2026 World Cup Power Rankings as final 48 heading to North America confirmed
It is somehow less than three months until the actual World Cup takes place in North America, we now know all the countries who will be there, and that means the only thing left to do is rank them. Rank them by power. Power rank them, if you will.
We really cannot stress enough that these rankings are neither definitive, nor set in stone, nor remotely worth getting worked up about. Okay? Yeah? Okay.
Before proceeding, it will definitely be worth getting up to speed if you’re not already on how precisely the various confederation qualifying processes for the 2026 World Cup worked. Because almost all of them are very different now the World Cup is a 48-team beast, and some of them were tremendously convoluted and long-winded.
The full details from December’s group-stage draw can be found here.
48) Iran
You know how we said we now know which countries will be at the 2026 World Cup? Yeah, about that. For obvious and entirely non-footballing reasons (or would be entirely non-footballing reasons if Gianni Infantino hadn’t decided to give a warmongering toddler a made-up Peace Prize) a very capable Iran team who came through Asia’s competitive qualification process in decent style have to sit right at the foot of this list purely because it now seems unlikely they will even take their place at the tournament.
47) New Zealand
Chris Wood and co. are among the biggest winners of the expanded World Cup format, one that for the first time hands the best team in the OFC a ticket straight to the World Cup rather than a ticklish play-off against Uruguay or some such. Until and unless Australia come crawling back, that ticket is almost certain to go New Zealand’s way as it has this time following a 3-0 win over New Caledonia.
46) Haiti
Returning to the World Cup for the first time in over half a century. Will hope to at least avoid the kind of group of death they found themselves in back in 1974, when Italy, Poland and Argentina were their group-stage opponents. It went the way you think it went.
Their first game this time out against Scotland feels absolutely enormous for both sides, given it’s Brazil and Morocco who round out one of the tougher first-round groups.
45) Curacao
Held off Jamaica to qualify for their first ever World Cup and in doing so become the smallest ever nation – both in population and area – ever to make it to the finals.
44) Iraq
Came through the inter-confederation play-offs. They were seeded to do so, but it still shows nerve under pressure.
43) DR Congo
Beat Nigeria in a nerve-jangling sudden-death penalty shoot-out to snatch Africa’s place at the inter-confederation play-off, and then got the job done against Jamaica to reach the World Cup for only the second time.
42) Panama
Back in the World Cup for the first time since a pummelling from Harry Kane and England in 2018, and now find themselves drawn once more against Harry Kane and England.
41) Cape Verde
One of the truly incredible stories of this qualification process, Cape Verde confirmed their place at a World Cup for the very first time after winning their group at the expense of Cameroon.
40) Saudi Arabia
Home advantage helped them get over the line in the fourth stage of AFC qualification after they failed to get the job done in the third stage.
39) Qatar
The 2023 Asian Cup champions and 2022 hosts had to take the long route to qualification having failed to make it directly to North America from the third round of Asian qualifying, but home advantage for October’s quick-fire fourth group stage helped them over the line and they would expect to do far better than the three defeats they managed on debut last time out, and landing in Canada’s group offers a chance.
38) Uzbekistan
The expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams was always going to offer opportunities, and Uzbekistan were among the first to grab theirs.
They have qualified for every Asian Cup since independence but never before now a World Cup. They are also the first double-landlocked country to reach a World Cup. Time for Liechtenstein to pull their finger out.
37) Jordan
Another first-time qualifier from the Asian section, while a run to their first ever Asian Cup final in 2023 shows they are not to be lightly dismissed. Do we think they can get the better of Argentina in Group J? We do not. Algeria and Austria, though? Doable.
36) Tunisia
World Cup stalwarts who have secured qualification and now turn attention to another bid to get beyond the group stage for the first time in the finals themselves. Won’t be easy in what is the closest thing to a group of death you’ll find in a 48-team event where third place will often be enough to go through. Netherlands, Japan, Sweden is a tough task.
35) South Africa
Hadn’t made it back to the World Cup since hosting in 2010, but finished third at AFCON two years ago and qualified ahead of Nigeria in their 2026 qualification group despite having to forfeit a game they won 2-0 after fielding an ineligible player. Assuming they don’t repeat that particular trick, could bloody a few noses next summer, starting in the tournament’s very first game against Mexico, who they also faced in the very first game back in 2010.
34) Ivory Coast
Came through a tough qualification battle with Gabon to win their group and reach their fourth World Cup and have a very plausible route out of a group containing Germany, Ecuador and Curacao.
