Nickname: Les Rouges (The Reds), The Canucks
FIFA Ranking: 27
Best Ever Finish (or debut): Group stage (1986, 2022)
How they Qualified: Co-Host
Group Schedule:
European Play-Off A - 06/12 - BMO Field, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Qatar - 06/18 - BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Switzerland - 06/24 - BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Head Coach: Jesse Marsch was hired in May of 2024 to lead Canada’s golden generation. Marsch has led Canada to unprecedented success, reaching the semi final of Copa America and winning friendlies against European oppositions away from home. Before Canada, Marsch coached three different Red Bulls clubs in New York, Salzburg and Leipzig, as well as Leeds United in the Premier League. He is known for his intense pressing style and making the game as difficult as possible on opponents, regardless of ball possession.
Star Player: Alphonso Davies is the country’s most high-profile player in history. After starting his career in Vancouver, Davies earned a move to German giants Bayern Munich. Known for his pace, dribbling and creativity, he is considered amongst the best left backs in the world. He was born as a Liberian refugee in Ghana, but moved with his family at a young age to Edmonton, Canada. Davies represents a modern Canadian success story, taken in by his community, was the recipient of inner city/low-income programs and has risen through the ranks to bring success to his adopted country
Unsung/Up-and-Coming Player: Ismael Kone is a 23-year-old Marseille midfielder, currently on loan to Sassuolo in Serie A. After impressing with CF Montreal in MLS, Kone signed for Watford for a fee around $8m. He was then sold to Marseille for $12m in 2024 and has gone on a couple of loans since. With 37 caps to his name already, Kone plays an important role for both club and country, and he continues to improve in his development.
Style/System/Expectations: Aside from Davies and Kone, Canada have multiple players at the game’s highest level. Jonathan David with Juventus, Tajon Buchanan with Villareal and Stephen Eustaqio with FC Porto are just some of the names that are a part of Canada’s golden generation. Canada have been able to hold their own against superior opponents, even grinding out results at times. Their relentless, team first mentality could see them make a deeper run in the World Cup than many anticipate.
Main thing to Watch: For a country dominated by hockey, Canada has a rich soccer history dating back to the 1800s. This World Cup will be a celebration of how far soccer has come in the country. Following the successes of hosting the women’s World Cup in 2015, Canadians are looking forward to see their team play on home soil.
Legendary Player: Atiba Hutchinson experienced Canada's lows himself, playing for a team ranked 122 in the world and 16th in CONCACAF back in 2014. Then there was the high of leading his country out at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after a 36-year absence by the Canadian men. He is the all time caps leader for Canada with 104 and had a 20+ year club career with top clubs like FC Copenhagen and Besiktas. He won Canadian player of the year six times before he retired in 2023.
Biggest Soccer Moment: During the 2024 Copa America in the United States, Canada shocked many by advancing to the semifinal. After losing their opening game 2-0 to Lionel Messi’ Argentina, they beat Peru 1-0 and drew Chile 0-0 to qualify from the group stage. They beat Venezuela in penalty shootouts in the quarterfinals, but lost to Argentina again in the semis. While they lost the 3rd place match in shootouts against Uruguay, Canada were able to reach a level that seemed impossible for them in the past.
Prediction: Round of 16
Nickname: The Maroons, The Maroon One (Arabic: العنابي)
FIFA Ranking: 51
Best Ever Finish (or debut): Group stage (2022)
How they Qualified: Entered the AFC qualifiers in the second round and topped their group undefeated to advance to the third round. They finished fourth, meaning they would go to yet another round of qualifiers. They drew Oman 0-0 and beat the UAE 2-1 to advance to the final tournament.
Group Schedule:
Head Coach: Spanish head coach Julen Lopetegui took over the Qatar national team in May 2025. Lopetegui has had mixed results with the Maroons and has been criticized at times for being too cautious and playing not to lose instead of playing for the win. Qatar under him have improved in dead ball situations, which was key in their vital win against the UAE. Lopetegui has had multiple high-profile jobs before Qatar, including Spain, Real Madrid and West Ham United.
Star Player: Akram Afif is undoubtedly the biggest star on the current team and possibly in the history of Qatar. The 28-year-old has featured 129 times for the Maroons and scored 41 goals. The left winger is known for his flashy style and hard-to-miss hair. Afif has already won the Asian Cup with Qatar twice, 2019 and 2023, as well as Asian Footballer of the Year twice, 2019 and 2023. With his club Al Sadd, Afif has won the Qatar Stars League five times, alongside other cup competitions. Like many Qatari national team players, Afif is a beneficiary of the naturalisation system and is an Aspire Academy graduate.
Unsung/Up-and-Coming Player: Ayoub Al Ouwi is a 20-year-old right back currently playing for Al-Gharafa in the Qatar Stars League. He received his first cap in October 2025, starting both of Qatar’s decisive games against Oman and UAE. After impressing in his initial test and helping Qatar qualify to the World Cup, Al Ouwi has been a constant feature for his club and the national team.
