France remains the undisputed No. 1 in the latest World Cup 2026 power rankings, with all six judges ranking Les Bleus first. Their dominant performance against Sweden showcased an unstoppable front four, with Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise producing moments of genius. Mbappé told reporters, "I did say that I wanted to enjoy this World Cup to the fullest."
Spain and Argentina Round Out Top Three
Spain climbed to No. 2 after a convincing victory over Austria, described by Luis de la Fuente as "almost perfect." Lamine Yamal continues to improve, while Unai Simón remains unbeaten. Argentina dropped to No. 3 despite winning all matches, but needed extra time to overcome Cape Verde, leaving Lionel Messi and the team physically drained.
Co-Hosts Mexico and USA Surge
Mexico rose three spots to No. 4, thriving at the Azteca Stadium with prodigal talent Gilberto Mora. The USA jumped seven places to No. 9, showing resilience after Folarin Balogun's red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina, holding on and adding a second goal.
Morocco and Norway Impress
Morocco climbed to No. 5 after forcing extra time against the Netherlands and winning on penalties. Coach Mohamed Ouahbi said, "I think Morocco has gained everybody's respect now." Norway rose five spots to No. 7, with Erling Haaland scoring the winner against Côte d'Ivoire.
England and Brazil Hold Steady
England remained at No. 8, with Harry Kane rescuing them against DR Congo, but Thomas Tuchel faces concerns over a disjointed performance. Brazil dropped to No. 6 despite a second-half revival against Japan, with Vinícius Júnior leading the attack.
Belgium and Netherlands Struggle
Belgium stayed at No. 13 after a lucky win over Senegal, with coach Rudi Garcia admitting Senegal deserved victory. The Netherlands plummeted 16 spots to No. 20 after a conservative approach against Morocco led to early exit.
Germany and Côte d'Ivoire Fall
Germany dropped 13 places to No. 24 after a shootout defeat to Paraguay, with an error-strewn performance. Côte d'Ivoire fell eight spots to No. 23, undone by Haaland's winner.
Paraguay and Canada Rise
Paraguay jumped 15 spots to No. 16 after beating Germany with 26% possession. Coach Gustavo Alfaro said, "If we had not learned from the loss, we would not have been prepared for this match." Canada rose 10 places to No. 14, with Alphonso Davies inspiring a late win over South Africa.
Full Rankings
The rankings were assembled by polling six Guardian World Cup writers and editors, based on an average of votes cast. The top 10: France (1), Spain (2), Argentina (3), Mexico (4), Morocco (5), Brazil (6), Norway (7), England (8), USA (9), Colombia (10).
