عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

How Are the World Cup Favorites Shaping Up?

Bayern Munich's English forward #09 Harry Kane raises celebrates and raises the Bundesliga trophy after winning the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and FC Cologne in Munich, southern Germany, on May 16, 2026. (AFP)
Bayern Munich's English forward #09 Harry Kane raises celebrates and raises the Bundesliga trophy after winning the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and FC Cologne in Munich, southern Germany, on May 16, 2026. (AFP)
TT
TT

How Are the World Cup Favorites Shaping Up?

Bayern Munich's English forward #09 Harry Kane raises celebrates and raises the Bundesliga trophy after winning the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and FC Cologne in Munich, southern Germany, on May 16, 2026. (AFP)
Bayern Munich's English forward #09 Harry Kane raises celebrates and raises the Bundesliga trophy after winning the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and FC Cologne in Munich, southern Germany, on May 16, 2026. (AFP)

With the start of the 2026 World Cup in North America now barely three weeks away, AFP Sport runs the rule over the leading contenders at the first-ever 48-team finals (world ranking in brackets):

France (1)

Les Bleus have won the World Cup twice and lost two finals on penalties in the last seven editions. This will be their last tournament before long-serving coach Didier Deschamps steps down. "It's a strange feeling," admitted Deschamps, in charge since 2012.

France beat Brazil 2-1 in March and then defeated Colombia 3-1 with an entirely different starting line-up, with those games both played in the US. Unbeaten in nine matches since last June, France have a fearsome attack featuring reigning Ballon d'Or Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise and Rayan Cherki. They will take some stopping.

Spain (2)

The European champions have not lost since winning Euro 2024. Luis de la Fuente's team are a perfectly-oiled machine in which the standout player is teenage superstar Lamine Yamal. But the 18-year-old Barcelona winger is currently out with a hamstring injury, and reports suggest he might miss their first two group games.

His Barcelona teammate Fermin Lopez is set to miss out entirely with a foot fracture. Arsenal's Mikel Merino, scorer of eight goals for Spain in 10 games in 2025, has not played since January due to injury. But La Roja still boast fearsome quality -- think 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, or Pedri.

Argentina (3)

Lionel Scaloni's Argentina are dreaming of retaining the title they won in 2022. That tournament marked Lionel Messi's crowning glory, and it is hard to see how he can hit the same heights again given he turns 39 next month.

Nevertheless, Messi is very much at home in the US now and has 12 goals in 13 MLS games for Inter Miami this year.

Argentina also won the 2024 Copa America in the US and comfortably topped South American qualifying. Beyond Messi they boast a wealth of attacking talent, including Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez, and Nico Paz, the Tenerife-born attacking midfielder with Como.

England (4)

After several near misses under Gareth Southgate, with agonizing defeats in the finals of the last two Euros and exits from the 2018 World Cup in the semi-finals and the 2022 quarters, England now hope German Thomas Tuchel can deliver a first title since 1966.

England cruised through qualifying and have formidable depth but there are some doubts. They drew with Uruguay and lost to Japan in March friendlies, while big names like Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer have not had straightforward campaigns. However, they will hope Harry Kane continues the remarkable form he has shown with Bayern Munich, for whom he has 58 goals this season.

Portugal (5)

Portugal, who have never gone beyond the semi-finals, are serious candidates -- provided they are not held back by the possibly overbearing presence of Cristiano Ronaldo.

At 41, this will be his sixth World Cup, but the quality of their midfield -- Vitinha, Joao Neves, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes -- could be the key.

UEFA Nations League winners last year, Portugal stumbled a little in qualifying, losing in Ireland as Ronaldo was sent off. Ronaldo did not play in their last game, a 2-0 friendly win over the US in Atlanta.

Brazil (6)

Brazil's progress under new coach Carlo Ancelotti will be fascinating to watch. That the Selecao felt it necessary to turn to an Italian says much about Brazil's ongoing footballing identity crisis, and their current lack of depth has been exposed by Ancelotti's decision to name Neymar in his squad.

Now 34 and playing for Santos, Neymar has not been capped since 2023, and Vinicius Junior is Brazil's attacking leader now.

