2026 World Cup: Expert Picks for Tournament Winner and Top Players

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/)._