Style/System/Expectations: Aspire is a sports academy dedicated to scout and develop Qatari athletes. The Aspire generation includes a group of elite players who developed and played through the youth teams together. Qatar were able to win the AFC U19 Championship in 2019, with a lot of the same players helping the senior team win the Asian Cup in 2019 and 2023. Qatari soccer has a huge Spanish influence and many big Spanish stars have played and coached in the country.
Main thing to Watch: After winning two consecutive Asian Cups, Qatar are looking to take the next step of becoming an elite team in world soccer. The “Aspire generation” is more experienced now having already played in one World Cup. The 2026 World Cup will be used to measure just how successful the entire experiment has been for the national team.
Legendary Player: Sebastián Soria is considered one of the best and most successful naturalized players. Born in Uruguay, Soria moved to Qatar in 2004 to play for Al-Gharafa at the age of 21. Later, he became a citizen of the country and represented the national team on 124 occasions, netting 39 goals. Eight years after his last appearance for the national team, he was called up by Lopetegui for the October 2025 international break and subbed in against the UAE. Soria has over 450 league appearances and over 210 goals in the Qatar Stars League, at the age of 41, he is still playing for Qatar SC.
Biggest Soccer Moment: After a fairly disappointing World Cup, Qatar started the 2023 Asian Cup with three wins without conceding a goal. They beat Palestine and Uzbekistan to reach the semifinal, where they faced Asian powerhouse Iran and narrowly won 3-2. In the final Afif scored a penalty hat-trick and led his country to a second successive Asian Cup victory.
Prediction: Group stage
Nickname: A-Team, Nati (National Team), Rossocrociati (Red Crosses) and Devils rouges (Red Devils). One per each language spoken in Switzerland
FIFA Ranking: 17
Best Ever Finish (or debut): Quarterfinals (1934, 1938, 1954)
How they Qualified: They topped their group and finished the qualifiers undefeated, conceding only two goals.
Group Schedule:
Qatar - 06/13 - Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California, United States
European Play-Off A - 06/18 - SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California, United States
Canada - 06/24 - BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Head Coach: Murat Yakin took over the national team in 2021 after coaching a few Swiss clubs. He was at the helm for the 2022 World Cup and 2024 Euros. As a player, he has 49 caps for Switzerland from 1994-2004. He led the team to an infamous 2-0 victory over reigning champions Italy in the 2024 Euro round of 16, later falling to England in penalties. Yakin generally opts for a 4-3-3 formation and focuses on build up play and keeping possession of the ball.
Star Player: Granit Xhaka is a 33-year-old midfielder currently playing for Sunderland in the Premier League. Xhaka has the most caps in Switzerland history with 143 as well as 16 goals. He has played a huge role for the national team since his debut in 2011, and has captained the side since 2024. Xhaka has over 600 appearances for his clubs Basel, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen and Sunderland. He is known to be a leader in the locker room for both club and country. On the pitch, he is known for his intensity, engine and strikes from distance.
Unsung/Up-and-Coming Player: Johan Manzambi is a 20-year-old Freiburg midfielder, he has played an important role for the club since his breakthrough in early 2025. With the national team, he has played eight matches and scored three goals. Swiss newspaper Blick wrote in 2024 that he is a "fast box-to-box player who is dynamic and energetic". Due to his success at a young age, he is being linked with big clubs like Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea.
Style/System/Expectations: Core veteran players like Gregor Kobel, Manuel Akanji, Breel Embolo, Ruben Vargas and Ricardo Rodriguez are likely to continue with the national team during the World Cup. This is also the third major tournament for Yakin with the squad, and expectations are high for the Swiss. Considering the expanded tournament format, they are likely to play inferior opponents, especially in the earlier rounds. The Nati will need to turn possession into chances, while being careful with their high line defense.
Main thing to Watch: Switzerland have exited in the round of 16 in three consecutive World Cups. They’ve always had top players and often get unexpected positive results. That said, they haven’t been able to turn that into a deep run in either the World Cup or Euros. With the new format and an easy group on-paper, this might be their chance.
Legendary Player: While his club career is currently ongoing with Basel, Xherdan Shaqiri has retired from international soccer. Shaqiri has played for some of the biggest clubs in the world like Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and Liverpool. He was the most important player for Switzerland during multiple tournaments. He has the third most caps for the country with 125 caps and the fourth most goals with 32. He has the most goals for Switzerland in the World Cup and Euros, with five in each. He is nicknamed "the Alpine Messi" and "the magic dwarf".
Biggest Soccer Moment: The Euro 2024 tournament was a major success for Switzerland. During the Round of 16, Switzerland caused a major upset by defeating defending champions Italy and reaching the Quarter-Finals for the second time in their history.