Since winning their fifth title in 2002, Brazil have only reached the semi-finals once, when they were humiliated 7-1 by Germany as hosts in 2014. They finished fifth in South American qualifying, losing six of 18 games.

"The World Cup won't be won by a perfect team - because a perfect team doesn't exist," insists Ancelotti. "It will be won by the most resilient team."

Germany (10)

Julian Nagelsmann's side sit behind the Netherlands, Morocco and Belgium in the rankings and it seems a stretch to suggest Germany could win a first World Cup since 2014.

They suffered group-stage exits in 2018 and 2022, and lost in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals as hosts. However, the class of Joshua Kimmich, Florian Wirtz and Kai Havertz ensure Germany should be taken seriously.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

Swiss Fans Salute Team after World Cup Run Ends in Defeat by Argentina

Swiss supporters react after Switzerland's defeat by Argentina in their 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final match in Geneva, Switzerland, 12 July 2026. EPA/SALVATORE DI NOLFI
Swiss supporters react after Switzerland's defeat by Argentina in their 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final match in Geneva, Switzerland, 12 July 2026. EPA/SALVATORE DI NOLFI
TT
TT

Swiss Fans Salute Team after World Cup Run Ends in Defeat by Argentina

Swiss supporters react after Switzerland's defeat by Argentina in their 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final match in Geneva, Switzerland, 12 July 2026. EPA/SALVATORE DI NOLFI
Swiss supporters react after Switzerland's defeat by Argentina in their 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final match in Geneva, Switzerland, 12 July 2026. EPA/SALVATORE DI NOLFI

Swiss soccer fans saluted their team in the early hours of Sunday after their World Cup run came to an end with a 3-1 defeat by Argentina in the quarter-finals.

The Swiss had reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 1954, but fell one match short of an unprecedented semi-final appearance.

Their task was made all the more difficult with the absence of their leading scorer Johan Manzambi due to a knee injury, while Breel Embolo's controversial dismissal in the 72nd minute against Argentina changed the complexion of the match.

Despite the disappointment, fans were proud of their team's efforts and went back home in the early morning waving their Swiss flags.

"In our hearts you won, Switzerland," Switzerland fan Laura K. said in ⁠Nyon early on ⁠Sunday. "Ten against 11 with Argentina."

According to Reuters, Swiss President Guy Parmelin said on social media that Murat Yakin's side had captivated the country.

"Despite today’s disappointment, what stands out for me above all is an exceptional campaign and a close-knit team that has thrilled the whole of Switzerland," he added.

Parmelin had caused a stir by wearing a red MAGA-style hat proclaiming: “Switzerland: Great Since 1291”, a reference to the country’s original federal ⁠charter, while attending their knockout match against Algeria in Vancouver.

Alexis Mac Allister had given Argentina an early lead in Kansas City before Dan Ndoye equalized for the Swiss in the 67th minute.

With the game heading to a penalty shootout, Argentina's Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez scored deep in extra time to secure a dramatic 3-1 win for the defending champions that set up a semi-final against England.

Some fans could not hide their disappointment.

"In my opinion, it's better not to talk, I'm too tired," said fan Emma Bannerlin.

Switzerland's showing equaled their previous best World Cup performances, quarter-final appearances in 1934, 1938 and on home soil ⁠in 1954.

The Swiss ⁠team draws on the country’s diverse migrant communities, with the squad featuring players with Kosovan, Turkish, Spanish, Congolese and Cameroonian heritage, among others.

They qualified for the World Cup after topping their group and arrived in North America having lost only one of their previous 42 World Cup qualifiers.

En route to the quarter-finals, they defeated Bosnia and co-hosts Canada in the group phase, before beating Algeria and Colombia in the knockout phase.

Yakin's squad blended experienced internationals with a younger generation throughout the tournament. Captain Granit Xhaka is Switzerland's record all-time appearance holder after a decade and a half with the national side. The backbone of the team was drawn from Europe's top leagues, including goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, defender Manuel Akanji, midfielder Remo Freuler, forward Embolo and winger Ndoye.

