SPSoccerPath.ai

Monte Carlo simulation

World Cup 2026 Champion Odds

10,000 full-tournament simulations using Elo (FIFA rank) + Poisson goals. Each match is sampled from our prediction model, group stage and knockout included. Updated as teams are added or removed.

Predicted champion
MexicoMexico14.7%
Germany 8.3% · South Korea 7.1%

Tournament winner

#TeamGrpWin %
1
MexicoMexicoFavorite
A14.7
2
GermanyGermanyContender
E8.3
3
South KoreaSouth KoreaContender
A7.1
4G5.7
5E5.4
6F5.3
7C5.1
8D4.8
9C4.7
10B4.5
11H3.7
12F3.3
13C3.2
14E3.0
15G2.8
16B2.5
17D2.3
18H2.1
19G2.1
20A2.1
21F1.6
22F1.3
23D1.1
24B0.6
25B0.6
26A0.4
27E0.3
28D0.3
29H0.2
30G0.2
31H0.2
32C0.1
33I0.0
34I0.0
35I0.0
36I0.0
37J0.0
38J0.0
39J0.0
40J0.0
41K0.0
42K0.0
43K0.0
44K0.0
45L0.0
46L0.0
47L0.0
48L0.0

Our model vs Onside Arena

Onside data → onsidearena.com/data

Side-by-side champion probability for the top 12 contenders. Our model uses Elo + Poisson over 10,000 Monte Carlo runs; Onside Arena uses logistic opponent-rating with FIFA rank, Premier League squad footprint, host advantage, and confederation strength (5,000 runs).

#TeamGrpSoccerPathOnsideΔ
1
MexicoMexico
A14.74.1+10.6
2
GermanyGermany
E8.34.2+4.1
3
South KoreaSouth Korea
A7.10.3+6.9
4
BelgiumBelgium
G5.75.3+0.4
5
EcuadorEcuador
E5.40.5+4.9
6
NetherlandsNetherlands
F5.37.7-2.4
7
BrazilBrazil
C5.16.5-1.3
8
United StatesUnited States
D4.84.3+0.5
9
MoroccoMorocco
C4.73.1+1.6
10
SwitzerlandSwitzerland
B4.51.1+3.4
11
SpainSpain
H3.710.7-7.0
12
JapanJapan
F3.30.5+2.8

Onside Arena data licensed CC-BY-4.0. Refreshed daily alongside our own simulation.

Most controversial picks

The 5 biggest disagreements between our model and Onside Arena. We tend to over-rate teams in weaker groups (Group A in particular) and under-rate elite teams in tough ones — group-stage luck isn’t fully discounted.

FranceFranceWe under-rate
Us
0.0%
vs
Onside
12.3%
Δ
-12.3
EnglandEnglandWe under-rate
Us
0.0%
vs
Onside
11.8%
Δ
-11.8
MexicoMexicoWe over-rate
Us
14.7%
vs
Onside
4.1%
Δ
+10.6
ArgentinaArgentinaWe under-rate
Us
0.0%
vs
Onside
9.8%
Δ
-9.8
PortugalPortugalWe under-rate
Us
0.0%
vs
Onside
8.0%
Δ
-8.0

Onside data: onsidearena.com/data · CC-BY-4.0

Round of X probability

Likelihood of each team reaching each stage.

Reach the final
Top 16
  • MexicoMexico25%
  • BrazilBrazil18%
  • MoroccoMorocco17%
  • South KoreaSouth Korea16%
  • SwitzerlandSwitzerland15%
  • United StatesUnited States11%
  • CanadaCanada11%
  • Czech RepublicCzech Republic9%
Reach the semi-final
Top 16
  • MexicoMexico44%
  • GermanyGermany36%
  • South KoreaSouth Korea34%
  • NetherlandsNetherlands33%
  • EcuadorEcuador30%
  • SwitzerlandSwitzerland28%
  • JapanJapan25%
  • Ivory CoastIvory Coast23%
Reach the quarter-final
Top 8
  • MexicoMexico62%
  • BelgiumBelgium52%
  • South KoreaSouth Korea51%
  • ScotlandScotland51%
  • BrazilBrazil51%
  • MoroccoMorocco50%
  • GermanyGermany50%
  • EcuadorEcuador45%

Dark horse spotlight

The 0.8–5% tier — too strong to call a long shot, too rare to be a realistic contender. These are the teams that could author the tournament’s most memorable story.

United StatesUnited StatesDark horse
4.8%
A team to watch.
MoroccoMoroccoDark horse
4.7%
We rate them noticeably above the consensus.
SwitzerlandSwitzerlandDark horse
4.5%
We rate them noticeably above the consensus.
SpainSpainDark horse
3.7%
Consensus sees less upside than we do.
JapanJapanDark horse
3.3%
We rate them noticeably above the consensus.
ScotlandScotlandDark horse
3.2%
We rate them noticeably above the consensus.

Most likely bracket

The single most likely outcome of every match, from Round of 32 to the Final. Winner of each matchup is shown in green.

Predicted final
Mexico
Mexico
52% to win
vs
Morocco
Morocco
48% to win
Predicted champion: Mexico (15%)
Round of 32
MexicoMexico69%
Ivory CoastIvory Coast31%
SwitzerlandSwitzerland56%
JapanJapan44%
BrazilBrazil72%
EgyptEgypt28%
United StatesUnited States56%
UruguayUruguay44%
GermanyGermany67%
South KoreaSouth Korea33%
NetherlandsNetherlands71%
CanadaCanada29%
BelgiumBelgium56%
MoroccoMorocco44%
SpainSpain73%
AustraliaAustralia27%
Czech RepublicCzech Republic50%
CanadaCanada50%
Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina22%
MoroccoMorocco78%
ScotlandScotland47%
AustraliaAustralia53%
TurkeyTurkey64%
Ivory CoastIvory Coast36%
EcuadorEcuador54%
JapanJapan46%
SwedenSweden51%
EgyptEgypt49%
IranIran54%
UruguayUruguay46%
Cape VerdeCape Verde30%
South KoreaSouth Korea70%
Round of 16
MexicoMexico60%
SwitzerlandSwitzerland40%
BrazilBrazil64%
United StatesUnited States36%
GermanyGermany56%
NetherlandsNetherlands44%
BelgiumBelgium52%
SpainSpain48%
Czech RepublicCzech Republic36%
MoroccoMorocco64%
AustraliaAustralia54%
TurkeyTurkey46%
EcuadorEcuador67%
SwedenSweden33%
IranIran60%
South KoreaSouth Korea40%
Quarter-finals
MexicoMexico52%
BrazilBrazil48%
GermanyGermany56%
BelgiumBelgium44%
MoroccoMorocco70%
AustraliaAustralia30%
EcuadorEcuador55%
IranIran45%
Semi-finals
MexicoMexico54%
GermanyGermany46%
MoroccoMorocco67%
EcuadorEcuador33%
Final
MexicoMexico52%
MoroccoMorocco48%

Methodology: 10,000 full-tournament simulations. Each match sampled from the prediction model: 3-way moneyline (Elo + draw factor) + Poisson goals. Group stage runs all 72 group matches; knockout rounds use standard FIFA bracket structure. Real finished match results are kept (deterministic), remaining matches are simulated.

Simulation completed in 7123ms · For entertainment only. Not betting advice.