2026 World Cup Quiniela: favourites, surprises and how to compete

The 2026 World Cup arrives with 48 teams. We break down the favourites, the potential upsets and how to set up your World Cup quiniela with friends.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place in the United States, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July 2026. For the first time in history, the tournament features 48 national teams. For quiniela fans, this means a dream summer: more matches, more upsets and more matchdays to compete with friends.

How the 2026 World Cup quiniela works

The format is the same as the LaLiga quiniela: you predict the result (1-X-2) of the matches that make up each matchday. In QuiniPrats, World Cup matchdays are built around the most relevant fixtures of the day or week, letting you play in private groups throughout the tournament.

The favourites for the 2026 World Cup

Brazil and Argentina: the eternal contenders

Brazil arrive at the 2026 World Cup with a revamped generation led by Vinícius Jr. and Endrick. Argentina arrive as defending champions with Messi in what could be his last World Cup. In the quiniela, matches involving these two sides are always the hardest to predict.

Europe: France, Spain and England

France are the most feared side on paper. Mbappé leads a golden generation. Spain arrive with an explosive blend of experience and youth. England are chasing their first World Cup since 1966 with a solid, balanced squad.

Tips for getting the 2026 World Cup quiniela right

• Don't rely too heavily on the favourites in the group stage: upsets are common
• Host nations (USA, Mexico, Canada) benefit from home advantage
• In the last 16 and quarter-finals, the gap narrows: use doubles on tight matches
• Keep up with injury news and squad updates before each matchday
• 48 teams means more matches between lesser-known sides — do your research before predicting

Set up your World Cup league on QuiniPrats

With QuiniPrats you can create a dedicated league for the 2026 World Cup. Invite your friends, set up matchdays with the tournament fixtures and compete all summer long. The standings accumulate points matchday by matchday right through to the final on 19 July.

Is the World Cup quiniela different from the LaLiga one?

At its core, the format is the same: you predict 1, X or 2 for each match. The big difference lies in the level of uncertainty. The World Cup features teams from 48 countries across every continent, making the World Cup quiniela more unpredictable and, therefore, more exciting.