Sports Illustrated Ranks France No. 1 Among 8 World Cup Quarterfinalists

Q: Will Spain's impenetrable defense or the high-powered offense of teams like France and Norway decide the champion?

France’s balanced firepower looks slightly more likely to decide the champion than Spain’s defense alone, though Spain’s clean-sheet run gives it a real path to the title. The evidence points to France as the most complete remaining team. It is ranked No. 1, chasing a third straight World Cup final, and has combined control with scoring depth. Kylian Mbappé is among the tournament’s top scorers, and France’s attack is not dependent on one player. Its earlier wins, including a 5-1 result against Sweden, showed the ability to overwhelm opponents, while a 1-0 win over Paraguay showed it can also survive tighter knockout matches. Spain’s case is just as clear on the other side of the ball. It has not conceded a goal in North America and has five clean sheets, making it the tournament’s best defensive side. That matters more in knockout football, where one mistake can end a run. Spain also showed against Portugal that it can win without dominating early, using squad depth and late execution. Norway is more dangerous than its ranking suggests because Erling Haaland can change any match, as Brazil learned. But Norway appears more reliant on one scorer than France, and that usually becomes harder to sustain over three straight knockout rounds. So the likely answer is that the champion will be decided by whichever team best combines both traits. Right now, France appears best built for that balance, while Spain remains the strongest argument that defense can still win the tournament.

3 articles · Updated · Sports Illustrated · Jul 8

France tops Sports Illustrated’s ranking of the eight remaining 2026 World Cup teams, ahead of Spain, England and Argentina with less than two weeks until the final.
The list weighs likely tournament run, overall performance and quarterfinal path, with SI calling France the strongest bet to reach a third straight World Cup final.
Spain sits second after eliminating Portugal and not conceding a goal in North America, while England is third and Argentina fourth despite a comeback win fueled by 39-year-old Lionel Messi.
Norway, Morocco, Belgium and Switzerland round out the ranking, with Erling Haaland’s 7 goals boosting Norway and Switzerland reaching the quarterfinals for the first time since 1954.