Prediction: Round of 16
Nickname: Seleção (The Selection)
FIFA Ranking: 5
Best Ever Finish (or debut): Winners (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
How they Qualified: Finished fifth in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers
Group Schedule:
Head Coach: Legendary Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti took over the program in May 2025. Ancelotti is often regarded as one of the best managers of all time, however, he has had mixed results with the Seleção since his arrival. Ancelotti has at times been criticized for his risk-adverse style, though he has also been largely praised for his man management and letting the players “play.” Unlike other top managers, he doesn’t have a specific system, rather he adapts his style to the strengths of his players. Ancelotti has won the UEFA Champions League five times, a record for a manager, and is the only manager to take part in six Champions League finals. He is also the only manager to win league titles in all of Europe's top five leagues.
Star Player: Vinícius Júnior is a 25-year-old Real Madrid winger and one of the best players in the world. Vini Jr. was bought by Real Madrid for £38 million at the age of 16, which was a national record for a player under 18. He has since been an important player for Los Blancos, helping the club achieve two La Liga-Champions League doubles. He was named The Best FIFA Men's Player in 2024, and finished runner-up in the Ballon d'Or voting in the same year. With Brazil, Vini Jr. was a key member of the youth setups where he helped his teams win multiple championships. He has yet to fully establish himself with the senior team as Brazil have mostly struggled in recent major tournaments. Known for his pace, technique and dribbling ability, making him a nightmare for opposition defenders.
Unsung/Up-and-Coming Player: Estêvão is a 18-years-old winger, currently playing for Chelsea in the Premier League. In 2018, at the age of 10, Estêvão signed a professional contract with Nike, making him the youngest Brazilian player to sign with the company. After a successful youth career, he played with Brazilian giants Palmeiras, making his debut at the age of 16. Estêvão played his final game for Palmeiras in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Club World Cup, facing the team he was set to join, Chelsea. He scored the equaliser against his future club, though Palmeiras were ultimately eliminated. He hit the ground running with his new club, scoring important goals in the league and Champions League.
Style/System/Expectations: Aside from the two mentioned above, the Brazilian squad is still full of big names. Bruno Guimarães, Rodrygo and Gabriel Magalhães are all considered amongst the best in the world in their positions. While Brazil has always been able to produce top talents, it has been a long time since the Seleção put it all together. The pressure continues to build as it has been 23 years since Brazil won the World Cup and six years since their last Copa America victory. There’s hope that Ancelotti will bring back the free-flowing and entertaining style of soccer to the national team. That said, results are the most important thing for Brazil and anything other than the trophy would be a let down.
Main thing to Watch: Neymar, who currently plays domestically with Santos, surpassed Pele’s number of goals and claimed the top goalscorer chart for Brazil with 79. He also has 128 appearances, the second most in history. It’s still up in the air whether or not he’ll be part of the World Cup squad as he has yet to be called up by Ancelotti.
Legendary Player: Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known by his nickname Pelé. Possibly the most recognizable name and face in the world. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, he was among the most successful and popular sports figures of the 20th century. His 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, which includes friendlies, is recognised as a Guinness World Record. In 1999, he was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee and was included in the Time list of the 100 most important people of the 20th century. He won three World Cups, 1958, 1962 and 1970, the only player to do so. With 77 goals in 92 games for Brazil, Pelé held the record as the national team's top goalscorer for over fifty years.
Biggest Soccer Moment: Brazil were able to add a record fifth star to their crest after winning the 2002 World Cup final. The match took place in front of 69,029 spectators in the International Stadium in Yokohama, with an estimated 1.1 billion watching on television. With a brace by legendary striker, Ronaldo, Brazil solidified itself as the best soccer nation in the world.
Prediction: Quarterfinal
Nickname: The Atlas Lions (Arabic: أُسُودُ الأَطلَس)
FIFA Ranking: 11
Best Ever Finish (or debut): Fourth 2022
How they Qualified: Topped their qualifications group with a perfect record and +20 goal difference.
Group Schedule:
Head Coach: Walid Regragui, the hero who led Morocco to a historic fourth-place finish in the 2022 World Cup has continued with the national team. He has 44 caps as a player and has been coaching Morocco since August 2022. Before the national team, Regragui won the Moroccan league title and the CAF Champions League with Wydad AC. Regragui has focused on shifting the way Morocco play to a more expansive system with ball possession and methodical build-up play.
Star Player: Achraf Hakimi is considered one of the best right-backs in the world. With his current club, Paris Saint-Germain, he has already won four league titles, five domestic cups and the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League. A product of the Real Madrid academy, Hakimi played for the Spanish giants as well as Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan. He started playing with Morocco at the U20 level and made his senior team debut in 2016 at 17-years-old. He has the third most appearances for the Atlas Lions with 88 and currently captains the side. Hakimi ranked 6th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or, the highest position ever achieved by a Moroccan player.
