tools. Cristiano Ronaldo will be desperate to lift the trophy.
It probably won't be pretty - it could even be downright grueling to watch - but everyone is picking Thomas Tuchel's England to win Group L over Croatia. The Three Lions should do just enough to outduel Luka Modric's side.
Tournament final
Four of our editors have Spain, the reigning European champion, reaching the final, with Johnstone and Rouse picking La Roja to claim their second world title and potentially begin another dynastic international run.
Nesci is backing England's attritional approach - and Harry Kane - to lift England to its first World Cup crown since 1966, while Chandler and Miari side with the attacking exuberance and talent of France and Brazil, respectively.
Golden Boot (top scorer)
Mbappe (42) and Kane (61) combined for a staggering 103 goals across all competitions during the 2025-26 club season with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, respectively. As the primary scoring threats - and, crucially, penalty takers - for tournament heavyweights, it's no surprise to see them in the mix here. Oyarzabal, the Real Sociedad frontman, is sneakily a great pick who should benefit from Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams creating a bevy of chances for Spain, especially in the group stage.
Despite the expanded format creating more potential for star strikers to inflate their numbers against mediocre opposition, no editor is picking their Golden Boot winner to hit double figures. Nobody has scored more than eight goals in a single World Cup since German icon Gerd Muller hit 10 in 1970.
Golden Ball (best player)
Prior to Lionel Messi's Golden Ball win in Qatar, the previous six winners of the award all came from teams that didn't win the World Cup; Diego Forlan claimed the honor despite Uruguay finishing fourth in 2010!
So, taking home the big prize is far from a prerequisite to earn this individual honor. Yamal is the clear front-runner, even if Spain doesn't win the tournament, but don't sleep on his compatriot, midfield maestro Pedri.
Breakout star
This is always one of the most enjoyable elements of any World Cup. New stars will be born, and some will almost certainly parlay their breakout performances on the biggest stage into big-money summer transfers.
Ivorian teenager Diomande fits that bill - Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain are already showing interest in the rapid winger - while Mora, the youngest player in the entire tournament at 17, looks destined for stardom on home turf. Henrique and Endrick could make a huge splash off the bench for Brazil and grow into the tournament, while Japan's Suzuki is the prototypical modern goalkeeper who's destined to leave Parma for a top side in the near future.
Which co-host will perform best?
Chandler and Nesci have taken a diplomatic approach here, positing that multiple co-hosts will make similar tournament runs before their adventures come to an end in the last 16.
Mexico, perhaps unsurprisingly given its easier fixtures in Group A, is a popular pick, with Rouse tabbing El Tri to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in 40 years. Mexico has only made it that far twice before, but both of those instances (1970 and 1986) came when it hosted the tournament, so there is precedent.
Biggest surprise
Variety is the spice of life and, apparently, World Cups.
The expanded format means more teams outside the traditional powers will have the opportunity to make serious waves. Colombia and Norway, in particular, are widely tipped to have uplifting and exciting tournament runs powered by a pair of World Cup debutants: Luis Diaz and Erling Haaland.
Biggest flop
Are the Albiceleste in trouble? Anything less than defending the crown would technically be a disappointment for Argentina, but there's genuine cause for concern about an aging squad that will lean on ailing 38-year-old Lionel Messi during the tournament.
Germany, facing questions up front and in goal, is another popular pick to struggle after an underwhelming pre-tournament display against the United States, while Chandler isn't sold on Cristiano Ronaldo's suitability as the focal point of an otherwise very good Portugal squad.
US: Must be 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER; Hope is here. Call (800)-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org for 24/7 support (MA); Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY).
ON: Please play responsibly. 19+. ON only. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call ConnexOntario 24/7 at 1-866-531-2600. Text us at 247247 or chat with us at www.connexontario.ca.
