The 2026 World Cup is fast approaching, the golden trophy glistening in the distance. Already, 13 teams have secured their place in the biggest version of the tournament we’ve ever seen. The qualifiers include Australia, Argentina, Brazil, New Zealand, and first-time qualifiers Uzebekitstan.
With more teams than ever before, the 2026 World Cup is certain to be one thing—exciting! For fans looking to heighten their experience, or back their favourites for qualification, leading sports bet comparison site Irishluck has them covered. They’ve compared the odds, bonuses, and customer experience to find the very top options that are easy to locate under their dedicated section. There are still 35 spots up for grabs, so let’s look at who the top five contenders for them are!
How do Teams Qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
With more teams than ever going to be playing at the 2026 World Cup, qualifying has become somewhat complicated. Spots are divided up geographically, depending on which federation manages the area.
For example, England falls under the Union of European Football Association (UEFA), which has 16 places. These places are decided through qualifying rounds where all the countries who could qualify are split up into 12 groups of four or five. Those who finish top of their group will automatically qualify. The 12 runners-up will compete alongside the four best performing group winners from the Nations League to determine the remaining four places. All qualifiers should be settled by the end of March 2026.
That’s just the format for the teams under the UEFA qualification spots. There are additional federations as well, including the Confederation of African Football, which gets 9 automatic spots. Along with all the federations, excluding UEFA, they also have a bonus spot determined by playoffs.
Now we know how qualification works, let’s look at the top five teams who stand the best chance of clinching a spot.
1. England
There’s no need to panic! England are more than likely going to qualify for the World Cup in 2026. They’ve qualified for every World Cup since the 1994 competition held in the United States. England will be hoping to continue their impressive recent form in the competition, which saw them finish fourth in Russia in 2018. They also followed this up with an impressive outing at Qatar 2022 where they reached the quarter-finals.
England were drawn in Group K of the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers, alongside Albania, Serbia, Latvia, and Andorra. So far, they’ve won each of the three games they’ve played. They sit comfortably at the top of their group on nine points, with second place Albania a way behind on five. Their first three games have been a promising sign for England fans, with new coach Thomas Tuchel guiding them to success each time.
Fans will have to wait a little longer before England are able to cement their place in the World Cup. Their next games take place against Andorra on the 6th of September, Serbia on the 9th, and Latvia on the 14th of November. Their final match will see them play Albania on the 16th of November. Fans may not have to wait that long though, if the team manages to obtain an unassailable lead over the rest of the group. As long as England can continue their promising start, we’re likely to be seeing them in 2026.
2. France
The next team we’ll probably see displaying their footballing talents throughout the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is France. The 2018 World Cup winners will be hoping to repeat their performance eight years later. It’s highly likely that we’ll be seeing Les Bleus enter next year’s World Cup as one of the favourites.
First, they’ll have to qualify. Standing in their way is the solid Group D, made up of Iceland, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine. However, they should prove no obstacle to the recent winners when the group kicks off in September 2025.
Despite an impressive squad that is bursting at the seams with superstars like Mbappé, Dembélé, and Doué, France haven’t fared as well as expected following their World Cup win. Their 2024 Euros performance was a disappointment, with only four goals scored throughout the six games they played—three of these were from own-goals or penalties. Recent defeats against Croatia and Spain in the Nations League have done little to reassure, and have left manager Didier Deschamps under pressure. Despite recent struggles, it would be a monumental shock if Les Bleus didn’t make it to the 2026 World Cup.
3. Spain
Despite losing the final of the Nations League to Portugal on penalties at the start of June, Spain have easily been one of the most impressive teams since the last World Cup. They have a stacked team full of some of the top talent. This includes the Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, who, at just 17 years old, has proved himself one of the best players in the world.
Spain have been drawn in Group E against Turkey, Bulgaria, and Georgia. Although decent, their opponents shouldn’t pose them any threat in terms of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. They’ll be hoping to improve on their 2022 performance, which was arguably one of their worst. In a shocking result, they finished second in their group behind Japan, who were ranked 23rd in the world to their 7th. They followed this up with a poor performance against Morocco in the round of 16, which ultimately saw them eliminated on penalties.
Since their last World Cup appearance, the team has undergone a lot of change. Manager Luis Enrique stepped down after the disappointing outing and was replaced by current manager Luis de la Fuente. Alongside a boost from youngster Yamal, the team has been improved by additions like Dean Huijsen delivering much-needed consistency at centre back. The team also includes former Ballon d’Or winner Rodri in midfield.
4. Colombia
So far from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, four teams have qualified. Colombia aren’t yet one of them, but they require only one win from their remaining two games against Venezuela and Bolivia. They currently sit in sixth place with 22 points, 4 points ahead of their closest rivals Venezuela on 18.
Although they failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, they’ve been one of the most impressive teams in the three years since. They even went on an unbeaten run of 28 matches before ultimately losing the Copa Ámerica in the final to Argentina (who have already qualified for the World Cup).
Despite a recent downturn in form, they remain an impressive team and one of the favourites to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. They also boast plenty of talent, including the ageing, but still talented, midfielder, Rodríguez. Another standout is Liverpool forward Luis Díaz. Overall, Colombia stands a strong chance of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in their next few games.
5. Portugal
Another strong contender to qualify for the 2026 World Cup is 2016 Euros winner Portugal. They were also impressive in 2025 in the Nations League where they beat Spain on penalties in the final to claim the title. They’re in Group F, along with Hungary, Armenia, and the Republic of Ireland, who shouldn’t represent too much of a threat.
The big question for Portugal—will Ronaldo be leading the team? Although there’s been no suggestion so far otherwise, he’ll be 41 by the time of the World Cup. He wasn’t instrumental to their victory in the 2016 Euros, only scoring three goals. In the most recent 2024 Euros, he failed to score a single goal, leading many to question the future of his international career.
Portugal are likely to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, even without their talisman Ronaldo. Either way, the rest of the team speak for themselves. Standouts include Man City’s Bernardo Silva and Man Utd’s Bruno Fernandes in midfield. There’s talent all over the pitch, with forward Joao Felix and defender Danilo Pereira. Overall, we’re likely to see an appearance from the Portuguese team at the 2026 World Cup, with or without Ronaldo.
Looking Forward to the 2026 World Cup
As the world’s best teams compete for the remaining spots, there are a few contenders leading the way. By our estimations, we’re likely to see England, France, Spain, Colombia, and Portugal make an appearance at the tournament. However, play hasn’t even started in some qualification groups, so it’s still very early days. In a tournament that’s known for twists and turns, we’ll have to keep an eye out for who will get the chance to be within touching distance of football’s biggest trophy.