Unsung/Up-and-Coming Player: Bayer Leverkusen left-winger Eliesse Ben Seghir is Morocco’s biggest prospect. The 20-year-old was born in France and played for some French youth teams, but ultimately chose to represent Morocco. He started his professional career with Monaco and slowly integrated into the first team. He had a breakout season in 2024-25 and earned a €30 million transfer to Bayer Leverkusen. Known for his dribbling and technical ability, Ben Seghir has experience playing through the middle as well as out wide.
Style/System/Expectations: After shocking the world in 2022, Morocco have continued their development of players, coaches and recruitment. However, things might be different in 2026 as the Atlas Lions established themselves as one of the best teams in the World. Teams playing Morocco will probably approach games more cautiously, especially with the recent change in tactics. Regragui told L’Équipe “Our offensive statistics speak for themselves, and it is unfortunate that we are viewed in the same light as the World Cup, when it is clear that there is a difference between the national team before the World Cup and after it. We are today an attacking team that depends on possession.”
Main thing to Watch: Morocco have earned their way to the top of the game and have been one of, if not, the best team in Africa. With that said, expectations are higher than they have ever been for the country. Will Morocco rise up to the occasion and continue their tremendous success?
Legendary Player: The 1998 African Footballer of the year, Mustapha Hadji, is one of the best Moroccan and African players of all time. He played as an attacking midfielder and was known for his technical ability, vision and pace. He scored 13 goals for the national team, but will always be remembered for this great goal against Norway in the 1998 World Cup. That goal and his overall performance in the tournament earned him moves to big European clubs like Coventry City, Aston Villa and Espanyol.
Biggest Soccer Moment: After eliminating their former colonizers Spain in the round of 16, Morocco were face to face with Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the quarterfinal. The estimated value for the Moroccan squad before the start of the tournament was €416.80m while Portugal's was around €1 billion. Youssef En-Nesyri’s goal in the 42nd turned out to be the winner after a great team effort from the entire squad, especially goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. Celebrations were in place throughout the country, the large diaspora populations and of course for everyone who made it to Qatar
Prediction: Quarterfinal
Nickname: Les Grenadiers (The Grenadiers)
FIFA Ranking: 84
Best Ever Finish (or debut): Group stage (1974)
How they Qualified: After advancing to the third round of the CONCACAF qualifiers, Haiti finished at the top of their group. Haiti entered the last qualifiers window needing to win both their remaining matches and have other group results go their way in order to qualify. A 1-0 win over Costa Rica, followed by a 2-0 win over Nicaragua sealed the deal for the Haitians.
Group Schedule:
Head Coach: Haiti’s manager, Sebastien Migne has yet to step foot in the country. Due to the ongoing security and political crisis in, the national team played all of its qualifying fixtures at neutral sites. "It's impossible [to visit] because it's too dangerous," Migne told France Football magazine. "I usually live in the countries where I work, but I can't here. There are no more international flights landing there." Under Migne Haiti has been successful with a 13W-4D-4L record. This is the fifth national team Migne has been a part of and the first one outside of Africa.
Star Player: Jean-Ricner Bellegarde is an attacking midfielder playing for Wolves in the Premier League. Born in France, Bellegarde represented his birth nation at youth levels, but his Haitian descent qualified him to make the switch in 2025. Since the switch, the 27-year-old has been the highest profile in the team and has played all six matches he has been eligible for. After impressing with Lens and Strasbourg in Ligue 1, Bellegarde joined Wolverhampton Wanderers on a five-year deal for £12.8m in 2023. Following his switch of international allegiance, Bellegarde became the first Haitian-represented player to feature in the Premier League.
Unsung/Up-and-Coming Player: Don Deedson Louicius opened up the scoring against Nicaragua in the game that booked Haiti’s spot in the World Cup. The 24-year-old winger was born in and played his youth career in Haiti. Later he joined the Atlanta United Academy in the United States. He was signed to a professional contract in Denmark and spent six seasons there with Hobro and Odense Boldklub in the second and first divisions. He later joined FC Dallas in Major League Soccer in the summer of 2025. He has 28 caps and 10 goals with the national team.
Style/System/Expectations: The Haitian squad is entirely foreign-based and there are multiple players at high-level European clubs. Josue Casimir with Auxerre, Frantzdy Pierrot with AEK Athens and Carlens Arcus with Angers all play an important role for club and country. Making the World Cup is an incredible achievement on its own for a country like Haiti. That said, playing with nothing to lose and everything to gain might raise the level of the squad. If Haiti can get a point in this tough group, it’ll be celebrated for years.
Main thing to Watch: For a country that has suffered a tremendous amount, relative sporting success can lead to a much needed celebration and unity. When Haiti punched their World Cup ticket, celebrations lasted for hours in the streets, even in dangerous areas.
Legendary Player: Though his career is ongoing, Duckens Nazon is already considered a legend. He is tied for fourth most caps for the country and is the historic goalscorer with 44 goals. The 31-year-old striker has played for 13 clubs in eight different countries. He has scored many important goals for the country, including a second half hat trick against Costa Rica in the most recent qualifiers.