Sports

England, Argentina Set Up World Cup Showdown after Quarter-final Wins

Jude Bellingham celebrates England's victory over Norway in a World Cup quarterfinal soccer match in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Jude Bellingham celebrates England's victory over Norway in a World Cup quarterfinal soccer match in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
TT
TT

England, Argentina Set Up World Cup Showdown after Quarter-final Wins

Jude Bellingham celebrates England's victory over Norway in a World Cup quarterfinal soccer match in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Jude Bellingham celebrates England's victory over Norway in a World Cup quarterfinal soccer match in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

England and Argentina set up a blockbuster World Cup semi-final showdown on Saturday after battling past Norway and Switzerland to book their passage to the last four.

In Miami, two goals from Jude Bellingham gave England a nervy 2-1 extra-time victory over Norway to send the Three Lions into the semi-finals for only the fourth time in history, AFP reported.

Defending champions Argentina later sealed their place in the last four after a nail-biting 3-1 win over 10-man Switzerland at Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium.

Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez scored in extra time for Argentina, who had been on the ropes after a second-half equalizer from Switzerland's Dan Ndoye cancelled out Alexis Mac Allister's early opener for the holders.

The two results mean that England and Argentina will renew one of the World Cup's most iconic rivalries when they face each other in the semi-finals in Atlanta on Wednesday.

The winner of that game will take on the victor of France and Spain's semi-final in Texas on Tuesday in the final on July 19.

Furious England manager Thomas Tuchel said his team would need to make a drastic improvement if they were to have any chance of progressing beyond the semi-finals.

In sweltering Florida heat and humidity, a shaky England fell behind on 36 minutes through Andreas Schjelderup's rasping shot from the left.

But England got a huge slice of luck in first-half stoppage time when Bellingham equalized after an attack that began when a goal kick from Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland appeared to hit an overhead camera cable.

Norway's players protested to no avail and the goal stood. The Norwegians also had a goal controversially disallowed before Bellingham then bagged England's winner in extra-time.

"We made life very, very difficult for ourselves today," Tuchel said afterwards.

"The result is fantastic. The last four is amazing, but not happy with the performance... we were very lucky today."

Julian Alvarez (C) of Argentina celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals match Argentina vs Switzerland, in Kansas City, USA, 11 July 2026. EPA/AMY KONTRAS

While FIFA later issued a statement saying there was "no evidence" the ball had hit the cable before England's first goal, Norway coach Stale Solbakken was adamant.

"That was unlucky for for us," Solbakken said. "The ball fell straight down from the sky, so it changed its direction. But we can't do anything about that. I don't think we will play the game again. So, that's that's how it is."

In Kansas City, Argentina were taken to extra time for the second time this tournament before battling to a 3-1 win over Switzerland.

The world champions took the lead after just 10 minutes, with Lionel Messi's outswinging corner finding the head of Mac Allister.

The Liverpool midfielder leapt up behind Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji and steered his header past Switzerland goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

Yet Switzerland rallied after that early setback, with their physicality and well-organized defense frustrating the Argentina attack.

As the match wore on, Switzerland grew in confidence and enjoyed their best period of pressure in the second half against increasingly weary-looking opponents.

On 67 minutes the Swiss breakthrough came.

Ndoye worked a deft one-two with Ricardo Rodriguez down the left and then shot past Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to make it 1-1.

But with Argentina rocking the momentum swung back in the South Americans' favor when Swiss forward Breel Embolo was shown his second yellow card and sent off in tears after a VAR review.

Referee Joao Pinheiro initially gave a yellow card to Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes but after a VAR intervention the card was rescinded on the grounds of "mistaken identity."

Switzerland bravely held out to take the match to extra-time, and looked to be poised to take the game to penalty shoot-outs.

But Alvarez curled a magnificent screamer into the top corner in the 112th minute to break the deadlock, and then in the dying moments Martinez finished a counter-attack to complete the win.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said: "We had to suffer a lot but we knew they were a physical team.

"We had many difficulties. Sometimes we couldn't find the solutions, but today we had luck on our side because one of their players was sent off."

