Looking Ahead to the World Cup: Expert Views from The Dugout

Aficionados Experts - 10th June 2026

Tomorrow, the World Cup begins. The anticipation is over and attention now turns to the players, teams and storylines that will shape football's biggest tournament. From potential breakout stars and tactical battles to dark horses and favourites for glory, our Aficionados football experts have shared what they're expecting from the competition and what they're most looking forward to over the coming weeks. Before the first ball is kicked, we asked our panel for their views on the tournament ahead.

Tim Vickery - South American football expert

Despite everything - and I'm well aware that this time the 'despite' is doing a lot of heavy lifting - I still love the World Cup. It turns me into a 9 year old all over again, and, straining hard, I can just about glimpse some of the purity that made me fall in love with football all those years ago.

Sticking strictly to on field matters, this one concerns me a bit. The heat, especially, and the format of the competition could conspire to produce a glut of cautious football. We live in hope, though - but I'm not totally confident that South America will retain its 100% record in North American World Cups. The favourites for me are the obvious big two - France and Spain - and it is striking how much better the European teams look in comparison with USA 94.

You can join Tim Vickery on our Samba Football Experience tour.

Daniele Fisichella - Italian football journalist

As we approach the first-ever 48-team World Cup, uniquely staged across three host nations, there is plenty that has piqued my curiosity. Make no mistake, I believe this will be a gruelling tournament for the elite nations. Long travel distances, intense climate conditions. I am fascinated to see how managers navigate the extra hurdle: it will now take eight matches, rather than seven, to be crowned world champions.

If history tells us anything, it is that we should expect the unexpected. For me, the most striking trend is that every single World Cup tournament played outside of Europe has delivered a major shock. From Belgium reaching the semi-finals in 1986, outsiders Sweden and Bulgaria making into the top four in 1994, to Morocco becoming the first African semi-finalist four years ago in Qatar. I fully expect some surprising results this summer.

On paper, I look at France and see the strongest squad in the tournament. Their frontline features a terrifying array of interchangeable talent, backed by deep tournament experience and a manager in Didier Deschamps who knows exactly how to cross the finish line. But will that be enough? Historically, Les Bleus can be their own worst enemies, and I do wonder if internal factions will derail their ambitions once again.

If Kylian Mbappé is not the man I see lifting the trophy on 19 July, then Portugal are my absolute dark horses. In my view, nobody else in world football can rival a midfield engine room containing the sheer quality of Vitinha, João Neves, Bernardo Silva, and Bruno Fernandes. In a long, taxing summer tournament, the ability to control the tempo, retain possession, and make opponents chase shadows could make all the difference. It reminds me of the wisdom of Italian legend Roberto Baggio, who famously missed a penalty in the USA '94 final: "The ball does not sweat."

You can join Daniele on our Emilia-Romagna tour.

Phil Ball - Spanish football expert and author

The bookies’ top three are France, Spain and England, which just goes to show what they know. England can be dismissed. Sorry. You know the reasons. Tuchel’s a clever chap, but the spirit’s low and the balance isn’t right. It won’t go much deeper than that. Put Portugal in England’s place and ignore the bookies. Fancy a flutter? 50 quid on Portugal at 10/1 wouldn’t go amiss. That’s two jars of organic pickle from Waitrose – you can afford it. And you’ll probably make a profit for the simple reason that they have a stellar squad, will fight till they drop, and might even benefit from defenders’ inevitable worry that old-man Ronaldo might ruffle them. He still can, although maybe it’s going to be a World Cup of midfields. Portugal’s is ridiculous, with Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, Joao Neves and Silva.

The fact that Gonçalo Guedes has come along as a fringe player tells you everything, when he’s just been voted into the top 10 players of La Liga last season. Leao’s a half-decent attacker too. Then you’ve got Dias and Mendes at the back, a solid keeper and the big-event confidence that the Nations League win has given them. If they can keep Ronaldo in his kennel, and just bring him out to bite from time to time, I can’t see anyone stopping them. They should emerge fine from their Group (K) although DR Congo might give them a game and Uzbekistan are better than they seem, but Portugal are my pick.

