The 2026 World Cup spans the United States, Canada, and Mexico across 16 host cities, with 48 nations competing for the first time. This page collects everything published on ID Football Desk about the teams, the jerseys, and the storylines worth following. Find your team below, or scroll to the full group-by-group breakdown of the tournament draw.
The Favourites
The teams expected to be competing for the title come July 2026.
Brazil
Five-time champions returning to a tournament they need to win.
Argentina
Defending champions. Messi era coming to a close, one way or another.
France
The squad depth is extraordinary. The question is whether they hold it together.
Germany
Under Nagelsmann, this feels like a proper rebuild finally clicking.
Spain
Euro 2024 winners with a young, fluid side that plays beautiful football.
England
Back-to-back tournament finals and the talent to go further. On paper.
Portugal
Ronaldo chapter closing, a new generation stepping through. Deep squad.
Dark Horses and Interesting Stories
Teams that can cause upsets, surprise deep runs, and stories worth following regardless of results.
Norway
Haaland. That is essentially the entire conversation and it is still a very good one.
Colombia
Copa America finalists in 2024, with a creative, press-heavy game that turns heads.
USA
Co-hosts, young talent, and something to prove on their own turf.
Croatia
2018 finalists, 2022 third place. Small nation, outsized tournament record.
Netherlands
Quarter-finalists in 2022, finally back with the forwards to go further.
Belgium
The golden generation era ending, but good enough players remain to cause damage.
Japan
2022 showed the world they belong. A squad full of European league starters.
Senegal
Africa Cup of Nations holders with pace, physicality, and Sadio Mane still involved.
Uruguay
Consistently competitive. A new generation taking the baton from Suarez and Cavani.
Sweden
Post-Zlatan, they have quietly kept qualifying and kept being difficult to beat.
Mexico
Co-hosts, passionate support, and a team that has reached every knockout stage since 1994.
Legacy Teams Not at This Tournament
They did not qualify, but they have stories worth reading. History does not wait for a tournament appearance.
Denmark
Knocked out on penalties by Czechia in qualifying. One of the more organised sides in Europe regardless.
Italy
Out on penalties to Bosnia. Missing back-to-back World Cups is a wound that runs deep in Italian football.
Hungary
Did not reach the playoffs. But two World Cup finals and the legendary 1954 side make them essential reading.
World Cup 2026 — All Groups
All 48 nations. Teams covered on this site are shown in bold.
Group A
- Mexico
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Czechia
Group B
- Canada
- Switzerland
- Qatar
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
Group C
- Brazil
- Morocco
- Haiti
- Scotland
Group D
- USA
- Paraguay
- Australia
- Turkey
Group E
- Germany
- Curacao
- Ivory Coast
- Ecuador
Group F
- Netherlands
- Japan
- Sweden
- Tunisia
Group G
- Belgium
- Egypt
- Iran
- New Zealand
Group H
- Spain
- Cape Verde
- Saudi Arabia
- Uruguay
Group I
- France
- Senegal
- Norway
- Iraq
Group J
- Argentina
- Algeria
- Austria
- Jordan
Group K
- Portugal
- DR Congo
- Uzbekistan
- Colombia
Group L
- England
- Croatia
- Ghana
- Panama
Players to Watch at World Cup 2026
The individuals who could define this tournament. No ranking — every name here has a case for being the best player on the pitch.
Kylian Mbappe
France. Already a World Cup winner and Golden Boot holder. At 27, this is his tournament to own.
Vinicius Junior
Brazil. The most electric winger in the world. Brazil have not been past the quarters since 2002 and he is the man to change that.
Erling Haaland
Norway. 55 goals in 49 appearances for his country. Group I is a serious test but Norway would not be there without him.
Jude Bellingham
England. A do-it-all midfielder compared favourably to Zidane in his prime. England's best chance of going the distance.
Lamine Yamal
Spain. Only 18 during the tournament. Euro 2024 showed he belongs at this level. Could be the story of the summer.
