With the 2026 FIFA World Cup days away, here are all 48 competing nations ranked from most to least likely to make a deep tournament run — based on squad quality, tournament experience, group stage draw, and coaching quality.

Tier 1: Tournament Winners (1-5)

1. Spain — The most complete squad in the tournament, deepest midfield, tournament favourites for good reason. 2. France — Mbappé at his peak, squad depth extraordinary, two finals in the last two tournaments. 3. Argentina — Defending champions, Messi's farewell, Scaloni's tactical excellence. 4. England — Tuchel's controversial selections aside, the squad has undeniable quality and a favourable group draw. 5. Brazil — Would be higher if Neymar were fit; Vinicius Jr. and squad depth keep them firmly in the conversation.

Tier 2: Serious Contenders (6-12)

6. Germany — Young squad, Wirtz and Musiala ready to announce themselves globally, manageable group. 7. Portugal — Ronaldo's farewell energy, Bruno Fernandes in form, strong midfield. 8. Netherlands — Van Dijk's defensive leadership, Gravenberch's midfield quality, experienced tournament performers. 9. Belgium — Golden generation's last chance, Courtois and De Bruyne still elite. 10. Morocco — 2022 semi-finalists, organised, motivated, dangerous at set pieces. 11. Uruguay — Núñez and Valverde give them match-winning quality in any game. 12. Colombia — James Rodríguez and Díaz on their day can beat anyone.

Tier 3: Dark Horses (13-24)

13. Norway (Haaland factor), 14. Mexico (home advantage), 15. Switzerland (quiet consistency), 16. Japan (2022 giant-killers), 17. Senegal (Premier League core), 18. Croatia (Modrić's experience), 19. Ecuador (Caicedo quality), 20. Türkiye (Güler's potential), 21. Sweden (Isak and Gyökeres), 22. Egypt (Salah's motivation), 23. Australia (2022 momentum), 24. USA (home soil advantage).

Tier 4: Capable of Upsets (25-36)

25. Austria, 26. Algeria, 27. Ivory Coast, 28. Ghana, 29. Scotland, 30. Bosnia-Herzegovina, 31. Paraguay, 32. Czechia, 33. South Korea, 34. DR Congo, 35. Tunisia, 36. Iran. All capable of beating a higher-ranked opponent on their best day — especially in the expanded group stage format where three points from one game can transform a nation's tournament.

Tier 5: The Tournament's Minnows (37-48)

37. Saudi Arabia (upset specialists), 38. New Zealand (2010 spirit), 39. South Africa, 40. Uzbekistan, 41. Jordan, 42. Haiti, 43. Cape Verde, 44. Panama, 45. Bolivia, 46. Iraq, 47. Qatar, 48. Curaçao. Every single one of these nations deserves enormous respect for qualifying — and in a 48-team tournament where upsets are guaranteed, at least one of them will produce a result that shocks the world. The history of the World Cup is written by those who were supposed to lose.