Champion crowned

The 2026 World Cup is in the books. See the champion and how many predictions called it.

Match data source: football-data.org

Spain

★★

1-0 AETArgentina

Total predictions

26.9% of users called the champion

Popular Teams

Top 8 most-picked champions

2026 World Cup Rules

The 2026 FIFA World Cup expands to 48 teams. After the group stage, every qualifier is placed into a fixed knockout slot and follows that route toward the title.

Format Overview

The tournament moves from the group stage to the Round of 32, Round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, third-place match, and final.

The 48 teams are split into 12 groups of four. Each team plays three group matches, and the top two in every group plus the eight best third-place teams move on.

Every match after the group stage is win-or-go-home. Level after 90 minutes means extra time, followed by penalties if needed.

Group Ranking Rules

Teams are ranked first by points. If they finish level, FIFA applies these tie-breakers in order. Three or more tied teams are compared as a group:

Head-to-head points: The team with more points from matches between the tied teams ranks higher.

Head-to-head goal difference: The team with the better goal difference in matches between the tied teams ranks higher.

Head-to-head goals: The team with more goals in matches between the tied teams ranks higher.

Overall group goal difference: Goal difference across all three group matches is compared; the better goal difference ranks higher.

Overall group goals: Goals scored across all group matches are compared; the team with more goals ranks higher.

Fair play points: Yellow card -1, second-yellow red -3, direct red -4, yellow then direct red -5; the higher fair play score ranks higher.

FIFA men's ranking: The team with the higher latest FIFA men's world ranking is placed higher.

Knockout Placement

The top two teams from each group fill 24 fixed knockout slots. The eight best third-place teams are placed after every group match is complete, and each faces a group winner in the Round of 32. FIFA's Annexe C table assigns those third-place teams based on which groups qualify.

Knockout Bracket Guide

86%

Group A

Team	GF/GA	Pts
Mexico	0/0	Qualified0
South Africa	0/0	Qualified0
Korea Republic	0/0	In contention0
Czechia	0/0	0

Group B

Team	GF/GA	Pts
Canada	0/0	Qualified0
Bosnia and Herzegovina	0/0	Qualified0
Qatar	0/0	In contention0
Switzerland	0/0	0

Group C

Team	GF/GA	Pts
Brazil	0/0	Qualified0
Morocco	0/0	Qualified0
Haiti	0/0	In contention0
Scotland	0/0	0

Group D

Team	GF/GA	Pts
United States	0/0	Qualified0
Paraguay	0/0	Qualified0
Australia	0/0	In contention0
Turkiye	0/0	0

Group E

Team	GF/GA	Pts
Germany	0/0	Qualified0
Curacao	0/0	Qualified0
Cote d Ivoire	0/0	In contention0
Ecuador	0/0	0

Group F

Team	GF/GA	Pts
Netherlands	0/0	Qualified0
Japan	0/0	Qualified0
Sweden	0/0	In contention0
Tunisia	0/0	0

Group G

Team	GF/GA	Pts
Belgium	0/0	Qualified0
Egypt	0/0	Qualified0
Iran	0/0	In contention0
New Zealand	0/0	0

Group H

Team	GF/GA	Pts
Spain	0/0	Qualified0
Cape Verde	0/0	Qualified0
Saudi Arabia	0/0	In contention0
Uruguay	0/0	0

Group I

Team	GF/GA	Pts
France	0/0	Qualified0
Senegal	0/0	Qualified0
Iraq	0/0	In contention0
Norway	0/0	0

Group J

Team	GF/GA	Pts
Argentina	0/0	Qualified0
Algeria	0/0	Qualified0
Austria	0/0	In contention0
Jordan	0/0	0

Group K

Team	GF/GA	Pts
Portugal	0/0	Qualified0
DR Congo	0/0	Qualified0
Uzbekistan	0/0	In contention0
Colombia	0/0	0

Group L

Team	GF/GA	Pts
England	0/0	Qualified0
Croatia	0/0	Qualified0
Ghana	0/0	In contention0
Panama	0/0	0

2026 World Cup Rules

The 2026 FIFA World Cup expands to 48 teams. After the group stage, every qualifier is placed into a fixed knockout slot and follows that route toward the title.