The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the biggest sporting event in history, expanding to 48 teams and hosted across the USA, Mexico, and Canada. With defending champions Argentina, dominant Spain, hungry England, and five-time champions Brazil all competing, the battle for glory has never been fiercer. Which national team do you think is the best at this World Cup?
1SpainThe champions won their second World Cup, conceding only one goal all tournament and beating Argentina 1-0 in the final with an extra-time Ferran Torres goal.1000pts
2FranceGolden Boot winner Kylian Mbappé scored ten goals as France won all three group games and reached the semi-finals, losing 2-0 to Spain.771pts
3NetherlandsUnbeaten group winners ahead of Japan who drew 1-1 with Morocco in the round of 32 and lost the shoot-out, but took home the Fair Play Award.550pts
4ArgentinaThe defending champions reached a second straight final, beating England 2-1 in the semi-final before losing 1-0 to Spain after extra time.494pts
5GermanyWon Group E despite a 2-1 defeat to Ecuador, then went out to Paraguay on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the round of 32.494pts
6PortugalCristiano Ronaldo's Portugal finished second behind Colombia, beat Croatia 2-1 in the round of 32 and lost 1-0 to Spain in the round of 16.350pts
7EnglandHarry Kane and Jude Bellingham led England to the semi-finals, where they lost 2-1 to Argentina, before they won the third-place match against France.350pts
8ColombiaWon Group K ahead of Portugal and beat Ghana 1-0, then went out to Switzerland on penalties after a goalless round-of-16 match.350pts
9MexicoThe co-hosts won all three group games and beat Ecuador 2-0 in the round of 32 before a 3-2 defeat to England in the round of 16.350pts
10JapanBeat Tunisia 4-0 in the World Cup's 1,000th match and went through unbeaten in second place before losing 2-1 to Brazil in the round of 32.257pts
11SenegalWent through as one of the best third-placed teams and led Belgium 2-0 in the round of 32 before losing 3-2 after extra time.257pts
12CanadaThe co-hosts reached the knockout stage for the first time, beating South Africa 1-0 with a stoppage-time Stephen Eustáquio goal before losing 3-0 to Morocco.257pts
13BrazilThe five-time champions topped their group ahead of Morocco and beat Japan, but Erling Haaland's late double knocked them out in the round of 16.257pts
14CroatiaThe 2018 runners-up finished second behind England and lost 2-1 to Portugal in the round of 32 to a stoppage-time winner.257pts
15MoroccoThe 2022 semi-finalists knocked out the Netherlands on penalties and beat Canada 3-0 before losing their quarter-final 2-0 to France.257pts
16BelgiumUnbeaten winners of Group G who came from two goals down to beat Senegal, thrashed the United States 4-1 and lost their quarter-final to Spain.257pts
17USAThe co-hosts won Group D and beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 before a 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the round of 16.0pts
18UruguayThe two-time champions drew twice and lost once in Group H, finishing third on two points and going home after the group stage.0pts
19South AfricaFinished second in Group A behind co-hosts Mexico, who beat them in the opening match, and lost 1-0 to Canada in the round of 32.
20South KoreaWon one of their three Group A matches and finished third on three points, which was not enough for a place in the round of 32.
21Czech RepublicBack at the World Cup for the first time since 2006, they took one point from three games and finished bottom of Group A.
22SwitzerlandWon Group B unbeaten, beat Algeria 2-0, knocked out Colombia on penalties and lost 3-1 to Argentina after extra time in the quarter-finals.
23Bosnia and HerzegovinaQualified by beating Italy on penalties in the play-off final, then went through as a third-placed team before losing 2-0 to the United States.
24QatarQualified through the qualifiers for the first time after hosting in 2022, but managed one draw in Group B and finished bottom.
25ScotlandBack at the World Cup for the first time since 1998, they won one group game but finished third in Group C behind Brazil and Morocco.
26HaitiBack at the World Cup for the first time since 1974, they lost all three Group C matches against Brazil, Morocco and Scotland.
27AustraliaFinished second in Group D behind the United States and drew 1-1 with Egypt in the round of 32 before losing the shoot-out 4-2.
28ParaguayWent through as a third-placed team, knocked out Germany on penalties in the round of 32 and then lost 1-0 to France.
29TurkeyPlaying their first World Cup since finishing third in 2002, they won one game but finished bottom of Group D on three points.
30Ivory CoastFinished second in Group E level on points with Germany, then lost 2-1 to Norway in the round of 32.
31EcuadorBeat Germany 2-1 in the group stage and went through as a third-placed team before losing 2-0 to co-hosts Mexico in the round of 32.
32CuraçaoThe smallest nation ever to reach a World Cup made its debut in Group E and took one draw from three matches.
33SwedenWent through from Group F as a third-placed team behind the Netherlands and Japan, then lost 3-0 to France in the round of 32.
34TunisiaLost all three Group F matches, including a 4-0 defeat to Japan in the 1,000th match in World Cup history.
35EgyptWent unbeaten in Group G, beat Australia on penalties in the round of 32 and pushed Argentina hard before losing 3-2 in the round of 16.
36IranDrew all three of their Group G matches and finished third on three points, missing out on a place in the round of 32.
37New ZealandOceania's representatives took a single draw from three Group G matches against Belgium, Egypt and Iran.
38Cape VerdeThe debutants drew 0-0 with Spain, went through unbeaten in second place and took Argentina to extra time before losing 3-2 in the round of 32.
39Saudi ArabiaDrew twice and lost once in Group H, finishing bottom behind Uruguay on goal difference.
40NorwayIn Erling Haaland's first World Cup, Norway beat Ivory Coast and then Brazil with his late double, before losing 2-1 to England after extra time.
41IraqBack at the World Cup for the first time since 1986, Iraq lost all three Group I matches against France, Norway and Senegal.
42AustriaBack at the World Cup for the first time since 1998, they finished second in Group J behind Argentina and lost 3-0 to Spain in the round of 32.
43AlgeriaBeat Jordan 2-1 to go through as a third-placed team from Argentina's group, then lost 2-0 to Switzerland in the round of 32.
44JordanMade their World Cup debut in Argentina's group and lost all three matches, including a 2-1 defeat to Algeria.
45DR CongoBack for the first time since playing as Zaire in 1974, they went through as a third-placed team and led England early before losing 2-1.
46UzbekistanThe debutants lost all three of their Group K matches against Colombia, Portugal and DR Congo.
47GhanaWent through as a third-placed team from England's group and lost 1-0 to Colombia in the round of 32.
48PanamaIn their second World Cup after 2018, they lost all three Group L matches against England, Croatia and Ghana.
Comments 1
Kaishu Sano put Japan ahead of Brazil in Houston, and Martinelli settled it in the fifth minute of stoppage time: https://youpick.best/articles/japan-ranked-many-ways
YP
ypb-teamAug 21
