Ready for this summer’s soccer smorgasbord that will be the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
You better be because you know I am. I’m ready for 48 teams from around the globe to take part in what will be an epic party spread across three nations, including the United States.
But let’s be real. There are teams that are better than others. Some will have a legit shot at winning it all. And some will just enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
So now it’s time to rank all 48 teams. And remember, these are my power rankings. If you don’t like them, you can get your own.
Derrick Etienne of Haiti (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +250000 (48th)
Key player: Winger Derrick Etienne Jr. (Toronto FC)
Hey, when you’re at the bottom, there’s nowhere to go but up. This will be Haiti’s second World Cup and first since 1974.
Group C opponents: Scotland (June 13), Brazil (June 19), Morocco (June 24)
Curaçao’s Leandro Bacuna (Photo by Steve Christo – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +200000 (T-46th)
Key player: Midfielder Leandro Bacuna (Iğdır FK)
Curaçao is the smallest nation in the World Cup with a population of about 156,000. Size doesn’t matter … until it does.
Group E opponents: Germany (June 14), Ecuador (June 20), Ivory Coast (June 25)
Adalberto Carrasquilla and Cecilio Waterman of Panama (Photo by Maciek Gudrymowicz/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +100000 (T-39th)
Key player: Midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla (Pumas UNAM)
Panama returns to the World Cup after missing out on 2022. It gets a brutal group against England, Croatia and Ghana. The Panamanians will be lucky to score a goal.
Group L opponents: Ghana (June 17), Croatia (June 23), England (June 27)
South African player Lyle Foster (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +80000 (38th)
Key player: Striker Lyle Foster (Burnley)
South Africa is going to need a bigger vuvuzela to make an impact at this World Cup. It will have a big chance to shake things up in the opening match of the tournament against Mexico.
Group A opponents: Mexico (June 11), Czechia (June 18), South Korea (June 24)
Ryan Mendes and Bebe of Cape Verde (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +100000 (T-39th)
Key player: Winger Ryan Mendes (Iğdır FK)
Cape Verde is an incredible story, but this team will be happy just to be involved in the World Cup and collect the gift bag.
Group H opponents: Spain (June 15), Uruguay (June 21), Saudi Arabia (June 26)
New Zealand’s Callum McCowatt and Chris Wood (Photo by Steve Christo – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +100000 (T-39th)
Key player: Striker Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest)
The Kiwis qualified directly from the Oceania region, which is the weakest confederation in international soccer. I’ll leave it at that.
Group G opponents: Iran (June 15), Egypt (June 21), Belgium (June 26)
Ayman Hussein of Iraq celebrates with teammates (Photo by Masashi Hara/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +100000 (T-39th)
Key player: Striker Ayman Hussein (Al-Karma)
The good news for Iraq: It’s back in the World Cup for the first time in 40 years! The bad news: The Iraqis will face France, Senegal and Norway in their group games.
Group I opponents: Norway (June 16), France (June 22), Senegal (June 26)
Ahmed Alaaeldin and Akram Afif celebrate with teammates (Photo by Jan Kruger – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +100000 (T-39th)
Key player: Forward Akram Afif (Al Sadd)
Qatar is back after scoring one goal and losing all three of its games as the host nation in 2022.
Group B opponents: Switzerland (June 13), Canada (June 18), Bosnia and Herzegovina (June 24)
Uzbekistan’s Farrukh Sayfiev and Abdukodir Khusanov (Photo by Anvar Ilyasov/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +100000 (T-39th)
Key player: Defender Abdukodir Khusanov (Manchester City)
Almost the entire Uzbekistan team plays its club soccer in its home country, so I’m not expecting much from it this summer.
Group K opponents: Colombia (June 17), Portugal (June 23), Congo DR (June 27)
Cedric Bakambu and Rocky Bushiri of Congo DR (Photo by Luis Cano/Jam Media/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +70000 (37th)
Key player: Striker Cédric Bakambu (Real Betis)
Congo DR is back in the World Cup after 52 years. Its reward: an opening match against Portugal. It will be hoping to channel Saudi Arabia’s 2022 team, which opened the tournament with a shocking win over Argentina.
Group K opponents: Portugal (June 17), Colombia (June 23), Uzbekistan (June 27)
Tunisian players Ellyes Skhiri and Mohamed Hadj Mahmoud (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +50000 (T-34th)
Key player: Midfielder Ellyes Skhiri (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Tunisia has never advanced out of the group stage at a World Cup — although it won games at each of the last two tournaments. I’m still not expecting this team to make the knockout stage this summer.
