League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Ranking the 10 most likely teams to win the World Cup Spain and France are among the favourites to prevail. 8.01am, 30 May 2026 Share options Paul Fennessy 10. Switzerland Switzerland’s starting 11 pose before a
World Cup qualifying match with Sweden.Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo We’re into the realm of ultra dark horses. A couple of others like Colombia, Senegal, Uruguay and Morocco could come into this category at a stretch, but Switzerland look among the strongest of the outside bets. They finished top in qualifying, albeit in a relatively weak group that included Kosovo, Slovenia and a Sweden team that finished bottom on two points. The Swiss don’t really have any obvious stars, but have plenty of solid
performers well accustomed to playing at a high level, such as Granit Xhaka – many people’s pick as the Premier League signing of the season – and ex-Man City defender Manuel Akanji. They have reached the last five tournaments, but have been dumped out four times in the round of 16. Their best-ever performance was reaching the quarter-finals, although the last time they did so was when they hosted the tournament in 1954, emulating the feat in 1934 and 1938. In more recent years, they
have had some notable, morale-boosting victories – dumping out Italy and France in the last two Euros, before being unlucky to lose on penalties against England in the 2024 tournament. At 34, Kevin De Bruyne remains one of Belgium’s most influential players.Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Many of Belgium’s best players in recent years have either retired (Jan Vertonghen, Eden Hazard) or have seen better days (Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne), so they are not expected to replicate the class of 2018, who finished
third in Russia. However, the Rudi Garcia-managed side still have a squad that would be the envy of many countries. Thibaut Courtois is widely regarded as one of the world’s best goalkeepers. In defence, they have Zeno Debast, the highly rated 22-year-old Sporting CP centre-back, who has been linked with moves to Liverpool and Man United in recent months, although an injury-ridden season has prompted concern. They have strong Premier League midfielders in the form of Aston Villa pair Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans. In
addition to the guile of De Bruyne and Lukaku, up top, they have one of the Premier League’s best wingers, Jeremy Doku and Charles De Ketelaere, who has been a regular in Serie A the past few seasons with AC Milan and Atalanta. Consequently, they aren’t a team many will fancy coming up against. 8. Netherlands Virgil van Dijk is among the Netherlands’ star performers.Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Another good squad, although they are not expected to be strong enough to go all
the way. In goal, they will have Bart Verbruggen, a virtual ever-present for Brighton in the last few seasons. Their defence is among the strongest in the competition. Virgil van Dijk, Micky van de Ven and Jurriën Timber are high-quality Premier League performers, and Denzel Dumfries has been a key player in the last five seasons for newly crowned Serie A champions Inter Milan. There is quality in midfield and attack too, with the likes of Tijjani Reijnders (Man City), Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Teun
Koopmeiners (Juventus), Cody Gakpo (Liverpool) and Donyell Malen (Roma) to choose from. Managed by legendary former player Ronald Koeman, the Dutch have never won the World Cup despite making the final on three occasions, but, like Belgium, they lack the quality of past sides. Advertisement Germany players pose for a team photo before the 2026 World Cup group A qualifying match with Luxembourg.Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Aside from a shock 2-0 defeat by Slovakia in their opener, Germany had a fairly straightforward qualification,
winning their other five games, including a 6-0 thrashing of the Slovaks in the return fixture. Still, Julian Nagelsmann’s side seem some way off the level of the squad that emerged triumphant in 2014. Since then, they have suffered group-stage exits at successive tournaments. But they will surely avoid the same fate this time, having been paired with Curaçao, Ivory Coast, and Ecuador. They have a solid-looking backline, with the likes of Jonathan Tah (Bayern Munich) and Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund) expected to feature. But
further forward, there are question marks. In midfield, the likes of Florian Wirtz and Leon Goretzka have had inconsistent seasons. And – for a side with aspirations to win – they also appear a little short up top. Their attacking options look limited: Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Nick Woltemade (Newcastle), Maximilian Beier (Borussia Dortmund), Leroy Sané (Galatasaray) and Deniz Undav (VfB Stuttgart). 6. Argentina Argentina’s Lionel Messi, second from left, poses with teammates and his sons prior to a World Cup 2026 qualifying match against Venezuela.Alamy
Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Argentina have a similar dilemma to Portugal, as they feel obliged to accommodate an ageing legend in attack. But it’s arguably less of an issue – Lionel Messi is younger than Cristiano Ronaldo at 38 (although he will turn 39 during the tournament), and has always contributed more in general play as opposed to being a pure goalscorer. There is also conceivably less pressure on the shoulders of the veteran superstar, having already inspired his country to victory in 2022.
