We're only a couple of weeks away from the start of the 2026 World Cup and the excitement builds up with each passing day.
With Argentina looking to defend their title and the rest of the world intent on stealing it from them, fans around the globe have their own favourites and predictions for the way this World Cup will develop.
Do you believe in Thomas Tuchel and his England squad? Or do you see Leo Messi and Argentina becoming the first team to defend the title since Brazil did it all the way back in 1962? Maybe you can see Spain once again unifying the titles of European and World Champions, like they did when they won Euros in 2008 and 2012, along with the 2010 World Cup?
Show your prediction skills by filling out our World Cup 2026 bracket and choosing your winner for the tournament. You can then share your bracket with your friends on social media and even download it to your computer.
Furthermore, you can also check our best World Cup betting apps, if you wish to bet on your predictions from the 2026 World Cup bracket.
Which teams can break the bracket?
It's clear who the biggest World Cup favourites are and most of them will probably be in the tournament until the very end, but are there any teams that can break the established order?
Morocco have been the Cinderella of the last World Cup in Qatar, becoming the first African team to reach the semi-final. They have since won the AFCON 2025, albeit controversially, and are generally seen as the team that could go far this summer.
Croatia have reached the final in 2018 and semi-finals in 2022, despite never being among the favourites for the trophy. Once again, the small Balkan country is not seen as one of the main favourites, with the bookies giving a better chance of winning to the likes of USA, Mexico, and Japan, with a combined one semi-final appearance (USA in 1930). Meanwhile, Croatia have reached the semis three times, even though they only exist as a FIFA member since 1992, as they were part of Yugoslavia before that.
AFCON 2025 finalists Senegal are also a team that could surprise many, as well as Ecuador, who finished South American qualifiers in second place, ahead of Brazil and Uruguay and only behind world champions Argentina.
However, most pundits agree that Norway are the biggest dark horse of the tournament, and for a good reason. The Scandinavians have never gone beyond the round of 16 at the tournament, but this time things are different since they are led by Erling Haaland, arguably the best forward in the world. Norway finished their qualifiers with a perfect record, winning all eight of their games in a group with Italy, Israel, Estonia, and Moldova. They have scored 37 goals and conceded only five, while Haaland himself scored 16 goals, tying the all-time record for the World Cup qualifiers.
Who are England's biggest threats?
England are one of the main favourites to go all the way, but can the Three Lions actually win their second World Cup title?
Their road largely depends on the way they perform in the group stages, since finishing first in Group L with Croatia, Ghana, and Panama gives them a chance for an easier path. Of course, with so many variables, it's hard to predict exactly how this may go, but in theory, finishing first could give England a path to the finals of Jordan, Curacao, Ivory Coast, and Portugal.
That is the best-case scenario and quite an unrealistic one, but even a realistic scenario would likely pit England against Morocco or Germany in quarter-finals and then in the semis they would likely get either Argentina or Portugal, still avoiding until the final the only two bigger favourites for the title, France and Spain.
On the other hand, if England were to finish second in the group, which isn't out of the question with Croatia as their main rivals, the Three Lions could theoretically go on to face Portugal, Spain, Belgium, France, and then Argentina in the final.
Of course, the possibilities are pretty much endless with the new World Cup format, so let us know who was the biggest threat to England in your bracket?
World Cup 2022 Coverage
- What's coming up? View a list of upcoming World Cup Fixtures.
- Missed a match? Check out our World Cup Results for all the latest full-time goals.
- Think you know who will win outright? Then View our World Cup Odds comparison tables from top UK bookmakers.
- Betting Offer: We have collected world cup betting offers all in one place so you don't have to.
- Group by Group Betting Tips; Group A, Group B, Group C, Group D, Group E, Group F, Group G, Group H.
- World Cup Betting Tips; Golden Boot, Golden Glove, Group Stage Acca, Dark Horses and Outright Winners
- Highbet: Sportsbook and online casino with 30+ sports, 100's of betting markets and competitive betting odds.
An avid sports fan and bettor, with a soft spot for basketball, tennis, and football. Vladimir is a part of MFT's unique community both as writer and editor.
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