The 2026 World Cup kicks off in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium on Thursday, with a record 48 teams vying for the biggest prize in football. Lionel Messi's title holders Argentina feature in our trio of hot favourites, along with European champions Spain and 2022 finalists France. But there are plenty of other title contenders, from England and Portugal to Senegal and Morocco, along with five-time winners Brazil. Here’s a look at who might get their hands on the famous gold trophy when the tournament wraps up in the MetLife Stadium near New York City on July 19. Read moreWorld Cup 2026: The full match schedule A Spanish one-two? Led by Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal and confident in their collective strength, Spain, the reigning European champions, are hoping to bag their second world title, 16 years after their triumph in South Africa. Spain have moved on from pure tiki-taka to adopt a more clinical approach. They are still capable of confiscating the ball, but also of punishing opponents on the break. Their favourites tag is vindication for manager Luis de la Fuente, who has worked his way from Spain's grassroots programmes ⁠to the senior squad, masterminding their Euros success two years ago. He will be counting on the return from injury of his two deadly wingers, Yamal and Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams, though their fitness after missing the end of the club season remains a question mark for La Roja. France’s daunting attack Les Bleus have played in four of the past seven World Cup finals, including the last two, effectively making them the team to beat. The two-time champions boast a star-studded squad, particularly up front, with Kylian Mbappé and the current Ballon d’Or Ousmane Dembélé joined by the likes of Rayan Cherki, Désiré Doué and Michael Olise, who scored a hat-trick in their final warm-up game.