Elsewhere, the reigning world champions have a solid team, rather than a spectacular one. Worryingly, though, some of their key players have had far-from-vintage seasons, including Tottenham’s Cristian Romero, Man United’s Lisandro Martínez, Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister and Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández. Meanwhile, Inter Miami’s Rodrigo De Paul is a limited player at the highest level, but could make the starting XI. In addition, Atlético Madrid pair Giuliano Simeone and Julián Alvarez should provide the side with some much-needed youthful enthusiasm and class. Inter Milan’s Lautaro
Martínez may not play from the outset, but is a strong alternative option in attack. Otherwise, the squad looks short of depth, so the team badly need to avoid injuries. 5. Portugal Portugal were beaten by Ireland in Dublin last November.Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO One of the most interesting of the contenders. Portugal’s squad features one of the best defenders in the world (Rúben Dias), one of the best defensive midfielders (Vitinha), and one of the best attacking midfielders
(Bruno Fernandes). And beyond that, there is another top PSG midfielder, João Neves, some excellent Premier League performers (Bernardo Silva, Pedro Neto), and a couple of outstanding full-backs (Nuno Mendes, João Cancelo). But arguably, the Cristiano Ronaldo issue overshadows everything else. The Al-Nassr star is one of the best players in history. However, can a team realistically expect to win the World Cup with a 41-year-old leading the attack? Ronaldo is still a prolific goalscorer. He has hit 20-plus goals in the last three seasons,
albeit in the Saudi Pro League, while he was the joint top scorer in qualifying Group F with five goals (alongside Ireland’s Troy Parrott and Barnabás Varga of Hungary). It would be no surprise to see the former Man United star notching a couple in the group stages, with the Portuguese set to face DR Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia. But in the toughest games, Ronaldo has the potential to be more of a liability than an asset, as he showed in his side’s 2-0 defeat
by Ireland last November. He also didn’t score at all at his most recent big tournament, Euro 2024 (excluding penalty shootouts), with a lack of cutting edge ultimately costing the team. Neymar has made Brazil’s squad despite doubts over his form and fitness.Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo The most successful side in World Cup history, though the last of their five triumphs was back in 2002. Since then, they have had four quarter-final exits, plus a fourth-place finish when they hosted in 2014, though
their progress was overshadowed by a 7-1 semi-final humiliation against Germany. They have reasons for optimism this time, however. Carlo Ancelotti is one of the most successful managers in history, winning a record five Champions League titles. They have one of the most formidable backlines in the competition, with PSG’s Marquinhos and Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhães the expected centre-back pairing in front of Liverpool star Alisson. Their full-backs are not quite as high-profile, with 22-year-old Roma star Wesley and 35-year-old Flamengo veteran Alex Sandro expected to
get the nod. Their midfield and attack are packed with talent – Casemiro (Man United), Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle), Raphinha (Barcelona), Matheus Cunha (Man United), Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) and Igor Thiago (Brentford) are among the options to choose from. There were some doubts over whether Neymar would make the squad, but he got the nod. The 34-year-old Santos player has had an injury-ravaged few years and has not represented Brazil since 2023, so he is not expected to be a regular starter. The decision was
made easier by injuries to alternative attacking options, including Rodrygo and Estevão. Jude Bellingham is expected to be key to England’s chances of success.Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo The strength of England’s squad is highlighted by the quality of the players omitted. There are not many other countries that would have the luxury of leaving out the likes of Harry Maguire, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden. In past tournaments, they have suffered from accommodating coaches who have prioritised individual talent over team
interests, though Thomas Tuchel appears unlikely to make the same mistake. Their strongest XI looks as talented as any in the competition. Nico O’Reilly, Marc Guehi, Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson and Harry Kane have all had superb seasons. Centre-back is an area of slight concern, though. John Stones, who could be handed a starting spot, made only eight Premier League appearances for Man City this season. In attack too, if Harry Kane gets injured, the alternatives like Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney are not on
the Bayern Munich star’s level. England have also traditionally struggled in possession against the elite international sides, so it will be interesting to see if Tuchel can fix this issue. Related Reads Spain recall Arsenal star as Real Madrid duo left out Neymar earns recall for Brazil World Cup squad after three-year absence Spain are sweating over the fitness of star player Lamine Yamal.Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo The reigning European champions, although Spain have effectively flopped at three successive World Cups since winning
in 2010, faltering at the group stage in 2014, followed by two round-of-16 exits. Their success or failure might be dependent on the fitness of key players. Barcelona’s 18-year-old prodigy Lamine Yamal has been included despite missing the last month of the season with a hamstring tear. Rodri and Fabian Ruiz, key midfielders for Man City and PSG respectively, have also missed significant chunks of the season through injury. They continue to lack a world-class number nine. Álvaro Morata, who they have relied on in
