ESPN experts: Spain, France favored to win 2026 World
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Spain and France dominated ESPN's 19 expert predictions, combining for 16 of 19 winner votes, with Spain the only nation to appear on every single ballot.
- Lamine Yamal was picked as best young player by 13 of 19 experts, with five predicting the Barcelona star will also claim the Golden Ball as tournament MVP.
- Kylian Mbappé led Golden Boot predictions with seven votes and earned three Golden Ball picks, making the France striker the most-decorated individual favorite.
- Japan emerged as the most popular underdog pick, named by three experts (Becherano, Hernandez, Laurens) who cited the squad's attacking style and tournament-tested experience.
- Argentina drew a striking lack of confidence from the panel — zero experts picked the defending champions to repeat, though seven expect a deep run starting Tuesday against Algeria.
- The USMNT faces skepticism as co-hosts, with two experts (Ogden, O'Halloran) picking the U.S. as the biggest group-stage upset risk; most predictions cap the Americans at the round of 16, while Ogden sees a group-stage exit.
- The 2026 World Cup opens Thursday at 3 p.m. ET with Mexico vs. South Africa, runs 104 games across the United States, Mexico and Canada, and concludes with the final on July 19.
Why it matters: The expert consensus casts serious doubt on the USMNT's co-host advantage, with most predictions capping their run at the round of 16 and one expert (Ogden) picking a group-stage exit. For viewers, the panel points to a Spain-vs.-France final as the likeliest outcome and a Yamal-vs.-Mbappé duel as the individual storyline to follow.
Ask SkimNews
