Although Northern Ireland missed out on the World Cup again this year, it’s still set to be an exciting summer in Belfast, with plenty of fans staying glued to the action in North America as the World Cup returns.
With 48 teams at this year’s World Cup, the tournament’s set to be bigger than ever before, and there’s plenty of teams who will fancy their chances at capturing the trophy. Here’s a look at some of the potential winners, from favourites, to outsiders, to real dark horses.
Spain, France, and England headline as World Cup favourites
The three sides sitting at the top of the 2026 World Cup betting odds are Spain, France, and England, and it’s hard to argue with that assessment.
Spain arrive as European champions after winning Euro 2024, beating France along the way. Luis de la Fuente’s side have lost just twice since March 2024. Lamine Yamal has shaken off a pre-tournament injury and is expected to feature in their opener against Cape Verde.
France will be looking to avenge their defeat in the 2022 World Cup Final. Didier Deschamps has extraordinary depth in attack: Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise and Désiré Doué all competing for places. The 2018 winners are firmly in the conversation for 2026.
England are also genuine contenders. Although they’re likely a level below France and Spain among most bookmakers, they have a great manager, a deep squad, and bags of talent, most importantly Harry Kane. Most of the best betting sites in UK have England as third favourites to lift the trophy, firmly behind Spain and France.
Argentina and Brazil follow as outside favourites
Reigning champions Argentina cannot be discounted, even with Lionel Messi now 39. He remains as influential as ever, but the burden is increasingly shared. Julián Alvarez is now one of the world’s best forwards, and Nico Paz, who scored 13 goals for Como this season, adds an exciting new dimension.
Brazil, under Carlo Ancelotti, boast one of the most dangerous attacks in the tournament. Vinícius Júnior is the man to watch, though their World Cup run may well hinge on how solid Gabriel and Marquinhos are at the back.
Portugal, Germany and others among the ‘dark horse’ contenders
Portugal are one of the more interesting stories at the 2026 World Cup. This is Cristiano Ronaldo’s last dance on football’s biggest stage, but the team is far more than one player. Bruno Fernandes arrives in the form of his life after breaking the Premier League assists record. João Neves and Vitinha together form arguably the best midfield pair in the world.
Germany have to be considered among the top teams, especially considering their World Cup pedigree (only Brazil have won more World Cups than them), but they aren’t the team of a decade ago.
The Netherlands and Ecuador offer two interesting options. Both have quietly complete squads with serious quality. Watch out for their strong defenses, which can carry them against tough opponents.
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