Lionel Messi
Argentina. Defending champion, defending Golden Ball winner. Almost certainly his last World Cup. The farewell is worth watching.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal. Like Messi, this is the farewell tour. Six World Cups for both would be an all-time record. Portugal have the squad to support him.
Michael Olise
France. Explosive, creative, and now fully established at Bayern Munich. Could be the wildcard that takes France from good to unstoppable.
Pedri
Spain. The quiet engine behind Spain's Euro 2024 win. Moves the ball better than almost anyone in the world right now.
Federico Valverde
Uruguay. Box-to-box engine, relentless pressing, goals from range. One of the best complete midfielders in the world right now.
Legendary World Cup Performers
The all-time greats whose performances at the World Cup defined eras, not just tournaments.
Pele
Brazil. Three World Cups, three titles. Scored twice in the 1958 final aged 17. No player has won the tournament more times.
Diego Maradona
Argentina. 1986 is the definitive one-man World Cup. The Hand of God and the Goal of the Century in the same quarter-final. Won it almost alone.
Zinedine Zidane
France. Voted best player of 1998 and 2006. Won it at home. Still playing in the final at 34 before the headbutt ended it all.
Ronaldo (R9)
Brazil. The original. Eight goals in 1998, then returned from career-threatening injuries to score twice in the 2002 final. Two Golden Boots.
Johan Cruyff
Netherlands. Led the Total Football revolution to the 1974 final. Named player of the tournament. Never won it, but changed how the game was played.
Garrincha
Brazil. Never lost a World Cup match. Won in 1958 alongside Pele, then carried Brazil almost single-handedly to the title in 1962 when Pele was injured.
Franz Beckenbauer
West Germany / Germany. Won the World Cup as captain in 1974 and manager in 1990, then led the bid that brought the 2006 tournament to Germany — a summer that transformed how the country saw itself.
Miroslav Klose
Germany. The all-time World Cup top scorer with 16 goals across four tournaments. Quiet, reliable, lethal in the box.
Ronaldinho
Brazil. The 2002 tournament remains the most joyful World Cup performance of the modern era. A free-kick against England that nobody saw coming.
Paolo Maldini
Italy. The standard by which all World Cup defenders are measured. Three tournaments, a runner-up in 1994. Never won it, never deserved to lose it.
Every World Cup Final
All 22 tournaments from Uruguay 1930 to Qatar 2022. Winner listed first.
| Year | Host | Final Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Uruguay | Uruguay 4–2 Argentina |
| 1934 | Italy | Italy 2–1 Czechoslovakia (aet) |
| 1938 | France | Italy 4–2 Hungary |
| 1950 | Brazil | Uruguay 2–1 Brazil * |
| 1954 | Switzerland | West Germany 3–2 Hungary |
| 1958 | Sweden | Brazil 5–2 Sweden |
| 1962 | Chile | Brazil 3–1 Czechoslovakia |
| 1966 | England | England 4–2 West Germany (aet) |
| 1970 | Mexico | Brazil 4–1 Italy |
| 1974 | West Germany | West Germany 2–1 Netherlands |
| 1978 | Argentina | Argentina 3–1 Netherlands (aet) |
| 1982 | Spain | Italy 3–1 West Germany |
| 1986 | Mexico | Argentina 3–2 West Germany |
| 1990 | Italy | West Germany 1–0 Argentina |
| 1994 | USA | Brazil 0–0 Italy (3–2 pens) |
| 1998 | France | France 3–0 Brazil |
| 2002 | Japan / South Korea | Brazil 2–0 Germany |
| 2006 | Germany | Italy 1–1 France (5–3 pens) |
| 2010 | South Africa | Spain 1–0 Netherlands (aet) |
| 2014 | Brazil | Germany 1–0 Argentina (aet) |
| 2018 | Russia | France 4–2 Croatia |
| 2022 | Qatar | Argentina 3–3 France (4–2 pens) |
* 1950 used a final round-robin. Uruguay vs Brazil was the decisive match.