World Cup 2026 bracket: Predict your winner for the tournament - will England go all the way?

We crunched the numbers in Qualifying, we ran through all the possible permutations in the group stage, and we got the calculators out to determine who needed what to make it through as one of the best third-placed nations.

However, now that we are past the halfway mark of the 2026 World Cup - with just eight teams remaining - the bracket is now looking a lot simpler.

Scotland's dreams of a first-ever World Cup knockout appearance were dashed, but England are still alive - even if only just - lasting longer than four-time winners Germany in North America.

As the quarter-finals are decided, try out Sports Mole's live World Cup simulator tool, giving you the chance to predict your winner for the tournament!

What is England's path to the World Cup 2026 final?

Thanks to their status as Group L winners, England avoided a last-32 clash with Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal - who eliminated Croatia to set up a tie with Spain - and Colombia, who edged out Ghana to advance to a last-16 clash with Switzerland.

However, Thomas Tuchel's men made incredibly hard work of their 2-1 victory over DR Congo in the last 32, which earned them a date with perfect co-hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca.

England defied the altitude and Mexico's 26-match unbeaten run at the stadium, and their reward is a quarter-final battle with Norway, who stunned Brazil most recently.

The winner of that battle then meets one of Argentina or Switzerland in the semi-finals, before either France or Spain are likely to await in the global showpiece.

Who are the outsiders for World Cup 2026 glory?

Now that the golden generation are either retired or in the second halves of their careers, Belgium - who face the United States in their last-16 contest - are unlikely to be considered genuine challengers for the crown, especially after also failing to win any of their first two games.

However, Morocco could realistically be considered dark horses for glory in North America, if they can navigate a taxing quarter-final tie with France, whom they will be seeking revenge on for their 2022 semi-final loss.

With Erling Haaland banging in the goals up front and Brazil being comfortably taken down by the Scandinavian ship, Norway are to be taken incredibly seriously in the latter stages too.