The five teams that can win the 2026 World Cup: Lionel Messi's Argentina, Spain, England all contenders

The 2026 World Cup hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada will take place next summer with MetLife Stadium hosting the final on July 19. While Mauricio Pochettino's U.S. men's national team have already qualified alongside Mexico and Canada as they will host the competition, some of the biggest teams around the world have yet to clinch a spot. With the tournament expanding to 48 teams, it's expected to be a tournament with many of the biggest teams in the world, as usual, but an even greater influx of new sides and underdogs, adding to the intrigue.

Lionel Messi's Argentina will try to defend the title after winning the 2022 World Cup in what will probably be the last international tournament played by the iconic Argentinian legend.

But who can win it? Here are the five teams, at this moment, capable of lifting the trophy:      

Argentina

Despite Messi probably playing his last ever tournament with the national team in the country where he plays with Inter Miami, coach Lionel Scaloni decided to continue his project with a similar squad compared to the one of 2022, another reason to believe they can make it again. The last time a national team successfully defended the World Cup title was in 1962, when Brazil, led by Pele, triumphed in Chile, four years after winning the tournament in Sweden. It's not easy, but not impossible. This team can really make it with a strong core of players, and game-changing attackers like Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez. But the big question is -- who can replace the production of the internationally retired Angel di Maria?

Spain

The 2024 European champions are one of the strongest candidates for the 2026 World Cup as the team coached by Luis de la Fuente, like Argentina, can count on a similar squad to the one that dominated the Euros last year. On top of that, Spain can count on what the new Messi of world soccer, Lamine Yamal, a player who can decide a tournament like the one La Roja will face next summer. In case that would happen, it's easy to imagine Yamal's status in the world of soccer would only improve, making him one of the best players and destined for potential all-time greatness. That's the step he's missing, and the 2026 World Cup comes at the right time in his career to cement his status as the greatest in the world.

Brazil

This is an interesting one. Brazil are facing a deep crisis as the last time they won an international tournament was the 2019 Copa America, and then lost the 2021 final to Argentina before being eliminated in the quarterfinals of the last edition in 2024 against Uruguay. The last time they won the World Cup was in 2002, and after that, they only reached the semifinals in 2014, when they lost 7-1 to Germany when they hosted the tournament. The Brazilian FA decided to hire former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti to change the recent history of the team, but it won't be easy at all as he only started to work with the team in June 2025, one year before the start of the World Cup. Also, Brazil won the last World Cup played in the United States, when they won on penalties in 1994 against Italy, the game of Roberto Baggio's monumental penalty miss.

England

The Three Lions have appointed former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel after losing two European finals in a row against Italy at Wembley and then last year against Spain. After a positive stint of the team then coached by Gareth Southgate, the English FA felt they needed something different to try to win what would be their second ever World Cup after the one in 1966. England have the talented roster needed to win a tournament like this one, and the 2026 World Cup can finally be the one when they bring it home with Harry Kane, the world's most in-form striker, leading the way.

France

After winning the 2018 edition and losing the 2022 final on penalties, France have been the most consistent national team of the past decade when it comes to the World Cup. With one of the tournament's most talented players and a potential Ballon d'Or winner in Kylian Mbappe, France start the competition with high expectations. It will also mark the final chapter for manager Didier Deschamps, who is set to step down after the tournament. While Zinedine Zidane is widely expected to take charge after 2026, this is the perfect chance for the current manager to leave the team with a second World Cup win and establish himself as one of the most successful international managers of all time.