The 2026 World Cup field has been cut to eight, and the power rankings are starting to settle. Sort of. France still sits at the top, and nobody really has a good argument against it. But the gap between the favorite and the rest is getting tighter, and some of the teams below them are starting to look genuinely dangerous.
1. France
France hasn’t been tested yet. Not really. The 1-0 win over Paraguay was ugly and physical, but it never felt like they were going to lose. Kylian Mbappe is playing at a level that makes everyone else on the pitch look like they’re moving in slow motion. Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise are giving him real support too. The 2018 champions have the deepest roster in the tournament and it shows.
Morocco is next, and that could get weird. Penalties, extra time, a fluky goal off a deflection — anything can happen in a knockout game. But right now, it’s hard to picture anyone beating France before the final.
2. Argentina
Argentina has looked mortal twice in a row. They held off a tough Cape Verde side and then had to rally from two goals down against Egypt. That’s not ideal, but they found a way both times. Lionel Messi is still pulling strings like only he can, and the question nobody wants to answer is what happens if he has an off night. The White and Sky Blue look like the second-best team here. But that gap to France feels real.
3. England
England has that look again. The one that makes you think maybe it’s finally happening. Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are playing at an absurd level, and Thomas Tuchel has this team playing with a kind of mental toughness England teams have historically lacked. That 10-man win against Mexico was the kind of performance that builds belief. Norway and Erling Haaland await, which is a terrifying thought. But this England side has the talent to match anyone.
4. Norway
Erling Haaland is a one-man army. He’s scoring from everywhere, in every way, against every defense thrown at him. In earlier power rankings, the knock on Norway was that his supporting cast wasn’t doing enough. Martin Odegaard needed to step up. The coaching staff needed to get him better looks.
That analysis is now dead wrong. Haaland is just that good. He’s turned into a blonde Viking with a mission, and the rest of the team has figured out how to get out of his way and let him work. England will have to find a way to slow him down, and nobody has done that yet.
5. Spain
Spain outlasted Portugal in what was basically the Disappointment Bowl. Two talented teams playing way below their potential, and Spain just happened to be slightly less disappointing. Luis de la Fuente is finally figuring out his striker situation with Mikel Oyarzabal and Mikel Merino, but the offense still feels clunky. The defense is elite though. Unai Simon and that back line might carry them to a World Cup win on just a few goals. In a tournament full of superstar scorers, that would be a weird way to finish.
6. Morocco
Morocco is the villain of this tournament, and they’re leaning into it. They’ve bulldozed everyone in their path over two World Cups now. Tough, physical, and deeply unlikable to anyone not rooting for them. The Death Star meets the Rebel Alliance in the form of France in the quarterfinals. But don’t count them out. Every player on that roster, from the stars to the role players, steps up when it matters. France is better on paper. But Morocco doesn’t care about paper.
7. Belgium
Belgium looked unstoppable against the USMNT. But honestly, how much of that was Belgium being great and how much was the U.S. just not showing up? This Red Devils squad isn’t as good as the golden generation teams. But they control games with their physicality, and against certain opponents that’s enough. Spain might actually be a favorable matchup for them. Belgium has more scoring threats, and if the defense holds, this could get interesting.
8. Switzerland
Switzerland deserves credit. They stayed organized, didn’t panic, and beat Colombia on penalties. Colombia was a disappointment that couldn’t score, but Switzerland got the job done. Argentina is likely going to be too much for them. But Cape Verde and Egypt both showed that Argentina is beatable. The Swiss just might not have the weapons to pull off the blueprint.
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