An incredibly early World Cup 2026 preview

With the Copa America and European Championships wrapped up, we thought it would be a good time to take a look at the 2026 World Cup. A tournament that, for the first time in a long time, may not feature possibly the two greatest players in history, Messi and Ronaldo. With that being said, let’s take a way too early look at the 2026 World Cup.

The 2026 edition of the World Cup is scheduled from June 11 to July 19, 2026 and spread across Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

Argentina reigned supreme in the 2022 tournament, beating France on penalties in one of the most dramatic finals in history. They have also won the last two Copa America trophies, suggesting they could be entering a new era of dominance.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

The tournament will also feature 48 teams for the first time. This increase of 16 teams will see 12 groups of 4 with the top two teams, plus the top eight third-placed teams, qualifying to a new round of 32, per The Guardian. The added game has drawn some criticism as any team reaching the final will be forced to play an extra game, adding to player workload.

Bleacher Report reported in 2022 there will be, “16 spots for Europe, nine for Africa, eight for Asia, six each for South America and North America plus one guaranteed spot for Oceania,” leaving two additional spots, with a potential six-way playoff determining the final spots.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are, irrefutably, two of the greatest to ever play the sport, but with age catching up to them, there is speculation neither will feature at the tournament. Ronaldo was criticised for his performances at Euro 2024 and will be 41 by the time the World Cup starts in 2026, would his presence be a net negative for Portugal?

Whilst Ronaldo’s participation is more unlikely, ESPN has reported Messi could be viewing the 2026 World Cup as his “last dance”. Argentina’s squad is experienced and talented, making them one of the early favourites, could Messi ride off into the sunset, world cup trophy in hand?

With Messi and Ronaldo moving on, and the next generation of stars well-established, the 2026 World Cup could see the birthing of some new global superstars. Lamine Yamal has already established himself on the world stage having won Euro 2024, but could he be joined by other teenage sensations such as Endrick, Warren Zaïre-Emery, and Mathys Tel?

SkyBet has the favourites listed in order, starting with Spain before moving on to, Brazil, France, England, Argentina, Germany, and Portugal. The Netherlands and Belgium are further back, with significantly longer odds than the leading pack.

Spain were rampant at Euro 2024, built around a core group of Rodri, Nico Williams, Lamine Yamal, Fabian Ruiz, and Alvaro Morata, they have every base covered. Even when Rodri, possibly the best midfielder in the world, went off injured, his replacement, Martin Zubimendi didn’t miss a beat. If they remain healthy, we could be entering another era of Spanish footballing supremacy.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

Brazil’s odds as the second-favourites seem strange to us given their awful Copa America, qualifying second in their group and losing in the round of 16, per ESPN. There is young attacking talent, but on paper, their squad appears to be lacking the quality needed to go all the way.

Kylian Mbappe will be 27 when the next World Cup rolls around, firmly in his prime. Given his importance to France during the 2018 World Cup win when he was still a teenager, he could prove the difference. France have a laughable amount of talent in their squad, so their main issue could be finding the right combinations in the starting XI.

Oddschecker have Eddie Howe or Under-21 boss Lee Carsley as favourites to take over from Gareth Southgate, and who they pick could go a long way to deciding their fate in North America. As ESPN suggests, “England will be… tired” due to their brutal domestic schedule. If England want to win a World Cup, they will need to find a way to keep their players fit and healthy.

So much depends on whether Lionel Messi will be playing, and if he is, whether he is at 100% fitness and ability. The Argentines have enough talent to win without him, but his talismanic presence will leave an impossible void to fill if he decides not to play.

The Germans never struggle to produce talent, and their squad in North America will be no different. Led by the exciting Jamal Musiala, there are goals in attack, and with the presumed pairing of Antonio Rudiger and Jonathan Tah in defence, there is a wealth of experience and a steeliness that could lift them into the latter stages of the tournament.

As EPSN writes, Ronaldo’s performances at Euro 2024, “proved that the former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward is nowhere near the player he once was”. Despite that, he started every game, scoring zero times. His inclusion made Portugal worse, so perhaps his teammates are hoping for an imminent retirement.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!