33) Ghana
A squad packed with players boasting top-tier club experience in Europe will have eyes on another run to the knockout stages to go with those from 2006 and 2010 but will have to negotiate a group containing the vast tournament know-how of England and Croatia.
32) Senegal
Quarter-finalists in 2002 and knocked out by England in the last 16 in Qatar, Senegal have won a tough qualifying group and face another tough task at the finals. As pot-one, pot-three combos go there really weren’t many worse potential outcomes than France and Norway.
31) Algeria
One of those countries that feel like they’ve been at more World Cups than is actually the case having only actually been at two finals since the 1980s. They did reach the last 16 when last getting there in 2014, and look pretty nailed on to get through a kind CAF group into this expanded tournament.
30) Czechia
The UEFA play-off winners were, for the most part, hugely fortunate in the main group-stage draw that took place three months before we even knew who the precise beneficiaries would be.
By sitting in pot four by default, all manner of group-of-death unpleasantness might have awaited but three of the four bagged the hosts from pot one. Czechia, having seen off Denmark, will very correctly fancy their chances of emerging from a group containing Mexico, South Korea and South Africa.
29) Canada
Automatic qualifiers with the first objective being to improve on a World Cup finals record that currently reads played six, lost six after group-stage exits in 1986 and 2022. A run to the 2024 Copa America semi-finals in which their only defeats came against Argentina offers plenty of hope.
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28) Austria
Held off Bosnia to top their group and reach their first World Cup since France 98. Which seems a truly mad amount of time for them not to have made it.
27) Scotland
Back in the World Cup for the first time since 1998, and the fact there is quite literally nothing Scott McTominay can’t do means they cannot be airily dismissed. And if they still can’t get beyond the group stage when 32 teams will make it…
The games against Brazil and Morocco will be tasty group-stage fare, and the opener against Haiti already absolutely screams must win. Do that in any kind of impressive style and it might be enough for a knockout spot on its own.
26) Paraguay
Haven’t appeared at the World Cup finals since a quarter-final appearance in 2010 but made it comfortably enough this time around. A humbling experience at last year’s Copa America in the USA isn’t ideal major tournament prep, mind.
25) Sweden
Massive ‘Tottenham in the Champions League’ vibes from Sweden here, who have bantered their way to the actual World Cup on the back of finishing bottom of their qualification group with a record of P6 W0 D2 L4. Their Nations League performance earned them a play-off safety net they absolutely didn’t deserve but upon which they capitalised in undeniably impressive style.
And they do have a squad containing plenty of quality. They could absolutely cause some mischief now they are, somehow, here. But they’ve also landed in what comes closest to a group of death in the new watered-down format with Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia about as tough as it could possibly be these days. Not that Sweden can really complain.
24) Australia
Have secured their spot at a sixth consecutive World Cup and, while no longer the team of Viduka, Kewell and co, remain typically Australian in their reluctance to go quietly and won’t be a team anyone relishes facing in a group game next summer.
Reached the last 16 in Qatar, but haven’t been beyond the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup since winning it in 2015 in Ange Postecoglou’s second year in charge. It’s what he does, mate.
Won’t be quaking in their boots about facing USA and Paraguay.
23) Egypt
A strong contender for biggest World Cup underachievers given they are seven-time champions of Africa with a long and deep football heritage who have nevertheless made it to only three World Cup finals, with a best of the last 16 (when it was in fact then the first round) back in 1934. Went out in the group stage in 1990 and 2018 but looked very decent indeed in qualification this time around. Mo Salah were among the earlier African teams to confirm top spot – and thus World Cup qualification – in their group.
Iran (or whoever replaces them) and New Zealand offer significant opportunities for Egypt in the group stage, while even a not-quite-what-they-were Belgium could be taken down.
22) USA
Have reached the knockout stages at five of the last eight World Cups and would expect to at least match the last-16 effort from the last time they hosted in 1994.
Came out of the draw in good shape, with Australia the weakest team in pot two and Turkey not the worst outcome if you had to end up with a UEFA play-off qualifier from pot four.
Problem is that the USA currently look like they might be quite cack. Hard to deny it would be hilarious if they go out early, right up until the moment their president responds by launching all-out nuclear war as a dirty protest.
21) Colombia
Missed out on Qatar 2022 after finishing sixth in South American qualifying. That would have been good enough this time around with the tournament expansion, but Colombia ended up third in what was a tightly packed bunch of automatic CONMEBOL qualifiers stumbling over the line behind runaway leaders Argentina.
