1) France (no change from previous rankings)
Les Bleus look unstoppable – all six of our judges ranked them number one. Sweden did their best to handle France’s front four but were completely outplayed by the smoothest team in the tournament. Even when opponents feel comfortable, Michael Olise or Kylian Mbappé can create magic out of nowhere, tearing apart even the best-organized defenses. “I did say I wanted to enjoy this World Cup to the fullest,” Mbappé told reporters after the Sweden match. It’s hard to imagine the fun stopping anytime soon.
2) Spain (+1)
After just going through the motions in the group stage, Spain finally came alive against Austria with what Luis de la Fuente called an “almost perfect” victory. Lamine Yamal is improving with every game – a scary thought for any opponent – and Unai Simón still hasn’t conceded a goal. La Roja have taken the handbrake off completely, and the football is flowing freely, helped by Mikel Oyarzabal’s clinical finishing in front of goal.
3) Argentina (-1)
They’ve won every match they’ve played at this World Cup and have the tournament’s top scorer in Lionel Messi. But the world champions let Cape Verde back into an exciting match on Friday, and a more ruthless team might not have let them off the hook. It will also be interesting to see how playing 120 minutes in Miami’s draining heat affects them in Tuesday’s last-16 match against Egypt. By the end, many of the Argentina side – including Messi – looked physically and emotionally exhausted.
4) Mexico (+3)
There are few better sights than a lively Azteca Stadium watching El Tri in full flow. This isn’t the best squad in the tournament, but they’re thriving at home, powered by the prodigal talent of Gilberto Mora, who was fantastic against Ecuador. The last-16 clash against England will be Mexico’s final match as co-hosts, which could slow their momentum if they advance.
5) Morocco (+4)
Morocco never give up and forced extra time against the Netherlands with a 91st-minute goal from Issa Diop. It showed that the African champions are composed and can keep their nerve, as Yassine Bounou proved in the penalty shootout. They’ve drawn with Brazil and beaten the Netherlands, showing they can replicate their semi-final run from four years ago. “I think Morocco has gained everybody’s respect now,” said head coach Mohamed Ouahbi. Few would disagree.
6) Brazil (-1)
It felt like two different versions of Brazil played against Japan. The first-half team was flat and lacked desire. But after halftime, down a goal, they came back revitalized. Vinícius Júnior’s skills kept Japan on the back foot, well supported by Rayan and the experience of Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães in midfield. There are concerns about the defense, but the forward line is making up for it.
7) Norway (+5)
It turns out making 10 changes two matches in a row was a good idea. Erling Haaland is often quiet, making some think he’s out of the game, but he’s always alert, waiting for his moment to strike – and he got the winner against Côte d’Ivoire. The Manchester City striker will be excited about another fierce battle with Gabriel Magalhães in the next round.
8) England (no change)
England are lucky to have one of the world’s best strikers, which helped them avoid an early exit against the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Harry Kane was clinical when it mattered, but Thomas Tuchel should be very worried about the overall performance. It was slow and disjointed for the most part, leaving the head coach with plenty to think about before a tough match against co-hosts Mexico. The defense was shaky against the DRC, and a repeat of that performance will surely be punished.
9) USA (+7)
Folarin Balogun’s red card – and suspension – could come back to haunt them.Mauricio Pochettino. The striker has been a real handful, scoring three goals in three games. Still, the US can take confidence from how they played after he was sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina. They not only held off their opponents but added a second goal, showing that this version of the USMNT is tough and resilient. They won’t be afraid of Belgium.
10) Colombia (-4)
Another strong performance against Ghana, even if a 1-0 win didn’t fully reflect their efforts. There’s some concern they can’t finish off games, but their overall play is impressive. They have energetic full-backs charging down the wings, Luis Díaz’s unpredictable dribbling causing problems for opponents, and James Rodríguez reminding everyone what he brings as a playmaker in a World Cup. Switzerland won’t scare a team full of energy and confidence, backed by a big and loud fan base.
11) Portugal (-1)
Penalty aside, Portugal were second best against Croatia while Cristiano Ronaldo was on the pitch. It wasn’t until Roberto Martínez took him off that things improved; Gonçalo Ramos then became the hero with a fine header. Portugal know how to keep possession, but being blunt in attack is a recurring issue. Rafael Leão has become their most dangerous threat, and making the most of his skills on the left, with great support from Nuno Mendes, will be key.
12) Switzerland (+5)
With Johan Manzambi emerging as a breakout star and the team backed by the experience of Breel Embolo and Granit Xhaka, Switzerland’s progress shouldn’t come as a surprise. “I think you can really use Manzambi in any position,” head coach Murat Yakin said after the 20-year-old made light work of Algeria. “It’s just so much fun to work with him and see him perform like that. He’s really evolving.” That’s starting to sound like a warning to others.
13) Belgium (no change)
They were in serious trouble against Senegal until Youri Tielemans and Leandro Trossard had a heated exchange during the second hydration break. Some aggression was needed because the Red Devils had been passive. In the end, they scraped a remarkable win more through luck than design, with even their head coach, Rudi Garcia, admitting Senegal deserved to win. Maybe more infighting can help unite what looks like a disjointed team; they’re very lucky to have advanced.
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A heated exchange between Belgium’s Leandro Trossard and Youri Tielemans seemed to help the team against Senegal. Photograph: Dirk Waem/Belga/Shutterstock
14) Canada (+10)
They needed a last-minute winner against South Africa but deserved to reach the round of 16. Canada were the more positive team, and the return of their captain, Alphonso Davies, made a huge difference—he inspired his teammates to push forward. It was Davies, a late substitute, who created space for the winner. His presence will give them hope for the next round.
