The 2026 FIFA World Cup will break a host of historical barriers as it heads across the Atlantic.
With the USA hosting the tournament for the first time since 1994, there is a return to North America for the biggest competition in international football, with Canada and Mexico on co-host duty.
It will be the first time the tournament will be hosted by three nations, with an expansion from 32 teams to 48 as part of a controversial increase.
The usual suspects will be aiming for glory in the 2026 World Cup, with Argentina looking to defend their title from Qatar 2022, up against rivals Brazil, France and Euro 2024 winners Spain.
With the action at Euro 2024 and Copa America 2024 providing a glimpse into where sides are at in their progress, and which national teams might be capable of springing a surprise, we look at the early contenders for the World Cup crown.
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Ahead of the long road of qualification to the World Cup 2026, the battle at the top of the odds list is tight, with Brazil holding a slight edge over their rivals.
Despite being knocked out of Copa America 2024 quarterfinals, the Samba Boys are predicted to bounce back in 2026, but France, Spain, England, Copa America 2024 winners Argentina and Germany are close behind.
There will be plenty of twists on the way to the World Cup, but a European or South American team has won every men’s tournament since the competition start in 1930.
Odds via BetMGM in USA, updated as of July 15, 2024.
Prediction: Spain (+600 to win title)
Spain impressed in winning Euro 2024 and Luis de la Fuente’s young side will crucially have two more years of club and national team experience ahead of the tournament.
La Roja’s triple-winning side, which lifted successive UEFA European Championships in 2008 and 2012 and the World Cup in 2012, remains as the benchmark, but the current crop have already made huge progress.
Fans will be hopeful Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Nico Williams, Pau Cubarsi and others continue on their upward trajectory as Spain look to banish a Round of 16 exit in 2022.
Dark Horse: Germany (+900 to win title)
Despite losing out to Spain the quarterfinals of Euro 2024, Germany have made a statement of intent over head coach Julian Nageslmann, with his contract now extended until after the 2026 World Cup.
The former Bayern Munich boss will need to replace some big names in his squad, but similarly to Spain, they have a core of exciting players on the rise.
Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz and Aleksandar Pavlovic will be vital stars in his developing team, with some key experience still retained, and Germany surely cannot do worse that group stages exits in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.
Feargal is a content producer for The Sporting News.
