World Cup 2026: The Biggest Rivalries to Watch — Argentina vs France, England vs Germany & More

The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout rounds will not be known until the group stage concludes — but football fans worldwide are already dreaming of the rivalries the bracket could produce. From the 2022 final rematch to the century-old England vs Germany grudge match, here are the clashes every fan wants to see in North America.

Argentina vs France: The 2022 Rematch

The 2022 World Cup final in Qatar is already being described as the greatest final ever played — Mbappé's hat-trick against Argentina, extra time, penalties, Messi lifting the trophy. A rematch in 2026 would be the most anticipated match in the sport's recent history. Both nations are expected to reach the knockout rounds comfortably; whether the bracket can produce the rematch that football fans around the world crave is the tournament's most compelling 'what if'.

England vs Germany: A Century of Rivalry

England vs Germany is the defining rivalry of European football — steeped in history, penalty heartbreak, and iconic moments that span a century of competition. From the 1966 World Cup final to Gazza's tears in 1990, from the 5-1 in Munich to the Lampard goal that wasn't — every England vs Germany match carries the weight of everything that came before. A 2026 World Cup knockout clash between Tuchel's England and Nagelsmann's Germany would be one of the sport's most emotionally loaded occasions.

Brazil vs Argentina: The Superclásico de las Américas

Brazil vs Argentina at a World Cup is the most anticipated fixture in South American football — and the two nations have been kept apart in the knockout rounds for years by bracket luck. In 2026, with both nations expected to advance deep into the tournament, a semi-final or final between football's two greatest South American nations would be one of the most electric occasions in the sport's history. Messi vs Vinicius Jr. would be its defining individual battle.

Spain vs France: The Modern European Rivalry

Spain and France met in the Euro 2024 semi-final — a thrilling match that Spain won 2-1 to advance to a final they ultimately claimed. A rematch in the 2026 World Cup knockout rounds would pit the tournament's two co-favourites against each other in what could be the defining match of the entire competition. Lamine Yamal vs Mbappé is the individual duel every football fan on the planet wants to watch.

The USA vs Mexico: El Clásico de CONCACAF on Home Soil

USA vs Mexico is CONCACAF's defining rivalry — passionate, intense, and laden with political subtext that goes far beyond football. Both nations are co-hosts of the 2026 tournament, meaning a knockout stage meeting between the two would produce the most politically and culturally charged match atmosphere of the entire competition. The rivalry has produced some of the most heated matches in CONCACAF history; on the World Cup knockout stage, on home soil for both nations simultaneously, it would be unlike anything the sport has ever seen.