Sports

African Results Justify World Cup Slots Increase Amid Criticism

Cape Verde's Vozinha celebrates after the match in Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, US, June 15, 2026. (Reuters)
Cape Verde's Vozinha celebrates after the match in Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, US, June 15, 2026. (Reuters)
TT
TT

African Results Justify World Cup Slots Increase Amid Criticism

Cape Verde's Vozinha celebrates after the match in Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, US, June 15, 2026. (Reuters)
Cape Verde's Vozinha celebrates after the match in Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, US, June 15, 2026. (Reuters)

When four-time World Cup winners Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 tournament, then head coach Gennaro Gattuso lamented that Africa had so many places at the global showcase.

"Africa deserves fewer World Cup slots," he said, referring to the number of automatic qualifying places allocated to that continent rising from five to nine in an expanded 48-nation event.

It became 10 when the Democratic Republic of Congo won an inter-continental play-off and returned to the World Cup after 52 years.

Was Gattuso, a midfielder in the Italian 2006 World Cup-winning team, correct? Was Africa over-represented in the United States, Canada and Mexico?

Apart from a disastrous showing by Tunisia, who axed coach Sabri Lamouchi after their first group game and lost all three matches, African flag-bearers proved competitive, justifying their presence.

The other nine representatives reached the knockout stage, five as group runners-up. The other four were among the eight best third-placed teams.

That represents 90% success, the highest among the FIFA regions, followed by South America (83.33), Europe (81.25) and Asia (22.22).

Europe did surge to the fore in the knockout phase with six quarter-finalists. Africa and South America had one each.

African teams were less successful in the round of 32, with seven eliminated. Egypt made the round of 16 and Morocco became the first African team to reach the quarter-finals twice.

A worrying trend was conceding late goals, with star strikers Lionel Messi, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland among those benefitting.

Messi levelled as Argentina turned a two-goal deficit against Egypt into a 3-2 triumph. Kane struck twice as England edged DR Congo and Haaland netted the winner for Norway over Ivory Coast.

A spectacular collapse saw Senegal surrender a two-goal advantage with five minutes remaining against Belgium to lose after extra time.

Many Africans believed Senegal would be the best performers of the 10 qualifiers, but they flopped, losing three of four games and scraping into the round of 32 as the eighth best third-placed side.

In the aftermath of the Teranga Lions' exit there were hints of internal strife. Midfielder Pape Gueye said he would not represent his country again until coach Pape Thiaw was dumped.

- Dramatic turnaround -

Egypt led Argentina 2-0, having had another goal controversially disallowed, with 12 minutes left. But a dramatic turnaround led to an Enzo Fernandez header giving the title-holders a 3-2 victory.

Losing coach Hossam Hassan speculated that the officiating team for the game, headed by French referee Francois Letexier, may have been subjected to "external pressure" to favor Argentina.

FIFA referees chief Pierluigi Collina responded: "Match officials make honest decisions and, just like players and coaches, they always try to do their best."

TV analyst and former French star Thierry Henry said "African sides relax too early. People talk about talent and passion, but when they go two goals up, the focus drops."

Co-analyst and ex-Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic added: "Several African teams that were leading found a way to lose. In a World Cup, that is not bad luck, that is bad game management."

Morocco losing to France in the quarter-finals demonstrated that while African football is progressing, there is still a significant gap when facing the cream of Europe.

It took the Atlas Lions 83 minutes to have a shot on target and France goalkeeper Michael Maignan comfortably pushed away the speculative shot from Azzedine Ounahi.

There were no excuses from Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi: "France are a really great side... they have rarely had as much talent as they do now."

Morocco have already qualified for the 2030 World Cup along with fellow hosts Portugal and Spain. A 115,000-seat stadium is being built near Casablanca with an eye to staging the final.

While Morocco went furthest, last-32 losers Cape Verde enthralled millions of spectators and TV viewers, despite not winning any of their four matches.

The tiny archipelago off west Africa with a population of just over half a million people defied Spain in their opening match to force a 0-0 draw.

Goalkeeper Vozinha, 40, made a string of superb saves to foil one of the title favorites. The worldwide impact was stunning. His Instagram following soared from 50,000 to five million.

Cape Verde equalized twice before losing 3-2 to Argentina in a last-32 tie and their second goal, a looping cross-cum-shot from Sidny Lopes Cabral, should be a contender for the best of the tournament.