Goal updates World Cup favorites: intrigue intensifies ahead of quarterfinals

22:31 / 09.07.2026·103·Sport

The 2026 World Cup is entering its decisive stage. Ahead of the quarterfinal matches, the sports portal Goal has updated its ranking of tournament favorites.

France is listed as the primary contender in the new ranking. However, the remaining pairings and the composition of the opponents show that there is still significant intrigue in the title race.

France moves to the top of the ranking

According to Goal, the main favorite to win the 2026 World Cup is the France national team.

The French will face Morocco in the quarterfinals. This match will be an important test not only for a semifinal spot but also to confirm their status as tournament favorites.

Spain and England also highly rated

Second place in the ranking is given to Spain. The Spaniards will clash with Belgium in the quarterfinals.

England occupies the third position. The English team will compete against Norway for a place in the semifinals.

Argentina in fourth place

The reigning world champions, the Argentina national team, took fourth place in the Goal ranking.

The team led by Lionel Messi will play Switzerland in the quarterfinals. Argentina reached the next stage after defeating Egypt 3-2 in the Round of 16.

What does the full ranking look like?

The Goal portal formed the favorites ranking ahead of the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals as follows:

France
Spain
England
Argentina
Norway
Morocco
Switzerland
Belgium

It is also noteworthy that Norway is in fifth place on this list. The team led by Erling Haaland joined the ranks of serious contenders after eliminating Brazil from the competition.