Argentina again? Not a chance. Brazil? They’re my choice for shock early exit. They’ve drawn Morocco (who look good again), Haiti who might cause a surprise, and Scotland have some quality this time around and a squad who are very united. Brazil look like potential victims again, despite Ancelotti’s calming presence. And sticking to others who won’t win, the ‘Group of Death’ looks like Group I (Norway, France, Iraq and Senegal). France are short odds with the bookies, and fair enough, given the depth of their squad - but Norway’s golden generation are possible dark horses if they get out the group. Haaland, Sorloth, Odegaard are known entities, but Tony Nusa (at Leipzig) could be a star to emerge in the competition. And Senegal? You wouldn’t mess with them. Even Iraq looked decent against Spain last week. France will need to start with the right attitude (always their problem) or else they might join Brazil on the early boat home. But sure – they’ll probably progress. Spain? Well of course they can win it. If Portugal’s midfield is ridiculous, Spain’s is absurd. Rodri, Gavi, Fabián, Zubimendi, Pedri, Merino, (if he’s fit) Olmo…and so it goes on. Rodri and Pedri are probably the best in the world at what they do, but the surrounding bunch can all do different jobs to oil the machine. However, with Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal both recovering from injuries and a lack of playing time, part of the scary offensive threat has gone. If they’d been fully up and running, they’d have been my favourites. I reckon they might come unstuck without those two wide chaps, good though Victor Muñoz can be – but he doesn’t have the big-event experience. They’ll go far, but I still reckon it’s Portugal’s year.

You can join Phil Ball on our The Basque Way tour.

Esteban Bekerman - Argentinian football historian

I do not think we will be watching great matches besides the ones of Spain and France, which are in my opinion the most firm candidates for winning the World Cup. Argentina will surely not be the same as they were in Qatar, and with luck they will advance to the quarter finals in my opinion.

You can join Esteban Bekerman on our Two Football Meccas tour.

Professor John Foot - Italian football historian

Obviously one of the difficult issues for me with this World Cup is that Italy aren't there (again, for the third time in a row) despite being four times winners, two times losing finalists, once third, once fourth etc etc). The other difficult issue is the bloated tournament, the ticket prices, the visa issues and so on. But if we are going to concentrate only on the pure footballing issues, I think the favourites are France, Spain, England and Argentina in that order. I can't see anyone else winning it. But the heat will be important and a lot of games will go to penalties. One other thing - the extra VAR powers will be very annoying (and won't work).

You can join John Foot on our Milan & Turin tour.

Euan Marshall - Brazilian football journalist

Experiencing the World Cup in São Paulo means seeing the tournament from countless different viewpoints, thanks to the rich array of immigrant communities dotted around South America’s biggest and most cosmopolitan city. For the first few days of action alone, I’ve got the option of watching matches with fans from Paraguay, Haiti, Ecuador, South Korea, Japan, Germany, Czechia and Türkiye, all within a short bus ride from my home.

Joining the city’s Senegalese community at their favourite haunt (a Greek hookah bar in old Downtown) for their opener against France is sure to be one of the most unforgettable experiences of the group stage.

Regarding the football itself, I’m expecting history to be made. Debuting nations could spring a surprise or two, though Just Fontaine’s goal record may be at risk due to the disparity in quality within some of the groups.

Brazil, for me, are the team to watch. With Carlo Ancelotti making his World Cup debut as head coach, leading a talented but uneven and heavily questioned side, you feel that anything could happen. They could be dumped out early on, just as easily as they could go on and win the whole thing.

You can join Euan Marshall on our Samba Football Experience tour.

Kit Holden - German football journalist and author

It hasn't always been easy to look forward to this World Cup. But beyond the ticket prices, the nationalism, the draconian immigration policies, the rinsing of taxpayers and the kowtowing to authoritarian bullies, there are a few things worth getting excited about. World Cup games in the Estadio Azteca are enough to get the pulse racing for even the most disillusioned football cynic. The 48-team model, however inflated, has given smaller nations a chance to shine, and it would be po-faced not to be happy for Curacao, Haiti and the rest. The return of the DRC to the footballing world stage is also hugely exciting.

Who will win? The boring answer is France, Spain or Argentina (in that order), with England, Brazil, Germany and the Netherlands (in that order) as second-favourites. I do wonder whether the extra knockout game will cause some surprises, though. Nobody knows what it is like to play at a 48-team World Cup, and teams like Norway and Ecuador are good enough to capitalise if the draw goes their way and a few favourites crash out early.

As our experts have shown, there is no shortage of intrigue heading into this World Cup. From established powers like France, Spain and Portugal to emerging nations eager to seize their moment, the tournament promises a fascinating mix of footballing excellence, unpredictability and human drama. With 48 teams competing in the largest World Cup ever staged, the competition enters a new era—one that offers more nations than ever before the chance to make history on football's grandest stage. While opinions differ on who will ultimately lift the trophy, there is a shared sense that the World Cup remains unrivalled in its ability to create unforgettable moments, enduring stories and new heroes. Now the debate gives way to the action. Let the football begin.