The stage for the world’s biggest sporting event has been set.

On Dec. 5, 2025, FIFA held the final draw for the 2026 World Cup, revealing the group stages with venues and kick-off times for all 104 games across 16 host cities.

The tournament, which will run from June 11 to July 19, will be hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico — the first time three nations have co-hosted the event. An entirely new knockout stage, the Round of 32, will also be introduced as the number of teams increases from 32 to 48. With Houston hosting seven matches and a free-entry Fan Festival, local fans will have the rare opportunity to experience the world’s biggest sporting event right in their own city.

As we look back to World Cup Qatar 2022, surprises such as Morocco’s historic breakthrough and Argentina’s defeat to Saudi Arabia foreshadow the path to 2026 — which countries will triumph and which will fall short?

Overall, we chose France as the predicted winner because of their consistent performances and decorated players considering their history with winning two World Cups in 1998 and 2018 and two second place finishes in 2006 and 2022. With Ballon D’or and FIFA Best Men’s Player of the Year winner Ousmane Dembélé, Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé and more in their prime, it’s hard to find a team that can compete.

Though England’s World Cup roster left out the popular Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Trent-Alexander Arnold, strong players such as Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford remain. These players are consistently performing at the highest levels of international football for clubs such as Real Madrid, Arsenal and Barcelona, giving the team a significant amount of international experience. With this experience, they could make a deep run in the bracket despite their shortfalls for important instances, as they only have one World Cup win in 1966, two fourth-place finishes in 1990 and 2018 and many quarter-final exits.

Both Argentina, the 2022 champion, and Spain are incredible teams which we expect to compete far into the cup, but not enough to become this year’s world champions. Though high-ranked Spain won the 2022-2023 UEFA Nations league and UEFA Euro 2024, their key players have faced recent injuries. This includes Lamine Yamal, Rodrigo “Rodri” Hernández Cascante and Nico Williams – so it will be hard to say that they will be in their top form. Argentina’s reliant playstyle dependent on Lionel Messi will have to change due to his rising age, which we expect to bring down the team’s performance overall.

Brazil, one of this year’s favorites, remains one of the most talented teams in international soccer with stars such as Vinicius “Vinicius Júnior” José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior and Raphinha. However, their popularity feels forced despite their talent, such as the inclusion of Neymar. Their questionable picks such as leaving out Joao Pedro feels like a blunder under head coach Carlo Ancelotti. Brazil’s squad still feels unfinished, particularly when compared to a team like the Netherlands. Backed by one of the tournament’s strongest defenses, featuring Virgil van Dijk, Stefan de Vrij and Cody “Gakpo up-top” Mathès Gakpo, the Netherlands enter with a more balanced roster.

Lastly, an important country to acknowledge is Portugal. Many critics believe this could finally be the year Cristiano Ronaldo wins the World Cup, but we believe that outcome is unlikely. With players such as Rafael Leao, Joao Neves and Bruno Fernandes, Portugal certainly has the capabilities to make a deep run in the tournament. But, we think Portugal lacks consistency compared to teams like Argentina, the back-to-back Copa America winners. Due to the nature of the event, however, the World Cup consistently delivers unpredictable surprises and outcomes that could run counter to what we expect .

As the world prepares for an intense summer filled with competition, the 2026 World Cup has the potential to become one of the greatest tournaments in sports history. Whether England finally brings it home or France solidifies their spot as the number one ranked team in the world, we get to experience a once-in-a lifetime last dance of the greatest showcase of talent for the future of soccer.