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The 2026 World Cup is almost upon us, and with 48 nations heading to the United States, Canada, and Mexico for the most expansive tournament in the competition’s history, the scope for surprise, drama, and historic moments has never been greater.

With World Cup 2026 odds already reflecting the market’s best assessment of how the tournament will unfold, here are five bold predictions for what will happen across the next six weeks.

Spain will win the tournament

History has a habit of repeating itself in international football, and Spain’s trajectory offers a compelling precedent. In 2008, La Roja won the European Championship under Luis Aragones, and two years later, Vicente del Bosque guided them to the World Cup in South Africa, their first and only global triumph.

Luis de la Fuente’s side won Euro 2024 in Germany in dominant fashion, going through the tournament unbeaten and announcing Lamine Yamal to the world. The same pattern now applies: European champions in an even-numbered year, world champions two years later.

Spain are the tournament favourites in most markets and their squad, when fully fit, is arguably the deepest and most technically complete in the competition. The stars are aligning for La Roja.

Harry Kane will win the Golden Boot

No player has ever won multiple Golden Boots at a World Cup, and both Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe will be attempting to break that record in North America. We are backing the England captain. Kane has already won the award in 2018 with six goals, and the circumstances around his 2026 campaign are favourable.

England’s group, featuring Croatia, Ghana, and Panama, offers genuine opportunity to build a significant tally early, and a deep England run in the knockout stages would provide further chances for a striker who has spent his career delivering when it matters most. At 32, this is likely his final World Cup. The motivation will be immense.

Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi in the quarter-finals

The 2026 World Cup represents the final chapter for two of the greatest footballers the sport has ever produced, and the prospect of one last meeting between them at a World Cup is almost too good to resist.

For this to happen, Portugal and Argentina would both need to top their respective groups before navigating the last 32 and last 16, successfully. Given Argentina’s status as defending champions and Portugal’s quality under Roberto Martinez, neither scenario is far-fetched.

A quarter-final between Ronaldo and Messi, possibly the last competitive match between them at international level, would be the defining moment of the tournament regardless of any other result. We are predicting it happens.

Unai Simon will win the Golden Glove

Spain are blessed with exceptional goalkeeping options, with David Raya having won the Premier League with Arsenal this season, but it is Unai Simon who gets the nod from Luis de la Fuente and who will claim the Golden Glove if Spain go all the way.

The Athletic Bilbao shot-stopper has been the undisputed first choice for the national team for several years, and his command of the penalty area, shot-stopping, and distribution from the back suit De la Fuente’s style of play precisely. With Spain expected to keep clean sheets across the knockout rounds on their way to the final, Simon’s tournament statistics should comfortably merit the award.

Lamine Yamal will win the Golden Ball

Using the World Cup Predictor 2026 as a framework for assessing Spain’s likely route through the tournament, the path to the Golden Ball for Lamine Yamal is clear. Despite a race against time to be fit for Spain’s opener against Cape Verde on 15 June following a hamstring injury in April, De la Fuente has confirmed Yamal is expected to be available for the tournament and has spoken of his excitement at seeing the 18-year-old on the biggest stage of his career for the first time.

Yamal won the Young Player of the Tournament award at Euro 2024, and the World Cup represents the natural next step in what is already one of the most remarkable careers in modern football. If Spain lift the trophy in New Jersey on 19 July, their most dangerous and unpredictable attacking threat will have played a central role in making it happen. The Golden Ball should follow.