Group F schedule: Sweden (June 14), Japan (June 20), Netherlands (June 25)
Jordanian players Musa Al-Taamari, Abdallah Nasib, Yazan Al-Naimat, Yazan Al-Arab and Salem Al-Ajalin (Photo by Markus Gilliar – GES Sportfoto/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +200000 (T-46th)
Key player: Winger Musa Al-Taamari (Rennes)
The only parting gift Jordan should expect to get from the World Cup this summer is an autograph from Lionel Messi in its final Group J game.
Group J opponents: Austria (June 16), Algeria (June 22), Argentina (June 27)
Jackson Irvine of Australia (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images for Soccer Australia)
Odds to win the World Cup: +50000 (T-34th)
Key player: Midfielder Jackson Irvine (St. Pauli)
There are no stars to be found on this team, but the underdog role suits the Australians. They could be a spoiler in Group D against the United States, Türkiye and Paraguay.
Group D opponents: Türkiye (June 13), USA (June 19), Paraguay (June 25)
Ivory Coast player Wilfried Zaha (Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +25000 (33rd)
Key player: Winger Wilfried Zaha (Charlotte FC)
The Ivorians didn’t qualify for either of the last two World Cups and have never made it out of the group stage. That will be a tough task this year in a group with Germany and Ecuador.
Group E opponents: Ecuador (June 14), Germany (June 20), Curaçao (June 25)
Mo Salah of Egypt (Photo by ANP via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +30000 (T-30th)
Key player: Winger Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Egypt has never won a World Cup game. That could change this summer with matches against Iran and New Zealand in the group stage.
Group G opponents: Belgium (June 15), New Zealand (June 21), Iran (June 26)
Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez (Photo by Chris Ricco/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +35000 (T-32nd)
Key player: Winger Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli)
The Algerian attack is strong, led by winger Riyad Mahrez and a solid supporting cast. This team’s potential downfall: its defense.
Group J opponents: Argentina (June 16), Jordan (June 22), Austria (June 27)
Edin Dzeko and Haris Tabakovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +25000 (28th)
Key player: Striker Edin Džeko (Schalke 04)
Did the Bosnians peak by beating Italy to qualify for this tournament? That will be the big question for this team entering the tournament. Bosnia and Herzegovina will face Canada on its home soil and a tough matchup against Switzerland in Group B.
Group B opponents: Canada (June 12), Switzerland (June 18), Qatar (June 24)
Saudi Arabia’s Salem Al-Dawsari and Ali Majrashi (Photo by Tullio Puglia – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +100000 (T-39th)
Key player: Winger Salem Al-Dawsari (Al-Hilal)
Just 56 days before its first game of the tournament, Saudi Arabia moved on from manager Herve Renard. It’s a bold move for a team that faces Uruguay and Spain in its first two games of the tournament.
Group H opponents: Uruguay (June 15), Spain (June 21), Cape Verde (June 26)
Alireza Jahanbakhsh of Iran (MB Media/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +50000 (T-34th)
Key player: Winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Dender EH)
Iran enters the tournament with a lot of uncertainty, but it can make some noise in a group that is pretty tame after Belgium with Egypt and New Zealand.
Group G opponents: New Zealand (June 15), Belgium (June 21), Egypt (June 26)
Czechia’s Tomas Soucek (Sebastian Widmann – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +15000 (24th)
Key player: Midfielder Tomas Soucek (West Ham United)
Czechia thrives through set pieces, physicality and its size. Those tools will only get you so far against the best teams in the world.
Group A opponents: South Korea (June 11), South Africa (June 18), Mexico (June 24)
Ghana star Mohammed Kudus (Ulrik Pedersen/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +30000 (T-30th)
Key player: Midfielder Mohammed Kudus (Tottenham)
Ghana will have a young and inexperienced squad this summer. It’s more of a project capable of making more noise in four years instead of now.
Group L opponents: Panama (June 17), England (June 23), Croatia (June 27)
Scotish player Scott McTominay (Molly Darlington/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +20000 (T-25th)
Key player: Midfielder Scott McTominay (Napoli)
After a horrible showing at Euro 2024, Scotland is back at its first World Cup since 1998. Scottish supporters are great, but their team will need to win its first game against Haiti to have any success this summer.
Group C opponents: Haiti (June 13), Morocco (June 19), Brazil (June 24)
Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron (Daniel DUARTE / AFP via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +15000 (T-23rd)
Key player: Midfielder Miguel Almiron (Atlanta United)
If Paraguay is going to have any success this summer, it’s not going to be pretty. The goal for this team will be to muck it up and grind it out in a competitive Group D with the United States, Türkiye and Australia.