15) Egypt (+5)
Reaching the round of 16 was clearly an emotional moment for the nation; Mohamed Salah and head coach Hossam Hassan burst into tears after they secured victory against Australia. They tried to win a tight game before the dreaded penalty shootout but lacked the courage to make it happen. Maybe that cautious approach will be what they need against Argentina. Salah’s Panenka shows there’s plenty of confidence in this team.
16) Paraguay (+15)
Neutral fans might not enjoy La Albirroja’s style—Paraguay beat Germany despite having just 26% possession on their way to a shootout win. Still, they deserve praise for their steady improvement after being humiliated by the US in their first game. “If we hadn’t learned from that loss, we wouldn’t have been ready for this match,” head coach Gustavo Alfaro said after beating Germany. “I told the players we lived through an epic evening.”
17) Cape Verde (+2)
They’re ranked outside the top 16 only because they’re out of the tournament. They were brilliant in a thrilling match against Argentina and showed the organization and skill that got them this far.They made it to the knockout stage. Their only loss in the tournament came against the defending champions, and even that was in extra time. They also held the European champions, Spain, to a draw. Well done.
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Cape Verde’s Sidny Lopes Cabral is comforted by Nicolás Otamendi after Argentina narrowly advanced in their last-32 match. Photograph: Chris Urso/Tampa Bay Times/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
18) Japan (-4)
They came close to shocking Brazil, but they sat back too deep for too long and let their opponents back into the game. Still, it was impressive to go toe-to-toe with one of the world’s best teams.
19) Croatia (-1)
It was a fond farewell to 40-year-old Luka Modric. He and his teammates couldn’t have done much more in a chaotic match against Portugal, which they lost by the smallest of margins.
20) Netherlands (-16)
Ronald Koeman changed his team’s formation and strategy against Morocco, and it almost paid off. But he must wonder if his cautious approach was why the team left early.
21) DR Congo (+4)
They desperately tried to hold on against England, but were forced to camp in their own area, and it was too tough a task. Yoane Wissa will regret his miss that would have made it 2-0.
22) Senegal (+10)
The post-match analysis will be painful after giving up a two-goal lead with four minutes left against Belgium. They were dominant and outplayed Belgium for long stretches, but football can be cruel.
23) Côte d’Ivoire (-8)
Only a stunning save from Ørjan Nyland stopped the Ivorians from forcing extra time against Norway. The game was decided by who had the best striker on the day, and few are better than Haaland.
24) Germany (-13)
The cracks were hidden during the group stage but became clear in their shootout loss. It was a mistake-filled performance that ended a disappointing tournament for Germany.
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Manuel Neuer watches Paraguay’s winning penalty, taken by José Canale, go past him. Photograph: Ezra Shaw/Fifa/Getty Images
25) Australia (-3)
Making such great progress in the tournament and then forgetting how to take penalties in a shootout was deflating. Their finishing was off from the start against Egypt.
26) Sweden (-5)
There was no shame in losing to France. Sweden worked very hard to keep their opponents quiet but were undone by a top-class team.
27) Ghana (-1)
Losing 1-0 to Colombia was a fitting end for a team that rarely attacked and was often hard to watch. They didn’t have a single shot on target in their last-32 match. Thanks for coming, Carlos Queiroz.
28) Ecuador (+2)
The effort needed to get past Germany in the group stage took its toll, as Ecuador meekly exited against Mexico. To make matters worse, Piero Hincapié was sent off for covering his mouth.
29) Austria (-2)
If not for goalkeeper Alexander Schlager, things would have been much worse against Spain. But there was no shame in Austria being outclassed.
Alexander Schlager player profile
30) Algeria (-2)
They weren’t sharp enough from the start and were caught off guard by Switzerland. Algeria learned that the biggest stage is unforgiving, and they were never ruthless enough.
31) South Africa (-8)
They made history by getting out of their group, but it seemed their main goal against Canada was to reach a shootout.
32) Bosnia and Herzegovina (-3)
They were somewhat lucky to reach the last 16. It was almost inevitable they would leave at this stage, especially when Edin Dzeko was forced off.
Rankings were put together by polling six Guardian World Cup writers and editors. They were asked to rank the teams in the last 32 from best to worst. Final rankings were based on the average of the votes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on the provided statement about 2026 World Cup power rankings
General Beginner Questions
Q What are power rankings for the World Cup
A They are a list that ranks teams based on how good they are right now and how likely they are to win the tournament not just their history
Q Who is the undisputed number one in these rankings
A The statement doesnt name a specific team but it implies a clear favorite
Q Who are the cohosts on the rise
A The 2026 cohosts are the USA Canada and Mexico On the rise means they are improving and expected to be stronger than in past tournaments
Q Which big teams are dropping in these rankings
A The statement doesnt name names but it suggests traditional powerhouses are not performing as well as expected
Advanced Analytical Questions
Q What factors usually determine a teams position in a power ranking
A Recent match results squad depth player form coaching quality and how well they handle different playing styles Its not just about FIFA rankings
Q Why would cohosts like the USA Canada and Mexico be on the rise
A They benefit from automatic qualification home crowd support and major investments in their youth programs and leagues
Q How is a power ranking different from a simple prediction of who will win
A A power ranking shows relative strength at a specific moment A prediction considers factors like luck injuries and knockout bracket luck A team can be 1 in power but still lose early
Q What does it mean when a big team is dropping Is it permanent
A It usually means they are in a bad cycleaging stars poor tactics or internal conflicts Its not permanent but it signals they are vulnerable heading into the tournament
Practical Tips Examples
Q Should I use these power rankings to bet on the World Cup
