2026 World Cup: Favourites and dark horses as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lamine Yamal battle for glory

The countdown is on for the biggest football party on the planet! In just a few months’ time, the 23rd FIFA World Cup will take over North America with a newly-expanded 48-team lineup.

Reigning champions Argentina, Brazil, France, Spain and England will all harbour realistic hopes of hoisting the iconic golden honour aloft this summer, while debutants such as Curacao, Uzbekistan and Cape Verde will simply enjoy the occasion and attempt to claim one or two shock results.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at some of the main contenders and dark horses for World Cup 2026 glory.

Argentina, Portugal, Spain, France headline main World Cup contenders

Lionel Messi ending an extraordinary career without a World Cup winners' medal would have been a footballing crime, but by the time the 2026 edition concludes, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner may have a pair of replica trophies in his cabinet.

The reigning world champions ended CONMEBOL qualifying standings with a nine-point lead over Ecuador, thus ending atop the South American qualifying section.

Since conquering the globe in Qatar, La Albiceleste have also defended their Copa America title and thumped Brazil 4-1 in their qualifying section, strengthening their bid to become only the third nation to win back-to-back men's World Cups after the Selecao and Italy.

Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil will of course have a thing or two to say about that, especially with the serial Champions League winner in control of the reins and the likes of Vinicius Junior and Raphinha terrorising opposing defences.

The five-time champions' results were mostly disappointing, with points dropped in 10 of the 18 games as the Selecao ended fifth in qualifying.

Fifteen years ago, Spain followed up their Euro 2008 success with World Cup supremacy in South Africa, when Barcelona phenom Lamine Yamal was still a toddler.

Now on top of the global game at the tender age of 18, Yamal endeavours to propel La Roja to their next slice of international stardom after shining during their run to the Euro 2024 crown, alongside fellow flying winger Nico Williams.

Together with Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise, France have an added motivation to repeat their 2018 trick, as Didier Deschamps - the only living man to win a World Cup as a player and manager - will vacate his post after the 2026 tournament.

However, neither France nor Spain could topple Portugal in the UEFA Nations League, as the Euro 2016 winners laid down one of the biggest statements of intent.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Selecao bested Germany and Spain to add another major honour to their cabinet, one that triggered waterworks of the euphoric variety from a 41-year-old.

The Al-Nassr talisman has more or less completed football, but there are still two boxes that remain outstanding on his checklist: score 1,000 goals and lead Portugal to an inaugural World Cup triumph.

Furthermore, with Rafael Leao always capable of providing a moment of magic and the terrific PSG trio of Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves and Vitinha at the top of their game, Portugal will undoubtedly be among the top contenders in 2026.

Can Thomas Tuchel's England crush Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup dream?

From the leading contenders to the optimistic outsiders, Ronaldo's last World Cup dance will be Thomas Tuchel's first, and maybe last too, as the newly-appointed England boss was hired with the sole goal of ending 60 years of hurt for the senior men's team.

The Three Lions are six for six in qualifying, thus advancing to the 2026 finals as Europe's only assured participant after the international break in October. However, fans of the 1966 champions were born sceptics, meaning supporters are unsure of the team's prospects in North America.

One cannot justifiably put England among the favourites to lift the golden accolade, but with exhilarating young talent and World Cup hotshot Harry Kane in their ranks, they must not be written off entirely.

The same goes for a goal-happy Netherlands side, who have Virgil van Dijk, Frenkie de Jong and Xavi Simons, to name just a few, ready and waiting to cause havoc, and Julian Nagelsmann's Germany, although defensive concerns are lingering for the latter.

Outside of the CONMEBOL and UEFA regions, Japan might surprise some after an impressive qualification campaign - not to mention their friendly victory over England - while 2022 semi-finalists Morocco won all eight matches to secure their place in the completed CAF section, alongside Egypt, Senegal, South Africa, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Tunisia and Ghana.