Who will win the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Here’s what AI predicts

EXPLAINER

Al Jazeera enactment 9 starring AI models to the trial to foretell the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup champion.

As the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup enters its final stages, AJLabs asked 9 starring AI models to foretell the tournament’s last podium based connected each disposable information for each team, including:

• Team strength
• Squad quality
• Coaching
• Historical performance
• Team’s show during the existent tournament

France emerged arsenic the favourite to assistance the trophy, receiving 5 (Gemini, Grock, DeepSeek, Le Chat and Qwen) of the 9 champion votes.

Argentina, the defending satellite champions, received the remaining 4 votes (ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot and Meta AI).

France’s guardant #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring his team’s archetypal extremity during the 2026 World Cup shot tourney quarterfinal lucifer betwixt France and Morocco astatine Boston Stadium successful Foxborough connected July 9, 2026 [Odd Andersen/AFP]

Predictions for the runner-up were much divided: France and Argentina each received 3 votes, followed by England with 2 and Spain with one.

Spain was the wide favourite to decorativeness third, receiving six of the 9 third-place predictions, portion England and France each received less votes.

Lamine Yamal celebrates aft the lucifer arsenic Spain suffice for the semifinal signifier of the World Cup [Gary Vasquez/Reuters]

The predictions bespeak a wide AI statement astir the 4 remaining contenders, France, Argentina, Spain and England, but besides item differences successful however starring connection models measurement caller performances, squad extent and tourney momentum.

The AI predictions travel arsenic the tourney reaches the semifinals. France volition look Spain connected July 14 astatine AT&T Stadium successful Arlington, Texas, portion England volition conscionable Argentina connected July 15 astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium successful Atlanta, Georgia.

The third-place playoff volition beryllium played connected July 18, earlier the World Cup last connected July 19 astatine MetLife Stadium successful East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Champion predictions

• France: 5 models
• Argentina: 4 models

Runner-up predictions

• France: 3 models
• Argentina: 3 models
• England: 2 models
• Spain: 1 model

Third-place predictions

• Spain: 6 models
• England: 2 models
• France: 1 model