World Cup 2026 power rankings: All 48 teams rated after opening round of matches
Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland headline a ranking that weighs opening-match form, tactical setups and early surprises across the tournament.
- Following the conclusion of the opening round of the 2026 Fifa World Cup, analysts updated the power rankings for all 48 teams in the expanded field after shocks and dominant performances reshaped expectations.
- France, Argentina, and England currently lead the rankings after dominant opening victories, with defending champions Argentina securing a 3-0 win against Algeria to make a statement.
- Underdogs made their mark with Cape Verde holding Spain to a scoreless draw, while Germany demonstrated strength with a 7-1 demolition of Curacao in a dominant opening display.
- Poor performances triggered immediate consequences; Tunisia fired their coach following a 5-1 loss to Sweden, while South Africa lost two midfielders to red-card suspensions going forward.
- Every team in the expanded field will play two more group matches chasing a next-stage spot, with the majority of third-place finishers still securing passage to the Round of 32.
18 Articles
18 Articles
The U.S. newspaper The New York Times updated its ranking according to the chances of each selection to win the 2026 World Cup that takes place in Mexico, the United States and Canada.After seven days, some teams reaffirmed their hegemony, while others disappointed in their debut. These are the possibilities for each nation, according to the prestigious American media. Top 10: The highest aspirants and their realities1. France: TNYT explains tha…
Le Parisien
INTELLINEWS
World Cup 2026 power rankings: England, Argentina and France make statements after round one – UK Times
Get daily World Cup briefings from our writers across North America – plus more from Inside Sport after the tournament Get our free World Cup briefing and sport email Get our free World Cup briefing and sport email The 2026 World Cup is fully into the swing of things with all teams now having played their opening match of the campaign in North America. After a build-up that centred around controversy, greed and conflict, fans have been captivate…
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Bias Distribution
- 38% of the sources lean Left
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