World Cup 2026: Who is the strongest before the opening ceremony?

(NLĐO) - The picture of power at the 2026 World Cup is gradually becoming clearer after the official list of 48 participating teams was announced.

The French runner-up is a strong contender.

With just over a week to go, the 2026 World Cup will officially begin. As requested by the World Football Federation (FIFA), participating teams have finalized their 26-player rosters for the tournament in North America this summer. Except for last-minute serious injuries, all players on the roster will be participating in this year's world championship.

The French national team is the number one contender for the 2026 World Cup title.

Based on current form and squad quality, the title race is predicted to revolve around top names from Europe and South America. Among them, the reigning runner-up, France, is the strongest contender. "Les Bleus" boasts a star-studded attacking lineup with the ability to switch between attacking and defensive phases, including Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappé, and Michael Olise.

Notably, Didier Deschamps' team arrives in North America as the top-ranked team in the FIFA rankings. Despite some limitations in ball control in the midfield, France is currently unbeaten since June 2025, with 8 wins and 1 draw.

Right behind them is Spain, considered one of the most consistent teams in the last two years. After winning Euro 2024, the younger generation of Spanish footballers, notably Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, and Pedri, have continued to mature significantly.

Yamal is a great hope for Spain's dream of winning the World Cup for the second time.

According to the DTAI Sports Analysis Laboratory (Belgium), "La Roja" possesses the strongest attack and the second strongest defense at the 2026 World Cup. However, Yamal's persistent injury and the declining form of the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri are causing some concern among Spanish fans.

Norway is considered a noteworthy "dark horse".

England, Portugal, Germany, and Brazil form a formidable chasing group. England boasts stability thanks to a squad of players who have been regularly called up over the years (with the exception of Ivan Toney), while Portugal stands out due to their balanced squad across all three lines and the reliance on Cristiano Ronaldo.

Portugal boasts several players who recently won the Champions League with PSG.

Germany entered the tournament with high expectations for the next generation, but Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala, and Nick Woltemade haven't really stood out at club level. Brazil is in the process of perfecting a new philosophy under coach Carlo Ancelotti and has always been a formidable opponent at World Cups.

According to ESPN , defending champions Argentina no longer maintain the overwhelming strength they displayed when they won in Qatar and are ranked 7th on the list of potential contenders. The Netherlands, Norway, and Turkey could spring surprises at this year's tournament. Norway, in particular, is considered the most notable "dark horse," possessing a pair of world-class stars in Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard.

Among the host nation's teams, the US is considered the strongest, but coach Mauricio Pochettino is taking a relatively risky approach by leaving out several midfielders currently playing in Europe. This will put significant pressure on the team if two key players, Tyler Adams and Cristian Roldan, suffer injuries.

Unlike the US, Mexico is in a more favorable group as South Africa is qualifying for the tournament for the first time since 2002 (having participated as the host nation in 2010). DTAI estimates "El Tri" has a 95% chance of reaching the knockout round.

The US team is considered the strongest among the three co-hosting nations of the 2026 World Cup.

Canada, although not considered a favorite, is perfectly capable of advancing from the group stage if they make good use of their home crowd advantage and Alphonso Davies makes a full recovery. Notably, Canada's Group B includes Qatar, the lowest-ranked team at the 2026 World Cup according to the Elo rating system.

With the expanded format to 48 teams, the 2026 World Cup promises to witness more surprises than previous tournaments. Some teams without home advantage or a plethora of star players, such as Switzerland, Japan, Colombia, and Senegal, still have a chance to prove themselves, just as Morocco finished fourth four years ago.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/world-cup-2026-ai-manh-nhat-truc-gio-khai-mac-196260603150852696.htm