Football fans prepare for a global spectacle as the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup begins, with the world's elite footballing nations hunting the ultimate prize. Photo: AFP
Image: AFP
FEEL it, it’s here!
The much-anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup officially kicks off in Mexico City on Thursday (kick-off 9pm), with the Mexicans hosting Bafana Bafana in a repeat of the 2010 opener.
This tournament presents the biggest Fifa World Cup pool ever, with 48 teams gracing the grand stage, but the big question remains: who are the favourites to lift the Fifa World Cup Trophy in New Jersey on July 19?
The conversation around title contenders has been circling the traditional powerhouses of France and Spain, with England, Brazil, defending champions Argentina, and Portugal all also making it into the conversation.
Argentina and Portugal are in the conversation probably because of the love people still hold for icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The two global superstars, who hold 13 Ballon d'Or awards between them, will be playing in their record sixth respective World Cup tournaments — which underlines their global influence on the beautiful game over the past two decades.
Set to co-host the 2030 tournament, Portugal have never won a World Cup and have never reached a World Cup final, with their best tournament result being a third-place finish in 1966. Anyone who counts Portugal among the favourites is most likely a die-hard Manchester United fan who harbours wishful thinking that Bruno Fernandes will find some cohesion with Ronaldo to win him the one trophy that keeps the GOAT debate between him and Messi in favour of the latter.
It is arguably madness to even consider the co-hosts in this conversation.
They will be lucky if they reach the quarter-finals. Even though they have a relatively easy Group D against Australia, Paraguay and Turkey to navigate, it is notable that no ‘SOLD OUT’ sign has been stamped on all their pool matches. The US are banking on nothing more than records; in the previous 22 World Cups, the host nation has failed to progress to the knockouts just three times. On 18 occasions, they have managed to reach at least the quarter-finals, and that might as well be Mexico.
With golden generation after golden generation, the modern era of international football should have been dominated by England, but with each passing major tournament, they always seem to have individual superstars that never come together as a team.
They are easily one of the most star-studded sides again this time around, and with captain Harry Kane on top goalscoring form, no one will be faulted for looking in their direction. It is exactly 60 years since their World Cup triumph, and the drought will continue beyond.
They lifted the last of their five titles in 2002. They are never short of superstars, but their secret weapon this time around may be the Italian-born coach Carlo Ancelotti, who commands respect after having managed egos at Real Madrid during their Spanish and European dominance in the past.
Like Brazil, they are looking to halt a long drought considering that their only World Cup silverware came in 2010, 16 years ago. Considering that this year the likes of Arsenal, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns ended their respective long major-title droughts, Spain and Brazil might just take this to the global stage.
The last of their two World Cup triumphs came in 2018, 20 years after their first in 1998. They always manage to put together a team that has heart — a very important ingredient.
They always carry potential and it will not be any different this time. Germany look set to advance past the group stage for the first time since 2014, when they won in Brazil. Croatia will look to make the semi-finals for a third time in a row, but their downfall is over-relying on 40-year-old Luka Modric.
The Netherlands, the perennial bridesmaids, have the spine of a squad that has played together for a long time. This starts at the back with Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Aké and Denzel Dumfries, moves to Frenkie de Jong in the middle, and goes over to the likes of Cody Gakpo and Memphis Depay up-front.