France Becomes Favorite to Win 2026 World Cup After Germany and Netherlands Exit
Following the elimination of Germany and the Netherlands from the 2026 World Cup, France has emerged as the tournament favorite, according to Opta's latest projections. With a 22.47% chance to win the title, up from 15.86% after the group stage, France's path to the final appears more favorable. If France defeats Sweden in their upcoming match, they are set to face Paraguay in the round of 16, then either Canada or Morocco in the quarterfinals, and potentially Portugal, Croatia, Spain, Austria, the USA, Bosnia, Belgium, or Senegal in the semifinals.
France's coach Didier Deschamps is expected to adjust the lineup by including Lucas Digne, Bradley Barcola, William Saliba, and Adrien Rabiot, replacing Theo Hernandez, Desiree Douah, Manu Kone, and Maxence Lacroix. The algorithm running 10,000 simulations also gives France a 35.28% chance to reach the final.
Other top contenders include Argentina with a 15.9% chance to reach the final, Spain at 13.2%, and Brazil at 11.3%. These rankings reflect the shifting dynamics of the tournament following the recent surprising exits of traditional powerhouses Germany and the Netherlands.
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