Biggest Soccer Moment: Haiti is the only Caribbean nation to qualify more than once for a World Cup, their other appearance was in 1974 in West Germany. They drew a tough group consisting of Italy, Argentina and Poland. Against Italy, Haiti took a shock lead when star forward Emmanuel Sanon scored shortly after halftime, beating Italy star keeper Dino Zoff and slipping it into an empty net. The goal ended Zoff's record run of 1143 minutes without conceding a goal in international matches. The Italians woke up and eventually came back to win 3-1.
Prediction: Group stage
Nickname: No nickname, but the supporters are known as The Tartan Army
FIFA Ranking: 36
Best Ever Finish (or debut): Group stage (1954-1958, 1974-1990, 1998)
How they Qualified: A spectacular victory over Denmark on the final day of qualifying ensured that Scotland topped their group and punched their ticket to their first World Cup in 28 years.
Group Schedule:
Head Coach: Steve Clarke took charge of Scotland in 2019 and led them to back-to-back Euros qualifications in 2020 and 2024. He is the longest serving manager in terms of games managed and the first Scottish manager in history to qualify for three major competitions. Clarke has received some criticism from fans for this cautious style, but he has generally been able to deliver good results.
Star Player: 29-year-old midfielder Scott McTominay is one of, if not, the most important players for Scotland. A product of Manchester United's youth academy, he made his senior debut for the club in May 2017. McTominay went on to make 255 appearances for the Red Devils, winning the FA Cup and the EFL Cup. In 2024, McTominay signed for Napoli in a deal worth £25.7 million. Since the move he emerged as a focal player to the club winning the Serie A title in his debut season, and being named the league's Most Valuable Player. He received a nomination for the prestigious Ballon d'Or award for his performances in the season. He has 67 appearances and 14 goals for the national team. In the decisive game against Denmark, McTominay opened the scoring in the third minute with a stunning bicycle kick, a move which commentator Steven Thompson compared to basketball player Michael Jordan.
Unsung/Up-and-Coming Player: Ben Gannon-Doak is a 20-year-old winger playing for Bournemouth in the Premier League. Gannon-Doak started his career with Celtic and then moved to Liverpool where he became the youngest Scottish player to appear in the Premier League. Unable to find minutes with Liverpool, he went on loan to Middlesbrough where he impressed and played regularly. He made a permanent transfer to the Cherries in summer of 2025 for an initial fee of £20m with a further £5m in add-ons. He scored his first senior international goal in a qualifier match against Greece in November 2025. Three days later, Gannon-Doak provided an assist for Scott McTominay’s infamous bicycle kick goal.
Style/System/Expectations: Scotland has some stars and well-known players, including captain and Liverpool left back Andrew Robertson, former Arsenal star Kieran Tierney and Aston Villa’s Jon McGinn. However, Scotland’s biggest strength seems to be their sheer will and mentality. The squad has shared some insane on-field moments and a magical qualifying campaign together, something that’ll surely help them in 2026. With third place teams having a chance of qualifying, Scotland will be hoping to break the Group stage curse they’ve struggled with throughout their World Cup history.
Main thing to Watch: The Tartan Army are amongst the best traveling fans in the world. They are known for their fun environments and friendly behavior. They are also regularly involved in charitable work. They'll be looking to bring their infamous party atmosphere to the 2026 World Cup.
Legendary Player: Kenny Dalglish is a Liverpool, Celtic and Scotland legend. Known for his technical skill and creativity, he was amongst the best players in the world. He started his career at Celtic and scored 111 goals during his time there to help the club win four league titles and four cups. With Liverpool, he won Six English League titles, four League Cups, an FA Cup and three European Cups. He finished his career with the Reds with 355 appearances and 118 goals. He played in three World Cups and is the all time caps leader with 102. He is also tied for all-time lead goalscorer with 30 goals.
Biggest Soccer Moment: Scotland achieved a famous 3-2 victory over the Netherlands in the 1978 World Cup group stage, a match most remembered for Archie Gemmill's iconic solo goal. Despite the win, it was not enough for Scotland to advance past the first round of the tournament.
Prediction: Round of 32
Nickname: Die Mannschaft (The Team)
FIFA Ranking: 9
Best Ever Finish (or debut): Winners (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)
How they Qualified: Topped their qualifying group with just one loss and +13 goal difference
Group Schedule:
Head Coach: In September 2023, Julian Nagelsmann was named the new head coach. After some mixed results, Germany picked up big wins against France and the Netherlands before Euro 2024 on home soil. At the tournament they reached the quarterfinal, losing to eventual champions Spain. The German team has started to look better under Nagelsmann, but is yet to fully click like previous generations. He is known for his versatility with formations and maintaining possession. Nagelsmann’s teams often utilize gegenpressing, whereby the team, after losing possession, immediately attempts to win it back, rather than falling back to regroup.
