2026 World Cup Predictions & Creating Football Pools: Who Are the Favorites, Underdogs, and Dark Horses?
The FIFA World Cup 2026 promises to be an unprecedented spectacular tournament with 48 participating countries and three host nations (USA, Canada, Mexico). More matches, more chances — and thus more opportunities for your football pool. This article not only helps you set up that pool but also provides insight into which countries are realistically expected to perform well, which surprises could arise, and which teams might be underestimated.
Why Predict Now?
With the expansion to 48 countries, the structure of the World Cup has fundamentally changed, allowing more teams to advance from the group stage — paving the way for surprises. This also means that you have a greater chance of making a difference in your pool with accurate predictions. Teams that were previously considered outsiders can now genuinely become threats.
Favorites: Who Has the Best Chance?
There are several countries that analysts and odds clearly rate at the top:
Spain: Technically strong, tactically flexible, and with young stars emerging — they are seen by many as the top favorite.
France: Great experience, a deep team, a lot of scoring power — if everything falls into place, they also rank high on the list.
Brazil: Always present at the top, a lot of quality, but also questions about consistency.
Argentina: The reigning champion — although there is debate about whether this generation will remain at the top level for several years.
England: With young talent and a stable team, they also belong to the strongest contenders.
If you start your pool with predictions, it is strategic to choose one of these teams as a contender for the championship — that increases your chances of winning the grand prize in both your pool and your predictions.
Underdogs and Dark Horses: Who Can Surprise?
Besides the big favorites, there are also teams that are less frequently mentioned but truly have something to offer:
Netherlands: Young, talented, and having performed well recently — could easily make a big leap.
Denmark: Less often mentioned, but with a solid structure and potential for a surprise.
Morocco: Has shown in the past that they can come far out of nowhere — again in the dark horses category.
Mexico & United States: As host countries, they have additional reasons to perform — can come out surprisingly strong.
Japan: A consistently growing team with discipline and team spirit — potentially the surprise of the tournament.
When you include a dark horse in your pool that goes further than many people expect, you can truly distinguish yourself from the rest.
How to Create Your Pool & Predictions
Set up your own free pool: choose the tournament, invite participants, set rules.
Predict who will be the group winner, who will advance to the knockout phase, and who will ultimately become champion.
When making your predictions, consider both chances and surprises: for example, choose a favorite for the title and a dark horse that goes far.
Use the facts from the overview above to stay one step ahead of your participants.
4 Tips for Successful Predictions
Set up your pool on time and invite your group — the sooner, the better.
Don’t just think about the favorites but also about the dark horses: they can make a difference.
Take into account factors such as the host countries (advantage), the climate (heat & humidity in North America), and the broader pool structure (48 teams) — everything counts.
Communicate regularly with your participants: score updates, reminders, live updates — this keeps the group engaged.