Reached the quarter-finals and last 16 in 2014 and 2018 and finished third and second in the last two editions of the Copa America to highlight tournament know-how that should not be lightly dismissed. Haven’t come out of the draw too badly either, with Portugal their top seed alongside Uzbekistan and an inter-confederation play-off winner.
20) Bosnia
Pied off Italy to condemn the four-time winners to a third straight World Cup watching on from home. And should absolutely fancy their chances of making it to the knockouts after landing very handily in a group with Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
19) Croatia
Finalists and semi-finalists in the last two World Cups which commands obvious respect, and they safely negotiated their way out of a tough qualifying section where Czech Republic and quite wonderfully the Faroe Islands proved worthy adversaries.
But we do worry about an ageing squad when tournament time rolls around at the end of another long season of club football, and kicking off their tournament with one of the standout fixtures of matchday one against 2018 semi-final foes England isn’t ideal. For either team, in fairness.
18) Uruguay
Already through to the 2030 World Cup as well as a ‘commemorative match host’ and came safely through the CONMEBOL qualification process with a game to spare as they look to put a disappointing 2022 World Cup behind them.
Spain wasn’t ideal from pot one, but pots three and four were kinder with Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde not teams who should block Uruguay’s path to the runner-up spot at least in Group H – but that is its own problem. Because the Group H runners-up are one of the unfortunate ones to land a group winner in the last 32, and in Uruguay’s case that would be the winners of Group J. So most likely Argentina. Oof.
17) South Korea
Haven’t missed a World Cup since 1982 and never really looked like doing so this time around after a rock-solid AFC qualification campaign, and got the prize every pot-two team craved of landing one of the co-hosts as their pot-one opposition.
16) Turkey
One of the unluckier teams to find themselves in the UEFA play-offs after taking being far too strong for everyone not called Spain in their first-round group. But they’ve been luckier since then. Got a pretty kindly draw in those play-offs and duly capitalised, and haven’t landed in a bad spot in the tournament itself at all. Given all the play-off teams were in pot four by default, ending up in a group with USA, Paraguay and Australia is an absolute result.
Very decent argument that Turkey ought in fact to win that group.
15) Ecuador
Have only once made it beyond the World Cup group stage – in 2006, when they were narrowly beaten by England in the last 16 – but have now reached a fifth World Cup in the last seven, having also reached the quarter-finals in three of the last four Copa Americas.
Will fancy their chances of progression from Group E, where Germany are the top seeds but Ivory Coast and Curacao offer a big opportunity.
14) Switzerland
Two things we know about Switzerland at the World Cup. They qualify, and then they get out of the group, and then they go out in the last 16. That’s been the case at five of the last eight. It’s not quite Mexico levels, but it’s the closest Europe can manage.
Looked to be among the big winners of the draw after bagging Canada as the pot-one seed. But the draw giveth and the draw taketh away, with UEFA Play-off path A landing in their way from pot four. That’s the Italy pathway that looks very much the highest calibre of the four.
13) Mexico
Finally ended their streak of seven straight last-16 World Cup exits in Qatar, but not in the way they would have wanted. Qualified automatically here as hosts, and did win the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2023 before failing to get beyond the group stage of the 2024 Copa America.
Have the honour of getting the tournament under way on June 11, and in a neat quirk of fate will do so against South Africa – just as they did 16 years earlier when South Africa were the hosts.
12) Japan
First qualified for the World Cup in 1998 and haven’t missed one since. Won’t miss this one either having powered through the convoluted Asian qualification process in style and won’t make life easy for Netherlands in Group F after pulling England’s pants down at Wembley.
11) Norway
An inexplicably miserable major tournament record having last reached the World Cup in 1998 and not even getting themselves to a Euros since 2000.
But a solid squad sprinkled with plenty of stardust thanks to your Erling Haalands and Martin Odegaards will be a dark horse this summer. They won all eight games in qualification – thrashing Italy home and away and scoring 37 goals across the campaign – to confirm their place in North America.
They were without doubt the pot-three team everyone wanted to avoid in the draw, and their clash with France could be one of the standouts of the absolutely massive and exhausting group stage.
10) Belgium
The golden generation is fading from view but they remain ranked inside the world’s top eight and won’t be a soft touch. Not a bad draw either, with perennial World Cup underachievers Egypt alongside Iran (for now) and New Zealand in a group Belgium ought to win handily to secure a clash with a third-place team in the first knockout round.
9) Morocco
One of the great stories of the last World Cup, where they became the first African side ever to reach the last four. Also the first African team to qualify for 2026 and should go well again. Brazil as the top seed in their group is firmly in the could have been better, could have been worse category these days.
