EA Sports make 2026 World Cup prediction after getting last four winners correct
EA Sports have predicted the winner of the 2026 World Cup - as they look to continue their streak of getting each of the past four winners correct.
To make their predictions, EA simulate the entire World Cup campaign using their in-game World Cup mode, which features all the licensed teams and squads and also all of the correct 104 fixtures.
In 2010, their simulation correctly guessed that Spain would win the tournament in South Africa, and that Germany would win in 2014.
They also called that France would win in 2018, though their last two simulations have been marginally different as EA no longer produce a stand-alone World Cup game.
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Previously, they designed a quadrennial game which introduced new game modes and gameplay adjustments specifically for the World Cup, including a specific World Cup playthrough mode.
Any new features, though, are now incorporated into the yearly release.
In 2022, EA predicted that Argentina would win the World Cup - and their 2026 pick has been revealed.
According to their simulation, Spain will win the World Cup for the first time in 16 years, and the second time overall.
Luis de la Fuente's side are seen among the favourites to win the tournament, having lifted the Euro 2024 trophy by defeating England 2-1 in the final.
That represented a breakthrough tournament for Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, and it is hoped that the 18-year-old will play an equally - or even more - significant role in helping Spain win the World Cup.
Spain drew 1-1 with Iraq in their opening warm-up match on Thursday, and face Peru on Tuesday evening US time before kicking off their tournament.
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They are drawn in Group H at the World Cup, and will face Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in the group stages.
Given that 32 of the 48 teams qualify for the newly-formatted knockout stage, including up to three from each group, Spain may only require three points to make it through - though they will of course be hoping for a far better haul than that.
When does the World Cup start?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup starts on Thursday, June 11, with co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa in Mexico City.
Fellow co-hosts Canada and United States are in action on Friday, against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Paraguay respectively.
June 16, meanwhile, promises to be a blockbuster day of football, with France, Norway and reigning World Cup winners Argentina all in action.
England get their World Cup campaign underway a day later on June 17 as they take on Croatia at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
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Thomas Tuchel's side then face Ghana in Foxborough, Massachusetts, before concluding their group stage schedule against Panama in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
That will be their first experience of playing in the MetLife Stadium, which they will be hoping to visit again when it stages the World Cup final on July 19.
The group stage will last for just over two weeks, with the knockout stages getting underway on June 28.
Topics: FIFA World Cup, Gaming
Ryan Smart