Why Spain are not 'unofficial world champions' despite winning the World Cup

Although Spain are the 2026 World Cup winners, another surprise nation has claimed the title of the 'unofficial world champions'.

After six weeks of exciting action and plenty of controversial drama across North America, the 2026 World Cup is now over.

Following an impressive campaign that saw them concede only one goal all tournament, Spain were crowned champions with a 1-0 win over Argentina in the final.

Despite many arguing that they hadn't impressed during the early stages of the tournament, Spain's campaign at the World Cup this summer is one of the best in recent memory as the Euro 2024 winners asserted themselves as the best team in the world.

But, there's still one other team that can claim to have one up on the 2026 World Cup winners, as Spain are not the 'unofficial world champions'.

Instead, that would be Turkey who, despite spectacularly crashing out of the World Cup this summer in the group stage, were once again crowned the unofficial world champions following their 3-2 victory over the United States of America.

Turkey's campaign at the 2026 World Cup is one to forget for fans of the European nation as were already eliminated heading into their final group-stage game against the United States having failed to score against Group D opponents Australia and Paraguay despite having 62 shots across the two games.

But, their only win this summer being over the US allows them to claim the title of the 'unofficial world champions' after the World Cup hosts previously claimed the honour when they defeated Australia 2-0 in their second group stage on June 19.

The Socceroos held the title coming into the World Cup after they claimed it in March 2026, defeating Kosovo.

What is the unofficial world championship and how do you win it?

The Unofficial Football World Championships is an fan-created way of calculating the world's best international side, with the idea first starting when Scotland beat England in the 1967 Nations Championship.

Teams are ranked on a table that collates statistics like matches won, win percentage and goal difference, with only matches between competing nations counted on the table.

In order to claim the world title, a nation must beat the current holders in a match that would then crown them champions of the informal competition, similar to the lineal championship referred to in combat sports.

England were the inaugural winners of the title their 4-2 victory over Scotland in March 1873, with the fans running the championship retroactively going back to the earliest international fixtures between the Three Lions and Scotland.

The two Home Nations have dominated the title since its inception, with Scotland topping the table having been crowned unofficial world champions 86 times, the last of which was March 2007.

READ MORE: Argentina branded 'disgrace' for what they did while Spain lifted the World Cup trophy

Scotland sit top of the UFWC table. Image credit: The UFWC

England are 73-time winners, with the last time being all the way back in June 2000, while the other home nations, Wales and Northern Ireland, have won it 12 and five times respectively.

Current holders Turkey have won the title four times, placing them tied 33rd on the table, with Curacao, Israel, Sierra Leone, South Korea and Venezuela tied bottom of the table having each won the title once.