π Updated World Cup 2026 Power Rankings
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- France claimed the No. 1 spot after beating Senegal 3-1, with Kylian MbappΓ© scoring twice β including an injury-time strike from range β to become France's all-time men's top scorer and earning 13 of 20 first-place votes from ESPN's panel.
- England jumped two spots to No. 2 after a 4-2 win over Croatia in Dallas, with Harry Kane scoring twice, Jude Bellingham adding the go-ahead goal two minutes into the second half, and Marcus Rashford netting a late fourth.
- Argentina held at No. 3 after Lionel Messi scored a hat trick against Algeria, tying Germany's Miroslav Klose for the most goals in men's World Cup history (16).
- Spain dropped three spots to No. 4 after being held to a 0-0 draw by Cape Verde β the tiny island nation's World Cup debut β in a result ESPN's panel flagged as a slow Spanish start, not yet a referendum.
- Germany climbed two spots to No. 5 after routing Curacao 7-1, with Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Kai Havertz and Joshua Kimmich all humming under Julian Nagelsmann.
- Morocco rose two spots to No. 7 β the highest-ranked African team β after holding Brazil to a 1-1 draw, with Achraf Hakimi back to full fitness and Ismael Saibari logging 0.7 xG in 89 minutes.
- Australia stunned TΓΌrkiye to rival the U.S. for top spot in Group D, while Scotland beat Haiti 1-0 for their first World Cup win since 1990, according to round-one results.
Why it matters: ESPN's panel handing France 13 of 20 first-place votes marks the first new No. 1 since these rankings launched in March, signaling real belief that MbappΓ© & Co. can convert their 2022 runner-up heartbreak into a 2026 title. Spain's three-spot drop after a scoreless draw with 67th-ranked Cape Verde exposes how thin the margin for error remains among the pre-tournament favorites.