Group D opponents: USA (June 12), Türkiye (June 19), Australia (June 25)
Viktor Gyokeres of Sweden (Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +10000 (T-20th)
Key player: Striker Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal)
Sweden didn’t win a single game in UEFA qualifying but made it to the playoff round thanks to its success in the UEFA Nations League. The Swedes enter the summer coming off impressive wins in March over Ukraine and Poland to qualify.
Group F opponents: Tunisia (June 14), Netherlands (June 20), Japan (June 25)
Austria’a Marcel Sabitzer (Vasile Mihai-Antonio/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +15000 (T-23rd)
Key player: Midfielder Marcel Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund)
The Austrians are back at the World Cup for the first time since 1998, and they’re sneaky good. Powered by a strong midfield, Austria could give Argentina problems in Group J.
Group J opponents: Jordan (June 16), Argentina (June 22), Algeria (June 27)
Senegal’s Sadio Mane (Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +11000 (22nd)
Key player: Winger Sadio Mané (Al Nassr)
The African champions (allegedly) come into this tournament as a popular dark-horse pick. Unfortunately, Senegal was paired with France and Norway, so it faces an uphill battle.
Group I opponents: France (June 16), Norway (June 22), Iraq (June 26)
Canada captain Alphonso Davies (Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +20000 (T-25th)
Key player: Defender Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich)
Canada avoided Italy after Bosnia and Herzegovina’s upset in qualifying in late March, but be careful what you wish for. The Canadians have more talent than ever, but it won’t be smooth sailing for them this summer.
Group B opponents: Bosnia and Herzegovina (June 12), Qatar (June 18), Switzerland (June 24)
Türkiye’s Arda Güler (Photo by Armend NIMANI / AFP)
Odds to win the World Cup: +10000 (T-20th)
Key player: Midfielder Arda Güler (Real Madrid)
A new sense of pragmatism may enable the Turks to live up to the hype around their young team. This team will be the Americans’ biggest competition in Group D.
Group D opponents: Australia (June 13), Paraguay (June 19), USA (June 25)
Son Heung-min of South Korea (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +45000 (33rd)
Key player: Winger Son Heung-min (LAFC)
The Koreans have a good team, but they did not get any luck from the draw. South Korea will play all of its games in the group stage in Mexico.
Group A opponents: Czechia (June 11), Mexico (June 18), South Africa (June 24)
Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka (Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +20000 (T-17th)
Key player: Midfielder Granit Xhaka (Sunderland)
The Swiss national team is like the country’s banking system: safe, boring and effective. Switzerland is not going to dominate in attack, but it will be efficient and be a tough out for any opposition.
Group B opponents: Qatar (June 13), Bosnia and Herzegovina (June 18), Canada (June 24)
Japan’s Wataru Endo (Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +5000 (T-12th)
Key player: Midfielder Wataru Endo (Liverpool)
Japan beat England at Wembley Stadium in London in late March. It was an impressive victory that saw the Japanese clean up on — and off — the field.
Group F opponents: Netherlands (June 14), Tunisia (June 20), Sweden (June 25)
Ecuador star Moises Caicedo (Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +9000 (19th)
Key player: Midfielder Moises Caicedo (Chelsea)
Ecuador has a golden generation of players here, featuring Caicedo and defenders Piero Hincape and Willian Pacho. Believing in this team, though, is fool’s gold.
Group E opponents: Ivory Coast (June 14), Curaçao (June 20), Germany (June 25)
Norway’s Erling Haaland (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +3000 (9th)
Key player: Striker Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Norway will be a sexy dark-horse pick after dominating qualifying, which includes two wins over Italy. The Norwegians will need more than just Haaland if they want to really compete this summer, though.
Group I opponents: Iraq (June 16), Senegal (June 22), France (June 26)
Uruguay player Federico Valverde (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +6500 (T-12th)
Key player: Midfielder Federico Valverde (Real Madrid)
Uruguay’s golden generation, which was led by strikers Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani, has given way to a bronze-ish generation. That doesn’t mean this team will be a pushover, though.
Group H opponents: Saudia Arabia (June 15), Cape Verde (June 21), Spain (June 26)
Mexico’s Raúl Jiménez (Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +7500 (16th)
Key player: Striker Raúl Jiménez (Fulham)
Mexico gets all of its group-stage games on home soil. That’s a positive on paper, but if results don’t go their way, the Mexicans will be in trouble.
Group A opponents: South Africa (June 11), South Korea (June 18), Czechia (June 24)
Morocco star Achraf Hakimi (Paul ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +5000 (T-12th)
Key player: Defender Achraf Hakimi (PSG)
Everyone’s darling from 2022 is no longer a surprise. Morocco is not going to sneak up on opposition this summer.
