
Chapter 1
The continent-sized kickoff
Chapter 2
The home turf advantage
Chapter 3
The heavyweight favorites
Chapter 4
The final showdown and legacy
Ch 3 · The heavyweight favorites
dave England's Quest for Glory
Sixty years of dreaming, now we're chasing the gold, Let's write a new story like the legends of old.

dave Midfield maestro Rodri and teenage sensation Pau Cubarsí led Spain's disciplined, possession-based team to winning the championship.

dave Lionel Scaloni led Argentina's dramatic 2026 World Cup title defense across North America
Quiz
Which country did Argentina defeat in the 2022 World Cup final to enter 2026 as defending champions?
Fun Fact
Double champions: Spain became the first nation in history to hold both the men's and women's FIFA World Cup trophies at the same time.
Glossary
favorite (noun)
A competitor or team widely judged to be the most likely to win a contest. Led by Kylian Mbappé, France enters the 2026 tournament as a prime contender for the trophy.
A competitor or team widely judged to be the most likely to win a contest. Led by Kylian Mbappé, France enters the 2026 tournament as a prime contender for the trophy.

dave Argentina, Spain, France, and England all reached the 2026 semifinals, delivering a rare masterclass of elite-level soccer.

