Argentina, defending champions and top of the FIFA world rankings, Portugal and England rounded out the top five choices. “After the disappointment of the 2022 final, France looks well equipped to go one better this time,” said Cathal Kennedy, senior economist at RBC and based in London.

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to kick off Thursday, fans are already weighing in on one of the tournament’s biggest questions: Who will take home the title?

The FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament will be available for telecast LIVE on Z's Unite8 sports channels and Zee5 streaming platform in India from June 11.

The biggest World Cup in history is upon us. Over 104 matches across 38 days in 16 host cities in three countries, the world champions will be crowned. This 48-team tournament is a competition unlike any other.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on June 11, with Mexico taking on South Africa at the Estadio Azteca, kicking off a six-week extravaganza.

Here is Brazil's World Cup group stage opponents, which stadiums they will play at, and the times for the games.