recent years, has been left out of the squad following an indifferent season on loan at Serie A side Como. Real Sociedad’s Mikel Oyarzabal, who scored 15 goals from 34 La Liga appearances this season, may lead the line, although Barcelona’s Ferran Torres (16 goals from 33 La Liga appearances) is a decent alternative. Along with Yamal, Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams lit up the last Euros, while Barça’s Pedri is one of the world’s best midfielders. The defence is probably slightly weaker than some
of their main rivals. 19-year-old Barcelona starlet Pau Cubarsí is expected to get the nod, along with Aymeric Laporte of Athletic Bilbao, Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella and Atlético Madrid’s Marcos Llorente. But all those caveats aside, Spain were comfortably the best side at the last Euros, and the fact that they have managed to retain most of the players from that triumph bodes well for their chances. Kylian Mbappe is set to lead the line for France.Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo In attack in particular,
France have an embarrassment of riches. So it would be no major surprise to see this group emulate the 2018 side by lifting the trophy. They came desperately close in Qatar 2022, losing the final to Argentina on penalties. And they have ostensibly grown even stronger since then. While he has had his problems at Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappé remains arguably still football’s greatest individual talent, becoming the first player since Geoff Hurst to score a hat-trick in the final four years ago. Behind him,
the likes of Bayern’s Michael Olise, as well as PSG pair Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé, have had strong seasons. The defence, which could feature Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne, Arsenal’s William Saliba, Bayern Munich’s Dayot Upamecano and Barcelona’s Jules Koundé, is as strong as any in the competition. Perhaps the biggest question mark is in midfield, where, alongside Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni, they may rely on Fenerbahçe’s N’Golo Kanté, who, at 35, can no longer dominate midfield the way he once did. They do have
more-than-decent alternate options, however, such as PSG’s Warren Zaïre-Emery and AC Milan’s Adrien Rabiot. Paul Fennessy Viewcomments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “Ranking the 10 most likely teams to win the World Cup”. Recipient’s Email Feedback on “Ranking the 10 most likely teams to win the World Cup”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. Please give full details of the problem
with the comment. This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy before taking part. Leave a Comment Submit a report Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines. Damaging the good reputation of someone, slander, or libel. Racism or Hate speech An attack on an individual or group based on religion, race, gender, or beliefs. Trolling or Off-topic An attempt to derail the discussion. Inappropriate language Profanity, obscenity, vulgarity, or slurs.
Advertising, phishing, scamming, bots, or repetitive posts. Please provide additional information Thank you for the feedback Your feedback has been sent to our team for review. Leave a commentcancel Name not provided Access to the comments facility has been disabled for this user View our policy ⚠️ Duplicate comment Post Comment have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion World Cup 2026 fantastic four ‘Huge for our family’ – Westmeath’s McCartan siblings aim to build on Leinster glories Donald Trump, Gianni
Infantino and the Greed is Good World Cup David Sneyd 100 Not Out Still scorning the critics, Aidan O’Shea set for career century Final Chapter ‘I’ve loved coming into this Leinster team and this environment’ Absences of Beirne and Crowley feel insurmountable for Munster in lofty Pretoria Show of faith 16-year-old Josh O’Dwyer to join senior Ireland squad alongside Kian Leavy of St Pat’s back on track Bohemians move back into second with comfortable win at Sligo James Lowe set to leave Leinster and Irish
rugby this summer Murray Kinsella As it happened Glasgow Warriors v Connacht, URC quarter-final hard fought Connacht’s season ends with URC quarter-final loss at Glasgow Boys in Green Jaden Umeh to sit Leaving Cert maths exam before Canada international more from us Investigates Money Diaries The Journal TV By-Elections 2026 Journal Media Advertise With Us Gender Pay Gap Report ’25 About FactCheck Our Network FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition more from us TV Listings GAA
Fixtures The Video Review Journal Media Advertise With Us Gender Pay Gap Report ’25 Our Network The Journal FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition © 2026 Journal Media Ltd Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition Switch to Desktop Switch to Mobile The 42 supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of
the Code, or contact the Council, at https://www.presscouncil.ie, PH: (01) 6489130, Lo-Call 1800 208 080 or email: mailto:info@presscouncil.ie Report an error, omission or problem: Your Email (optional) Create Email Alert Create an email alert based on the current article Email Address One email every morning As soon as new articles come online Sign in or create a free account To continue reading create a free account Or sign into an existing account To continue reading create a free account Or sign into an existing account
Sign in to read more articles . Sign in or create a free account below Sign in to continue reading. Sign in or create a free account below
World Cup 2026, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Argentina, Portugal, Brazil, England, Spain, France