Do you agree? Opta supercomputer names main favorite for the World Cup
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
The statistical portal Opta has put its supercomputer to work to simulate the outcome of the 2026 World Cup, just one day before the official kickoff of the football spectacle.
Details: According to the latest mathematical calculations from Opta, Spain's national team is given the highest chance of lifting the prestigious trophy—analysts rate La Roja’s chances of triumph at 16%.
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Spain’s closest challengers in this ranking are France, taking second place with a 12.9% probability, and England, rounding out the top three favorites with a 10.8% chance of victory.
The artificial intelligence broke down the chances of the top 20 teams not just for overall victory, but also for reaching the key stages of the knockout rounds. The reigning world champions, Argentina, are in fourth place with a 10.1% shot at success, while Portugal (7.1%) edges out Brazil (6.6%) in the race for a top-five spot. Of the top 20, Mexico has been given the slimmest odds by the supercomputer—just a 0.9% chance to pull off the ultimate triumph.
It's worth noting that the 2026 World Cup kicks off tomorrow at 21:00 Central European Time. The opening match will see Mexico take on South Africa.
Reminder: Spain’s star player could miss the World Cup due to injury.
