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Barcelona legend Xavi has named Argentina and Spain as his favorites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The global event is set to take place next summer in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
In a recent interaction, Xavi was asked to name his favorites for next year's World Cup. He said (via Barca Universal on X):
"For me, along with Argentina, Spain are the favourites to win the World Cup."
Argentina are the reigning world champions. La Albiceleste defeated France 4-2 on penalties at Qatar 2022 to lift their third World Cup title. Lionel Scaloni's side have already booked their spot for the upcoming edition and will look to defend their crown.
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Spain, meanwhile, are yet to confirm their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but have started the qualifiers strongly. The 2010 world champions currently lead their group with six points from two matches. They are set to face Georgia and Bulgaria in the qualification series on October 11 and 14, respectively.
Should they secure qualification, Spain would head into the tournament as reigning European champions. Luis de la Fuente's side also finished as runners-up behind Portugal in the 2025 UEFA Nations League.
Xavi was a key member of La Roja's World Cup-winning team in 2010. The former Barcelona midfielder featured in every game for Spain and registered an assist in the semi-final against Germany.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will commence on June 11, 2026, and will be hosted across 16 cities, with the United States acting as the main host nation.
How many nations have qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup so far?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature an expanded format from 32 to 45 teams. As of now, 18 countries have qualified for the tournament.
Canada, Mexico, and the United States secured automatic qualification as host nations. Six teams from Asia, namely Japan, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Jordan, and Australia, have locked in their spots as well.
Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, Colombia, and Paraguay are the CONMEBOL nations that will feature at the World Cup. Currently, Morocco and Tunisia are the only African teams to have secured qualification for the tournament, while Australia is the sole qualified nation from Oceania.