Group C opponents: Brazil (June 13), Scotland (June 19), Haiti (June 24)
United States captain Christian Pulisic (Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +6500 (14th)
Key player: Winger Christian Pulisic (AC Milan)
Nothing beats home cooking, but the United States might need a double helping of it this summer if it wants to contend. The Americans will enter the summer coming off convincing losses to Belgium and Portugal in late March.
Group D opponents: Paraguay (June 12), Australia (June 19), Türkiye (June 25)
Belgium player Kevin De Bruyne (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +3500 (10th)
Key player: Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli)
Belgium was drawn into an easy group (Egypt, Iran and New Zealand), so advancing from there won’t be a problem. The sum of the Belgians’ parts will dictate whether they’re a contender in the knockout rounds, though.
Group G opponents: Egypt (June 15), Iran (June 21), New Zealand (June 26)
Croatia legend Luka Modric (Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +8000 (T-17th)
Key player: Midfielder Luka Modrić (AC Milan)
Croatia is the favorite of dads and old guys everywhere. Modrić is in the final chapter of his international career and leads a Croatian team that has shown it’s more than capable of beating any team in this tournament.
Group L opponents: England (June 17), Panama (June 23), Ghana (June 27)
German player Jamal Musiala (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +1400 (7th)
Key player: Midfielder Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
Even a mediocre German team is still German. While manager Julian Nagelsmann’s squad lacks truly elite players, it will still be a force to be reckoned with this summer.
Group E opponents: Curaçao (June 14), Ivory Coast (June 20), Ecuador (June 25)
Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk (ANP via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +2000 (8th)
Key player: Defender Virgil Van Djik (Liverpool)
While the Dutch have a strong team, it is not quite ready for prime time to truly compete with the top-tiered teams. There is quality around the field in this team, but the Netherlands isn’t among the favorites.
Group F opponents: Japan (June 14), Sweden (June 20), Tunisia (June 25)
Vinicius Junior of Brazil (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +800 (4th)
Key player: Winger Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid)
It’s rare that Brazil enters a World Cup this low in anyone’s rankings. I like the idea of the Brazilians entering this tournament with low expectations attached to them. That might make them more dangerous.
Group C opponents: Morocco (June 13), Haiti (June 19), Scotland (June 24)
Portugal legend Cristiano Ronaldo (Tim Clayton/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +1100 (6th)
Key player: Striker Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr)
The dynamic surrounding Ronaldo will make or break this tournament for Portugal. The 41-year-old is missing one major trophy in his career, and that’s the World Cup. Will the attention he draws be a help or a hindrance?
Group K opponents: Congo DR (June 17), Uzbekistan (June 23), Colombia (June 27)
Argentina star Lionel Messi (Juan Mabromata/AFP via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +850 (5th)
Key player: Forward Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
In a vacuum, I’d have Argentina higher, but no team has won back-to-back World Cups since Brazil way back in 1958 and 1962. There is no doubt, though, that the Argentines remain serious contenders, led by one of the best players ever in Messi.
Group J opponents: Algeria (June 16), Austria (June 22), Jordan (June 27)
Colombia playmaker James Rodriguez (Omar Vega/Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +4000 (11th)
Key player: Midfielder James Rodríguez (Minnesota United)
I see the heat and environment in the United States favoring South American teams this summer. Colombia has shown it can compete with the best at these big tournaments, and it has a star in attack (winger Luis Diaz) who could lead it to the promised land.
Group K opponents: Uzbekistan (June 17), Congo DR (June 23), Portugal (June 27)
England star Jude Bellingham (Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +650 (3rd)
Key player: Midfielder Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
It pains me to say this, but this is the best England team in decades. With striker Harry Kane leading the attack and Bellingham and Declan Rice in midfield, this could be the year that England breaks through and wins a major international trophy.
Group L opponents: Croatia (June 17), Ghana (June 23), Panama (June 27)
Pedri of Spain (Photo by David Aliaga/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +500 (1st)
Key player: Midfielder Pedri (Barcelona)
This is not your parents’ Spain, which won the Euros twice and the 2010 World Cup. It’s better. The Spaniards won Euro 2024 and have not lost since March 2024 — plus, only twice since the start of 2023.
Group H opponents: Cape Verde (June 15), Saudia Arabia (June 21), Uruguay (June 26)
France star Kylian Mbappe (Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
Odds to win the World Cup: +550 (2nd)
Key player: Striker Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid)
The combination of talent, depth and arrogance in this square … it’s like a lethal French perfume. Manager Didier Deschamps’ team has everything needed to send him off with a win this summer in his final major tournament in charge.
Group I opponents: Senegal (June 16), Iraq (June 22), Norway (June 26)
2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch
The World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports apps. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19).