Argentina, France, Croatia and Morocco eye 2026 World Cup

Less than 24 hours remain before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Argentina, France, Croatia and Morocco are the four nations highlighted for a possible repeat of their 2022 performances. Lionel Scaloni guided Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title in Qatar and now targets a back‑to‑back triumph. Scaloni’s squad arrives in North America with a battle‑tested core. Lionel Messi, the eight‑time Ballon d’Or winner, remains the centerpiece of the side. Didier Deschamps approaches his farewell World Cup after steering France to the 2022 final loss. France enter the tournament as a top contender, with Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise leading an attacking line described as bursting at the seams. A second final appearance would place France alongside Brazil as the only nation to reach three consecutive finals.

Knockout stage: Brazil vs Japan, Germany vs Paraguay, and Netherlands vs Morocco.

Zlatko Dalic’s Croatia silenced critics with a deep run in Qatar, reaching the semi‑finals before falling to Argentina. Luka Modric captained the side to a bronze medal and, at 40, prepares for his last World Cup campaign. Modric’s retirement from the national team will close the most successful era in Croatian football history. Walid Regragui’s Atlas Lions became the first African team to reach the World Cup semi‑finals in Qatar. Morocco defeated Spain in the round of 16 and Portugal in the quarter‑finals before losing 2‑1 to Croatia in the third‑place match. The side now seeks to prove that its 2022 run was no flash in the pan.

From Morocco’s class to Cape Verde’s miracle: the World Cup turns African

Only Italy before World War II and Brazil in the 1960s have successfully defended the World Cup crown. No reigning champion has managed a repeat in more than six decades, a feat Messi hopes to achieve after his Lusail Stadium final peak. All four nations arrive in North America with the ambition to replicate their 2022 success. The tournament promises to test whether any can join the exclusive club of back‑to‑back champions.