In the previous 22 World Cups, only 8 teams have won the championship. At the 2022 World Cup, Argentina was crowned after defeating France in the final. This is Argentina's 3rd world championship, a record only behind Brazil (5 times), Italy and Germany (4 times).
There is more than 1 year left until the 2026 World Cup takes place, especially before the qualifiers in Europe begin. However, there will not be many candidates for the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico next year.
Of the previous 8 World Cups held in the Americas, there have been 7 championships for a South American team. The only exception is Germany in 2014, when they beat Argentina in the final.
Argentina will be a formidable candidate at the 2026 World Cup, despite a disadvantageous history, as no team has defended the title since 1962.
In addition to being the defending champion, Messi and his teammates have won the last 2 Copa American tournaments. In March 2025, they became the first South American team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Most of the 2022 squad is still led by coach Lionel Scaloni. Messi, who will turn 39 at the 2026 World Cup, will play a certain role for Argentina.
Brazil won the 1994 World Cup in the US, but is seriously declining. Even with Carlo Ancelotti's arrival, restoring the strength of the Brazilian team is still a big challenge.
In the qualifiers, Brazil played unstable, causing coach Dorival Junior to lose his job. Ancelotti came on as a replacement but he immediately felt the difficulties, starting his term with a 0-0 draw with Ecuador.
Among the European teams, Spain is the strongest candidate. They want to repeat the championship record of 2010. Luis de la Fuente's team has won EURO 2024 and currently has the world's youngest and most famous player Lamine Yamal.
France is another strong candidate, having reached the finals of 4/7 recent World Cups. The 2026 World Cup will be the last tournament Didier Deschamps will lead the French team, before he decided to leave the team after 14 years. Mbappe will aim to win the World Cup for the second time in history.
England have yet to win the World Cup, having won for the first time in 2017. With the appointment of Thomas Tuchel, England is determined to make history.
The Three Lions will rely heavily on stars in their prime such as Cole Palmer and Jude Bellingham to realize their dreams. The 2026 World Cup is also almost the last chance for Harry Kane, who will turn 33 next year, to win a title with the national team.
Germany have not advanced from the group stage since 2014 but Julian Nagelsmann's side are showing positive signs, with bright stars such as Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala.
Italy have missed the last two World Cups and started the 2026 World Cup qualifiers with a 0-3 defeat to Norway. For the Italian team, qualifying is now also a big challenge.
The Netherlands and Portugal are also considered candidates for the World Cup championship. In history, both teams have never won the championship in this playground.
Meanwhile, the probability of the home team winning the 2026 World Cup is not high. Mauricio Pochettino is trying to make his mark in the US national team, but his recent achievements have not been positive.
Mexico have never advanced beyond the quarter-finals in World Cup history. Meanwhile, for the Canadian team, just passing the group stage is a significant achievement.