Star Player: Florian Wirtz is an attacking midfielder currently with Liverpool in the Premier League. Wirtz rose through the youth system at 1. FC Köln before moving to Bayer Leverkusen in 2020. Shortly after making his debut at the age of 17, Wirtz became an important player for Leverkusen. He was pivotal for Leverkusen during their unbeaten domestic double in the 2023–24 season. He was named the Bundesliga Player of the Season, scoring 18 goals and providing 14 assists. Wirtz transferred to Liverpool for a club-record fee of approximately £100 million, marking him one of the most expensive players in history. He played through Germany’s youth teams and made his senior debut in 2021. He is a versatile attacker known for his technique, final ball and workrate.
Unsung/Up-and-Coming Player: Newcastle’s Nick Woltemade has emerged as one of the most exciting strikers in world soccer. He started with Werder Bremen, and had a stint with Stuttgart before moving to Newcastle in the summer of 2025 for a reported fee of up to £70 million. He hit the ground running with his new club, scoring in his Premier League and Champions League debuts. Playing mostly with Germany’s youth teams, he didn’t make his senior debut until June 2025. He’s a tall and versatile forward with agile dribbling and strong technical ability, which makes him difficult for opponents to mark. He excels at dropping deep to receive the ball with his back to goal to link play, but can also operate as a more traditional number nine.
Style/System/Expectations: The German squad is full of young talents who are in or near their prime, players like Angelo Stiller, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Karim Adeyemi will be looking to leave their mark on the national team. At the same time, the team has a good group of veteran players like Jamal Musiala, Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka who will continue to play their parts. With Germany being one of the top producers of talent, it would not be shocking if Nagelsmann and the squad turn things around in 2026. While Germany are not favorites to win, history has shown that they are never too far from achieving big things.
Main thing to Watch: Jamal Musiala became one of the most exciting players in the world both with the national team and Bayern Munich. At just 22-year-old, Musial has already achieved more than a lot of players achieve in their entire career. In July 2025, he suffered a fractured fibula along with a dislocated and broken ankle after colliding with Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma during the quarterfinal of the 2025 Club World Cup. As he slowly makes his recovery, Musiala will only have half a season with Bayern Munich before the World Cup starts. It will be interesting to see if he can go back to his incredible pre-injury form.
Legendary Player: Franz Beckenbauer, nicknamed der Kaiser ("the Emperor"), is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential players of all time. He is one of three men, along with Brazil's Mário Zagallo and France's Didier Deschamps, to have won the World Cup as a player and as a manager; he lifted the World Cup trophy as captain in 1974, and repeated the feat as a manager in 1990. At club level with Bayern Munich, Beckenbauer won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1967 and three consecutive European Cups from 1974-1976. He also became the manager and later president of Bayern Munich following his playing career. Beckenbauer died in January 2024, at the age of 78, due to natural causes. A memorial service was held at Allianz Arena on 19 January.
Biggest Soccer Moment: The 2014 World Cup was memorable for the Germans, not just because they lifted the trophy, but also because of their semifinal victory. Against Brazil, at Estádio Mineirão, Germany scored four goals in just less than seven minutes and were 5–0 up by the 30th minute with goals from Thomas Müller, Miroslav Klose, Sami Khedira and two from Toni Kroos. Germany's 7–0 lead in the second half was the highest score against Brazil in a single game. It was Brazil's worst ever World Cup defeat, whilst Germany broke multiple World Cup records with the win including the first team to reach four consecutive World Cup semi-finals, the first team to score seven goals in a World Cup knockout phase game, the fastest five consecutive goals in World Cup history (with four of the goals scored in just 400 seconds), and the first team to score five goals in the first half in a World Cup semifinal.
Prediction: Quarterfinal
Nickname: The Blue Wave
FIFA Ranking: 82
Best Ever Finish (or debut): Debut
How they Qualified: Finished top of their group in both rounds of qualifying, but it wasn’t decided until the final whistle of the last game of qualifying.
Group Schedule:
Head Coach: Legendary Dutch coach Dick Advocaat took charge in January 2024, following fellow country-men like Patrick Kluivert and Guus Hiddink. Advocaat set a goal to make the national setup more professional and instill a desire to avoid defeat at all costs. His experience with seven other national teams played a huge part in his appointment. The 78-year-old has had 28 different coaching stints throughout his career in 12 different countries.
Star Player: Tahith Chong is an attacking or wide midfielder currently with Sheffield United in the Championship. Chong joined the Manchester United Academy aged 16, after progressing through the Feyenoord youth system. To find minutes, he went on a few loans before landing at Birmingham City. After impressing with the Blues, he was signed by newly-promoted Premier League Club, Luton Town. After back-to-back relegations, he signed with Sheffield United where he is working towards becoming a regular. He featured for the Dutch youth teams before switching to the Blue Wave in August 2025. In his second game with the national team, he scored a brace against Bermuda.