8) Germany
Something strange has happened to Germany in recent tournament cycles. The old rule was that no matter how unconvincing they might look between majors, you could famously Never Rule Out The Germans when the serious business of tournament ball began.
The new rule is that no matter how good they look between majors, you simply cannot trust a really exciting squad of players to deliver when the big tournaments come around.
And now they’re actually starting to look quite rubbish in between tournaments as well. If losing from 1-0 up against Portugal in the Nations League semi-finals is unfortunate but forgivable, starting a World Cup qualification campaign that ought to be a formality with a 2-0 defeat to Slovakia is less so.
They have recovered their composure since then, and absolutely hammered Slovakia in the decisive return fixture to secure their place in North America next summer but by then it will be 10 years since they reached a World Cup or Euros semi-final, with only quite flaky current evidence that they deserve your trust they can put that right.
Did well in the draw, though, avoiding a second European opponent and bagging debutants Curacao as well as Ivory Coast and Ecuador.
7) Portugal
For at least the fifth time, Portugal are preparing themselves for Cristiano Ronaldo’s major tournament farewell because surely this has to be the last one, right? Not even with Argentina does one player so dominate the attention, but Portugal looked the business yet again in the Nations League where they beat Germany and Spain to emerge as champions with Ronaldo still very much their main man.
But they stumbled over the line in qualification. And their recent actual-major-tournament record is spotty; they haven’t been beyond the quarter-finals in four attempts since sh*thousing their way to Euro 2016 title glory riding a wave of draws.
And we all know Ronaldo has scored zero proper goals for Portugal.
6) Brazil
These are not glorious times for world football’s most decorated nation having made just one World Cup semi-final since 2002, and even that is one they would rather not talk about too much, thanks all the same.
A quarter-final exit at last year’s Copa America and none-too-convincing qualifying campaign don’t exactly indicate all is about to change, but they have qualified comfily enough and are still Brazil. And now they have Carlo Ancelotti and his eyebrows. Which could be massive. And not just the eyebrows.
Qatar 2022 semi-finalists Morocco are tough group-stage opposition, but Scotland and Haiti should hold few fears.
5) Netherlands
Narrowly beaten by Argentina in the quarters in Qatar and somehow beaten by England in the Euros semi-finals, so recent tournament pedigree is solid enough and the squad is positively dripping in Premier League quality.
Were slightly unfortunate in the draw as the one big seed to get what nobody wanted; a UEFA play-off winner from pot four.
4) England
A formline through their last four major tournaments of SF-RU-QF-RU is one that has to be respected even if the specifics of just how England did it remain something of a puzzle involving an uncanny gift for landing on the right side of the draw every single time.
Have a clear laser focus on this tournament under Thomas Tuchel, and won all eight of their qualifiers – without conceding a goal – to become the first European team to secure their place for next summer.
Performances have started to match results, with some pretty clear signs Tuchel is getting to grips with the players at his disposal and marking England out as a team who will have to be taken seriously this summer.
They don’t have an easy group having landed Croatia from pot two and what then became the worst remaining possibility from pot four in Ghana, but they’ll have fond memories of playing Panama and shouldn’t have too much problem here.
We’re choosing at this time to read close to nothing into some drab pre-tournament friendly efforts from an England team sans Kane, Saka, Rice and Bellingham. That handy group of lads do make quite a big difference to things. Goal-scoring, for one.
3) France
Winners and runners-up in the last two World Cups, narrowly beaten by Spain in the Euro semi-finals, and third-place finishers in the Nations League. It’s some solid tournament pedigree.
The fact they kick off their campaign against Senegal could bring back some vexing 2002 memories, mind, and Norway were the pot-three lurker everyone wanted to avoid.
2) Spain
Won the Euros in thrilling style and possess a young, deep squad that should only improve, though they did lose the Nations League final to Portugal. Eased through qualification and are the current favourites with the bookies.
Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay is not too formidable a group either.
1) Argentina
No point overcomplicating things at this stage. Argentina are the current holders of both the World Cup and the Copa America and still the most plausible winner here having absolutely dominated South American qualifying.
Concerns around an ageing squad’s ability to negotiate an even longer tournament are valid, but right now are concerns for another day.
Will be losing little sleep over the group-stage draw in which their Group J was in fact a group of As – Algeria and Austria are also there – before, confusingly, adding an actual J in Jordan. But they should be winning that group, and from there wouldn’t have to face another group winner until the quarter-final.