Opta Predictions: Morocco Ranks 12th, Sole Arab Nation Among World Cup Favorites
Predictions from Opta's supercomputer, a specialist in football statistics, have placed Spain at the top of the list of favorites to win the 2026 World Cup, with a 16.1% chance, ahead of other major international teams.
The predictions indicated that France secured the second spot with a 13% chance, followed by England in third with 11.2%, while reigning world champions Argentina were ranked fourth with 10.4%.
Portugal claimed fifth place with a 7% chance, ahead of Brazil, who came in sixth with 6.6%, as European teams continued to dominate the top rankings.
The report further noted that Germany (5.1%), the Netherlands (3.6%), Norway (3.5%), and Belgium (2.4%) occupied positions seven through ten on the list of contenders.
Opta confirmed that the Moroccan national team is the only Arab representative on the list, ranking 12th with a 1.9% chance, despite their historic achievement at the 2022 World Cup where they reached the semi-finals.
The report also highlighted that the Senegalese national team ranked 19th with a 1% chance, making them the second African representative among the favorites to win the title.