Unsung/Up-and-Coming Player: Sontje Hansen is a 23-year-old winger who currently plays for Middlesbrough in the Championship. After impressing at youth levels, he signed with Ajax, making his professional debut with Jong Ajax at the age of 17. Struggling to find minutes with the first team, he moved to NEC also in the Eredivisie immediately becoming an important player for the club. After 72 appearances with NEC, he signed with Middlesbrough for £3.4 million and is fighting for minutes in the English second division. Like many of his teammates, he played for the Netherlands youth teams, but switched to Curaçao in September, 2025.
Style/System/Expectations: Advocaat relied heavily on integrating members of the diaspora. Most of the squad were born in the Netherlands, including the starting 11 in the decisive last qualifying match. Only one member of their recent 25-man squad was born in Curacao while the rest were born in the Netherlands, but qualified to represent the Blue Wave based on their ancestry. Curaçao will be looking to shock people in the World Cup, they are ranked 82nd in the world and many expect them to compete.
Main thing to Watch: With the recent trend of players switching to their parents’ or ancestors' countries, Curaçao might recruit some other top players before the World Cup.
Legendary Player: Eloy Room is the starting goalkeeper for Curaçao and is tied for most caps for the country with 68. He started his career in the Netherlands playing for Vitesse and PSV, before signing with the Columbus Crew of MLS. He was one of the first players to make the switch from the Netherlands to Curaçao back in 2015. He also plays a role in recruiting players to the current national team.
Biggest Soccer Moment: Jamaica and Curaçao were head-to-head throughout the qualifiers, but thanks to goals from Livano Comenencia and Kenji Gorré, Curaçao beat Jamaica 2-0 at home. It all came down to the last day of qualifying in the reverse fixture, a draw or a win will see Curaçao through. After 90 minutes the game was still 0-0, but Jamaica were awarded an injury-time penalty that was overturned after a video assistant referee consultation. Curaçao finished top of the group and became the smallest country in land area and population to make the World Cup.
Prediction: Group stage
Nickname: The Elephants
FIFA Ranking: 42
Best Ever Finish (or debut): Group stage (2006, 2010, 2014)
How they Qualified: Narrowly topped their group by finishing with 26 points, Gabon finished with 25. They were undefeated throughout the qualifiers and did not concede a single goal.
Group Schedule:
Head Coach: Emerse Faé took over in the middle of AFCON 2023 and led the Elephants to the trophy on home soil. Ivory Coast have been on the rise under Faé, he has an overwhelmingly positive record with the nation and has already qualified the team to the 2026 World Cup and 2025 AFCON. Faé is known for his dynamic and attacking football philosophy, emphasizing ball possession and rapid transitions. He has also brought life to this Ivorian team that desperately needed it after the terrible start to AFCON 2023. Faé was a former player with the Elephants, featuring in 41 matches. Before taking over the national team, his coaching experience included second and youth teams.
Star Player: Franck Kessié is the captain of Côte d'Ivoire and currently plays for Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League. After starting his career domestically and earning a move to Atalanta in Italy, Kessié had his breakthrough on loan with AC Milan, which later became permanent. He became an important player for Milan in his five seasons there, playing 223 matches and winning the Serie A title in 2021-22. Kessié then signed with Barcelona and played one season there, helping them win the La Liga title and Supercopa de España in 2022-23. He has been at Al-Ahli since summer 2023 and has already won the AFC Champions League and the Saudi Super Cup. The 29-year-old has played a vital role with the national team since his debut in 2014, including winning the AFCON title in 2023. With 96 caps, he ranks seventh in the country’s history.
Unsung/Up-and-Coming Player: Amad Diallo, known often as Amad, is a 23-year-old winger or wingback currently playing for Manchester United. Born in the Ivory Coast, Amad moved to Italy as a child. He joined the Atalanta youth system in 2015, where he won two Campionato Primavera 1 titles. In 2021 Amad signed with Manchester United for a reported fee of up to €37 million. After impressing while on loan, he returned to the Red Devils in the 2023-24 season and had his breakthrough. He has been an important player since and won the 2023-24 FA Cup, where he scored the decisive goal in 4-3 victory over Liverpool in the quarterfinal. He has 11 caps and two goals with the national teams since making his debut in 2021. Amad is a quick and dynamic player with a high technical ability with versatility in skillset and position.
Style/System/Expectations: Most of the Côte d'Ivoire players are with teams in top European leagues. In recent years, they have been able to add a number of dual-citizens to the squad from the diaspora abroad. They still produce quality players domestically who often go on to play for top teams around the world. The squad has a good mixture of young talents and experienced players like Ousmane Diomande, Evan N'Dicka and Odilon Kossounou. The Elephants will be looking to finally reach the knockout stage at the World Cup, with the way they have been performing, that goal seems achievable.
