Why England could be "joint favourites" for World Cup 2026 as Arsenal legend sets minimum target

England have an "excellent chance" of winning the 2026 World Cup and could even be considered "joint favourites" for the competition, Arsenal legend Ray Parlour has exclusively told Sports Mole.

The Three Lions became the first European team to book their spot at the tournament thanks to a flawless UEFA Qualifying campaign, in which they won all eight games and did not concede a single goal.

Recent results have left a lot to be desired, though, as England followed up a 1-1 draw with Uruguay and 1-0 loss to Japan with a forgettable 1-0 victory over New Zealand thanks to a Harry Kane header.

Thomas Tuchel rotated his entire team for the second half of that friendly on Saturday, though, while the pitch conditions at the Raymond James Stadium - which will not be hosting World Cup games - was also sub-optimal.

While Parlour remains slightly concerned by the North American climate, the Arsenal Invincible believes that England have what it takes to compete with the likes of Spain and France for the trophy, and the Three Lions should be aiming for the semi-finals at the very least.

Ray Parlour: 'England could be joint-favourites for World Cup'

“You’ve got so many top-class players," Parlour told Sports Mole. "They're all good ages, and I think most English fans will be expecting them to get to at least the semi-finals.

“The conditions might play a part in America, but with the squad they've got, you've got to be pushing for that. It's all about getting the right balance in the squad for Tuchel, and I'm sure he's working on that. He’s not going to have all superstars in there.

“Elliot Anderson will have a chance - he's a little mobile player in that midfield who can win the ball back and give it to the players who can make chances for you.

“There's going to be injuries, people going out of form, but Tuchel's got a lot of people to watch, and he's got to try and get that selection right of what he thinks is right, and that's why he's paid a lot of money to be manager.

“If he can get it right and the balance right, then I think we've got an excellent chance of going all the way. Maybe joint favourites to win it.”

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Four years on from Argentina's 2022 World Cup triumph, England are regarded as having a better chance of clinching the 2026 trophy than the reigning champions, at least in the eyes of bookies.

Indeed, England are rated as 8/1 to end 60 years of pain in North America, but Tuchel's men are unsurprisingly not the outright favourites to conquer the globe.

That honour belongs to current European champions Spain, who are 5/1 to win their first World Cup since 2010, while France are valued at 6/1 to repeat their 2018 heroics.

Meanwhile, Brazil and Portugal both have 10/1 odds of World Cup success, while Germany and the Netherlands are rated at 15/1 and 22/1 respectively.

Ray Parlour was speaking to Sports Mole on behalf of NetBet Online Casino - check out our World Cup Betting Guide here.