The 2026 World Cup is just over two years away, and the tournament's score standings have already begun to take shape. Here's a look at how the teams are currently ranked in terms of their chances of making it to the final stages of the competition.
In the top four spots, there are three European teams and one South American team. The defending champions France sit at the top of the table with a perfect record of 15 wins from their last 17 matches. They will be looking to defend their title as they did in Russia in 2018.
Behind them, Portugal sits second on goal difference, having scored 44 goals while conceding only 13. Their opponents, Belgium, are third with 39 goals scored and 21 conceded. The Belgians, who were knocked out by France in the quarter-finals of the 2018 World Cup, are looking to bounce back this time around.
In fifth place is Spain, who have also been impressive so far. They have scored 33 goals and conceded only 14, giving them a +19 goal difference. Their opponents in Group E, Morocco, are also unbeaten after four matches, but they will face a tough task against the likes of Belgium and Portugal.
In sixth place is Argentina, who have won all their matches so far. They have scored 35 goals and conceded only 5, giving them a +30 goal difference. However, they will need to be careful against Brazil, who are coming off a disappointing showing in the Copa America in June.
Overall, the 2026 World Cup looks set to be a fascinating tournament, with many surprises still to come. Teams like Uruguay, England, and Germany could make a big impact in the early rounds, while others like Japan and Saudi Arabia may surprise everyone. Only time will tell which teams will emerge victorious in the end.