Main thing to Watch: Will Emerse Faé be able to keep a high morale within the squad and continue his successful journey? With limited experience before the national team, Faé was able to prove himself by bringing the right “vibes” back into the side and winning a trophy. If he is able to continue this trend, he will be a highly sought after head coach following the World Cup.
Legendary Player: There’s no player more closely associated with the Elephants than Didier Drogba. He is the former captain and all-time top scorer with 65 goals over 12 years with the national team. He is also a legend with Chelsea where he won the UEFA Champions League and four Premier League titles. Drogba was named the African Footballer of the year in 2006 and 2009 and has won a myriad of individual and team awards. Following Chelsea his career took him to China, Turkey, Canada and the United States. He is widely considered one of the best African players of all time and was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2022. He is also known for his philanthropic work throughout his career and afterwards. His involvement in the peace process led to Time magazine naming Drogba one of the world's 100 most influential people for 2010.
Biggest Soccer Moment: Drogba and the rest of the squad who qualified for the 2006 World Cup left their mark on the county on and off the pitch. A conflict had been ongoing since 2002 between the government and a domestic insurgency that had left thousands dead and over a million people displaced. On October 8, 2005, after the Ivory Coast beat Sudan to book their ticket to Germany 2006, cameras were invited into the locker room during the celebrations, and Drogba grabbed the mic and made a direct plea to the country to stop the violence. The scenes of the entire Ivorian team on their knees begging for the violence to be stopped were some of the most powerful in the sport’s history. The squad’s plea and actions helped the ceasefire and their performance on the pitch often united Ivorians.
Prediction: Round of 32
Nickname: La Tri
FIFA Ranking: 23
Best Ever Finish (or debut): Round of 16 (2006)
How they Qualified: Finished second place in the CONMEBOL qualifiers only behind Argentina
Group Schedule:
Head Coach: Sebastián Beccacece became the head coach in August 2024. Since his appointment, he has brought an energetic, high-intensity approach, emphasizing structure, collective cohesion, and tactical discipline. While Ecuador is his first national team job, he has had assistant and head coaching jobs with clubs in Argentina, Chile and Spain. Beccacece has made Ecuador a tough opponent to beat and put them amongst the elite in South America.
Star Player: Moisés Caicedo is one of the most expansive soccer players in history, costing his current club Chelsea £100 million. The central midfielder started his career with the renowned Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle before joining Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion. After two seasons with the Seagulls that included a loan to Beerschot, Caicedo broke through the first team in 2022-23 and established himself as a starter. Since his move to Chelsea, he has been a vital piece for the London club and has established himself as one of the best midfielders in the league. He won the UEFA Conference League, the Club World Cup and player of the season with the Blues in 2024-25. At 24-years-old, he already has 58 caps with the national team and was part of the 2022 World Cup and 2024 Copa America squads. Known for his defensive abilities in the middle of the pitch, he is also a capable passer and often plays as a box-to-box midfielder.
Unsung/Up-and-Coming Player: Kendry Páez is an 18-year-old attacking midfielder or winger currently on loan from Chelsea to Strasbourg. He made history as the youngest ever goal scorer in a CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier at just 16 years and 161 days old. Unlike more defensive minded players in the squad, Páez offers vision, ball control and the ability to unlock defenses. He is also a graduate of Independiente del Valle and already has 23 caps with La Tri.
Style/System/Expectations: The manager has shown a preference for 4-4-2 formations since taking the role, but adopted a 4-2-3-1 for key World Cup qualifiers. Ecuador can absorb pressure very well and can stay compact, limiting their opponents’ opportunities. La Tri are reliant on quick transitions and counterattack, with the pace of the fullbacks and wingers being essential. With star players like Pervis Estupinan, Willian Pacho and Caicedo, Ecuador will be looking to make their name known on the world stage.While they’ll likely be a tough opponent in the World Cup, concerns over their goalscoring ability might prevent them from making a run.
Main thing to Watch: Recently, Ecuador have been able to produce top talents in world soccer, especially through Independiente del Valle. The World Cup might be a catalyst for another young talent to breakthrough and earn a high-profile move to a big European club.
Legendary Player: While his career is ongoing and he is expected to be at the 2026 World Cup, Enner Valencia is already a legend in Ecuador. He has the all-time scoring record for the Ecuador national football team with 48 and is fifth in all-time appearances with 103. He became the first South American to score in six consecutive World Cup matches for his country after scoring in the 2014, 2018 and 2022 tournaments. At 36-years-old, Valencia has played for seven clubs in five different countries throughout his career. He made his debut for the national team in 2012 and plays a huge part on and off the pitch.
Biggest Soccer Moment: After qualifying for their first World Cup in 2002, Ecuador reached the round of 16 in the 2006 tournament. Finishing second in their group after wins over Poland and Costa Rica, Ecuador exited the tournament losing 1-0 to England.
Prediction: Quarterfinal
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