2026 World Cup: Expert Picks for Tournament Winner and Top Players
CBS Sports staff predict the 2026 World Cup winner and top players, with Brazil, France, and Spain emerging as leading contenders among their picks.

It's nearly time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to kick off across America. Action gets underway in Mexico on Thursday, while games arrive in Canada and the United States on Friday in the newly expanded 48-team field featuring more games, more players and even more action.
Ahead of the clashes, our experts have made their predictions for who will win the groups, who will finish at runners-up, who will take home top awards and more.
Here's how we think things will play out:
Group stage picks
James Benge
Francesco Porzio
Chuck Booth
Pardeep Cattry
Sandra Herrera
Mike Goodman
Igor Mello
Roger Gonzalez Group A winners Mexico Mexico Mexico Mexico Mexico Mexico Mexico South Korea Group A runners-up South Korea South Korea South Korea South Korea South Korea South Korea South Korea Mexico Group B winners Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland Group B runners-up Bosnia Bosnia Canada Bosnia Bosnia Canada Canada Bosnia Group C winners Brazil Brazil Brazil Morocco Brazil Brazil Brazil Brazil Group C runners-up Morocco Morocco Morocco Brazil Morocco Morcco Morocco Morocco Group D winners USA Turkiye United States Turkiye Turkiye United States United States Turkiye Group D runners-up Turkiye United States Turkyie USA United States Turkiye Australia United States Group E winners Ecuador Ivory Coast Germany Germany Germany Germany Ecuador Germany Group E runners-up Germany Germany Ivory Coast Ecuador Ivory Coast Ecuador Germany Ecuador Group F winners Japan Netherlands Netherlands Japan Netherlands Netherlands Japan Netherlands Group F runners-up Netherlands Japan Japan Netherlands Japan Japan Netherlands Japan Group G winners Belgium Belgium Belgium Belgium Belgium Belgium Belgium Belgium Group G runners-up Egypt Iran Egypt Iran Iran Egypt Egypt Iran Group H winners Spain Spain Spain Spain Spain Spain Spain Spain Group H runners-up Uruguay Uruguay Uruguay Uruguay Uruguay Uruguay Uruguay Uruguay Group I winners France France France France France France France France Group I runners-up Senegal Norway Senegal Norway Senegal Norway Senegal Norway Group J winners Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina Argentina Group J runners-up Austria Austria Algeria Austria Algeria Austria Algeria Austria Group K winners Portugal Portugal Portugal Portugal Colombia Portugal Colombia Colombia Group K runners-up Colombia Colombia Colombia Colombia Portugal Colombia Portugal Portugal Group L winners England England England England England England England England Group L runners-up Ghana Croatia Croatia Croatia Ghana Croatia Croatia Ghana
Knockout stage picks
James Benge
Francesco Porzio
Chuck Booth
Pardeep Cattry
Sandra Herrera
Mike Goodman
Igor Mello
Roger Gonzalez Last 8 France, Japan, Spain, Norway, Brazil, England, Argentina, Portugal France, Netherlands, Spain, Turkiye, Brazil, England, Argentina, Portugal France, Morocco, Spain, Belgium, England, Senegal, Portugal, Argentina France, Japan, France, Belgim, Morocco, England, Argentina, Portugal France, Morocco, Spain, Turkiye, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia France, Japan, Spain, Norway, Brazil, England, Argentina, Portugal France, Japan, Portugal, Norway, Brazil, England, Uruguay, Colombia France, Netherlands, Spain, Turkiye, Norway, England, Argentina, Colombia Fourth Spain Brazil Portugal Morocco Spain Portugal Colombia Spain Third Portgal France France Spain Argentina Spain Portugal Argentina Second England Portugal England Argentina Brazil France France England Champion France Spain Spain France France England Brazil France
Player awards
Golden Ball (Best player)
Kylian Mbappe
Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal
Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe
Harry Kane
Raphinha
Michael Olise Golden Boot (Top scorer)
Kylian Mbappe
Harry Kane
Harry Kane
Harry Kane
Kylian Mbappe
Harry Kane
Erling Haaland
Kylian Mbappe Golden Blove (Top keeper)
Jordan Pickford
Unai Simon
Hernan Galindez
Unai Simon
Unai Simon
Jordan Pickford
Mike Maignan
Unai Simon Best young player
Pau Cubarsi
Desire Doue
Pau Cubarsi
Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal Final MOTM
Michael Olise
Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal
Michael Olise
Michael Olise
Harry Kane
Endrick
Kylian Mbappe
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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/2026-world-cup-predictions-expert-picks-brazil-france-spain/)._
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